Natural Labor.

I really want to have a natural, unmedicated child birth. I know it's very early to start thinking about this, But it's just something i really want to do. I have heard many bad things about epidurals, but in all, i would like to go through the whole process with no pain meds. Anyone who has had natural child births, Please give me some input, It is horrible, Unbearable? What exactly is it like.

I had a very easy pregnancy and labor with my first. I got to the hospital at 7cm. I didn't know anything, they gave me pitocin in an IV. it just made me feel like I was going to throw up. Then they had the heart monitor on him the whole time and wouldn't let me take it off, which was horrible, with every contraction it dug into my stomach. It like, burned coming time to push, but I only pushed a few times.. and afterward, it's like euphoria, I wasn't in any pain. I was only scared to try and poop after for a few days  

So this time, I'm again going for no epi, no pitocin, only monitoring baby's heart when needed, etc. I think if you are in the right mindset about wanting to go natural it helps a lot.

<blockquote><b>Quoting SamMarie!  :</b>" I really want to have a natural, unmedicated child birth. I know it's very early to start thinking about ... [snip!] ... meds. Anyone who has had natural child births, Please give me some input, It is horrible, Unbearable? What exactly is it like."</blockquote>




My epidural wasn't placed right, and I still had the whole natural birthing experience. I did have some iv drugs since the epidural couldn't be taken out until after I gave birth. I believe I had nubain (sp). The actual giving birth part wasnt bad, nor unbearable, it was while I was in labor that it was bad. I also had 4th degree tears down there, and had an episiotomy.

Its not horrible or unbearable. The pain associated with child birth is 90% mental. Women make things far worse for themselves than they really are. If you're screaming, yelling and acting a fool, you're going to make things terrible for yourself. You have to focus and find out what works for you.

While I was laboring, I would hum really hard (enough to vibration over my body) through a contraction. My midwife's student would grab my hip (I was laying on my side) and rock me back and forth. The combination of the vibration and the rocking really helped me.

Hanging off something helps also. Wrap your arms around your "coach's" next and just hang there. Giving birth and laboring on your back is the worst position. Try to stay up right while laboring if you can.

I'm curious as well!

I've had two hospital epidural stuck in the bed births and one natural hospital water birth. In the moment, the natural birth was absolute hell and I wasn't sure I would be able to do it (and they lie...i didn't forget the pain. i never will) but it was just sooo much easier...the birth process and the recovery for me.

Oh...but counting while rocking on my hands and knees or bouncing on the ball were soo much help while I was not in water.

my natural birth was not near as painful as my births with Pitocin and epidurals.

my first advice is SAY NO TO PITOCIN. be sure you let them know that you want your body to do this, thats what i told my doctors..

i had to keep breathing and moaning and thinking about all the other women in the world who dont even have a CHOIICE to get an epidural, it was weird but it helped me alot. the pushing wasnt that bad. what hurt was when the doctor was sticking her hands in my vag to "open" it more as i was pushing, i want to punch her .
but it was great. afterwards, i walked right away, ( leaving behind a terrible bloody trail to the bathroom) but it was great. i felt betteer afterwards, i had no back pain from the epidural andmy baby nursed like a champ. good luck

My first labor was mediated, and really difficult. My last labor was natural. I didn't even let them put an IV in. It wasn't bad at all for the first few hours, i was walking sround and eating, watching tv, etc. but it was really painful and intense once my water broke, because that's when your contractions start to get really bad. Transition (getting through your last few cm) was extremely painful, and the ring of fire had me literally screaming like someone was killing me. She was 9lbs even and 20 inches, it hurt like hell. But as soon as she came out the pain magically disappeared and I felt 100% better. It was painful and really intense but I'll be doing it again this time.

Quoting Jas ♥:" Its not horrible or unbearable. The pain associated with child birth is 90% mental. Women make things ... [snip!] ... just hang there. Giving birth and laboring on your back is the worst position. Try to stay up right while laboring if you can."

  Your first paragraph... I agree. You have to tell yourself you can do it, not just go in there being like "Ow, it hurts give me the drugs!" - Because, even if you do decide you want the drugs, a lot of women get them too soon and they are worn off.

It literally can't be put into words....there is no way to explain what my labor was like.

However - your labor is not going to be my labor & you can ask 1000 women & get 1000 different stories & your story will be 1001.

I have known women who will tell you labor was a breeze. I would not be one of them. I had back labor & the pain was intense. I was awake for 24 hrs & went to my Dr crying telling him I threw my back out. I had no clue THAT was labor - I thought I was having multiple back spasms & it was near agony.

I had long labors too - both time 70+ hrs...BUT if you notice I said "Both times". It is an amazing enough experience I'd gladly do it again (and hope I get to). Do I want to do labor? Not really - but it's part of the package & that package is awesome enough that it is not a deterrent at all.

If you want to do natural look into methods to help you cope. There is things like Bradley Method, Hypnobirthing, etc. If you plan to birth in a hospital setting make sure they are aware of your requests to not be offered pain meds, even if you are talking about how much you hurt. You can always ask if you change your mind but having it dangled in front of you is too tempting - like setting a big chocolate cake out while trying to watch what you eat & staring at it. LOL And research the pain meds - regardless. If you end up deciding you want to take them, you should make sure whatever option you would take is an informed choice base don knowing what is available & all the risk factors/etc beforehand. You cannot make an informed choice in the middle of labor...it is simply not possible with everything else going on to assume you will be totally clear headed at that point. ;)

Quoting JiLLiAN.:"   Your first paragraph... I agree. You have to tell yourself you can do it, not just go in there being ... [snip!] ... me the drugs!" - Because, even if you do decide you want the drugs, a lot of women get them too soon and they are worn off."

plus its not like its an unkown pain thats gonna kill you.. you know WHY you hurt and you know with each contraction your baby is one "rush" closer to looking into your eyes.

im deff having another natural child birth this time... im making this one a WATER birth in hopes the water makes it more comfortable... wishful thinking

Quoting ☮ Phuket:" plus its not like its an unkown pain thats gonna kill you.. you know WHY you hurt and you know with ... [snip!] ... child birth this time... im making this one a WATER birth in hopes the water makes it more comfortable... wishful thinking"

SO JEALOUS. i want a water birth.  

Quoting JiLLiAN.:" SO JEALOUS. i want a water birth.  "

you cant have one? i lucked out and a hospital here has a natural birthing floor, with tubs and everything, and you stay in 1 room the whole time.

if i dont deliver there for some reason, im going to birth at a Birth center here, but my family is BEGGING me to go to the hosptial just in case and even though iv had 3 pregnancies adn births under my blet, they sare still worried something will go wrong.

Quoting JiLLiAN.:" SO JEALOUS. i want a water birth.  "

I was suppose to but as the tub was filling up, Isaiah was coming out. Everything happened so fast. From start to finish, it was an hour and 45 minutes.