re: deleted.

i had "tried" to go natural with my first 2 and it always ended in epidural. i had my parents in the room and stuff and it was just hard to concentrate when im moaning and my dads right there ya know..

with eli it was just chris and I, and it was pretty much just me getting myself through contractions.. i pictured other women in labor at the same time but had no option to even have an epidural, they just had to do it. so thats what i did, i picture myself all tree hugging and having a baby that way. I learned that if I relaxed my body during a contraction instead of tensing up it didnt hurt as bad, it hurt but not all over like if I tensed.

i am hoping to see what its like in the water! and how differnet it is and if it helps with pain like they say

Quoting ☮ Phuket:" i had "tried" to go natural with my first 2 and it always ended in epidural. i had my parents in the ... [snip!] ... if I tensed. i am hoping to see what its like in the water! and how differnet it is and if it helps with pain like they say"

I agree contractions hurt way more when you are tensed.

With my first it was a back labour and being in water didn't ease the pain at all. My second wasn't a back labour and getting in a hot bath helped sooo much.

OP my advice to you would be to be very positive and encouraging, remind her it will be over soon and she will finally see her baby. Tell her how well she is doing. Do not say anything like "it's not that painful" or tell her to not be so loud if she is moaning (or in my case screaming lol). Massage her back during contractions if she asks. Don't get offended if she wants you to leave her alone or if she snaps at you. Speak up for her if need be, for example if there are people in the room that you know she doesn't want there ask them to leave for her. If she is fully set on doing it all natural gently encourage her to stay strong when she feels like giving in but make sure she knows it's fine to do so.

Don't push her to get an epidural or whatever when she's in heaps of pain but not asking for pain relief (my SO did this both times told me to give in and it made me feel like crap as if I was inflicting all the pain on myself and making it more difficult by refusing to take anything for the pain....I ended up caving with my first and got a shot of pethadine which I really regretted later. With my second (my full natural birth) he was much better at supporting me but when I started pushing he begged the nurse to get me something for the pain and when she told him it was too late I laughed and said I didn't want anything anyway)