Natural Child birth

[nuthinbutpink]

Because I want to learn, tell me those of you that chose to have natural child birth(no pain meds)- why?

Not asking in a smartass way either, I really want to understand better. I've had 4 and 4 epidurals and all 4 came out fine, BFing, high Apgar, etc so I don't see any health concern...is it just to see if you can take it? I'm not that strong I guess.

[hopefulfornumber3]

I had my 2nd DS with no pain meds, all natural. I used Hypnobirthing to prepare and it was wonderful. I am not sure why I did it to be honest. I just wanted to experience it and have a baby the good ol natural way and have it be easy and peaceful without the nurses hustling around me and all those cords attached to you etc. It was a big "I'm a woman hear me roar moment" that's for sure.

[Lilac♥]

For some reason I just never felt good about epidurals. Then they made me get one with my 1st and I hated it. It messed up my back, I had a hard time going to the bathroom for a while afterwards (because of the catheter), I hated feeling helpless and having a difficult time holding my baby, I couldn't feel to push and ripped, and I felt like the doctor and nurses were in control and I wasn't. I also hate the IVs, but they won't let me not get one. But I'm also not brave enough to not do it at the hospital, so I would never consider a home birth and there aren't any other options where I live. I'll admit I've only done one birth completely drug free, since I've received IV narcotics with all the others. But I think that has a lot to do with the nurses being unsupportive. The doctor and nurses would rather ladies get the epideral, because then they can put off the delivery until it's more convenient for them since the urge to push isn't as strong. Out of my 4 deliveries the doctor has only been there on time, where I didn't have to wait, once and that was just out of luck. And it really sucks to resist pushing and try to breathe through it. But I think the pain from the labor and delivery is so temporary that I'd rather not have to deal with the epideral. For me the afterpains are always worse anyways, I think I would take the epideral then if I could! But going from feeling very little pain to feeling everything all at once isn't very fun. So yeah those are my reasons for choosing not to get the epideral.

[december]

As a doula, I've learned a lot about natural birth vs. medicated birth. For me, the risks are too high. It -can- interfere with a normal birth, it increases your chance of a cesarean, and it -can- interfere with breastfeeding, and it does increase the chance of more interventions. I've seen it happen. I've had it ruin things with L's birth (necessary cesarean due to dvt/pe). Epidurals do have an effect on baby. That doesn't mean that these things -will- happen... but they do increase your chance. I'm not okay with that risk.

We were made to give birth. In the vast majority of cases, interventions are not needed. I mean, thank goodness they are there for when they are needed... but more often than not they aren't.

NBP: You ARE strong enough.. you probably just didn't have someone there to really (and I mean REALLY) let you know that you can do it. Doulas are pretty awesome for that

[december]

And when I say I've had it happen with L - I mean that the drugs from the cesarean made him unable to latch. He refused from the very first time we tried. He never latched and it broke my heart. That's why I'm doing the EPing thing.

[Azuremyst]

Im not sure why anyone wouldn't want a natural childbirth. If anyone has seen "The Business of Being Born" it gives great insight as to why the USA has a high infant mortality rate with more c-section births than any other industrial country. The more you interfere w/ natural birthing the more that can go wrong.

Women have been birthing since the dawn of time. Not in a hospital, not w/ a an epi, not even in water. So why make it so medical now unless your high risk?

Im going natural...that's my plan no meds. So I can have control over my body & baby can breastfeed well, I heard epi's interfere w/ that and i've heard of a woman dying from an infection from an epi. It all seems worth the pain to me.

If my mother can do it with me coming out facing up...all 9lbs. of me, no meds, no c-section, I can do it too.

[december]

Completely agree with Azuremyst. She said it much better than I!

I so wish you lived near, I would love to doula for you! ♥

[Catch!]

I had a natural one because I was forced to. I lived in a remote northern part of Canada at the time, and if you were not having a C-sec then an epidural was not an option, as they only had one anaesthesiologist. I will admit that it did hurt, and I would have taken the epi gladly if I could, but looking back on it I think it was great. It was fast...5.5 hours of labor total, and I felt great afterwards. I walked back to my room, I was up and walking around with my DS the next morning. I am hoping to do it natural the next time around too. Oh and also, my DS was 9lbs, and I am a small girl, and it still went fine. I only had about 4 stitches after.

[Azuremyst]

Completely agree with Azuremyst. She said it much better than I!

I so wish you lived near, I would love to doula for you! ♥

Awwwe I wish you could!! I see 4 different midwives and one is always on call so I know one of them will be there for me when Olivia is born.

[RedCanoe]

I seem to dilate to 10 cm without really knowing that I'm even in labor, and after that it's too late to get the epidural (at least at my hospital). That was alright with DS#2 that I was able to push out in 1/2 hour (screaming for an epidural the whole time, lol) but not so fun with DS#1 who took 8 hours of pushing to come out (ugh!). So it wasn't really a choice....