If you have given birth with AND without meds

I wanna talk to you!

My dr gave me the go ahead for a VBAC pending no issues arise later on...and now I get to decide how to go about it. My original plan when I was pregnant with my first was to go natural, but my dr advised against it and I ended up having a cesarean anyway. I guess what I'm nervous about is the fact that I never had a contraction, never felt any labor pains at all...so how in the freaking hell will I know if I can handle it if I have no clue how bad its going to be?!

I'm looking for people who have done both routes to tell me a little about the pros and cons they had personally.

You can handle it. Your body was made for it.

I had an induction the first time and ended up with an epidural because the contractions were soooo bad. By the time I got to 5 cm I was crying and couldn't catch my breath. The second time, I went into labor on my own and it was infinitely better. The contractions I was having at 5 cm the first time around were comparable to the ones I was having at 9-10 cm with natural labor. The nurses all kept telling me how well I was doing...they even commented that I should be in a documentary or something. Haha. Anyways, the natural labor was a much more fulfilling and satisfying experience and if I have another one I will definitely go that route!

I'm not sure why your doctor would advise against it...it's much better for you and baby. Your body creates it, your body can handle it.

ETA: My labor was also significantly faster the second time around...I know that's normal for second pregnancies but I believe that the epidural slowed things down the first time. I pushed for 2 and a half hours with my first and about 5 minutes with my second...I think the difference was that I could feel when I needed to push and listen to my body instead of being told when to push.

Quoting Lizplustwo:" You can handle it. Your body was made for it. I had an induction the first time and ended up with an ... [snip!] ... why your doctor would advise against it...it's much better for you and baby. Your body creates it, your body can handle it."

Because he was an ignorant dick, 'nuff said. His actual response was "You really shouldn't, they have medications for a reason and I don't like screaming women"

He's not my dr anymore, heh.

I had an epidural with my first after laboring hard for 13+ hours. It failed and I ended up having spinal migraines and had to go back to have that fixed. I was exhausted by the end of the 14 1/2 hours. I went natural with my second and the labor only lasted a little over 5 hours and he was almost 2 pounds bigger than my first, I only got the short term IV drug towards the end so I would relax a bit. I'd do it all over again! I was able to get up and walk just fine within the hour of delivery with my second. With my first I was restricted to the bed with a cath in for 12 hours. It sucked and I felt like hell. With the second I was so happy and peppy. I was so focused on getting the second one out that I didn't care about the pain. The trick is moving during labor and going with instinct

I had all 3 of mine w/o pain meds. One augmented labor, one completely natural and one induced. The natural one was by far my easiest but nine of them were unbearable.

I have. I would never have an epi again, at least no desire to. My natural birth was amazing.

Quoting [Doe Eyed Dirty Lurker]:" Because he was an ignorant dick, 'nuff said. His actual response was "You really shouldn't, they have medications for a reason and I don't like screaming women" He's not my dr anymore, heh."

 

DH said something along those same lines...then I explained to him what an epidural actually entails and he changed his mind.

I was actually quite disappointed with the midwife who ended up delivering DD...I got to 8 cm and kinda stayed there for a while and she was kind of pushing me towards pitocin and pain meds even though she knew beforehand that I wanted a natural labor. One of the nurses then had me get into a different position (because only the front of my cervix was left, I guess) and within 10 minutes I was ready to push.

Quoting Gir!:" I had an epidural with my first after laboring hard for 13+ hours. It failed and I ended up having spinal ... [snip!] ... on getting the second one out that I didn't care about the pain. The trick is moving during labor and going with instinct"

 

I hated being stuck in bed after I got the epidural. Also, it only half worked, so I still felt everything on one side of my body. My recovery was a lot faster with my second without the meds.

Quoting Lizplustwo:"   DH said something along those same lines...then I explained to him what an epidural actually ... [snip!] ... into a different position (because only the front of my cervix was left, I guess) and within 10 minutes I was ready to push. "

My main desire for a natural is because I want to be able to move/crouch/get in any position thats comfortable...but I don't know how much the hospital will actually go along with. They gave my sister fits about wanting to move around, even though she was doing natural...they wanted her on her back in that bed. Ugh...

With was wonderful. I got to enjoy family And take a short nap. Without was excruciating and stressful. Plus side to it is I was not itchy!

Quoting [Doe Eyed Dirty Lurker]:" My main desire for a natural is because I want to be able to move/crouch/get in any position thats comfortable...but ... [snip!] ... sister fits about wanting to move around, even though she was doing natural...they wanted her on her back in that bed. Ugh..."

That is how they wanted me with my first, which is why I gave in and got the epi. With my second I labored at home as long as possible, I got to the hospital and had started to push.

<blockquote><b>Quoting [Doe Eyed Dirty Lurker]:</b>" My main desire for a natural is because I want to be able to move/crouch/get in any position thats comfortable...but ... [snip!] ... sister fits about wanting to move around, even though she was doing natural...they wanted her on her back in that bed. Ugh..."</blockquote>




That's what happened with my first. Moving made a world of difference. Making a woman lay on her back during labor is ridiculously barbaric! Do what you want to do; they work for you-you don't work for them

I prefer natural...It normally "just happens" that way for me...

Quoting the grace life:" That is how they wanted me with my first, which is why I gave in and got the epi. With my second I labored at home as long as possible, I got to the hospital and had started to push."

That thought has crossed my mind, but with me doing a VBAC I'm nervous to labor at home very long...he told me he wants to monitor me pretty close just in case...this shouldn't be this hard of a decision  

<blockquote><b>Quoting Gir!:</b>" I had an epidural with my first after laboring hard for 13+ hours. It failed and I ended up having spinal ... [snip!] ... on getting the second one out that I didn't care about the pain. The trick is moving during labor and going with instinct"</blockquote>




Yep moving around is key, I stood bent over the side of the hospital bed and swayed for most of my last labor. My labor was 4 hrs total, 45mjns was pushing (only because they made me lay on my back to push and he was op, I wanted to be on all fours)