natural childbirth??

[boosmama]

ok..so who here has accomplished this??

i would like to do it with this baby, but i dont have much confidence that i will be able to manage it unless its a real short labour.

I got to about 8 hours of labour with gideon, and about 6 cms dialated when i got the epidural...just the thought of another one scares the crap out of me.

so what were your techniques for coping?? any suggestions ect that can help??

[CrazyLady]

I did almost all my labor at home (Lily was born less than an hour after I checked into the hospital after) because I just didn't want to go to the hospital and either be sent home or stuck there twiddling my thumbs. I pretty much did whatever it took to relax. A lot of mindless strolling around the house, a bath or two and a lot of focused breathing.

[Erika]

Practice your breathing exercises religiously!

I had a natural birth with Sasha. Before going into the hospital, the contractions were fine and I would get down on all fours doing the breathing stuff and getting James to massage my back, if they got too intense.

In the hostpial, I walked and walked up and down the corridors. This really helped bring on labour. As did sitting on the toilet. The contractions did become quite intense for me at one stage as I went from 4cm to 10 cm in less than 2 hours. Again, I got on all fours, tried to breathe through them and just did what I had to do. If I had to cry or moan, I cried and moaned.

I also had the gas and air. This doesn't take away the pain but takes the edge off it and helped me refocus my breathing. Use the mouthpiece though, not the face mask, as biting down on the mouthpiece is wonderful.

Then just go with the flow. You may find yourself literally mooing or shouting down the hospital. I did that, yelled the place down, not in pain but at that stage I was letting my body do what it needed to do. Don't let anyone make you feel bad for making loads of noise.

Back massage during all this really does help too.

By the way, my labour was 8 hours by the time I got to the hospital :)

[Kate]

Ultimately, the best advice I can give is to stay upright - gravity is definitely your friend in this case.

Walk, kneel, rock on all fours - whatever, but keeping active will be probably the most help in allowing your contractions to do what they need to do.

Conversely, baths will also help, because everything goes so much more smoothly when you're relaxed.

If you're really worried though, maybe some hypnobirthing techniques could help you.

[Lori]

I had a natural birth. In my case, I think a lot of it was luck. I just didn't have particularly intense contractions. I had been having contractions on and off all weekend, but they weren't intense enough for me to think they were doing anything. The morning before my last OB appointment, Sean and I went to a bookstore and to buy a few baby outfits, and I can remember having to stop walking a couple of times in the bookstore to breathe through a contraction, but nothing bad enough to make me feel like I needed to leave. When we got to the OB's, I was completely convinced he was going to tell me I had made no progress and then I would burst into tears, and I was shocked when he said I was almost 5 cm dilated and needed to get to the hospital ASAP.

I think that was a big psychological boost for me, knowing I'd gotten halfway there without much pain, which I'm sure helped. In the hospital, I still wasn't having very intense contractions, but when I did have them, breathing and relaxing was the thing that helped me the most. I listened to relaxation CDs a lot in the second half of the pregnancy, to deal with anxiety I was having, and I think a side effect was that it got me pretty good at going into a relaxed state, which I was able to do during a contraction.

When I started to really feel overwhelmed, around 8 or 9 cm, I got into a hot shower and that was wonderful. At that point, the support of the nurses was really important. I wasn't dead-set on a natural birth, but I did want to try for one. At around 8 or 9 cm, though, I was at the point of really wanting drugs, mainly because I was already exhausted. But the nurses who were with me at that point knew I wanted to try for a natural birth, and suggested I take a shower before considering drugs, and that was very helpful.

[YourMom]

I just did whatever felt good at the time. I spent a lot of time walking, and a couple of hours in the birth pool. One thing that was a big help was my doula. She kept encouraging me and rubbing my back when I was in early labour. Later, I had an intense desire to be alone, so I'd shut myself in the bathroom in the dark during contractions. And I'd run through the house moaning during contractions too.

Knowing that it would be over sometime soon helped a lot. As did knowing that I was built for birthing babies. I was in active labour for about 25 hours, not including the prodomal labour I had for several days beforehand.

I feel like it was totally worth it though. If I have any more babies they will be natural (and at home. That cuts down on the possibility of drugs too. ;))

[Mary]

Well, I'm the oddball but my advice is go for the epidural!

I loved my epi births way more than the debacle that was my last birth. Now, I may be biased because I had a stupid midwife who didn't bother to show up for the birth and so ruined the experience for me, but whatever. Drugs are my friend.

The really bad pain actually didn't last for that long so it's not that that is off-putting to me. I just don't think I accomplished anything important by not having any drugs. Eliza's no better of a child than my other two; nobody came to give me a trophy or a cash prize for doing it sans epidural. But, y'know, I'm probably a little bitter.

Steph had a good tip -- just do whatever feels good at the time. It's hard to say what that will be till you actually get there. I tried rocking on my hands and knees, for example, and it felt worse, so I quit. Also, if you can get into water I think that will help. I meant to do that but things were so weird and sudden that the pool wasn't done filling until about 5-10 minutes before she was born. I did get in, anyway, and I think it did help a lot as she was coming out.

[Lori]

I just don't think I accomplished anything important by not having any drugs.

In my case--and I know this isn't the case for most people--I'm not sure I would have been able to deliver Thomas vaginally if I'd had an epidural. It took me forever to push him out as it was, and I was only able to do so by moving around a lot, using a lot of different positions, and using a lot of force. The OB who was at the delivery thought it was pretty unlikely I'd have been able to push him out if I'd had an epi, and I'm very glad I had an easy enough first stage that I didn't feel like I needed one.

Again, I don't think it is going to make much difference in most cases, and I don't think epidurals are going to cause problems for the baby. But, simply because there are situations, like I had, where delivering the baby is difficult and requires a lot of movement, I do think that there are some advantages to not having an epidural, if you are having contractions you can handle without them.

I'm hugely afraid of needles, so my rule of thumb was that, if the pain of the contractions got so bad that I stopped being afraid of a needle going into my back, I'd get the epi. ;) I never got to that point, but, in the future, if I was in labor and did, I'd get the epi in a heartbeat.

[boosmama]

thats kinda how i feel lori...i was majorly afraid of the epi with gideon but got it anyways..and well i hated every moment of it..i hated the pressure feeling and than being stuck to the bed in one position with a pillow wedge underneath me. And to top it all off, it only worked on one side...i felt everything on the other side still...

so that is the reason im trying to avoid it this time around...

[Danielle]

I had a natural birth with David but it was so fast I doubt if I'd be able to give any advice as I just went with the flow LOL.

[Kristen]

I didn't have an epi with any of my four deliveries, but none of them were insanely long. My longest was my first, which was 8 hours, two of which were spent pushing. Then #2 was 2.5 hours, #3 was 5 hours, and with Zoe, I was at the hospital all of an hour(although I'd been in labor at home for a while before that).

I did have some stadol, which kind of has the same effect as the gas and air Erika mentioned. It doesn't do much for the pain, but it helps(at least it helped me!) to relax between contractions.

I don't know that I have any really super great advice...I think I hung in there both because I love to be able to be up and about shortly after delivery, I hate needles, and also I was raised in a home where we learned to be physically tough and to persevere when we feel like we want to quit.

I do think that taking it one contraction at a time is helpful...I know I was at my most discouraged when I let myself think things like, "Oh dear....how will I ever make it through several more hours of this????"

[Beka]

Yep same story as Kristen here- I hate needles and enjoy being able to be up and about with the post-birth adrenalin buzz.

All 4 of mine have been natural deliveries, but when i went in to have Chase i had fully planned on the epi- but i convinced myself i needed to hold off until the pain got really bad before i started on meds incase i ran out of options too early! By the time i finally asked for something they told me she had dark hair :lmao

My biggest thing is going in with an open mind- I've never said I'd definately go drug free, I've just kind of rolled with it because frankly I didn't want to feel guilt or disappointment if i swore i'd definately go drug free and then needed them.

I've had 4 straight forward deliveries really- Chase was a 23 hour labour but I only spent around 6 hours of that at the hospital and walked for alot of it, Jude i arrived at the hospital adament i was not in labour and was told i was 9cm and only waters holding him in LOL Dyl was 16 hours, (7am til her arrival at 15.47 at hospital.. freakily Erika had guessed 7th march 15.42- she arrived 7th march 15.47 LOL) there was talk of section with her as she went on strike half way through but we managed to go natural, Loks was a 8 hour labour but only hospital from 11pm to his arrival at 2.24am, loki took so long as he came through with his arm over his head.

I've been able to be up and shower as soon as they've fed and placenta delivered, I've not had any tearing, they've been perky and alert due to no drugs (except Jude- he was sooo damned mellow LOL)

My one thing i do rely on in labour is David, he's a fantastic birth partner and keeps me talking and laughing throughout and most of all knows not to say anything stupid or anything i can constrew as being patronising.

I will return to this- as i do have more to add but i have to go help David get little ones out of the bath!

[Erika]

James was an amazing birth partner too. Kept reminding me to relax into my breathing and remember what I had learned. I needed to hear that and it helped so much. Plus he held one of my legs during the pushing stage which meant i didn't have to. I couldn't bring myself to touch anything below my waist.

I am another person who gettings creeped out at the thought of a needle in my spine. So, no epi for me. And, on the particular day I gave birth, I was the only mother in my ward to go natural. And I was the only one up and about fairly quickly after birth. I felt fabulous. I could move and I could feel everything. Talk about an amazing high! And that feeling of just having birthed your baby, that bizarre light, empty feeling is just amazing.

[boosmama]

thanks ladies..

well i guess we will just have to see, im not totally against having drugs, but something other than the epi...so gas or whatever if that will help, im hoping to be able to do a lot of labouring at home this time as well..

with gideon i was induced after my water broke and no contractions started after 24 hours on their own...so i was already hooked up to ivs and pretty much stuck to the bed excpet for the 15 mins every hour i was allowed to walk around. Luckily my epi birth with gideon was well too...as the epi never fully worked for me, i was up and showered after he had eaten and i had eaten, no tears ect...

[Erika]

O, being stuck on a bed is awful. I was hooked up to a monitor for over an hour and that for me, was the worst part of my labour. I just felt tied down, sore and uncomfortable. Was off the bed the second I was allowed LOL

And the gas and air isn't a drug. It isn't classed as one because it doesn't cross the placenta. Just helps you feel a little stoned and relaxes your breathing ;)

[Mary]

I guess I just wasn't made to enjoy drug-free childbirth...or, conversely, I was made to have the drugs because I honestly felt no better after Eliza's delivery than I did after the other two. Plus I was up pretty quickly afterward, the first time, anyway. And even if I wasn't, I was in a hospital -- it's not like I had anywhere to go. LOL I quite liked staying in bed during the labor. Couldn't feel anything, so it's not like I needed to be up and moving to feel better. I watched t.v., read, etc. :D

Anyway, that's just my (unwanted) two cents. To this day I'm still surprised I'm the only person I know of who has had one of each kind of births and would pick the epi over non-drugged if I had to do it over again. My main piece of advice would be that, whatever you decide, make sure it's what you truly, in your heart want to do, and not what you think you "should" do. If you really, really want to go drug-free because you want the experience, then go for it. But if you didn't have any problems with your epi delivery and it went well there's no shame in doing it again.

Good luck making your decision!

[Jenny]

I have had three natural births and did fine, loved the experience, etc.

I don't know what it is like to have an epi, so don't know what to compare it to, kwim?

If I were to go through it again, I would opt for drug free birth too

[Sam]

I had one epi birth and three "natural"

I did not do any breathing exercises, people say it is great to do but it did not help me in the slightest, I found that no matter how much I done them they didn't work for me. I jumped around a lot, got into what ever position I felt like, I talked a lot to calm my nerves, their dad(s) supported me and were good at it.

Sadly, I was strapped to a bed with Jasmine due to her heartbeat and the midwife who deliver her was crap, she didn't reassure me what so ever, didn't let me know how I was dilating.... nothing, she was COLD. A great midwife makes all the difference, sadly, we don't get to choose which one delivers the baby over here so it is luck, the other three times they were amazing.

It helps that my labours were quick. 1 was 2 hours long, 1 was 90 minutes and the other was an hour, 2 pushes for all of them and they were out, so I had an easy time of it :)

If I ever had another one I would go unmedicated again because my epi birth numbed me so much I couldn't push and I ended up with a 38 hour long labour and a ventouse delivery.

All births are so different, I say keep an open mind, try it without drugs but do not pressure yourself, there is nothing wrong with planning a unmedicated birth and changing your mind :)

[Kristen]

Stef, I would definitely recommend the gas and air thing. With Z I got to the hospital too late to have it, and I was not happy about that. My contractions usually come hard and heavy(my labors are shorter, but they are intense), and the stoned feeling really helped me to recuperate a little between the contractions.

Not that I know what it's like to be stoned...I'm just trusting Erika on her description. :giggle

[Val]

I wanted to have a natural birth with Brayden, and I almost did. In my case we (ahem *I*) practiced the Bradley method. However, our hospital is notorious for pushing epi's and one dula even told me that every single woman that walks in ends up with one. So I made it all the way to transitional labor, but got one then. Had I had an advocate or someone to tell me I was in transition I am 100% sure I would not have asked for the epidural.

[hillsturner]

No help here. I had 3 c-sections ... the first emergency the other two by choice.

[Christal]

I successfully accomplished a natural, drug-free delivery with Josh. The labour lasted about 9 hours but only got really diffucult for the last 3-4 hours or so. Although I did BEG for drugs, it was too late :giggle

You can do it :) But don't feel like you 'failed' if you can't ;)

[YourMom]

Although I did BEG for drugs, it was too late :giggle

LOL I remember being on all fours on my bed with my doula in my face and practically growling "I am going to the hospital right now and they are going to give me a C-section, I cannot do this anymore." And she calmly said "It doesn't work that way." Transition is funny that way.

[freebiemom]

Sorry but I have no advice for you. I went into my first wanting to try a natural and made it to 6-7 cm before getting an epidural. The other ladies had great suggestions and I hope this time you're able to do it the way you want. But don't feel like you failed at all if you need a shot of something to help ease the pain or if you go forward with an epidural. The main thing is that your child is born healthy. :)

[Kristen]

LOL I remember being on all fours on my bed with my doula in my face and practically growling "I am going to the hospital right now and they are going to give me a C-section, I cannot do this anymore." And she calmly said "It doesn't work that way." Transition is funny that way.

I was the same way with Zoe...I was laying there in agony thinking, "surely a C-section is simpler!" LOL

Of course, 10 minutes later when she was born, I was very happy I didn't have a C, but I sure wanted one in that moment!

[Beka]

LOL David (with Lokis birth) told the MW that it wouldn't be long now when I started wittering about being tired, having had enough and I was going home (all 4 have arrived within 10-15 minutes of that :lmao) she looked at him and said "here's a man who's done this before" :rofl :lmao

MW with Judes birth told me we were like having a stand up act in the labour room :giggle

[yummymommy]

When I had Rylan all I had was the air and gas, which made me feel stoned which I didn't like, so when I was giving birth to Liam I refused that and when I was at about 7cm and it got really bad and no matter how I tried I couldn't concentrate on the breathing I asked for the epi, my midwife and my mom both said no and I screamed yes! The nurse went off to find the anesthesiologist and came back to say that he had gone home and wouldn't get back in time, so they talked me into Fentanyl (sp?) which I tried to turn down because I didn't want to feel high at all, but after a few minutes I was begging for it! The first dose of it was great, it really helped me to relax and it only lasts for 15-20 mins and when that ran out I wanted more and the more I got the less it helped, I don't know if I would use it again, since near the end I was no better off, but the few minutes it did help were a nice break. I just found a position that I felt ok in, on my left side and didn't budge until I had to push. Ok I think I have rambled on enough lol Best of luck Stef, I would do what I did and just try, go as long as you can possibly go without anything, and see how you do, you might just make it, but don't feel bad if you don't!

[Polly]

I guess the key elements in deciding to go for natural are:

A. Do your research
B. Know your pain threshold and respect it
C. Know that any way you plan to labor, there is no failed delivery on the mom's part. The only thing you can be certain of not changing your mind on is having a healthy baby....and a not too tired mommy.

Best of luck,

Polly

[Tamika]

My main piece of advice would be that, whatever you decide, make sure it's what you truly, in your heart want to do, and not what you think you "should" do. If you really, really want to go drug-free because you want the experience, then go for it.

Good luck making your decision!

Ditto 110%!!!!!


I had an epi with Kaylyn - it was the best thing in that situation as it allowed me have her vaginally - it gave me a break and some rest.

the boys were natural as they were born at home. I recovered so much faster - but I can't say it had anything to do with the lack of an epi - it was less trouble delivering and less swelling.

If you made it to 6cm, and all was fine to that point, I'd say you'd be able to make it to the end with no epi - the hardest part is the first 7cm. The last 3 are usually quite fast - especially with 2nds, 3rd etc. The only thing you have to face then is the actual ring of fire when baby crowns. To be honest? Pushing through the contractions made them hurt LESS! I was working with my body and actually looked forward to pushing with Treyce as I'd learned with Kieran it felt better to push.

I again ditto Mary - do what your heart tells you.

[Tamika]

I was the same way with Zoe...I was laying there in agony thinking, "surely a C-section is simpler!" LOL

Of course, 10 minutes later when she was born, I was very happy I didn't have a C, but I sure wanted one in that moment!



I did that with Kieran - I was leaning on the rocking chair, swearing that I needed an epi that we had to go to the hospital NOW as there was no way I could handle another 12 hours of this (he had been posterior only 3 hours earlier and I had only been barely a cm dilated the same 3 hours earlier - so in our minds there was no WAY this pain could be 'normal'.)

Needless to say I was holding him one hour later as when the midwife arrived to ESCORT us to hospital, she said we weren't going anywhere as she could see his head! LOL

[Lori]

I felt the same way with Thomas, as well. After about 3 hours of pushing, I honestly think that if some guy with a chainsaw had come in and offered to cut the baby out, I would have given him the go-ahead. At that point I just wanted him OUT, and as quickly as possible.

[Cynthia]

I used the gas with all 3 of my boys and as Erika mentioned, it was enough to take the edge off, but did not take away anything else. I agree, that mouthpiece was a great thing to have to bite down on as well. ;)