First time mommies trying for a natural birth support thread!

[Lilly12]

hugs for you daddiesgift!!! I can't even imagine

Ladies I just got terrible news... my midwife says the babies head is way too high and it's quite likely I'll need a c-section if it doesn't drop... my all natural plans might be out the window.

Is your baby breech?
If not, a baby's head is never too high , some babies drop/engage during labor.
That sounds kind of strange to me to be honest with you.

I'm having a home birth soon.. my due date is tomorrow!
And I am a first time mommy too.
I have an AWESOME midwife, she is such a blessing in our lives.. me and my husband say it over and over again > This was the best decision EVER!

 

[babystewart]

Hi I am Amanda and I am 17 years old, I am 8 weeks pregnant and already know I want a completely natural birth, I told my OH that I didn't want any pain medication but if I was in labor and asked for it to give it to me

 

[rducky]

Hi Ladies!

This is my first baby and we're planning on going to a birthing centre with midwives for our birth. Home birth is also an option...haven't made up my mind 100% yet. We know that we won't be going to hospital unless it becomes necessary.
I'm glad to join this group. I think it will be great support in preparation for the big day!

 

[daddiesgift]

Please dont be sorry for how you feel. I can only try to imagine how this is effecting you and making you feel.. you are trying to do the best for everyone and you are in the middle.

You are a strong women, I can tell that, I REALLY hope that baby comes when it is best for all.

Hey there is lots that you can do to get baby moving just after EDD, not just the drips etc, try:
Walks, spicy food, some sweeps, orgasims, nipple stimulation, Sex (if he is back), protoglandin gel, exhaust all these possibilities first, then you can try the hospital induction.

There is plenty for hope!
XxX

Thanks guys! (I dont know how to mulitple quote!) Ive def made a list of things to naturally induce me so lets hope that works. I have a feeling everything will turn out how its suppose to. And if its not as planned then I guess there is always the next baby! (Only wanting two!) I dont have another doctors appointment till the 18th and thats when I plan on telling him all our "plans" and see how he feels about it as well. They've been very helpful in all this. Doctor lets us tape ultrasound and he gives us many ultrasound pics for me to send to my husband so he can still feel involved. So maybe if hubs cant make it then we can tape or maybe have him on webcam During birth. Having a baby sure does make the agenda different so im just TRYING to prepare for whatever may come!

 

[HeeBeeGeeBee]

Hi all!

I'm 12+4 and am hoping for a natural home birth. I am 2nd on a waiting list for community midwives scheme that I"ve heard nothing but good things about. I"m really hoping I will get on the scheme, as if not a home birth will not be a choice for me as my budget will not stretch to hiring a private midwife So I'm just keeping my fingers crossed and trying to prepare myself physically and mentally.

I'll be starting a 'yoga for pregnancy' class soon, walking daily and will probably do some light weight training to strengthen mussels I'll need to maintain certain birthing positions!
I've ordered Ina May Gaskin's guide to child birth, and a bit later in my pregnancy will be doing perineum massage and drinking raspberry leaf tea.

Even before I became pregnant I knew that I would want a natural birth at home. It just makes the most sense to me. It makes me feel secure to know that I won't (fingers crossed!) be walking into a hospital (which I hate) to to a bunch of strangers during one of the most stressful/painful/amazing times in my life, to then have my birth managed. No thanks... I know that however nice the hospital staff are this will cause me unnecessary stress and probably effect my progress which in turn could lead to interventions.

Best of luck to all of you first baby home birth hopefuls

 

[SkyBaby]

I'm a homebirth hopeful and I think I'm 14 weeks +3. Homebirth has always seemed to be the thing I would ideally want - even before I was pregnant. I've been quite surprised at how negative everyone I have spoken to about it has been so I hope I'm not going to have too much of a battle on my hands. At least husband thinks the same as me.

 

[daddiesgift]

I'm a homebirth hopeful and I think I'm 14 weeks +3. Homebirth has always seemed to be the thing I would ideally want - even before I was pregnant. I've been quite surprised at how negative everyone I have spoken to about it has been so I hope I'm not going to have too much of a battle on my hands. At least husband thinks the same as me.

I know what you mean! Im not doing a home birth since this is our first and you never know what will happen and no midwives in my area and doc wont come out..anyway..I dont want pain meds and want to do water birth if baby allows. Im suprised how many people think its a joke. I tell people I want to go with out pain meds or an EPI for sure and they always say "haha yeah see how long that lasts" or "your out of your mind that wont happen" or "good luck with that" Ive yet to have one person I know say it sounds like a good idea. Usually when I tell people about the water birth I always get "wont I be wading in my own filth?" or Ill hear the "When I had my baby I pottied on myself you going to do that in a tub??"

 

[rducky]

It's really amazing how many people think that home birth/birthing centres are a weird and dangerous concept. That's the main reaction that I have gotten to going to the birthing centre with our midwife.

As SkyBaby said, at least my DH was on board from the start and he took no convincing. He is way more comfortable with the birthing centre than the hospital so that was great!

 

[MommyMika]

hugs for you daddiesgift!!! I can't even imagine

Ladies I just got terrible news... my midwife says the babies head is way too high and it's quite likely I'll need a c-section if it doesn't drop... my all natural plans might be out the window.

Is your baby breech?
If not, a baby's head is never too high , some babies drop/engage during labor.
That sounds kind of strange to me to be honest with you.

(s)he is not breech, but the head is up so high at this stage she thinks my pelvis may not be big enough. I'm going for an ultrasound tomorrow to check things out.

 

[rducky]

Good luck tomorrow, MommyMika!

 

[MommyMika]

Good luck tomorrow, MommyMika!

thanks huni!

 

[overseasbaby]

Im a first time mommy and i had my LO naturally at the hospital!

I drank RLT from 27 weeks, and took EPO from 37 weeks and spent probably 20 hours bouncing on my ball. I read ina may's guide to natural childbirth twice, hypnobirthing, and 2 other natural birthing books.

I saw a dr on my due date who tried to induce me, but i fought it for 2 days and was finally given the ok to continue with the pregnancy as long as i monitored my Blood Pressure and went in if i had any symptoms of preclampsia.

At 40 +3 i went into labour after a 4 mile walk - i was determined to walk her out LOL... and i stayed at home convincing myself it was false labour for 6 hours. Pain was quite managable and it was only cause my FIL was bugging me cause the contractions were 4 minutes apart that i agreed to go to the hospital. When i got there i was 5cm dilated and walked around the labour ward for an hour and came back and was 6cm. That was 10pm. By 1:30am i was 9cm dilated and she was born at 2:50 after 45 minutes of pushing.

I did it all with no pain relief at all. But there was definately a point around 7cm that i was thinking i could get an epi and it probably wouldn't affect the rest of the birth. But then i talked myself out of it. Then back into it, then back out

Totally do-able and worth it. But please go into it open minded - i would hate to see mom's feel guilty because they asked for pain med's because you were set on natural birth.

I had a mantra i repeated in my head i read in one of my natural birthing books "labour hurts, its hard work, and its worth it" - i found it really helped to say it over and over in my head during contractions.

Good Luck

I love love love this mantra and I'm so going to use it in labor!!! I think you were really smart to labor at home as long as you did. Many books I've read have said that it's time to go to the hospital or birthing place when your contractions are five minutes apart. We're going to have a doula and we plan to have her come to our home and then go to the hospital with us. Hopefully it will work out as nicely as your birth did!! Congratulations to you!

For all the natural birth hopefuls, I highly recommend the book "The Official Lamaze Guide." It's full of useful information. Lamaze is not just about panting and breathing techniques. In fact, I have yet to come across that in the book! Definitely check it out. They also have some really helpful videos on their website.

Good luck everyone!!!

 

[Bournefree]

I would prefer a mantra that didn't involve the word pain - I can honestly and truly say that I didn't experiance pain in labour of birth.. it is physical, but not painful.
I thing is you need to relax, let go, and go with it.

I read Dr. Dick Grantly Reed's book child birth without fear. I would recomend it. It was written years and years ago, and some of the language is old fashioned, but charming.
Essentially the whole premis is that if you are relaxed then your muscles are not tensed up, and there is better blood flow to your uterus, and better oxytocin flow, reducing or eleminating pain. Think about somehting that might be painful, like an injection.. if you expect it to be painful, then it is because you expecting the pain, and tense before it is done. It's not eh best example, because childbirth is TOTALLY different! Let the good hormones flow. It can be the most amazing experiance of your life, and I can't wait to do it again and get to the volontary pushing stage, it is like having the biggest orgasim of your life!! ;-)
XxX

 

[rachiedata]

Just putting one out there for us first timers... do you know what I hate? I hate being told that because it's my first time, then I don't know what to expect or how I should feel about it. Well, there's plenty of pretty painful things in life I've not experienced yet... I've never had a very serious illness, I've never lost my job, I've never been in a natural disaster situation, but I know for certain I'd be pretty pissed off with any of those occurrences. But apparently giving birth is not an event I can plan for or make myself knowledgeable about before it happens... "you don't know how painful it will be, you'll want all those drugs!" - oh will I?! Well, if I want them at the time, I will make that call, and not before, and certainly not based on someone else's experience!

Childbirth is so individual to every woman and there are as many ways to experience it as there are women on this planet. It does not even run along the usual lines of women in your family or your closest friends providing a comparable experience - I mean, if I'd had the pregnancy now that my mum says she had with me, I would be climbing the walls and curling up in a corner somewhere! So I wonder why it is that people think they can tell me what sort of experience I will have before I've even had it! My mind boggles!!

I accept that as a first timer I will be more likely to transfer to hospital, for whatever reason. I accept that I may go longer over my due date, and that my labour may be longer in duration than for a second timer. Having said that, there seem plenty of second time mums and more that have had immensely different experiences with subsequent births to their first. Would anybody have said to them that it was a consequence of them not knowing what to expect?!

Rant over - good luck to all my fellow first time home birth mummies and stay strong!

 

[rducky]

Just putting one out there for us first timers... do you know what I hate? I hate being told that because it's my first time, then I don't know what to expect or how I should feel about it. Well, there's plenty of pretty painful things in life I've not experienced yet... I've never had a very serious illness, I've never lost my job, I've never been in a natural disaster situation, but I know for certain I'd be pretty pissed off with any of those occurrences. But apparently giving birth is not an event I can plan for or make myself knowledgeable about before it happens... "you don't know how painful it will be, you'll want all those drugs!" - oh will I?! Well, if I want them at the time, I will make that call, and not before, and certainly not based on someone else's experience!

Childbirth is so individual to every woman and there are as many ways to experience it as there are women on this planet. It does not even run along the usual lines of women in your family or your closest friends providing a comparable experience - I mean, if I'd had the pregnancy now that my mum says she had with me, I would be climbing the walls and curling up in a corner somewhere! So I wonder why it is that people think they can tell me what sort of experience I will have before I've even had it! My mind boggles!!

I accept that as a first timer I will be more likely to transfer to hospital, for whatever reason. I accept that I may go longer over my due date, and that my labour may be longer in duration than for a second timer. Having said that, there seem plenty of second time mums and more that have had immensely different experiences with subsequent births to their first. Would anybody have said to them that it was a consequence of them not knowing what to expect?!

Rant over - good luck to all my fellow first time home birth mummies and stay strong!

Well said!

 

[rducky]

MommyMika, what happened with your scan?

 

[GeorgeyGal]

I would prefer a mantra that didn't involve the word pain - I can honestly and truly say that I didn't experiance pain in labour of birth.. it is physical, but not painful.
I thing is you need to relax, let go, and go with it.

I read Dr. Dick Grantly Reed's book child birth without fear. I would recomend it. It was written years and years ago, and some of the language is old fashioned, but charming.
Essentially the whole premis is that if you are relaxed then your muscles are not tensed up, and there is better blood flow to your uterus, and better oxytocin flow, reducing or eleminating pain. Think about somehting that might be painful, like an injection.. if you expect it to be painful, then it is because you expecting the pain, and tense before it is done. It's not eh best example, because childbirth is TOTALLY different! Let the good hormones flow. It can be the most amazing experiance of your life, and I can't wait to do it again and get to the volontary pushing stage, it is like having the biggest orgasim of your life!! ;-)
XxX

So true, I've actually got a couple of examples, I used to be terrified of smears, I used to have crying fits over them, a real phobia! so obviously when I had them I would be nervous and tense and it obviously hurt. I decided to try and overcome this by practicing relaxation techniques, so did some special breathing and visualisation during my last smear, and I actually had to ask if she had done it yet, I didnt feel a thing and was soooo pleased with myself!

Another example was during my last bloods, it collapsed and bled everywhere a few times and started to bruise and really hurt so I was expecting pain, she went to try the other arm and I did a relaxation exercise I learnt in hypnobirthing and again I had to ask if it had been done as I didnt feel it! I ignored her when she said 'You'll feel a scratch'.

I loved reading about the lady who squatted and gave birth outside and Dr Grantly Dick Read asked if it hurt and she replied 'No, but it wasnt supposed to was it'?

I'm not expecting to feel nothing during birth, I know I will feel sensations, I've already been getting low dragging feelings in my lower back and sides which I believe may be the onset of labour but I am going to work with them not fight them, I am really looking forward to posting my home birth story very soon!! xxx

 

[MommyMika]

MommyMika, what happened with your scan?

Scan went well, but the tech wouldn't tell us anything so now I have to wait until my midwife appointment on Tuesday!!

Tuesday I'll be 40+1 ... so I'll have to try and be very patient until then...

 

[SoyLatte]

I think all of you are amazing and brave!

You're all so much further along then I am. DH and I just recently found out were expecting so we're not very far along at all.

We very much want a home birth thats as natural as possible. No pain meds, no inducing nothing that nature didn't plan. He's a medical student too and we both agree that the practices used here in the US are excessive. We are due early Dec. so I guess I'll be hanging out in this forum for a long time with you all.

 

[rducky]

I think all of you are amazing and brave!

You're all so much further along then I am. DH and I just recently found out were expecting so we're not very far along at all.

We very much want a home birth thats as natural as possible. No pain meds, no inducing nothing that nature didn't plan. He's a medical student too and we both agree that the practices used here in the US are excessive. We are due early Dec. so I guess I'll be hanging out in this forum for a long time with you all.

Congrats and welcome!