Pregnancy Info HOME

I'm planning to go natural with this one, my third. I'm going to deliver in a hospital, because it's the only way insurance will cover, and I'll need IV antibiotics, but other than that it's going to be natural. That's the plan. With my first son, I had a small shot of nubain about half way through, and it made me so nauseated and sick -- I just don't want to go through that again. My husband and all my family think I'm crazy, and, like yours, have taken bets on how long before I ask for an epi. But I agree with you and your midwife -- birth is a Natural process, and so many doctors and hospitals treat it as though it's unnatural. So my OB is a little upset with me, because I'm so insistent, but he's going to go along with it, because I told him that's how it has to be. That might sound arrogant... but remember. It's your baby, and YOUR delivery. At the risk of sounding like a burger king commercial, I recommend having it your way. You'll feel so much more empowered and so much more ready for things if you're in charge. So go for it, and GOD BLESS YOU!

Good Luck Sweet Chicken!! Good for you for standing up to your Dr!! My Dr., who has a great personality, just looked at me like I was crazy, laughed, and said "Okay, but there will be an anesthesiologist around in case you change your mind, and you better not wait too long if you are going to change it or it will be too late!" By the way SkyeBlue, 3 weeks early is 37 weeks which is considered full term. The average birth weight based on 40 weeks is 7.6 pounds. Mine was 6 pds 7 oz, so she was smaller than average, but not considered "low birth weight"...so if I had been at home I don't think there would have been any real red flags for a midwife until it was too late.

I went natural with my son...not by choice however. I dilated so fast that there wasn't any time for meds. To be honest with you, it wasn't that bad, especially the pushing part. That actually felt good, because it made the contractions seem worthwhile. However, the downside was afterwards. I had to have quite a few stiches and that did NOT feel good getting st_tched up down there without pain meds. Also, when they ma__saged my uterus, it was pretty unbearable. I think it's awesome that you're going to do it. I do have to admit, I'm going to be a wimp and go for an epidural this time, a__suming that I don't dilate at warp speed like I did last time. I don't want to feel any st_tching again. Good luck!!

Jenniberry~I went natural with my first and plan to do so with my second. The most painful part is the contractions, the pushing is relief! I wish I could use a midwife! THey won't let you in AL. Not sure why, but that's what I have been told.

i want to go all natural under the care of a midwife but im 20 years old this will be (once i find out if i am actually preggo) my first baby and im just wondering if it would be okay if i feel like i can handle it to do a homebirth? please only nice comments..like ppl who have been thru this before..thanks

Judith-I was 19 when I had my little girl. I still had her under doctor's care but as "natural" of a child birth as you could get. I opted to rip naturally vs episiotomy, no epidural, etc...you should be fine!

thanks so much!! i really hope nothing goes wrong with my pregnancy that prevents me from being able to do everything as natural as possible cuz i truly believe that giving birth is a natural thing that happens to many women and i dont think it should be treated as a medical procedure..

JudithLayne I am 25 I had my first son on June 15 and it was a home birth I loved it. I am sooo happy I had a home birth.

hi jenniberry, i had my first lo five weeks ago and had him at a birthing clinic no drugs not one .i did have a water birth and once the contractuons get bad the tub helped me so so much, if you can i would look into that if i were you because it also helps with tearing and the burning of the baby head crowning. everyone i worked with kept telling me the same thing that i was not going to be able to do and that i would get meds, but truthfully i didn't find it as bad as i thought it would be, yes it is painful but it's managable and i wouldn't do it any other way, goodluck and congrats.

jenniberry -- I made the decision early on to to avoid drugs during labor if at all possible. (but i was GBS+, so i took the antibiotics, because, well, duh,lol). I succeeded! NO pain medication at all. I had my baby at a hospital, but we're pretty progressive around here, our hospital is part of Mayo Clinic. All the birthing centers here are IN the hospitals, so it's a hospital or at home. Avoiding drugs was the best thing I could have done. I think it's mostly about what you BELIEVE you can do (actually, I think that's true for lots of things, but especially labor, lol). Be sure you find a doctor who's on board. Ask the nurses not to offer you pain medication -- but to let you ask if you think you need it. You'd be surprised how hard it is to ask if you really want a natural childbirth. My son was BIG, 9 lbs. 5 oz, and he pooped while he was coming out, so he needed suction and oxygen right away. I realize a good midwife could take care of that at your house, but I was glad to be in the hospital with all the machines right there if we needed them. I tore slightly and they st_tched me up -- but they gave me some quick novacane thing for the st_tches. THAT hurt more than the delivery, lol. It was AMAZING, I felt so alive right away afterwards. Got to hold my son immediately, got to nurse right away. Oh, one more suggestion -- a doula or a trusted, competent family member can make a huge difference! I had my husband AND my mom there. Mom had two easy, natural deliveries. She knew I could do it, too. Having an extra person makes a huge difference. GL! If you have any other questions please feel free to ask. ~spam

good for you jenniberry! Don't for one second listen to others. Go with what you think will be best. I had my first this past November at a hospital. Wanted to all along avoid an epidural and drugs altogether. Same thing, everybody told me how nuts I was. Only you know what you might be able to handle. You're 100% right that this has been going on since the beginning of time and before epidurals and if you ask me, it's just the way it's done automatically so people don't understand why you'd go against something that could numb the pain. I went WITHOUT and epidural and drugs of any kind. I'll tell you this. I'm very glad I did so I know for next time what it feels like to push, but I'd get an epidural next time. Glad I didn't for my 1st though. My total labor was only 4 hours and toward the end I screamed for it. The nurse came in, did an internal exam and said I cannot get one because I was 10 cm and ready to push! ONE push and he was out. Why?? I certainly didn't want to prolong that pain and pushed with everything I had!! But without it, I feeli it went faster and was better for both me and the baby in the end. And honestly, if you can do it, you do feel like a superstar afterwards ;) If you're having a healthy pregnancy and have a high tolerance for pain, I say go for it.

Power to you Ladies... I have to say after 48 hours of natural I couldn't take it anymore. Then I got induced after the 48 hours. I tried to avoid it but after being awake for 48 hours with constant contractions I had no choice. Finally at 55 hours it was time to push and I pushed from 3pm all the way until about 5:55, Then all I heard was stop pushing.. Ended up my son wasn't fitting through my pelvis, and I never will be able, as my pelvis somehow isen't big enough. He was stuck.. Little did anyone pay attention when I was saying something was wrong and keeping track of every contraction from the first one... So Power to you all. I really hope it all goes well. I do have to agree, pushing does make the pain of the contraction stop. That was the best relief was pushing. Good Luck Ladies.

Why or how could you not get any type of drugs after 48 hours of labor? I don't get it?

alirenee86 - I did get a epi by that time (48 hours) I was begging for it because it was so long... As soon as my dr saw me he said the order was already in. It was good to have some relief after all that time. When it was time to push the epi was turned off. It was a good thing I had it after all that time and ended in a c-section anyway, it was easier for them to prep me for the c-section. ..

first let me say congratulations. probably the best decision you've made. i had two daughters ome was with a doctor the other with a midwife. my first with a doctor was horrible. i was given an epidural it didn't work then they wouldn't let me get up to try ther ways to relieve the pain. they gave me a catherter and i had to lay in bed. it was horrible i hated every minute of it. by the time i had my daughter i was so tired i don't remember anything.(the first time i held her, heard her cry, looked itno her eyes) none of it. my second i decided i was going natural i was going to have awaterbirth and no one could change my mind. i'am so glad i did. i picked up a book at barnes and noble about natural birthing and pain releivelig methods. i wanted to be prepared incase the water birth didn't work. i ended up having an appintment with my midwife that morning i was 2 cm so i went home. an hour later i started contractions. this went on for 4 hours. i stayed at home and used breathing and walking techniques for pain. i was able to talk to the phone to friends dring this time. i got to the hospital at 1:30pm and got in the tub i had my daughter at 3:26pm. i loved it i held her close in the tub and loked into her eyes. she never left my side except fo r me to get onto the bed to deliver the placenta. ad that wasn't till i was ready to get up. her cord was still attahached as i got out of the tub and onto the bed. i covered up enough and my oldest daughter who was 3.5 came in to help cut the cord with daddy. i loved it i recommend it to everyine i know. you are surprised at how much pain is really mental and that by relaxing and not being tense you can relieve it. if you have any certain qustions let me know and i'll try to answer them.

I had my first child 18 months ago and am hoping to fall pregnant shortly! I agree with you when you say that childbirth is overmedicalized and that you wish to have a midwife present. With my first child i gave into every whim of the doctors! being scared and unsure of what was going to happen! first they induced me, for what in hiensight was absolutley no reason (except that the birthing rooms were full with people outside in labour!) because of being induced i was there fore attached to a machine which made me bedridden (unable to engage in pacing or moving about all i could do was lie there and feel the pain!) then after being induced the contractions quickly went from being bearable with breaks, to no breaks in between contractions whatsoever. it was horrible! i lasted a fair while without any pain relief but ended up having an epidural as people were complaining about how loud i was yelling and i freaked out completly and gave up. they then gave me an episiotomy and a vac_m delivery and i am to this day in pain from this proceedure. i think they cut through nerves because it hurts from lower back to above the knee although the doctors say this is normal (they did not imform me beforehand!!!!) afterwards i was given panadol for the pain.This also made b___stfeeding harder as sitting was excruciating normally let alone holding a baby. I was begging to go home because getting in and out of bed to get the baby was horrible and i wanted my husband to help me,l however they would not discharge me until day four. Giving birth unfortunatly was a horrible experience for me, it hurt so much is has taken me ages to think about doing it again! i am convinced all the interferance is the cause of the horrible experience. as hard as it will be for you to go natural i think that you should try as hard as you can and get lots of good information on breathing exercises. Dont let them do what they did to me! It zapped my confidence as a mother before i even began and i am only just getting back on track. but keep in mind it does HURT LIKE HELL! i dont think its because theyre arrogant that theyre saying what theyre saying, i think its quite reasonable to think that you will have pain relief because it hurts so much.