https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 15 Apr 2026 21:34:40 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1542847 Thu, 03 Apr 2014 12:48:59 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 1542847@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did med free, but this is one reason why we wanted to birth at a hospital. Should anything happen, you bet I would've wanted the meds and doctors right there with me!</p> <p>I'm glad you found relief in the epidural!! Hope you and baby have a smooth recovery! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1542844 Thu, 03 Apr 2014 12:48:12 +0000 Mrs. Chocolate 1542844@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Im sorry you had such a bad experience. Labor is no joke and I agree that we are so lucky to live in this day and age where we have access to all these medical interventions. My son was also stuck, I pushed 4 hours and couldnt get him out and in the end they need a vacuum to help me. He was sunny side down and latge too in proportion to me (8 lbs 8 ozs) so all of that didnt help at all. I was so scared to do it again with my daughter but we made it somehow and I pushed for an hour and got her out. I think there is no guilt or honor in giving birth however you want You need to do what works best for you and thats it No one experiences birth the same and everyone is different </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1542822 Thu, 03 Apr 2014 12:43:21 +0000 Mrs. Chocolate 1542822@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs. wagon: OMG Im so sorry I cant stop laughing. I know you were in pain and I feel you but I cant even imagine that scene and what Wagon Sr must have been feeling at that moment. Im so sorry you were in that much pain but at least you can laugh about it now right :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1525603 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 11:21:01 +0000 mrs. wagon 1525603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LMOG47: haha, totally possible! Although this was back in December 2009! My induction with LMW was much less noisy.. I labored with pitocin until I got to 6 cm and then got the epidural once I started getting loud ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1525521 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 10:59:38 +0000 Caly 1525521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs. wagon: umm..were you perhaps down the hall from me in the hospital when I gave birth? :wink: There was a gal screaming bloody murder...it honestly sounded like something out of a horror movie &amp; lasted for some time. :shocked:<br /> I'm sooo sorry you had such a horrible experience! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1525472 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 10:47:30 +0000 purrpletulips 1525472@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you for sharing your story. Every woman and every birth is different. You got to experience the med-free labor that you had initially wanted and decided it wasn't for you. I was induced with both of my LOs and got the epidurals very early which is what worked for me. Kudos to women who can go completely med free (either by choice or circumstance). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1525450 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 10:40:13 +0000 LovelyPlum 1525450@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, that sounds extremely intense. Good for you for listening to your instincts and doing what you need to get through labor. I'm glad that both of you are safe. </p> <p>Congratulations, and thanks for sharing your story! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1525408 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 10:27:51 +0000 mrs. wagon 1525408@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ScarletBegonia: haha!! I begged Wagon Sr. to use his fist! To just avoid my eyes to prevent a black eye!! ;) I think my exact words were "knock me out and cut me open!" I think I repeated it like 100x. He is probably traumatized still!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1525404 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 10:26:22 +0000 ScarletBegonia 1525404@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs. wagon: omg, I was doing the same thing to my husband and the midwife, BEGGING them to take me to the operating theatre and put me under. They said it would be a 20 minute wait for the anaesthesiologist, so I said to just use a mallet and be done with it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1525393 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 10:22:25 +0000 mrs. wagon 1525393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had two bad epidural experiences, but if I ever have another baby (which I probably won't), I know that I'd have to endure another probably bad epidural experience. When my epidural failed for the second time at 8cm dilated, I was like something out of a horror movie. I was pulling Wagon Sr.'s shirt, bringing his face down to me and begging him to punch me and knock me out. Every 2 minutes for a 1 minute long contraction for hours!!!! Not to mention all the snot, vomit, and sweat that was pouring down my face throughout the whole thing. I was screaming louder than I ever thought I could possibly scream... and I'm a LOUD person. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1525374 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 10:15:49 +0000 LAZB 1525374@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That sounds terrible, but I'm glad it all worked out.<br /> I never wanted to go med free, and didn't at all, but hearing stories like yours makes me even happier that I got the good stuff early on.<br /> My water broke first, and long story short I got stadol and an epi, and basically got to sleep through my labor where I only had contractions I could feel for around 6 hours. I will definitely do it that way again in the future! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1525324 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 10:02:10 +0000 ShootingStar 1525324@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was open to med free too, though I figured I'd end up with an epi. But with a pitocin induction, it just wasn't possible for me to go all natural. Baby was stuck really high and I never progressed past 3cm, and probably never would have. Since I already had the epi it was really easy to get a c-section. It's great that with modern medicine I was able to have a choice, and to have a safe labor with a healthy baby. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1525192 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 09:29:33 +0000 lovehoneybee 1525192@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That sounds awful, and I'm glad you both got through it safely!</p> <p>I was open to a med-free birth. I had it in my head that I would just wait and see how it went. Unexpected back labor (like @rachiecakes: , I never felt a single abdominal contraction) from a posterior baby and near constant vomiting had me begging for an epidural as soon as I was officially admitted. Any thoughts of trying to walk around or bounce on the ball were out the window. I had been up and in labor for 20-something hours when I was admitted, and I was exhausted. I firmly believe that had I not been able to rest because of the epidural I got I would have ended up with a csec. I just wouldn't have had the energy to push when it was time. My epidural stopped working--twice!--and I pushed for two hours before he was born, but the rest I got when it was working was gold. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1525119 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 09:12:50 +0000 mamimami 1525119@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have done it both ways -- both in a hospital -- one time I got the epi at 9 cm and the other time I never did. Honestly I am proud to say I was able to do it naturally but it wasn't, like, the be-all and end-all I was expecting. If I ever had another kid, I am not sure what I would do. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1525027 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 08:48:48 +0000 raintreebee 1525027@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am glad you posted this. I had a med free labor. Thankfully it was very quick, but I feel like next time I am going for the epi! Holy moly, words cannot describe the pain. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1525011 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 08:45:17 +0000 Adira 1525011@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@anonysquire: I'm with you - I'm glad I didn't take a birthing class because I pretty much went into labor with no set expectations, which I think allowed me to be more go-with-the-flow!</p> <p>I'm sorry that your labor was so rough, but glad everyone is okay at the end! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1524982 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 08:38:10 +0000 bookwormmama 1524982@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh man my epidural was the greatest thing and I didn't even make it to a 4! My doctor had told me early on that she would encourage me to get an epi because she said it would help relax my hips enough to let my baby out. She was worried I was going to have an 8-9 lb baby and he would get stuck in my smaller frame. (He ended up being 7 lbs 5 oz and I ended up with a c section but it wasn't related to my epi) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1524970 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 08:35:43 +0000 swurlygurl 1524970@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I also had wonderful ideas about doing a med-free birth to be able to say I did it. At 2-3 cm I had unbearable back pain and couldn't even think straight, let alone relax and focus. I was just about to crawl out of my skin from the pain in my back when I decided I couldn't make it and got the epi. From there the birth was amazing! I could feel just enough to know when I was having contractions, but there was no pain. I really enjoyed my birth experience and am actually looking forward to it again!! (Not the healing time from tearing, but I just try to forget that ;) )</p> <p>However, I will still try to see how long I can handle the contractions without medication, I have hopes I won't get the dreaded back labor this time!!</p> <p>Major props to mommas who can manage their pain :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1524945 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 08:31:29 +0000 lawbee11 1524945@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That sounds terrible. I'm so sorry you had to go through it. </p> <p>I thought about going med-free mostly for the reason you mentioned (just because I wanted to be able to say I did it). Then I came to my senses and told them to give me the damn drugs :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1524937 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 08:29:51 +0000 Rockies11 1524937@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think the idea that women were having unmedicated births for millenia is not even true - for as long as there has been childbirth, there's been attempts at pain-killing by a variety of means, such as getting the mother drunk in the medieval times. Pain can sap your strength, which you need to get a baby out. So I am pro medicated birth! I am also pro medical interventions because as natural as child birth is, it is also very dangerous - in countries with no access to medical care, women die in labour in 1 out of every 10 births. Myself and my baby would have been one of them - she was breach, my water broke, and we had a c-section 12 hours later since the hospital was really busy - I had no contractions and she didn't move from the very high position she'd been jammed in for the previous 2 months. So we would have died a horrible death together in the absence of medical intervention! So thank god for hospitals. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1524931 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 08:27:52 +0000 AmandaB8 1524931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That sounds awful! </p> <p>I didn't feel contractions much until they broke my water, and I was already dilated to a 9. No back labor or anything. Honestly, I've had period cramps that were worse than labor, and breaking my ankle hurt more than even my most painful contractions. I've had a UTI that hurt more than the "ring of fire"</p> <p>But I know I'm lucky. I know that not everyone is nearly as lucky as I am, and that my next birth could be completely different! I'm actually kind of jealous of the mamas that can relax right before the baby is born and joke around in the hospital. It would have been nice to mentally be able to prepare myself for pushing and all that - there was just no time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1524903 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 08:16:06 +0000 Greentea 1524903@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I labored at home alone until I was at a 6 and then we went in because I had to be on antibiotics for 5 hours before birth. My contractions started 5 minutes apart. It was all in my back and it was unbelievable. Dh was no help to me (I love him and was glad he was there, but was not the personality to help me through contractions) so I was pretty much on my own. I don't like to remember it. I got an epi at the last minute right before pushing, they let me get one to chill after 17 hours of hell and I am so glad I did! Now I have a positive memory from the experience. It was a low dose walking epi and it just took the nightmare out. It took the hell away. I could still feel everything and I labored down for an hour to finish the antibiotics then got baby out in one push! They were like, what the???! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1524775 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 06:39:49 +0000 Dandelion 1524775@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hear ya! I will never try a med free birth again, either! Thank goodness for modern medicine. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1524770 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 06:31:34 +0000 avivoca 1524770@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What a story! I had a med-free, low intervention hospital birth. My contractions never had a set pattern, they only got stronger. I only went to the hospital because I needed to know if I was making progress after 11 hours of irregular contractions, and I arrived at a five. </p> <p>One thing I took from my birth class was the saying that your mileage will vary and every labor is different. I will try for med-free next time, but will get the epi if I need it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1524759 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 06:16:48 +0000 Silva 1524759@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Glad everything went okay! There are definitely labors/deliveries that would be dangerous without medical intervention- mine was like that too. They are a tool to use- some people need them, for whatever reason, and some don't. I was grateful for the interventions I had, including an epidural, that brought my baby safely into the world and kept me alive to see her.<br /> Yay medicine! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1524723 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 04:57:38 +0000 MapleMoose 1524723@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Pitocin induced back-to-back contractions (double peaks) so I couldn't even catch my breath between them, plus I had back labor from baby being sunny side up. I labored for 15 hours because my cervix took forever to wake up and join the party. Then another 5 hours of pushing in various positions to turn the baby around, plus baby got stuck in the birth canal. Even though sitting through two attempts at an epidural (first one missed) was extremely difficult and scary I would absolutely do it again. I wouldn't have had the energy to push for 5 hours after 15 hours of double peak contractions if not for the epidural. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1524720 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 04:41:46 +0000 Cherrybee 1524720@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh man! What a story!! So scary! </p> <p>I was similar to you, in that I really wanted a natural birth. I guess I wanted to experience the "beauty" of it and the empowerment. My story is different from there - I was induced - but put it this way, next time I'll be getting the epi at 6 months pregnant and keeping it in until the baby is walking!! Horriffic! It was the most terrifying, brutal experience of my life. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1524718 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 04:26:24 +0000 rachiecakes 1524718@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never felt a single contraction in my abdomen. I was induced (Cervidil) but my water broke on it's own and labor started immediately after that (no Pitocin). I thought I was having a seizure in my spine. I couldn't talk/see/hear when it was happening. I was told it was back labor. DS was in a difficult position to birth vaginally (posterior, brow out). It was suggested I get an epi so that my body could relax and they would try to manually turn him.<br /> Once I had the epi, I could still feel the pressure of the contractions, but none of the pain. They turned him enough to birth vaginally but it required a giant mediolateral episiotomy and vacuum. I didn't feel the cut or the 100+ stitches at all. I was very grateful for both my vaginal birth and the epidural. I think otherwise I would've automatically been a csection. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1524698 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 03:03:15 +0000 AprilFool 1524698@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Every birth is different and you have to do what's right for you. I had a natural birth and would do it again, despite the back labour and worst pain of my life, but my labour was nothing like yours ;). I think the antenatal class can only cover what commonly happens and not every different situation so some people are going to find them accurate and others won't. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/med-free-never-again#post-1524694 Thu, 27 Mar 2014 02:51:27 +0000 anonysquire 1524694@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: When my contractions started they were 2 minutes apart right off the bat. I was like where the heck are those contractions 10 minutes apart. </p>