I would like to have a natural birth, and it seems that everyone that went in with the same outlook as me, ended up having an epidural or some other local anesthetic... Some reassurance would be nice :)
2006-09-11 06:49:14 · 38 answers · asked by Miss Taryn 3 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
Not at all, but what you will need is good luck-ie the baby is in a favourable position, labour progresses normally etc, and a great support team, including the hospital staff. Hard to go au natural when people are hovering about with epidurals!
Be prepared, hypnosis, lamaze breathing and other methods help. Understand the birth process, so you know what is normal. Get some hands on help-back rubs etc, keep hydrated and eat what and if you feel like it, pee every hour, keep moving, and stay out of the bed! If you are not birthing at home, stay at home for as long as possible.
Water- in a tub, a birth pool or the shower works wonders too.
Happy birthing!
2006-09-11 07:00:09 · answer #1 · answered by Midwife Jane 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I had epidurals and demerol with my first three children.
I had no epidural and one shot of nubain with my daughter earlier this year.
What I found is that, for me the pain reached a certain point and then leveled off. When did it reach that point? Before we even left the house!
Throughout the whole pregnancy, I had planned for a natural birth. My first question to the labor & delivery nurse when we got to the hospital was, "When is the nice man coming with the drugs!?!?!"
Fortunately, we were too late for me to get anything but the nubain (which took the edge off of the contractions, but in no way stopped me from feeling them). I won't lie to you... it hurt! But it was the most wonderful pain I could ever have. The worst part was having to stop pushing while the doctor was suctioning the baby after her head was completely out. Oh, pushing? Pushing wasn't so much painful as it was a huge relief!
As painful as it may get, should we be blessed with more children there won't be any talk of epidurals for me! Now, that is with the understanding that the baby is the star of that show and if it's necassary for the health and well being of the baby, I'll take whatever is needed.
Good luck!
2006-09-11 07:03:59 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No you're not crazy. Try it. It's worth a try. I have a dance coach friend who went naturally on her 1st baby, but when I tried, I didn't make it. I begged for the epidural after 14 hours of labor. I read all the books I could on natural childbirth, I was very active the whole pregnancy (dancing ballet), I hired a doula, I never ever take meds normally, etc. On the day of delivery at 3 am, stuck at 6cm, I was never so happy in my life to be in a hospital getting pain meds. Now if this is not your first, your labor may be much shorter. Also if you're walking around at 4 cm dilated a week before your due date, you might make it as well simply b/c your cervix has already done much of the dilation work.
In the end, I wish I had spent more time reading about what to do with a newborn baby then worrying about the labor.
Sorry, hope that helps.
2006-09-11 06:57:57 · answer #3 · answered by tish 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't think it is crazy at all. I had my first with an epidural. I am planning to have my second natural. I will have a lot more family support with this one than the first. I'm hoping that will be an advantage. I will have to have a local for the episiodomy(sp). No way am I doing that natural. If it comes down to it and I can't take it, I will have the epidural. I did not and will not have intravenous drugs with either birth. Those affect the baby.
2006-09-11 07:08:43 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have had two natural births. I live 1.5-3hrs away from major medical centers where epidurals can be administered. The majority of women who live in my town (3000 people ) share my birth stories. It was an amazing experience. My first born was an 8 hour delivery 1.5 of pushing. I had back labor and also a strong resolve that women are made for birthing. I relaxed and listened to my trusted DR. I know from my second delivery that the first was much more intense. The second birth was 3.5 hours with 15 min pushing. No back labor I was so familiar with the sensations I relaxed very well and even joked and smiled during pushing. There was never an option to accept the major epidural.(save an emergency) so I put it out of my mind, believed in my abilities as a woman and focused on meeting the little one. Wow after the first I can't even express the feeling of empowerment! I DID IT> I literally felt I could take on the world. WOMEN ARE STRONG. Bless you. I also breast fed both of my kids for 2.5 years each...very natural momma and I LOVE IT ALL.
2006-09-11 07:07:03 · answer #5 · answered by someone 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not crazy at all. Just knowing that there are things there in the hospital to help you with pain if you cant take it anymore is nice to know. I did have the epidural, but waited too long so it did not help me in the end. I am pregnant again with my second and plan on having an epidural again earlier in my labor. But I know if it does not work or if I get to the hospital too late I will survive. I guess this time I want to have the dream labor that my friends raved about saying "I did not feel a thing". Sounds pretty good to me.
2006-09-11 09:03:48 · answer #6 · answered by sooz 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have had 6 children natural birth. So I feel I'm kindof a pro at this. My sister got spinalmenegitist from an epidural. Another words they put a dirty needle in her back. I hope this helps you in your decision. The doctor doesn't give you the epidural until after your baby's head has crowned and you have went thru all the pain of labor. To me the labor was the worse pain to deal with. It doesn't hurt anymore to feel your baby come out. Just alot of pressure. Delivering your baby will happen so fast. Trust me you can do this on your own. Sorry to be so forward. But I want to stress to you that you get nothing until time to have the baby. Then its a matter of seconds and its over and you saved yourself the harm of that needle. Having your baby will be so wonderful that you will forget all about the pain. Good luck new mommy!
2006-09-11 07:08:34 · answer #7 · answered by Paulda37 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If the women have had local anesthetic, that's because of the size of the baby's head. when the head comes out but the Virgina is a little to small, they do the "cut". I am sorry but I keep forgetting the medical name for it.If you don't want any medication, your doctor will not give you any. But you are better off and wait and see until the time comes. You might will ask for medication because you are in too much pain.I hope I did not scare you with this.
My cousin in Australia swears of the idea to give birth in the water.This is because you are not laying down on your back, but you are a kind of kneeling in the soothing warm water, gravity is doing the rest. Don't worry your Baby will not drown in the water when it comes out, it is a naturally instinct to hold the breath, when put under water, even for Baby's that "old".Maybe you can find a hospital which offers this kind of natural birthing
2006-09-11 07:02:57 · answer #8 · answered by rogermyloverboy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I had my first two children totally drug free and an epidural with my third. The only reason I didn't have one with my second, was because I didn't make it to the hospital on time. The difference was night and day. The epidural makes for a much more pleasurable experience. Epidurals are so common now, they have them down to a science, and can administer it at a precise time that it doesn't effect the baby at all. And it doesn't effect your awareness, just the level of pain. At the same time, I feel it's a woman's right of passage to experience child birth naturally, at least once. There's tons of natural practices out there to help alleviate the pain too. What's wonderful, is that it's completely your choice!
2006-09-11 07:13:35 · answer #9 · answered by Amy P 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I did it. My active labor (pushing) was only an hour though. My advice is, practice pushing before hand. I didn't know how to properly push. It's exactly like your constipated. I'm terrified of needles. I mean TERRIFIED!!! So an epidural is out of the question and I wouldn't of had an I.V. if it was my choice either. If you aren't drugged your labor is quicker. When they give you an epidural what they are doing is numbing you from teh waist down, believe me, I did my homework, so you are not actively taking part in the birth of your baby. You can't go in there thinking that this is going to be a cake walk or I'm not going to be able to do this. You have to KNOW that your baby is going to be born and you are going to be the person doing it. The doctor is there to assist you, guide you and to make sure that everything is alright. However, if you find out that you can't deal with the pain, don't over do it to where you can't push, you will put yourself into a situation that you will need an emergency c-section. Good luck!
2006-09-11 07:01:34 · answer #10 · answered by jdecorse25 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋