Question For Women Who Have Had Natural Births (no Meds)?
i would like to know how many of you planned ahead with exercises and birthing classes? and how many of you didn’t. and how long and complicated the labor was accordingly, also perhaps some training and or exercises you may have found helpful.
check out this article…
It is long but has really great information.
I obviously wouldn’t know this from experience, but I know my mother’s experience. I have a brother and a sister, both born way smaller than me. I was the only birth in which she didn’t use any meds, and was also the easiest of the three to deliver. You just never know with these things!
Well with my daughter I planned on having a natural birth, but was induced…I took the birthing classes, but I don’t think they helped me with relaxation and all that…it was more informative as far as what labor might be like etc…I did end up getting one dose of IV meds toward the middle…but it wore off quickly. I had no meds in my system when she was born…and they wouldn’t let me out of the bed b/c they wanted to monitor the baby continuously so my labor was around 12 hours start to finish. With my son (baby 3) I did a VBAC, completely natural…again I didn’t get out of bed as much as I should have, but coped w/ labor really well…it took a very long time though because I didn’t let gravity help me out. I am now in training to become a labor doula and by using the following info made their births much faster than they would have been for first time moms. My suggestion would be to take it one contraction at a time, stay out of bed as much as possible, sit on a birth ball, a rocking chair, or stand and walk as much as you can…change positions every hour and empty your bladder each time you change positions…remember that every contraction you have brings you closer to holding your baby…try to stay relaxed through the contractions and rest when you’re not having them. Best of luck..hope that helps!
Check out the Bradley method books for great references and ways to have a “natural” birth. The exercises and tips really help you know how to relax and push along.
I was in labor for 26 hours with no paid medication and dilated to 9 cm after about an hour of unbearable pain and gettin no where I got the epidural and ended up in a c-section.
I took child development classes in highschool and in my first yr of college. Pain is handled accordance to each woman considering their situation.
I have had all three of my children at a Birthing Centre with only a mid-wife, my husband & my sister present.After researching about the different drugs and how they can impact on the progress of the labour and lead to interventions and also the effect that they can have on the baby, I knew that I wanted to have natural births. We do spend a whole 9 months avoiding all things unhealthy, I’ve never understood why people go to town on the drugs at the birth. I didn’t actually do any classes to prepare but I did try to keep reasonably fit through my pregnancies. Having a positive attitude is the key and just letting go and going with it. I also started taking raspberry leaf tablets from around 32weeks. It’s also really important that your support people share your goal. It’s really hard for people that love you to see you in pain but as long as they know what your wishes are they should be great to have with you. My first labour was about 9hrs, my 2nd was 1/2 an hour, (I nearly had her in the lift!), & my third labour was 3hrs. Staying at home for as long as possible also helps you progress faster. Just try not to give birth in the car!
I have had 2 natural births and am planing to have another with my 3rd child ( 10 weeks pregnant) I wont lie it is painful but during the birth you are totally concious and after the baby is born you can get up and walk around almost instantly. Your baby is also more alert cause its not full of meds either. I didnt go to any birthing classes and planned to go naturlly with both of mine. The best advice I can offer is breathing. I know everyone says it but its true. It definately got me through cause you think about your breathign rather than the pain. Hoep I helped
I have done two natural births.
With the first one I went in with the mentality that I would get an epidural so it didn’t matter if I could do lamaze and I didn’t practice my breathing or my relaxing. I took lamaze but I wasn’t serious about learning how to control my breathing.
I arrived at the hospital dilated to 3, my water broke at the admitting desk and I was dilated to 9 about an hour later. It was a very hard fast labor and no amount of breathing I could do was helpful. I didn’t have a chance to get an epidural. I delivered naturally against my wishes, but I was happy that I did it.
With my second I decided to go natural. I opted for a birthing center that had a tub and a midwife. This time I didn’t take a class. What helped me was changing positions. Going from the ball to the bed, to walking, then squatting with support really made it easier. I also used the tub and that helped my contractions. I did the tiered breathing and that helped a little. I also tried finding a focal point.
I think environment plays a big role. Turn down the lights, bring your favorite pillow, and only let people in that you would feel comfortable having a bowel movement in front of.
You can practice your breathing by placing an ice cube in your hand for 1 minute and breathing through the pain and discomfort. We did that in my lamaze class and it was pretty helpful.
I hope that helps. It wasn’t easy but I managed. No matter what labor hurts but how you cope with it is what can make or break you.
I planned ahead with my first child. I took the birthing classes. I took the relaxation material to the laboring room with me. I was in labor for ten hours with no drugs, but it resulted in a c-section.
I had natural childbirth with a Pitocin-induced labor with my second child. I don’t recommend it. LOL Maybe without the Pitocin and with a smaller baby it would have been okay.
I had a short labor because of the Pitocin, but it was extremely intense. I dilated from 0 to 8 in less than 10 minutes and the doctor had me start pushing when I reached 8 cm. Much to soon, I think. I took birthing classes and did regular workouts at the gym throughout my entire pregnancy. I think I was really well prepared, but I still wouldn’t do it again. I had an epidural with my first child and wish I had gone that route with the second.
I didnt plan on going natural. There was just no time for meds. My water broke at home, and I barely made it to the hospital.
A nurse came in and gave me a ‘crash course’ on what to do. “breath in the nose and out the mouth”, etc…
It was very painful!! But, once I decided to just go for it and push, the pain was relieved a little. Some burning when he crowned, but that was nothing compared to the contractions.
Hi, I had 2 boys, no drugs, a bit of gas – then they took it away!
I found walking, being in the shower and rotating the hips like a belly dancer through the contractions was good. Breathing too.
I did pregnancy water aerobics it was great to talk to the other pregnant women too, and the instructor is a birth doula, so could give us all great advice. Birth class with the hospital was good, goes through breathing and things that are happening.
I ended up being given the syntosin drip in both, the first because I had previously been booked in to have it and I think they just did it anyway, I didn’t know I could refuse, I went into labour by myself without it. I don’t think they increased the level the whole time, the midwives were content to leave me be, the Dr went away. I was offered the gas around transition time, and by this time I was kneeling on the bed, it was comfortable like that. They took it when I began to push, it was too distracting. It was 12 hours, but you really don’t worry about the time, you just go with your body. It must be hard on the person helping you though.
With the second it was because I got to 8 cm and then the labour stopped for 2 hours, so they gave me the drip to get it going again. It was intense and the level increased a few times. I should have been offered drugs I think! I had gas for a bit but it was again taken away for pushing. I suppose they just wanted him out for safety. He was about 12 hours too, but with the 2 hour gap.
Good luck with it all!!
not my mom…well she had me naturally…and shes gonna have triplets naturally in a couple months…and she doesnt go to any cllasses, she getst too tiredd sometimes i help her with birthing exercises though (she gets them from a book)