What kind of birth did you have???

[luvmybabes]

I am wondering what kind of birth you had. I have had one with an epidural and one without...but the one with was so hard to feel when to push and the one without was so painful I don't know if I can handle it with twins. The doctor also said C-section is always available to mother with twins. What kind did you have and how was the outcome. Please explain.

[honeybear56]

I had an epi with my first pregnancy. BUt i have to say that i made it pretty far before i needed it. I was in such pain, it helped on the contractions. I didnt get mine till i was having my contractions less than a min. apart, i think i was around 5 or 6 cm.

[babegirlisa5]

I think that when u have an epi it makes labor last longer because u need to stay in bed u can't walk around to help lower the baby.I had an epidural with my first and the labor lasted 9 hours and ended up needing help to get him out(forcepts)with my other 4 I had them all natural and from start to finish 6,5,4 .1/2,and 2 1/2 hours and they all came out with the first push.I really enjoyed my labor when i did it natural and wish i would have for my first as well.Even when my sister had her son she had an epi and she was in labor for 18 hours  and they almost needed to do a c-section but at the last minute the doctor was able to reach the baby and use forcepts she got hurt realy bad and need many many stitches,to this day she says she will never have a baby again because it hurt so much.
An epi is a great idea if u have been in labor awhile and need to get some rest but i recommend trying it natural for as long as possible all the pain just goes away as soon as u see ur baby.

[SliverCheer]

I really wanted to have my baby naturally but my labor was moving so slowly and I hadn't slept in two days that my doctor wanted to speed things up, and said that if I didn't take the epidural and platocin and get some sleep I wouldn't have the energy to push. I was vulnerable and took the drugs. I changed my doctor this time around because I feel it was unfair of the doctor to say I wouldn't be able to do it.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

I think that's a good plan.  I always signed my release forms for the epidural ahead of time JUST in case, but I made sure my nurses knew what i wanted from the start.  Hopefully you will have very caring nurses who will help push you towards what you really want.  That is the ONLY way I was able to have my 3rd natural.  If it weren't for my wonderful nurses talking me through each contractions and telling me what a good job i was doing and that no matter how bad it hurt I COULD and WOULD do it, I wouldn't have made it without an epi.  It never hurts to have a birth plan to give them when you get to L & D.  Just remember to keep a little wiggle room for unexpected situations and include those in the plan. Make sure your H knows what you want and is on the same page as you just in case you aren't in a position to make decisions.  Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Victoria01]

No matter what stories you read, it's always best to do what is best for you and your babies. Flexibility in your birth plan will make it a good experience no matter what you choose. :)

[luvmybabes]

wow..all these stories are so different from eachother.. It goes to show you you never know what to expect. thank you all for you stories and for voting!! I am going to try to have these babies naturally with no medications...but I won't have my heart set on it just incase!

[rebekah385]

I voted for "without medication by choice" my first baby was born 12 weeks early at 28 weeks, the doctors tried to slow down my labor, but he was'nt staying in there! he was head down though and I was dialated, so I was able to have him vaginally without medication (which does'nt happen very often with preemies) I did just fine without the med's although since then having other births, i know that the pushing part was easier since he was, so little (3lbs) although the contractions were still pretty bad! with my second baby I did not want medication and was at 7cm when i got there they broke my water and I progressed quickly, I changed my mind and wanted medication when it got really bad, but they checked me and i was fully dialated and ready to push even at that point i could handle the pain, but dud'nt want it to go on for hours. I had her naturally without medication and felt great afterwards!!! I was up walking around within an hour and was'nt even that sore for to long. with my third baby I decided to try having something in my IV, but still not wanting an epidural I was dialated to a 6 and they put pain meds in my IV I could still feel the contraction although I was a little more relaxed and sleepy, but they wore off after about 40 minutes and then I think the pain was worse I think, because it had been slightly numbed at that point i was fully dialated and ready to push the baby was fine alert and wanting to eat and I was fine, but I don't think that the meds did much. i am now pregnant again and planning to go medication free again, although I am not against pain meds if I really need them I would just like to try ecerything else first! on a side note I am more afraid of the epidural than I am of the pain, a friend of mine had an epodural and the  anesthesiologist messed up, it did'nt really work my friend had back pain for months and was'nt able to walk right for a few months!

[LosingMyMindInGA]

My vote went for the "Drug free delivery by choice" BUT I have had FIVE totally different deliveries....I voted for that one though becuase it was by far my most painful, BUT my easiest recovery and I just overall felt better afterwards.  That said...here are my experiences:

First:   Emergency C-section (well I had 2 hours to prepare)...the reasons were no amniotic fluid, baby was breech, overdue 3 days and intrauterine growth retardation (she was only 4 lbs 15 oz when born).  They gave me a sedative which made me very loopy....I don't remember much about my daughter being born.  Afterwards I was itching so bad they gave me an antihistamine...that coupled with the sedative pretty well knocked me out cold until the next morning...I didn't get to hold my daughter until she was about 17 hours old.  I was sore for days...I was  up and moving around but I was still sore.  It hurt to cough, sneeze, hiccup etc.  Even now, 13 1/2 years later, my scar and my stomach will just randomly start itching to the point where I want to claw the skin off.  I still have mild numbness on the lower half of my belly.  

Second:  After going into labor, arrived at the hospital to find no fetal heartbeat.  I was 38 wks 3 days.  I was given the option of c-section of vbac.  I chose vbac becuase the kind of drugs they used at that point didn't matter and I wanted to see if I could do it.  I was doped beyond belief with morphine and God only knows what else. Labor lasted longer than it should have becuase I couldn't "help".  Labor was about 15 to 16 hours.  Afterwards my liver enzymes went completely crazy...I had to have ultrasoundsof my internal organs...I was poked with needles more times than I care to remember.  It was a HORRIBLE experience and I pray no one else EVER has to go through it

Third: Water broke at midnight, got to the hospital and in my room around 1 am.  I told my nurses I wanted to try for a drug free birth.  They were REALLY good at coaching me and talking me through contractions...otherwise I would have caved.  By 6:30 I yelled for DH to get the nurse becuase I had uncontrollable urges to push.  They came in, they called the doc...by the time he got there baby was crowning...it took 3 sets of 3 pushes each, less than 10 minutes and there she was. AFter the initial pain and me scaring everyone on the l & d floor by screaming "GET IT OUT GET IT OUT"...immediately afterwards I felt like I hadn't done any of it...It was amazing...

Fourth:  water started leaking that morning, went to L & D, they said it wasn't fluid I was leaking urine...to go home....throughout the day I leaked more, got stronger contractions....called my doc, she said go back in becuase it was after shift change, get a second opinion.  ARound 4:30 we went back to the hospital.  They checked, said it WAS amniotic fluid.  They put me in a triage bed to wait for a room....around 5:15 my water broke laying in triage.  Shortly after I got into a room.  I was having major contractions by then and BEGGED for an epidural.  They finally got the Anasthesiologist in there.  As I was sitting on the edge of the bed and he was inserting the epidural....the baby dropped...it was like a giant THUD and immediately I felt I HAD to push.  I sat there praying "please let him wait til they finish the epidural".  So they finished and as the nurse was swingin my legs back onto the bed she had to swallow a scream...she yells out to the hall to get the doc in there NOW, then she looks at me and says "the baby is crowning and she could see a head full of dark brown hair"  they nurses were running around like mad afraid they were gonna have to do the delivery....then the doc walks in still pulling on his mask, coat and gloves...sits down as he starts telling me to push....3 sets of pushes and there he was....at 6:20 pm.  I wasn't even at the hospital a full 2 hours.   That was a good experience but I wish i had not gotten the epidural becuase things went so fast it almost didn't matter.

Fourth:  I was induced on my due date.  Got to the hospital just before 2pm.  They started pitocin around 2:20.  Around 7 my water broke and I was having MAJOR contractions...worse than any I ever remembered having before.  They got the anasthesiologist in there...he was a BIG FAT IDIOT.   He kept missing and poking around inmy back...so not only was I contending with mind numbing contractions...i had him wiggling the needle in my spine and hitting nerves making these painful zinging sensations in my right leg.  HE FINALLY got it right...I wanted to KILL him.  AFter that I felt SOOO much better....but when it came time to push I could feel enough....epsecially the "ring of fire" that really sucked.  But it only took about 6 pushes and he was born at 8:28 pm.  I wish I hadn't gotten THAT epidural simply for the fact that the doc was a moron.  But i'm glad i did becuase having been induced my contractions were REALLY bad.  That and we had my other kids there and I didn't want to scar them for life by me screaming all kinds of crazy things while in pain.  

[milymendoza]

I haven't given birth yet and i don't know if i would be allowed to have an epidural because of a slipped disc in my lower back that has given me problems the whole pregnancy. But it is reassuring to read your ladies stories and know there are people that have seen the business of being born, etc. but also to read the other side of things for a little perspective.
I'm hoping for a drug free birth but who knows what happens. like the little one above who's cord was wrapped really tight around. csectin was the only option.
thanks ladies :)

[luvmybabes]

Therese101- Same thing happened to me....

[therese101]

hey i had the epi by choice however it only lasted 20mins so the remainder of my labour i was in pain, for my next one i will go drug free as i only ended up with 20mins of relief and a sore back, i now know i can handle the pain!

[tarrah87]

well i had to have a c-section bc my daughter was so big she would not fit in the birth canal (sp) she was 9lb 8oz and 21 in long. if i would not have had to had a c-section than i would have tried for a natural delivery with no pain meds at all

[JoyRenee]

Ashelen- gotcha! No problemo! And I agree that people can by very cynical about the type of birth a person has. I think ceserean births get the most heat, too, when many times it isn't done by choice.

[smjmekg]

I found out I was pregnant about 4 and a half-5 weeks. I wanted nothing more than a completely natural water birth, but ended up with a c-section. DS was breech from before 33 weeks on and I was too scared to have him turned. I'd been having contractions from 23 weeks, and didn't want him to arrive before his due date. I scheduled the c-section for 39 weeks exactly, and that's when he arrived. It wasn't that bad, I had a very short and fast recovery, with hardly any pain I didn't even need medication, except for in the hospital (spinal headache). I had him Wednesday morning and came home Saturday. He was in the nursery the first twenty four hours because he had some fluid in his lungs, and I didn't get to see him (born at 1022 am) until 7 pm and didn't get to hold him until 1am. So that was the hardest part, not being able to have my baby with me. TTC number two now, and with this baby I'm hoping to try to go completely natural, VBAC. The only other problem I had was back pain right along my spine. I had one anesthesiologist try five times to get my spinal in and had to have another come in and he got it on the first try. OH! And right after they took DS out I started having pain in my stomach when no one was touching me so they gave me two more shots of morphine and one of demerol, and I was on and off for a few hours. But I'm fine, recovery was great, and DS is a happy healthy almost 18 month old.

[motherof1boy]

Even before I was pregnant I used to watch birthing videos online and I ALWAYS wanted to have the amazing birth experience. When I was pregnant I watched the business of being born and if I hadn't had experience of working in a hospital and seeing some pretty rough stuff to make me nervous and if I had a dr that would have done it...I would have loved to have a home birth completely natural. It was my dream. I even wrote in my pregnancy journal that I was looking forward to the birth, because it is the most awesome thing. It's so empowering for a woman. It's so beautiful.
Then I went into labor.
I was in labor 24 hours at home with bad contractions anywhere from 5-30 min. apart. To where I couldn't move or stand. Then when my dr said just come to the hospital we want to check you, I was only at 2 cm. So they started me on some pitocin. At that point I was like just give me an epidural this is gonna take too long and I'm already worn out from the past 24 hours of contractions. (I was 40 weeks at the time). I was on pit all day long. It was another 8 hours of pitocin induced contractions and I only got to 5cm. All day long my little guys heart rate kept dropping after a contraction (late deccelerations) but it would always come back up. Finally at about 6 pm that night his heart rate dropped in the 60s and they couldn't get it up. So they took me for an emergent Csection, where they knocked me completely out. I didn't see the birth and my husband didn't even get to see the birth. It turns out his cord was wrapped all around his chest, arms, and neck. I would have never been able to have a vaginal birth with him.
I was so devistated. Still am, that I didn't get my birth experience. So all in all, I had 32 hours of labor, 12 at home med free, 8 with epidural and pitocin. All to end up unconcious and have him cut out anyway. I do have to say the epidural was AMAZING!
I did struggle with some serious post partum depression, I always wonder if it had to do with the fact that I had such a traumatizing birth experience.

[Ashelen]

Nono Joy actually I wasn't referring to anyone on here....I think that women who choose medication get villified in a lot of circles and I really think that's a shame, but nobody here was offensive or anything! My friend (all three births without meds) and I were simply speaking about the subject a few days ago and she agrees that women who choose meds are often talked down upon and she doesn't believe it's fair either....LOL I wasn't talking about anyone here trust me everyone here is too nice :D

[JoyRenee]

No one is looking down on anyone who has had an epidural. My first two births were epidural births. I've experienced both kinds of vag. birth- medicated and natural. Therefore I was speaking from experience.

[JoyRenee]

luvmybabes- you can do it! Consider hiring a doula and get your significant other on board. If you surround yourself with support then it makes it a whole heck of a lot easier!

[luvmybabes]

wow Thanks for all your comments. I want to try to do it without an epidural but I dont know if i can handle the pain it is so terrible. but I also don't want an epidural because of the problems it has caused me in the past... Thank you all.. as the time gets closer for me to make a desicion I will probably be asking for more advice

[kjbutcher]

I had a drug free not by choice the first time and an epidural the second.  I will have an epidural next time too.  I loved it and I had heard so many people say it was so hard to push and it was not effective pushing that i pushed extra hard and ended up delivering an 8lb 13oz boy in 7 minutes!!  I loved it!


btw if you start to tear they will give you lidocaine shots and it will take the pain away.

[Arikane]

I was linked to this sight trying to look up info on the effects of Procardia XL and pregnancy.  Thought my experience might help some folks.
2 years after a perfectly normal 41 week pregnancy with my first DS, I was pregnant with my 2nd boy. At 26 weeks I went in for a routine ultrasound and found I was 3 cm dialated already.  Long story short, after 11 weeks on Procardia XL I delivered at 37 weeks.  Healthy baby- pretty near term - thank God.  But now 8 years later, I am looking for answers to some of my child's developmental problems.  I've always suspected it is due to the Procardia.  I notice similar effects to Dilantin exposure, an anti-seziure medication that used to be given to pregnant moms until they discovered it caused developmental problems in babies.  I don't want to scare anyone who is pregnant, the drug may have kept me from delivering early, which would present it's own set of problems,  All I wanted to do back then was to keep from going into early labor.  I wish I would have researched it more.  If anyone knows anything about this or has similar stories, i would love to hear them.

[Sasha80]

With my first DD I had an epidural.  i was trying to go with no meds but 12 hours into labour I couldn't handle it anymore.  I was in labour with her for 23 hours.  My second DD I did drug freeby choice.  It was 5 hours start to finish.  If it was any longer I would've opted to have another epidural.  

[Limonada]

Well said, Ashelen!

I had an epidural - and it was totally my choice.  I was induced and had back labour - I tried Demerol first, but all it did was make me nauseous and dozy between contractions.  Had I not had an epidural, I doubt I would have been able to push DS out in the end.

[Ashelen]

I think that it's a really good idea to go without meds if you can, but I don't think women who choose pain management should be looked down upon (nor do I think it has an adverse effect on the babies up to a certain point: it actually reduces the stress on them, but it does lower their awareness if the meds are in their systems for too long). If you have a hospital that treats you poorly, don't use the hospital, same with a doctor. I trusted my doctor, and my hospital, and the staff, and I was very lucky that I had chosen to do an epidural because of the complications that arose after. However if you want to go without meds I say go for it 100% I understand it's a very rewarding experience. On the flip side, I felt like I did exactly the same amount of work as other mothers and it worked out in the end because I ended up needing the epidural for the OR immediately after. It's completely a personal choice....and just remember, you can choose to do no pain meds and change your mind if it becomes too much, so I don't see anything wrong with planning a med free birth. I just know my next one will be with epidural again because I will most likely tear. But if you're in doubt, plan to go med free but tell them to keep the option in reserve. :)