https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:26:44 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1194476 Mon, 04 Nov 2013 09:53:45 +0000 mjane 1194476@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sorrycharlie: that is an exact description of mine too! Spent most of it waiting or alone in triage, basically silent and basically still in the fetal position. I guess fast labors are like that? If you have another does it just shoot out?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1193644 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 15:07:19 +0000 Mrs. Confetti 1193644@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There have been so many things mentioned above that were so helpful to me (pitocin induction, pain med free) and the only thing I will add is squeezing a fine tooth comb in my hand. Sounds seriously random but my doula brought it for me and stabbing it into my hand and squeezing during contractions was an excellent distraction from the other pain going on down below. I gripped that thing for dear life. That plus sitting on the ball, hunched over the bed, and moaning really low. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1193623 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 14:37:36 +0000 sorrycharlie 1193623@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@matador84: exactly this.</p> <p>my labor was so fast that I spent the first hour stuck in a waiting room chair, and the second hour in a gurney in triage. aaand that's the game. I balled up a paper towel and was squeezing the heck out of it, near silent, aside from the occasional, "I'm going to die!" to DH. LOL. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1193618 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 14:33:22 +0000 Sadieloo 1193618@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ash: we took a 4 hour holistic Lamaze class that was really helpful. During the labor I did a lot of swaying and rocking my hips back and forth (primarily on all fours). The shower and a bath were also super helpful as was counter pressure on my back. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1193503 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 11:49:16 +0000 Rubies 1193503@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My midwife talked me through each (painful) contraction...lots of screaming...but my labour was super fast, there wasn't any time for anything! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1193428 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 10:40:48 +0000 ohapostrophe 1193428@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>1st birth: laboring in the tub, hypnobabies, and lots of ideas from Ina may.<br /> 2nd birth: had him so fast I was only at the hospital 25 minutes and didn't have time for any of it...lots of yelling ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1193390 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 09:59:31 +0000 lizzywiz 1193390@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsCastro: Ina May's and Natural Hospital Birth are the two I remember as helpful for sure, but I read a lot of other books, too. Belly Laughs, From the Hips, etc.<br /> Ina May's and Natural Hospital Birth made me feel like 1) natural is totally doable and 2) I am the boss of my labor.<br /> Natural Hospital Birth was very useful, as I was induced early with pitocin due to HELP syndrome and except for the pitocin I felt like everything else worked perfectly for me and my lil' family, in part due to some of the strategies I read in that book. One was to ask for time to consider a recommended medical intervention. If the Doc agrees to give you time to consider it, you can safely bet it isn't an emergency, regardless of how they presented it. It was super helpful in decision making: at one point they denied me extra time and said I would have to proceed AMA, and it made it very clear to me that the intervention (induction) was considered very necessary. Another time, they gave me time to consider whether I wanted my birth sac manually ruptured and I knew then that it wasn't necessary, yet.<br /> I never felt at the mercy of the system, and I think that was so important in pain management. It is hard to fight the good fight when you feel overwhelmed or bullied by your circumstance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1192586 Sat, 02 Nov 2013 14:31:57 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 1192586@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsCastro: I loved The Birth Partner by Patty Simkin (don't know if I spelled that right) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1192368 Sat, 02 Nov 2013 11:39:46 +0000 matador84 1192368@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did nothing. I couldn't even move the pain was so intense. The nurses were just really amazing and helped me breathe through the pain. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1192358 Sat, 02 Nov 2013 11:27:19 +0000 cmomma17 1192358@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lizzywiz: I had a doula too :) and I also stayed super hydrated (drank water after every contraction!).</p> <p>I agree with @ash: Ina May's book was my favorite! Definitely check it out @MrsCastro </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1192345 Sat, 02 Nov 2013 11:15:56 +0000 Ash 1192345@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsCastro: I can tell you that Ina May's Guide to Childbirth is extremely empowering :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1192273 Sat, 02 Nov 2013 10:26:54 +0000 MrsCastro 1192273@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lizzywiz: can I ask what books you read? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1192060 Sat, 02 Nov 2013 07:08:57 +0000 bpcmarj 1192060@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The tub in a dark room helped the most. Time flew by while I was in there and I dilated quickly. I was nearly silent during labor, which wasn't planned, but seemed to help. There was low moaning through tough contractions, but very little talking. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1192055 Sat, 02 Nov 2013 06:58:01 +0000 lizzywiz 1192055@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did the same as @cmomma17: read a lot of empowering books and stories so I went into it thinking it was totally doable. For pain management:<br /> -doula massaged my hands and feet during early active labor.<br /> -lots of position changes<br /> -lots of moaning, kinda like a cow, lol.<br /> -coconut water as hydrator/energizer </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1192007 Sat, 02 Nov 2013 04:15:12 +0000 mjane 1192007@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoyfulKiwi: prenatal yoga was key for me. Most prenatal yoga classes do mock contractions and they seem silly but we're ultimately really helpful. I actually believe that learning to do horse noises/fluttering the lips got me through. A few women in my yoga class were having their second and making those noises thru contractions had helped them a ton. Wouldn't have thought to do it otherwise!</p> <p>Also having two people to apply pressure to my back and hips during labor--my partner and my sister. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1180644 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 22:15:16 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 1180644@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No tub or anything fancy. I used the shower for a time, but that was mostly because (after my water broke) I felt like I was too "messy" in the room &amp; the shower would be a good place for all the fluids. </p> <p>For me, I got through by having no hang-ups about how I was supposed to do it or how I was perceived by others. I moved however I felt like moving, made whatever noises that helped me focus, and asked for whatever I thought would help. It was all mental for me. I felt in control &amp; I wasn't scared or nervous.</p> <p>Practically, I took a prenatal yoga class that gave me a really good toolbox to pull from: positions for my body, ideas about about counter-pressure, meditation music to listen to, and the ability to be present in the contraction &amp; talk myself to the end of it. I was also open to accepting interventions or medication recommended by my midwife because I trusted her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1180105 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 17:55:17 +0000 Penny Lane 1180105@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i used our tiny tub at home, and that definitely helped. otherwise meditating and deeeeep, slooooow breathing.</p> <p>for me, making sure i was completely relaxed helped immensely. if i tensed up at all the pain felt 3 times worse. which i guess is why the tub worked so well!</p> <p>my mama and/or DH also pressed my lower back during the peak of contractions, which was super effective, especially at the beginning </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1179977 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 16:47:37 +0000 FarmWifeGina 1179977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ash: With my first birth, I kinda went the Bradley route and focused on breathing and relaxing and vocalized through contractions. That's what got me through.<br /> With my second, I breathed and relaxed and concentrated, but went a lot more by the seat of my pants. The hard part of that labor was spent in the shower and standing up and rocking my hips. I couldn't sit, I couldn't lay down at all, I HAD to be up and moving.<br /> I'm not good enough to stick with a method and practice it, so this time, and somewhat last time, I just knew what I had to do, that there was no point freaking out, and did it. It's hard work and it's so not easy, but I have no doubt that I'll get through it one more time (duh, I'm planning a home birth, not much of an option, lol) and it'll be great! Although, this time I have a real birthing tub, so I'm looking forward to seeing how that helps me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1179926 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 16:23:37 +0000 Ash 1179926@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Corduroy: I worked as an l&amp;d nurse where I'm gonna deliver so I know I can stay in the tub through the end. </p> <p>This has been really helpful! Thanks everyone. I'm going into it with the mindset that I'll do whatever it takes to have a healthy baby but preferring to keep it med free - for a few reasons - one of which is to be able to move around. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1179374 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:40:55 +0000 boots 1179374@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I found meditation and breathing got me through labor the best. I disappeared into my own head and really focused on the contractions during the roughest parts of labor. I also relaxed my whole body and just allowed myself to feel/embrace the pain. </p> <p>I softly moaned through contractions, and the vocalization really aided in my ability to make it through. It was hard in the end because I had pitocin and my contractions were pretty much constant.</p> <p>Also, pushing was the easiest part for me! I didn't feel pain as long as I pushed, and I grunted like an animal through it haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1179262 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:17:03 +0000 prettylizy 1179262@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a pain med free birth, but did have pitocin. To prepare we took a prenatal class led by a doula (who happened to be our doula) that really got both DH and I into the mindset that we really COULD do this. During labour, just having her there as a calm voice in the chaos was invaluable. How many times she reminded me to realx my jaw, drop my shoulders, let my body do ti's job etc was all I needed. I moved around as she suggested it, and just found what worked in the moment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1179254 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:15:58 +0000 avivoca 1179254@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took a Lamaze based Empowered birth class, and we practiced a lot of relaxation techniques. Before labor, I thought I'd want to be in the tub the whole time, move, and bounce on my labor ball. Once it started, it became clear to me that I couldn't stand to be crunched up. I walked a lot, tried bouncing on the ball (agony for me during a contraction), and tried the tub at home, but I couldn't immerse my belly in the water. A shower helped with the pain, and vocalizing during my contractions helped as well. Once I got to the hospital, I was exhausted so ok laid on my back through most of transition and pushed on the squat bar before flipping over onto my hands and knees to push. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1179197 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:02:17 +0000 jh524 1179197@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wheres_c: I got goose bumps when you said you went through a similar experience...I know, kinda silly but it's still so fresh in my mind, I still get emotional. After what I went through, the only way I'd want to have another baby is with a c section. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1179157 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:53:29 +0000 maybebaby 1179157@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I used the tub which got me from 3 cm (when I was ready to give up!) to 10 cm in 2 hours. We also had a doula who helped with massage and counter pressure on hips. The biggest thing that helped me was allowing myself to let go of the idea of staying calm and focussed through labor...I had to give into my animalistic urge to grunt and scream and moan. I think the breathing assistance coached by my doula and DH during transition was super important because at that point I was starting to lose my mind. We did not subscribe to any one birthing philosophy to assist with a med-free birth, just being prepared for the unexpected. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1179149 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:50:00 +0000 MoonMoon 1179149@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Different positions worked at different stages of labor, especially the yoga ball at the beginning and the jacuzzi at the end. What really helped was my doulas applying very hot compresses to my back (I had back labor.) During transition, I was lying on my side with one leg in the air, rocking back and forth-glamorous! The doulas had ice packs too, but I felt freezing all through labor, I didn't want ice anywhere near me! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1179145 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:47:56 +0000 bhbee 1179145@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we did all the Bradley stuff, and our doula also helped with trying positions and pressure and things. I tried the birth ball but didn't have much interest at the time. I spent a lot of time in the shower with the jet on my lower back (I had back labor) and that was basically HEAVEN. my doula really came in handy for holding the sprayer!!<br /> by the time I got to transition I was so tired and it was so intense that I found I wanted to lay down. I just listened to my body. at that point I was so focused I hardly noticed anything else - I just wanted to hold someone's hand and moan through the contractions (I was having multiple in a row every time and it was the longest hour of my life).<br /> once transition was over and I was ready to push I felt pretty great. no pain management needed then, pushing was a relief!</p> <p>in the end, I think it's helpful to just have several options and see what you are feeling like at the moment - you may totally change your mind of what sounds good! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1179118 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:39:39 +0000 Foodnerd81 1179118@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Corduroy: I got out of the tub shortly before transition and it didn't bother me. But my sample size is one :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1179113 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:38:42 +0000 Foodnerd81 1179113@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At home, I did a lot of walkin through contractions, bouncing on a yoga ball or kneeling and leaning over it, and later, the shower and tub were awesome. For about half an hour I laid in the tub with the shower running on my belly. In the hospital I was in the tub a lot, plus kneeled on the bed leaning over the top of it, and the nurse, midwife, and Dh took turns massaging my lower back hard. They reminded me to moan really low instead of higher pitching yelping. </p> <p>I didn't practice before but I believe having a great nurse and midwife made it possible. Without then I think I would have wanted the epidural earlier. I ended up asking for it but they checked and I was in transition and that was all the encouragement I needed to push through. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1179002 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:12:41 +0000 Andrea 1179002@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My doula massaged me. It was sooo helpful! And walking the hallways of the hospital. Keep moving! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-med-free-birth#post-1178882 Mon, 28 Oct 2013 11:44:02 +0000 Corduroy 1178882@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Before I went to the hospital I spent hours walking down the street with one foot on the curb and one foot in the street. My doula thought my baby wasn't lined up just right and that it would help get her into position. I don't know if it did but it made me feel better. </p> <p>I had lots of types of music on my playlist but I only found Enya to be helpful.</p> <p>I originally requested the tub room but my doula advised against it. She said the hospital makes you get out before transition and that really upsets most women and ends up stalling their labor (maybe just in her limited experience?). You might want to check your hospital's policy on when you can use the tub. </p>