-
I was induced so drugs from the very beginning (assuming you count Pitocin as a drug). DD was sunny side up and I was having back-to-back contractions on top of back labor. I wanted the epi and was glad that it made it so I could focus on turning baby girl around. Prior to labor I was neutral to drugs and was waiting to see what happened.
-
I labored naturally for 20hrs (20hrs of back labor) before I ended up with a c section. My goal was a med free birth.
-
I had an epi with my first.
DD was born at the end of November. She arrived so fast that I was only in labor for 45 minutes. There was literally no time for an epi because by the time the anesthesiologist showed up, I had progressed from 5 to 10cm in 15 minutes! It was a terribly painful process, but I'm glad it went as fast as it did. I do not know how ladies go through hours of unmediated labor!
-
I had a failed epidural. But I went into it with an open mind - who know's maybe I can handle it? I had to convince myself this. I was always frightened of giving birth (thanks, 8th grade home economics teacher that made us watch a natural, water birth to scare the crap put of us)! I was also abroad and lived in a crunchier country, so I HAD to convince myself. I watched The Business of Being Born and felt empowered.
By the time i felt the ring of fire, I was cursing Ricki Lake! If we ever decide to try again, I'm not only requesting an epidural early on, but if the need arises, I wouldn't second guess having a c-section!
** The fact that I was sick with the cold, and was induced greatly affected my experience. Bad combo!
-
I was leaning heavily on the sofe of natural birth when I found out that due to spinal surgery I had in 2000 I was not a candidate for an epidural. So I had no choice! That being said I believe I asked for "all the drugs" about 150 times throughout my med free labor...
-
I wanted natural for S. But, when everything flew out the window, I had almost every intervention, except a c-section. I resisted the epidural, but when I finally gave it, it was the only time of peace I had during my induction to get her out. I almost had a fear of interventions before my labor with her.
Since then, I have decided that I hate labor, and I have no desire to go through it again. I'm opting for a c-section.
-
I really wanted a med free, intervention free birth. After two days of laboring at home, we went to the hospital where I labored for about 8 hours. I was 8cm dilated when we got there. The only thing they did to speed up my labor was break my water because I was so tired after laboring for three days, and they had me try pushing sooner. My labor was really untraditional...my contractions never got closer than four minutes apart, and I pretty much skipped transition in the traditional sense, but maybe that's because I started pushing when I did.
I made it though with no meds and no crying, so I was/am really happy.
-
I don't know if my answer counts because I am all for epidurals. But I didn't get mine til 8 cm. I actually almost didn't goto the hospital until a killer contraction! I had been having back labor for about 2 days but they still weren't regular and I was following the l&d nurse's advice from the day before when I went in to get checked out before attempting to go to bed.. Anyway, looking back in glad I didn't stay at the hospital the first day and get an epi like they offered. Even though it hurt, it still took awhile for LO to be born, more than 24 hrs. I can't help but wonder if that epi earlier would have meant a c section. Who knows, maybe the c section a day earlier would have made me less exhausted and maybe pp would have gone better? My gut still says that if I can last til at least a five next time around I have a decent chance to avoid both pain and a c section!
-
I really wanted it. I wanted a med-free birth for many reasons, but I also wanted low-intervention prenatal care. I wanted to be with a practice that celebrated pregnancy and didn't treat it as a disease. I wanted to be cared for by women, and especially women who had been through a natural birth. All of this led my to a midwifery practice. I didn't have the easiest, most ideal labor by any stretch. It was long, hard, and painful. But I trusted my MWs and it never occurred to me to ask for an epidural, even after 45 hours of labor. I will definitely be returning to the same practice when I get pregnant with #2.
FWIW, I had a pretty crunch mindset about my pregnancy and childbirth, but I also believe in hospitals. I am lucky to live in a city that has a WONDERFUL hospital-based midwifery practice, but it is disgusting how hard it is to get into the practice. The supply is way too low for the demand. I wish this type of care was more readily available to American women - I think it would lead to much better birth outcomes and many fewer c-sections. Okay, stepping off my soap box.
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite1
48 comments