re: Natural/No Epi birth!

Quoting $@])!3..:“ I was thinking about a doula, and I just recently thought about it, is there still time to get one? And ... [snip!] ... and I would be extremely proud of myself, especially since I'm young and most young moms say "GIVE ME THE EPIDURAL!" lol”

Nah, they don't ;) Just think that 150 years ago, give or take, it was normal at 13 to start having babies ^_^
There is still time to get a doula, most don't even need to see you until you are close to your due date (Mine met with me about a month beforehand and then again 2 weeks before)
And you can always change your birthplan, it is yours  

Quoting Tait's Mommy:“ can you site a source that says it's been proven that childbirth isn't supposed to hurt if you remain ... [snip!] ... And I can't wait to read your labor story. I hate it when people say something like they know, and have never been through it.”

I was just stating what the Hypnobirthing book teaches. I don't know this from experience, obviously. No need to be such a negative bi***.

Quoting Tait's Mommy:“ Oh it can definately be done without drugs. But it DOES hurt, and there's no way to sugarcoat it. Still waiting on a source...other than the Hypnobirthing book...”

Have you read about the Bradley method? The Leboyer method? They all talk about how childbirth can, and it supposed to be, intense but painless. I guess you don't do too much research on natural childbirth?

Quoting Tait's Mommy:“ Oh it can definately be done without drugs. But it DOES hurt, and there's no way to sugarcoat it. Still waiting on a source...other than the Hypnobirthing book...”

Oh yeah, and Grantly Dick-Read.
Ever heard of him? He came up with this "loony" idea that childbirth shouldn't be painful when he did extensive studies on childbirth in different geographical areas and he saw that women who lived in societies where childbirth pain wasn't emphasized, actually experienced NO PAIN. Check it. At least acknowledge that some people may know a little more than you do about the perception of pain.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grantly_Dick-Read

Quoting Sloan:“ I was just stating what the Hypnobirthing book teaches. I don't know this from experience, obviously. No need to be such a negative bi***.”

Honey, I can and WILL be a negative bitch if I so choose. And no, I have not done much research on natural chilbirth, and probably wont. I DO plan to go natural with the next one, but plan to do it my way. Not by the ideas of some MAN thathas never experienced such pain. And I refuse to acknowledge that you or any man on this planet, even the great Grantly Dick-Read, knows more than I about giving birth. Even if he did do "extensives tudies" Thanks though.

ETA: If anyone can tell me they had a painless childbirth I will do all the research you want

Quoting Tait's Mommy:“ Honey, I can and WILL be a negative bitch if I so choose. And no, I have not done much research on ... [snip!] ... tudies" Thanks though. ETA: If anyone can tell me they had a painless childbirth I will do all the research you want”

i doubt anyone cares if you do your homework or not. it's your body, your experience, your lack of education on the subject.

Quoting Sloan:“ i doubt anyone cares if you do your homework or not. it's your body, your experience, your lack of education on the subject.”

Come join my D&D thread. I'm honestly interested in learning about your thinking.

Quoting Sloan:“ Are you opting out of the other pain relieving drugs too (i.e. Demerol, etc)? If you've decided to ... [snip!] ... anyway, pain is simply a perception, and you can learn to change your pain perception through meditative techniques and such.”

Excellent information! It goes along with what I've been saying. It's so important to stay calm and relaxed. When you start yelling, screaming, getting tense (as depicted on television) it does cause more pain.

My mother wants to be with me when I deliver, but she's more of the doting sort, and that's not the time for someone to be acting as if you're weak or wounded. (which is the way she canreact)I can't have that type of distraction. I know that I must stay focused, if I am to have the least amount of pain.

Quoting Tait's Mommy:“ Honey, I can and WILL be a negative bitch if I so choose. And no, I have not done much research on ... [snip!] ... tudies" Thanks though. ETA: If anyone can tell me they had a painless childbirth I will do all the research you want”

Actually, Ina Mae Gaskin has also reported such painless births, and she is a woman  

Quoting JEM79:“ I think if you want to have a natural no drug birth, the best thing you can do is hire a doula. A doula ... [snip!] ... any book written by Ina Mae Gaskin, she has a lot to say on natural childbirth and will give good tips as well. Good luck!”

I'm also quoting in agreement. Ina Mae Gaskin's books help a lot with the fears that come with child birth. The first book I read of hers was Spiritual Midwifery. I read it 3 times before I was done.
I highly recommend anything written or compiled by her. I've never had the pleasure to meet her myself but my husband grew up on "The Farm" that she talks about in Spiritual Midwifery and my SIL was born there on the back of a bus. My MIL has one of the first copies of the book ever printed (it's totally falling apart so I had to buy my own copy, but well worth it).
I don't know what I would have done without her books. I was so scared to be pregnant and knowing that I'd have to give birth at some point was terrifying. Now I'm actually looking forward to the experience and trying some of her suggestions for pain relief.

My labor with my 3rd felt no worse than menstrual cramps. In fact, I think I have had worse cramps while getting my period than what I felt while in labor with him.   And without pitocin it is amazing the difference of how you labor, amazing. And for me, being in an environment in which I was surrounded by positive people who were encouraging me (instead of pushing me to get an epidural, or, rolling their eyes because I didnt want to get one) it really made a difference. Being allowed to move during labor also made a world of difference. So while it was not "painless" by definition, it was pretty darn close and it can and does happen all the time. I have a very strong mind-body connection so my thinking going into that labor was "I am strong, I can do this, I am not going to fight the contractions but instead I am going to work with them and move my body to work with them" and it truely worked.

idk..i did all the breathing and concentrating on my body and letting it do it's work..but i still must say that it did hurt like hell, but i welcomed the pain because i knew that it was bringing my baby to me and my thinking was the more pain, the faster he/she would be here..but all women and all labors are different..and when they augment your labor with pitocin or cytotec...there is NO way you can tell me it will be painless..i could barely cope when they gave that stupid shit to me...but i still say i did it natural b/c i only had 1/2 a dose of nubain, which sucked ass.

i was overdue for my son and the only meds i had were the ones to get my labor started (pitocin) but i went thru all 6 hours of my labor naturally (by myself i might add) and i gave birth to my 9 pound 14 3/4 ounce baby boy!! it was painful but girl you forget everything once the midwife/doc puts your baby in your arm!!

Quoting ~Mommy of 3~:“ idk..i did all the breathing and concentrating on my body and letting it do it's work..but i still must ... [snip!] ... when they gave that stupid shit to me...but i still say i did it natural b/c i only had 1/2 a dose of nubain, which sucked ass.”

Then again, when they augment w/ drugs..it is very unnatural, so maybe that is why it hurts so much more??..your body doesn't know how to deal w/ such horrible contractions, i guess, maybe?..

I made a decision with my first child I wanted to go natural. My husband knew of my choice and we stuck with it--he was there to encourage me and keep me focused during birth (I found this to be key). It is important that you let the nurses anddoctor know of your choice as well. Since epi's are so widly used most assume everyone will have one. Yes, it is painful but birth is supposed to be painful! I have heard some say you forget about the pain, perhaps some do, I have not! I am due with my second and am planning a natural childbirth. I know what to expect now, and for me that does not help but I will try to keep my goals in mind and have a successful natural birth.