# Any teen moms that had a completely natural birth?



## jozylynn896

Okay so I'm 16 and 36 weeks pregnant. 
I'm tired of everybody laughing when I say I want to try a drug free birth and breastfeed. 
Once I mention a drug free experience everyone laughs or gives me funny looks. 
I mean of course I'm going into this with a completely open mind and if I do need an epidural I won't be ashamed. I'm just tired of people saying I'm rediculous and I NEED an epidural. That my body and my baby would be better off. Like wtd? 
Then they laugh when I say I plan on breastfeeding. 
The only one that's really on my side and sticks up for me is my mom because she knows I can do it if I want to. 
And also my dad (I don't really talk to him) but he doesn't believe in epidurals lol. 
Any way it just really really pisses me off how people try telling me what's best for my body or how I need to have one. 
Billions of women gave birth without them and many were teenagers

Its Luke people forget that today's drugs haven't been around forever.


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## winegums

Completely agree. i think it's a bit more relaxed in the UK because the pain relief is much more mixed, a lot of people don't have epidurals and we have gas & air etc.

As you say women have been giving birth for centuries without pain relief, and many people still do

Actually teenagers tend to have quicker and easier births than older women, I know at my hospital when they have a teenager coming in they're like 'QUICK get the room and delivery pack ready, she's a teenager we might not have long' - although obviously that's just general and some teenagers don't have quick and easy labours.

I'd say just be open about it, say you'd prefer x but your open to x if you feel you need it at the time.


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## ljo1984

I know in the US there's alot more emphasis on women having epidurals (maybe cause you don't have gas and air?? I don't know) but if you put your mind to it it is possible!! Use everyone's comments and laughing when your in labour to spur yourself on to prove them all wrong! Look into hypnobirthing, but a cd and listen to it, even this late on it will do its job on giving you relaxation techniques, breathing through the pain, imagining which each contraction is doing for your body to help baby out and is one step closer to meeting your LO. Just because your 16 doesn't make you any weaker or different from any other woman. Will your mum be with you as a birth partner? If she believe in you she will coach you through it, and you know she knows how you feel as she's done this herself. Xxx


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## ljo1984

Oh and bear in mind epidural = flat on back = slower labour/ can't move/ no gravity to help/ can stop contractions which can lead to other interventions. I think you've got the right mind set though, you CAN do it


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## jozylynn896

Thanks ladies a lot. 
Even some doctors look at me like I'm rediculous. 
I mentioned to a midwife that I don't want to be flat on my back and she said basically that it was too bad and i didn't have another choose and laughed and said where did you even hear that you can be in another position? 
And I said I'd may as well be hanging upside down than on my back!


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## jozylynn896

Oh and my mom will be there. Only my mom and my OH will be there with me


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## ljo1984

What!!! You have no choice but to be on your back!! Are they living in the 30's over there lol!! You can do what you want! Your a woman with your own mind! Labour and birth should be about empowering women not telling they you will have an epidural and you will birth on your back!! Read up on active birth so your going in there with a set mind frame and so you can tell them what your going to do. I feel a bit mad on your behalf with the MW lol. Xx


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## jozylynn896

I felt like slapping the lady! Like are you also gonna give me a towel yo bite on an a rope to pull?! Lol


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## floatingbaby

My sister gave birth, naturally, at 18. She only had gas, and she had a fairly quick labour too! She breastfed for over a year :thumbup: You can deffo do it! Baby is lucky to have you as a mom ;)


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## RaeRae91

jozylynn896 said:


> I felt like slapping the lady! Like are you also gonna give me a towel yo bite on an a rope to pull?! Lol

find a new midwife. I was 18 and had my son at a free standing birth center completely natural drug free, I was able to move around however I wanted during labor. and I breastfed him for 2 years. People just say that kind of stuff based on their own expierences I think.


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## magic93

I am hoping to have a completely natural drug free birth. I am also sick and tired of people telling me im guna have an epidural. I mean i am not against having one either and i trust my body to.know what i can handle but i am not going into it saying i want an epidural. Wish me luck


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## ruaaur

You can totally do this! It's not ridiculous at all!
:hugs:


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## jozylynn896

Thanks ladies. Unfortunately I'm high risk and MUST deliver at this specific hospital.


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## Tower6

I had my first at 17 2nd at 19 3rd at 21 and had natural births and breasted fr 14 months (meaning while I was pregnant) 

If you want it you can do it. And breastfeading was totally a matter of not being lazy and not giving up even the first two weeks when you might feel like your nipple could fall off lol no fear it's all worth it!! PLUS I nursed with inverted nipples and they were normal after the first month because I didn't take the advice and use nipple shields- I don't recommend them personally. If this was te case for anyone else that's pregnant now just hat the shells during the end of pregnancy in bed and then no shield after deliver to keep the skin to skin and force your nipple out. Sorry If tmi but when I was a teen I would have never been bold enough to ask that and have seen many moms fail siley from believing the stereo types of flat or inverted nipples. Hope that helps!


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## Tower6

Oops use not hat and soley not siley 
dang iphones


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## ljo1984

Yeh I totally missed the bf bit! You really have to power through in the first 6 weeks to bf long term! It's hard work, it hurts, theres cluster feeds, you could never imagine your nipples could hurt so much!! but of course it is doable, like natural labour what did women do before formula  . I was so ready to give up with dd1 after a few days, but I'm too stubborn and wouldn't let it beat me lol. She self weaned at 12 month, dd2 I'm still feeding. 
Oh and the bf section on here is fab and really helped me through first time around.


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## sue_88

You've sound like you've got a great plan! :)

Go in wanting all natural, if you need to have the relief then you can have it. But you sound like you've got a great open mind about it all.

Make sure your mum & your OH know your wishes as well - so that when the midwife gets knarky (she sounds like an ASS!) they can say "look - back off lady!" and you don't have to worry about it.

Good luck with the breastfeeding too - I am hoping to be a long term breastfeeder with my little one.


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## Mrs Bee

I'm so sorry u have people being rude to u about birth and breast feeding... I'm 22 and this will be my first baby too... I can't believe people are saying u won't be able to do it... U need encouragement.... Like the other ladies have said, it will be painful but geez for people to discourage u before u try is wrong!!! All the best to u for the birth xoxo


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## Anthrogirl

Jozylynn and MAgic93, don't let anyone tell you what you are not capable of! 

My daughter's friend recently gave birth at 16 in small-town Kentucky and she managed to a) go into labor on her own, b) have her baby with no meds and no interventions (as pp noted this is common, and often FAST with teens), and c) breastfeed successfully. 

She was pooh poohed about her choices by her peers and the adults in her life alike and has still done a wonderful job! Of all the challenges that teen mom's might be facing, why do we have to make what should be the joyous birth and early postnatal time one of them??

And for the record, breastfeeding my first two (ten years apart) was a walk in the park. No pain, no cracked nipples, very little engorgement (c'mon, everyone engorges a little...), and zero supply or latching issues. I expect #3 to be the same. I had a lot of support and think that nursing is one of the pure pleasures of motherhood.


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## skyesmom

jozylynn896, great plan and congratulations on your open-mindedness, courage and strength at such young age! don't let ANYONE talk you into something you don't want on this matter. it's the most intimate thing you have between you, your body and your baby and enjoy it and do it the way you want.

i find that US are very "brainwashed" with this epidural thing and generally it's the country where there's a certain abuse of drug prescriptions, in europe they tend NOT to give you an epidural actually and keep delaying it as far as possible as it actually makes the labor longer and harder, as it can weaken your contractions. 
of course if you do an epidural and choose to formula-feed, it's better for the pockets of the hospitals and the pharma industry, so no wonder they're pushing that so hard on you, given your young age especially.

you can deliver in any position you want, and change them to what you feel comfortable the most (just like during sex actually... or maybe your midwife will tell you you can only DTD in the missionary hahaha) maybe you can ask if your hospital can offer you a water birth?

anyway stick to your plan and all the best to you!


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## jozylynn896

Thank you all so much! And there are no water births at my hospital :( 
That was my first choice and i was going to try and go to a hospital where tjey did have then (there are only like 2 in all of Chicago!) But then we found out I'm high risk and neither of those hospitals dueal with high risk! On the bright side the hospital with the best nicu (in the area) and deal with pulmonary embolisms in pregnancy!


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## snowfia

I only had g&a, does that count as natural? Haha.
I was 17 when I gave birth and I went into it knowing that I didn't want an epidural and that I would be able to do it without and I did. I was and still am so proud of myself for what I did.
I am also still breastfeeding my LO and plan on doing the same with this one.
Age has nothing to do with it and you just need to stick to what you want to do, no one else's opinions matter :)


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## dinidani

I didn't have a completely natural birth first time round as I went in expecting to be in a lot more pain but I had gas an air until try broke my waters as was in labour for 5 days haveing contractions 5in 10 minutes whitc was very painful couldn't have a water birth due to only being 36 weeks but after they broke my waters I had a shot of pethadine which had no affect on me but 4 hours after they broke my waters out popes my huge lil boy at 7.1 no tears no stitches no assistance and I'm back to try a hopeful home water birth which at 19 and one new born already I have a lot of asking around to do especially with teenage midwives in uk they are never on call x


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## xsadiex

I wasn't exactly a teen but was 19 when I found out I was pregnant with number 1. We had a very successful home birth.
Ignore people's opinions, people always say negative things but you've just got to do what feels right for you.


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