https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 23 May 2026 09:00:48 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-321581 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 22:46:29 +0000 sarac 321581@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Natural birth was a challenge that I was interested in attempting. I believe that we're built to cope with it, and that modern medicine screws up birth for the sake of doctors, mostly. I felt up to the task.</p> <p>Unfortunately, my body didn't want to go into labor before my placenta stopped working. I was gently induced at 41 weeks due to low fluid. I labored for 12 hours without meds, then was told I could a) have a csection then, or b) try a really scary sounding series of interventions to try and avoid it. I took option b, got a huge epidural, and eventually delivered vaginally.</p> <p>And you know what? It was all worth it to deliver vaginally, but my epidural sure sucked. It didn't work, and a lot of pitocin without medication is awful. I was coping pretty well for those first 12 hours (before the big stuff started). I really hope that next time I go into labor on my own. It was the pitocin I couldn't handle - I think I could manage natural labor on my own. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-321570 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 22:37:47 +0000 softcream 321570@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>unmedicated will be my preference because that's how i live in general. i don't take anything when i have a cold or flu or headache.</p> <p>second, i don't react well to medication/drugs in general. for example, an iced tea in the afternoon will keep me up all night.</p> <p>third, i think i have a pretty high tolerance for pain. though we'll see. i still get drugged up for surgery, because it is just not natural to get cut up or drilled into. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-321505 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 21:12:51 +0000 Mrs. Pen 321505@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I chose not to because I'm not 100% convinced that meds are safe for the baby.. and in general I also believe meds aren't "good for you" (just look at the long list of side effects). I read one book that said everyone believes epi's to be safe simply because there hasn't been enough research to prove otherwise. Call me anal, but that wasn't good enough for me. I'm kind of a research whore :) </p> <p>I figured it's how katrillions of women past did it, and I want to do it the way nature and God intended :) </p> <p>I also felt that I might feel stronger or more confident as a woman by doing it without meds, and I did :)</p> <p>And like you... I loved the fact that my mother birthed 6 children without meds. She is incredible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-321494 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 21:04:45 +0000 prettylizy 321494@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Minnie_Girl: this! My main reason for wanting to go med-free is because up until the early 1900's, our bodies were expected to do this on their own and they did. I wanted to just let my body do what it was supposed to. </p> <p>When I first got pregnant I thought I would give it a shot and take it from there, but the more I researched and learned about medical interventions and the benefits of being able to move around into different positions through labour. I became very passionate about having an unmedicated childbirth and I'm so glad I did. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-321450 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:05:23 +0000 pastemoo 321450@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs. wagon: Yup! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-320651 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 11:03:49 +0000 mrs. wagon 320651@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This thread doesn't apply to me because I was pro-pain intervention for both births, but I just wanted to note that epidurals don't make you groggy since it's not going into your bloodstream-- it goes directly into your spine, which numbs but does not affect the rest of your body. It's the other drugs that can make you or baby groggy -- shots, laughing gas, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-320616 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 10:49:27 +0000 runsyellowlites 320616@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh, I should add another reason I wanted med free was because I wanted to give my body EVERY opportunity to birth my lo. I know that moving &amp; natural endorphins are key for this and have had too many friends need assisted deliveries or cesareans due to malpresentation. I also believe that me being med free &amp; delivering in a non-lithotomy position played a HUGE role in me not tearing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-320588 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 10:39:08 +0000 Pink Champagne 320588@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always knew I wanted a med free birth... The thought of a needle in my spine freaks me out (not to mention, every single woman I know who has had an epidural now has some sort of back pain in that area) but I was open to pain relieving drugs if I had a long labor and needed them to rest and get my energy back.<br /> Thankfully, my labor was pretty quick- I labored at home for about 2 hours, and then was at 5 cm at 8:30 am when I arrived at the hospital, and had my baby at 10:59 am...so no time to really think about wanting drugs. I'm really happy that I did things all natural- I felt that the experience was very rewarding.<br /> Another person said something similar, but I have a high pain tolerance, and I was so in a zone that the pain of the contractions really wasn't that bad. I just closed my eyes and focused on riding out the contractions.<br /> It's all very much up to the individual what you want to do, but I wish more women would trust their bodies and their own capabilities more. I think we are all a lot tougher than we give<br /> Ourselves credit for. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-320289 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 06:01:15 +0000 looch 320289@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I decided to try unmedicated/intervention free because I had an uncomplicated conception and pregnancy that progressed normally. I went into labor on my own and I felt that I wanted to get it over with as soon as possible, rather than get an epidural and rest in the middle of it all. I also wanted the freedom to move around as much as possible, because until you are actually in labor you don't know what positions are going to help you work through the contractions.</p> <p>Start to finish my labor lasted 12 hours. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-320285 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 05:16:31 +0000 Arden 320285@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's very important for me to avoid the domino effect that others have mentioned, interventions leading to more interventions and occasionally effecting the mother and/or baby's health and certainly effecting the experience.</p> <p>Pitocin makes contractions more painful, often leading to an epidural. Epidurals sometimes slow down labor (partially because you lose the ability to walk which helps move labor along), which leads to more Pitocin to speed labor back up. </p> <p>Because of the way Pitocin works, inducing unnatural contractions that are stronger and more constant than natural contractions, the baby doesn't have time to recover in between the contractions and the heart rate will sometimes start to suffer.<br /> When the heart rate begins to suffer, it often means an automatic c-section. </p> <p>And all because of a bit of Pitocin or an epidural, your entire birth changes drastically and all subsequent births are affected since every birth after that will have to be a c-section or VBAC birth, which many doctors and hospitals won't even allow.</p> <p>I don't want to scare anyone by explaining my reasoning, but this is why I'll be delivering naturally, in an out-of-hospital environment (free-standing birth center) where I won't be pushed into any medical interventions I don't want (like Pitocin, which is almost automatic in the hospital) and allowed to birth the way nature intended. </p> <p>I'm not against people having an epidural for the pain - I don't WANT people to suffer - I just want them to be informed of the potential risks that come with that decision. It's not the epidural that is the "bad guy" most of the time, it's the chain of events the epidural can set off.</p> <p>I have had several clients (I'm a doula) choose to have an epidural and simply refuse Pitocin, which is a viable option. </p> <p>However, that sometimes leads to very long labors (40 hours +) and end up having to fight the doctors every step of the way who want to speed up labor with Pitocin. Sometimes this even leads to a diagnosis of "Failure to Progress" which means a c-section.</p> <p>That's why I'm choosing for myself to avoid medical interventions altogether, but that's my personal decision. Everyone has to do the research and make the right decision for them, personally. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-320276 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 04:31:57 +0000 matador84 320276@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just wanted to be as open minded as possible about my birth and not get set in any one way. When my water broke and I was in hospital, contractions started immediately. It was amazing. I was at a 2.5 with contractions exactly 5 mins apart and was begging for an epidural. However, I transitioned so quickly that they had to cancel it because I went to a 6 in less than an hour and was at a 10 about 20 minutes after that. Having a natural birth was amazing fit me. It literally makes me feel like I can do anything and I'm so happy it worked out the way it did. This is me saying this even while having a complicated pregnancy and birth! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-320256 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:10:06 +0000 Minnie_Girl 320256@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Birth is normal. It's something that healthy bodies just DO. The more we try to actively manage birth, the more we tend to screw it up, so why even go down that path? </p> <p>I've read and researched enough to realize that I don't have much to fear from giving birth, especially with the care of my midwives. But I should be extremely wary of anything that will interfere with the process. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-320229 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 23:02:00 +0000 runsyellowlites 320229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My first reason was kind of because I didn't really have a "choice". lol. My options were an elective repeat cesarean or an unmedicated homebirth. Since I wasn't okay with opting for surgery without medical need I chose going unmedicated. Once I started research interventions then there was no way I would ever go medicated again... pretty much a non-option. lol I did have to transfer from my homebirth which meant an automatic prep for surgery so as soon as I got to the hospital I told the nurses "Give me something for pain, I don't need to feel these anymore"... thankfully I delivered DD on my own before they got me prepped. =) Hoping next time I don't have to leave the house. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319901 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 19:31:03 +0000 Mrs. Oyster 319901@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wanted to try for an unmedicated birth for many of the same reasons I've seen here....I liked going through my pregnancy as normally as possible, I don't like feeling drugged up in any way, and I saw it as a challenge for myself.<br /> I labored for 12 hours at home (only towards the end did I really start to feel in a lot of pain). By the time we got to the hospital I was, fortunately, already 6cm. Once I got in the tub, labor seemed easier, until my water was broken. In the end, I had my son only about 3 hours after getting to the hospital. I was able to do it naturally and was in such a zone that I honestly never thought to ask for medication. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319872 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 18:54:10 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 319872@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had my heart set on a natural, unmedicated birth. But my delivery did not go as planned as I had to be induced due to PIH. I ended up getting an epidural because with the Pitocin my contractions were only 40 seconds apart...but it failed, twice. So even though I tried for pain meds I didn't really have any relief (although the third one did take the pain out of my back). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319795 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 17:20:55 +0000 googly-eyes 319795@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrsbrewer If it makes you feel any better I didn't even see the needle when I got my epi! It did not hurt. I got mine at 8 cm and now I sort of wonder if I had wanted to try, whether I could have made it all the way.. Still don't regret the epi but who knows, maybe next time I'll try (or won't have a choice!)</p> <p>ETA @highwire Nope I wasn't groggy either. Neither was LO. (We did end up having trouble breastfeeding but for totally different reasons.) From my birth class I learned that some of the other drugs do make you groggy though. They gave us a handout telling which ones but I can't remember off the top of my head... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319788 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 17:15:05 +0000 DigAPony 319788@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think that birth is a natural process, and for the majority of low-risk pregnancies, medical interventions are not at all necessary. As several PPs have mentioned already, there is often a domino effect when it comes to interventions, and I want to avoid all of that. I plan on using a midwife and birthing at home or a birth center, unless I have complications that necessitate moving to the care of an OB and a hospital birth. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319771 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 17:07:14 +0000 bushelandapeck 319771@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wanted to go med free if possible because both my mom and sister were able to have 2 children without meds and I figured I could at least give it a try. :) I was also really worried about how I would tolerate pain meds since I had never been on any before. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319688 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 16:26:33 +0000 mrskc 319688@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've chosen to go for a med-free birth because I feel like it's the best option for me and my baby. I don't want my baby receiving all those drugs and making him drowsy. I'm open to an epi though if labor is stalled and I'm exhausted. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319663 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 16:16:41 +0000 birdofafeather 319663@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i too want to avoid unnecessary interventions so things don't spiral out of control for no medical reason. i'm also a bit of control freak and feel like adding this interventions would add to things outside of my control rather than make me feel more in control, if that makes sense. i'm happy to intervene if needed and so thankful that we have these advancements in medical technology, but for the birth of my daughter, i believe that my body is made to do it and want to give it the chance to do what it was meant for! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319585 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:47:40 +0000 pastemoo 319585@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@highwire: I wasn't groggy. I WAS hoping to get some rest with the epidural but that did not happen! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319577 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:44:15 +0000 MrsBrewer 319577@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love all of these different responses! It's fun to learn everyone's reasons :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319574 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:42:05 +0000 pastemoo 319574@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always feel "weird" on anesthesia and had a bad experience with a spinal tap. Still ended up with the epidural and it sucked! It worked for my contractions but made my legs BURN. Wish I had stuck to my guns. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319562 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:36:55 +0000 Mrsbells 319562@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wanted an unmedicated birth because thats what is "normal" in my circles, I spent many years in england and thats pretty the only way they everyone I knew gave birth. Thats how my mom gave birth and all my family. I was surprised to see how many americans are medicated during labor and all the down sides of it and I decided it wasnt for me. Pain meds CAN lead to further interventions such as pitocin or c-section. I think giving birth is a natural process and interfering with it can sometimes back fire and cause more problems. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319548 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:29:34 +0000 Mrs. Superhero 319548@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Before I got pregnant I assumed that I would try it med free and see how it went. My family tends to have short, uncomplicated deliveries so it seemed doable. Then when I was pregnant and started researching I became very certain that I wanted to avoid medical interventions as much as possible as the risk of a c-section is much higher. I also don't like that the drugs cross the placenta to the baby and can make the baby groggy. </p> <p>I'm of course not opposed to medical help if needed, which is why I had both girls in hospital but with a midwife. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319540 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:26:54 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 319540@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@highwire @foodnerd81 and @stargal - oh that's good to know! yea i just didn't want to take any chances! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319537 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:26:13 +0000 hilsy85 319537@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't really have a particular reason for wanting an unmedicated birth...I guess I see it as a personal challenge? Also, I feel like I"ve spent this whole pregnancy trying to be as "natural" as possible, so why would I want to be all "gimme the drugs!" during the last few hours? Like previous posters, I'm also nervous about an epidural slowing labor and leading to other interventions. Also, the idea of not being able to feel my legs and not knowing when I'm having contractions/therefore needing extra assistance to push sounds kind of scary to me! </p> <p>That being said, I am definitely open to an epi if I get to the point where I am completely exhausted by labor/in horrible pain that I just can't handle. I'm definitely not counting anything out! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319523 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:22:24 +0000 stargal 319523@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@highwire: yup i had an epidural and both me and the baby were not groggy at all :-) actaully all the nurses couldnt believe how alert my son was and he stayed up for a long time after he was born :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319516 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:20:07 +0000 Foodnerd81 319516@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. High Heels: I did really scientific research on the epidural/trouble with BFing link (as in, a poll on Wedding Bee boards!). Didn't seem that people who had an epi were any more likely to have trouble BFing. As I said, VERY scientific. :)<br /> And, only 1 person I know didn't really have any trouble with breastfeeding, and she did have an epi... come to think of it, though, I think I only know 1 person who didn't have an epi, too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/why-did-you-choose-an-un-medicated-birth#post-319513 Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:18:02 +0000 Foodnerd81 319513@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't have LOs yet, but I have thought a lot of about my birthing preferences (because, I am crazy and like to over think lots of things way ahead of time). I plan to try for an unmedicated, natural birth for a few reasons. Mostly, I prefer to do things the way they are meant to happen, but have no problem with medical intervention when needed. It seems like there would be fewer complications with fewer interventions and I want to avoid the domino effect (ie, inducing with pitocin leads to stronger contractions leads to epidural). I'm afraid of an epidural slowing down labor too, and I really want to avoid a c-section since that's major surgery.<br /> That said, I'm open to them. I know a few people who made it most of the way unmedicated, but were just SO exhausted they couldn't continue. They got the epidural, were able to rest for a little while, and had enough energy to push the babies out. So, I'm open to that.<br /> And of course, I'm open to a c-section or whatever it takes to have a healthy baby and mom. I'm just going in hoping I don't need anything. </p>