No pain medication....?

Question

i don't plan to have an epidural or anything for pain during my delivery...i don't like the idea of having a big needle shoved in my spine and numbing half my body...and i'm sure pain meds can't be good for the baby...my ? is....Is it very painful to deliver without meds? Are there any techniques/natural ways to minimize my discomfort? Thanks for your comments....

Answer 1

Actually the pain meds have no effect on the baby they are not in you long enough afterward for it to find its way to them. I've volunteered in a deilvery room and just from watching the pain of the long needle is a whole lot less than the pain of giving birth.

Answer 2

I'm very afraid of needles, and I didn't like the idea of one going into my spine either, and I went through my entire labor without any meds. There are lots of things you can do to manage pain without medications. Part of my success was choosing a hospital that offered and supported lots of different options. Getting in a tub, breathing excersizes, hypnobirthing (if you have a labor partner that you are connected to) distractions such as watching a movie or listening to music . . . Make sure to attend childbirth class and learn your options. Having an epidural actually slows down labor, so if you have one it might make it last longer, and it usually wears off before you can have another so you're right back where you started. Moving around, walking, and avoiding laying on your back can help get the whole thing over with much more quickly. Yes, labor is painful, but you really can do it. My mom delivered me in a breech position with no meds. Meds are a temporary solution at best, and a lot of people find they just make things worse. It's important to start your relaxation breathing before the contractions get too intense; if you wait until the pain is really hard to bear to try to relax, you won't be able to do it! Every woman is different, and in the end you will make the decision that is right for you. You should write a birth plan for your doctor and the labor nurses, and include that you would like pain drugs to be made available if you request them, but that you don't want them offered to you. This will help you focus on your more natural method. Congratulations and good luck! (And before anyone says that I probably had a short labor and a small baby, I had an 8lb 3oz boy and was still dialated to 3cm after 12 hours of labor!)

Answer 3

You can try the breathing (Lamaze). I walked alot up and down the hopsital hallways, and also found a hot shower to help. But after 12 hours of labor and only progressing to 1/2 cm dilated, I was in so much pain that they could have hit me over the head with a baseball bat and I would have been fine with that to make the pain go away. I tried some demerol first, but that didn't even make a dent in the pain. In fact, I never felt a difference after the demerol shot. So in spite of the fact that I hated needles and really didn't want an epidural, in the end I demanded one. BUT lots of women do manage without any pain medicine. I think if your labor is short, it's a little easier. Once you get to 10 hours though, you're tired and in pain, and then the pain meds don't sound so bad.

Answer 4

Okay, here goes.

Yes, the drugs do have an effect on the baby. They can depress breathing, and even cause the heart rate to slow down, resulting in the child making a trip to the NICU.

I have had 3 children, all of them with midwives, all without any pain medication. I will not lie to you; giving birth is painful. But, I think that if you go into it knowing that you will experience some level of pain (some women claim to have no pain at all), and that pain is for a purpose, you will have an easier time.

With all of my girls, I used the Bradley method. I don't recommend Lamaze, because the very nature of the breathing techniques can cause you to hyperventilate. This can cause you to panic, and ultimately lead you to take meds if you don't want to.

I would recommend this: Talk to your provider and tell him/her that you would like to try birthing without pain medication. Ask if they offer a birthing tub, or other accessories such as a birthing bar or ball. If they seem hesitant or suggest that you would not be able to handle birth without meds, find another provider. No one has the right to tell you how you should birth.

Make sure that you can move around while in labor. This is why I chose the Birth Center option. They have equipment should something go wrong, and they are often very close to a hospital. Some hospitals are even beginning to offer birthing rooms that are like a birth center, and allowing midwives to assist with births. Listen to your body while in labor. If you need to change position, do so. Even if it's your first baby, you will instinctively know what to do. At least I did...

If you can avoid it, DO NOT LABOR ON YOUR BACK!!!!! This is the most uncomfortable position! Gravity cannot assist you if you are flat on your back with your legs in the stirrups.

Sorry, this is just a very sensitive subject for me. I'm of the opinion that birth is a natural, beautiful occurance and we women do not need to be treated like it is a disease.

I would recommend the book Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way. This will answer a lot of questions about birth in general, explain how to work with your body, and give you exercises to do with your birthing coach. Practice them! They do work! If you have any questions, or would like to talk further, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Good Luck!

PS
My first labor was 23.5 hours from my water breaking to my daughter's birth. I suffered a 4th degree tear, because I delivered on my back.
My second labor, a water birth, was 3.5 hours from my water being broken by the midwife (I was contracting every 7 minutes and didn't know it!), and suffered a superficial 2nd degree tear, requiring a few stitches (scar tissue).
My third labor was about 8.5 hours, most of which I did at home. I got to the birth center dilated to 8! I delivered in the tub at the birth center, and suffered a small tear which did not require stitches.

The worst pain in my life? Hardly. But, I think that it depends entirely on the woman and her mindset going in.

Answer 5

well i will tell you from experience.i have 2 babys. with my first one i had a epidural.this is a little gross but i am telling you this cause you need to know.with a epidural you dont feel the contractions but you do feel the anal pressure.with the epidural i was able to rest before delivery and it didmake things some what easier.but afterwards i was numb,sleepy,and my baby was druged up.that made me feel bad.with my second i didebt have time for ab epidural so i had natraul chilbirth.with him yes it was very pianful!contractions are the worst pain you will ever feel.in my expeiriance i did feel the babys head emerging but it did not really bother me becuse the contractions was all i could think about.i got to see my babys birth with a mirror so seein it made it more scary but morelike breath taking at the same time.i dont really remember the details of his birth because it was tramatic and it seemed it would never end like i wanted to give up.but i just cleared ny mind and pushed with all i had and before i knew i had my baby in my arms and it was so worth it.i felt like i was on top of the world.and my hubby said it was scary for him the second time cause he seen the pain i was in.but by the time you get into active labor like 4 or more centimeters you will know if you will need a epidural cause it gets worse as you progress.but no matter what you choose it will work out.if you wanna take a chance and be brave to not get one just no matter what dont give up!!!the outcome will be much better.its totally up to you.what ever you feel will get the bany out better and what you can handle.you have to be strong.if you have anymore qeudtions just ask!

Answer 6

Like all first-timers, you want to try to go pain-med free.
You will be begging for something once the labour gets bad. Everyone does.
If your epidural works, it can be like magic (mine didn't work). It has no effect on the fetus whatsoever. Can make pushing difficult, though.
There are no really good 'natural' ways when it gets really bad, but some focusing exercises help some women in the earlier stages. It hurts like freaking h*ll any way you look at it. Some women have not as tough a time, especially if it isn't their first.
I've had many friends who think they won't want any meds, but once hard labour starts, the pain is so far beyond what you are expecting, they all ended up begging for an epidural (where I live, the docs won't usually give demerol or anything like that).

Answer 7

Good for you for making such a decision! I too felt more afraid of the needle then the pain of child birth. I opted to go natural, and I had very pleasant labors.

During contractions, I had my husband rub my feet VERY hard...not enough to hurt me...but I concentrated on the pressure on my feet and it took my mind off the brief pressure of my uterus.

With my third baby, my water didn't break and the labor was lasting longer than my other two...and as soon as the doctor broke my water the contractions came very steady and very intense. I had two that were so painful that if they had gone on like that much longer I would have begged for an epi--but by the next one i was pushing.

The feeling to push is so overwhelming. Your body knows what to do. Trust your body...do what it tells you. It's not something a doctor tells you to do...The urge to push just takes over your body. And you will have the ability to respond to your baby with such an appreciation because after you've endured through all that pain, and work...you will have the greatest reward of all.

Find your inner strength, and know that it will not last forever. Hopefully you are able to stay out of bed as long as you can so you can pace and rock back and forth during labor...staying in bed can prolong the labor, and it is daunting being forced to stay in bed.

Best of luck! Pretty soon you'll be holding your new babe in your arms, and feeling him/her nustling at your breast, ready to receive your warm nourishment. *wipes tear* My baby is about to turn a year old. Cherish every moment together.

Answer 8

I hate to tell you this, but you're not going to get any answers here. Every woman is different and every birth is different. I screamed constantly with my daughter and I did have a shot of pain meds toward the end. I still screamed.

With my son a couple of months ago I did great. I had no pain meds at all and I got through it just fine. It was a much easier labor than the one with my daughter. And they were eight years apart so I thought that would factor in.

My one bit of advice is to avoid lying in bed while in labor unless the doc makes you. Move around. Walk or squat or rock in a rocking chair. Let your body tell you what it needs and if it's pain meds then that's okay. Don't beat yourself up if you do decide to go that route. :)

Answer 9

Well the good news is that the contractions build up so gradually that you don't have time to think about how much it hurts. To me it felt like someone shoved giant forks into the middle of my uterus and was trying to rip my body in half up the middle with them. I actually changed my mind about the epidural once it got that strong, but I was so focused on breathing through contractions and trying to relax that I wasn't able to tell anyone. Take some childbirth classes and diligently practice the breathing techniques they give you. For me the breathing techniques were very helpful. It's nice to distract yourself by focusing on something you have control over when you have so little control over the pain you feel. I honestly felt like being able to breathe through the contractions helped me feel more comfortable. If I could, I do it without the epidural again. Good Luck to you!

Answer 10

I really wanted to go natural too, but after 18hrs with my water broken,and no change in dialation they had to induce me, after they induced I begged for one..... I now regret it, but my midwife said if I wouldn't have gotten the epidural I may not have relaxed enough to dilate, and may have gotten a c section..... I agree with you though, it can't be good for the baby. I would just make sure to try to focus on something, anything... breathing, a dot on the ceiling...it will help you feel more in control.. when I closed my eyes I felt so disconnected, and out of control....(before the epidural) Try to walk around as much as you can, or get an exercise ball, and sit on it or lean over it. Just stay moving. being on your back is horrible, it is going against gravity. other than that, make sure you have somebody there to rub your back, and give you encouragement, you will need it. and just remember it wont last forever, soon you will have a precious baby in your arms! Good luck!

Answer 11

I tried this with my first.... but after 10 hours of back labor with no pain meds I gave into the epidural!

I am terrified of needles, but let me tell ya, thats gonna be the least of your worries if you have a long labor!
Its not as bad as what I thought, just felt a little pressure.

I'm so glad I took it, I still had another 9.5 hours of back labor left before I delivered.

KUDOS to you if you can make it without, I just couldn't do it!