,

[Nessicle]

Meh... I don't get this fascination with natural births....

I had an epidural before I was induced and I slept through most of my 4 hour labour.... Woke up, felt an urge to push and out popped dd.



That's the simplified version, but not far off the truth. I just don't 'get' the need to feel pain if pain relief is available

I'm still a fab mummy, I still made a wonderful happy daughter, in fact my calm pain-free labour meant I was happy and well rested after birth to look after lo.

I'm not any less of a mummy because i didn't scream her arrival into this world.

Not sure if my way of thinking is because I'm a dentist and encourage people to have pain relief for everything. I can't bear working on a patient who squirms and is obviously in a lot of pain because they don't want a bit of local

This is my thoughts too!! though mine was a very complicated 31 hour labour ending in failed forceps and a c section but still I couldnt have managed that without pain relief xx

 

[Laura2919]

I posted a while back but have seen its grown since then

Not everyone can give birth naturally, an old friend of mine had to have surgery after numerous inconclusive results from her smear tests so had to have a section because of it. So that puts that theory out the window, for me anyway.

I had a traumatic experience, I had drips in every place possible including my arterial vein and my neck, I had my blood pressure taken on my calf and I felt very much like a pin cushion, I had numerous courses of antibiotics and I also had two babies who were in NNU 70 odd miles away from me. What annoys me the most is when you get someone who thinks patronizing me is the way forward. Someone who insists on feeling sorry for me even though I dont feel sorry for myself. I was dealt what I was dealt and I did exactly that and dealt with it. It was hard and emotionally tiring but when I look back all I see is my mum and my OH, the two people who witnessed it all happening, remember I was asleep for most of it so it didnt affect me quite like it affected them.

The part of my whole experience I remember is when I woke from intensive care to see my whole family there. My heart was bursting. My mum, dad, brother, sister, niece, MIL, FIL and my nan were all there. I remember my dad holding me like he had just been reminded how important I was to him. It built a relationship with all of them that we didnt have before where I dont go a day without speaking to them because thats what my experience did so I see nothing but a happy place and the best thing of all? I have my babies and they have me and together we have the most amazing family I could want. Dont need anyones sympathy and if you think your 'better' cos you had a natural birth then good luck to you

 

[crossroads]

The NHS definition of "natural birth" is a vaginal birth without assistance (vorceps or suction).

Thus just because I had an epidural (pain relief) my obstraticion maintains that I had a natural birth. He pointed me towards the NHS literature.

 

[we can't wait]

Technically, any vaginal delivery that is medically unassisted (forceps, vacuum) is a natural delivery. Whether you've had the medications or not, pushing a baby out is still natural-- and it's still hard work!
I got IV medicine to calm me down at 3cm, and 45 minutes later I was 7cm. I wanted the epidural, but because I was 9cm as he was giving it to me (and having contraction one after another) it never took effect-- I had a cath in my back, but it was giving no medication, and the IV meds had warn off. I still consider my birth to be non-medicated, simply because there was no medicine pumping into me during pushing-- and believe me, I could feel everything. I'm actually really glad now that the epi didn't work. I mean, the second they let me lay back down I was ready to push.

I guess everyone has their own opinion... but the birth of my daughter was truly magical & the best experience of my entire life... I'm sure that women feel that way regardless of whether they had a natural birth or not.