- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
October 2018 Moms
olivemomma
member
}
Going natural
olivemomma
member
so I’m wondering if any of you ladies have had a natural child birth before and if so, what methodologies/classes you used to prepare yourself both physically and mentally. I’ve always been team epidural and had an amazing experience with my daughter but not such a great one with my son (blood pressure plummeted, had to be on oxygen, body shaking, felt like crap, etc). So this time around I’m really open for the first time to a med free birth, however, I’ve experienced the intense pain of contractions and know that you really need to prepare yourself to get through it and I’d like to start sooner rather than later. Any advice???
}
Re: Going natural
I read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, and while there were some good take aways, I found it a little cult-ish for my tastes. I'd love to hear what anyone else has tried as I really want to try med-free again.
That being said med free definitely had it's benefits. I was up and walking within a few hours of the birth. No shaking or other side effects. Plus the bragging rights don't hurt ha! It's pretty amazing our bodies can do that. I was also able to feel everything which made pushing very easy. I only pushed for 30 mins which is quite quick for your first.
I kind of want the epidural this time, but I also know I Labour quick and it may not be an option. It helps to know we can do it, we were built to do it naturally and it is possible
We we did a Bradley course to prepare, though our instructor admittedly teaches a modified Bradley style. It was a great fit for us. It really emphasizes the mechanics of labor and focuses on learning to relax and let the contractions do their work instead of tensing up and fighting against them. It also really focuses on informed consent and the pros and cons of different inventions and when they become useful or necessary. Mind Over Labor was our “textbook” and I really liked it (even if parts were a bit hokey for me).
Get a doula. They are awesome. Hands down. DH thought it was a big waste of money at first but he ended up being the one who got the most comfort from her. He said we’re getting a doula again, no questions.
During my labor, I walked nearly the entire time. Had a few different mantras I repeated to myself like “relax”, “open”, and “you’re safe”. Made sure I stayed hydrated. My doula did some spinning babies moves to help get DS into better positioning, which really pushed us into the home stretch.
I labored at home for 27 hours (maybe 6 hours of real active labor). I was 8 cm once we got the hospital so they required continuous fetal monitoring. I continued to stand and walk around and they kept getting pissed I was moving the monitor out of place. Oh well.
Ok, I’ll stop talking now. I could go on forever.
ask if your hospital offers that.Also my mantra through labor was “it’s not pain, it’s only pressure”- which seems so silly now but it really did help during labor.
those are programs that train your mind to relax abd using your body to breathe and make your body as comfortable as possible. Reading it at first, i was skeptical, but when it came down to labor i was utilizing everything i learned and it was manageable!
I also listened to relaxing music and diffused lavender essential oils and labored in the tub as much as possible. Im doing this all again!
Got my epidural too fast with DS (first baby and I literally just kind of panicked about the pain). Progressed super slow and ended in c-section for a few different reasons. With DD labor happened so fast I progressed naturally to an 8 before getting epidural. Pushed for 20 minutes and she was out.
Long story short...I am VERY pro epidural just progress naturally as long as you can before getting it!!
I was able to walk and everything very quickly after. No issues. To be honest, I think there are some things that knowing too much about almost causes more anxiety and issues. I tried to get the jist and work my own way into it
TTC since 2016
Due: October 12, 2018
Location: Ontario, Canada
That being said, I’ve kind of done both. I had a med free delivery with my first (27 week delivery), then allowed them to place and test an epidural with my twins due to the higher chance of c-section, but had them turn it off once they knew it was in the right place and working okay. I hated the part while it worked. But I’m a control freak and didn’t like the numbness in my legs/belly. The only part where I kind of wanted it working again was the 76 minutes after Twin A arrived and before B was born (she’s was much bigger and had a 95%-ile head). But I was happy when she was out, and plan to go med free with this babe as well.
I’ve also read Ina May, and it was okay-ish. Very hippie. I just kind of focus on the fact that the contractions are progress. They are a good thing. They are bringing me my baby! And try to remember to breath, holding your breath makes them so much stronger!
Here’s the thing though: I had phantom epidural pain for 2 years after where it was inserted. It was super freaky and not comfortable at all. So this time I MAY attempt a natural childbirth. At least I will try everything but the epidural if I can help it. Which is already freaking me out because I made it 47 hours last time and gave up. How will I possibly go the whole way?! Ack!
I tried practicing with hypnobabies, but I would just get so itchy trying to lie still with those recordings and then I would always end up doing yoga breathing instead. So then I found a book called Active Birth, which is all about using movements and positions to get through the pain. Has anyone else read it or tried that? I’ll probably do that again because I hated the epidural. It somehow made me feel claustrophobic and I kept making DH move my legs for me haha. And I got terrible shakes and threw up a lot.
Looking back, I wish that I hadn't made such an elaborate and stringent plan for myself and set myself on a med-free birth. I think that as a ftm, you have no idea what labor will be like for you and if it doesn't go as planned, you will likely end up disappointed. Instead I wish I would have taken a more flexible approach: researched different methods/interventions/things that might happen during birth so that I could have come up with my preferences and then made decisions as labor progressed.
BFP #2: due 6/30/2017, MMC found 12/7/2016
BFP #3: due 10/21/2018
I think the important thing if you want to go med-free is just to know that you can, that millions of women have throughout history (and in your own family!) and you have the strength to do whatever you want. If you want an epi, no shame in that either. Do what works for you and your family in the moment.
The thing about contractions that I knew intellectually (but still surprised me) is that you get breaks between them to regroup, have water, calm down, etc. It makes a big difference.
Edited to add: I think you should do what matters to you. I was curious about birth and thought I wouldn't have many opportunities to really experience it all, but plans change and the important thing is to end up with a healthy mom and baby. Don't have your heart so set on any one plan that you can't appreciate the miracle of life, no matter how it is ushered into the world.
This time I'll be hiring a doula and hypnobirthing again. I write up a loose birth plan - best case scenario it'll go smooth like the first two times but I realize things don't always go as smoothly so I'm flexible to deviate from plan based on circumstances. I'll take a meds/c-section if it means we're all safe.
To help with natural labor I did have chiropractor appointments for alignment and made sure the baby was not breech - inversions etc to get into the right position.
Me 32 and DH 40
Fur-baby named Bella
1 MC Nov. 2013
DD born Nov. 2, 2014
Little 2 EDD Oct. 1
I was terrified by the idea of epidurals right up until they induced me. Then I was in so much pain, I said yes without hesitation. I do regret it. I was so out of it, I barely remember giving birth. The first thing I said when the put him on my chest was "Wish I knew what his f***ing face looks like." I was DRUGGED. UP. I want to say that I'll pass this time, but I guess we'll see.
What else did they give you? An epidural is only a spinal pain blocker so it doesn't actually have any effect on mental capacities. Unless you are super tired, which I was. I barely held my little after she was born because I was so tired.
Me 32 and DH 40
Fur-baby named Bella
1 MC Nov. 2013
DD born Nov. 2, 2014
Little 2 EDD Oct. 1
You know what I think helped overcome my fear of needles, at least a little bit? All the times I had to have blood drawn during the pregnancy. So, maybe by the end of the road, you’ll feel at least a bit better about them, too.