Natural birth in hospital?

[futuremama88]

Anyone else who is aiming for a natural birth in the hospital? I wanted homebirth but homebirths for VBACs aren't allowed here. Anyone who has had a natural birth in hospital and any tips?

Thanks!!!

 

[pinkpassion]

I'm planning a natural birth in a hospital.. my Dr said to labor at home as long as possible! I have a handheld Doppler so can monitor baby at home if I feel it's necessary.. I'm excited I can't wait!!!

 

[aliss]

I found it very hard tbh! The drugs are very tempting. My doula helped me through it but the best method was hot water and waiting until much later to go to the hospital.

If you are wanting to avoid a section (I had a traumatic 1st birth), my goal was just "don't let that happen again don't let that happen again" lol. Not very positive or hypnobirthing, but it was enough to scare me silly out of it! I did 12 hours back to back and 2 hours pushing drug-free as a result.

 

[flyingduster]

My first was a totally perfect unmedicated vaginal water birth. In the hospital. It is totally possible!!!

Research everything about natural birthing and the snowball effect of ANY intervention. Don't rule out using intervention IF NEEDED, but research all about them and when and why they'd want to intervene. Basically so that you can stick to your guns and refuse their poking and prodding unless there is good reason!

Have a birth plan. Yes, birth plans can go awry, so perhaps think of it as birth preferences rather than rules! But having them on paper will help others in the hospital be on the same wavelength.

For me, I was 16 days overdue when I finally went in to labour late that evening. I laboured at home for 8ish hours before heading in to hospital. I had on my notes I didn't want any internal examinations so beyond checking baby's heartbeat, I was left to it cos there wasn't much else for them to do! I got in the bath, loved it and didn't want out, so stayed there right through to the birth. I was offered gas & air to which I said "I dunno!!!!!!" So it was left nearby in case I requested it but otherwise nothing further was mentioned regarding pain relief. I never took anything and had an incredible birth, immediate skin to skin in the bath as I scooped him up, and I got to be the first to peek at his gender too. Cord was left for around 15 mins before clamping and cutting, and he went skin to skin with hubby while I climbed out of the bath again.

And I'm hoping this next one will be similar!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Yes. I had water birth. Was lert to own devices. No examination etc. My OH caught baby. Midwife just watched over x

 

[aimee-lou]

I don't know whether you would count mine as 'natural' as I had G&A on all of them....but that was it. All 3 times I've been under midwife led care and they have left me and hubby to it. Especially for DS2 and 3 as we were obviously more of a known quantity. I took the G&A and planned that each time as it's glorious stuff and helps me no end. I would totally do the same way if we do end up expecting again. With DS2 and 3 I was ready to go home after 6 hours too which was lovely.

My mentality was I don't need anything else, I need to be able to 'feel' the baby moving and descending....with DS3 I wasn't carrying much weight and he was a bony little thing and I could see him descending which was weird but lovely. I talked to my midwife and made sure I was happy, and just did whatever I felt that I needed. My hubby is a wonderful birthing partner and can really talk me round if it all gets too much. That support is crucial for me as I'm not the most confident of people.

Good luck....whatever you want is totally possible. Stick to your guns and try to enjoy it!

 

[Stacey_Ann]

Perfectly possible! I was classed as High risk due to previous embolism and one during pregnancy but was still able to have Pretty much the birth I'd hoped for.

I went in at 2cm as I couldn't keep anything down, consultant was happy with baby's HB and movement but MW opted to admit me, I was on the maternity ward at the this point (not labour ward) and she suggested a bath as I'd put water as pain relief on my birth plan.

I then used a TENS machine up until 7cm. I was moved onto the labour ward (and my own room) at 4cm, tried to get some sleep, chatted etc and asked to go in the pool.

My MW was again unsure about this so after chatting to consultant, we compromised on me labouring in water and coming out when it was time to push.
I LOVED being in the water and was just monitored with a Doppler, the MW never left the room but said she'd leave me and my DH to it as we were quite happy on our own with me just zoning out and breathing through each contraction.

When it came to pushing she offered G&A, which I was open to trying but spat out as I didn't like it lol! I wanted to kneel on the bed, MW suggested trying on a mat on the floor. I did and that's where I stayed, I ended up half squatting to give birth and I can honestly say I hope it all goes the same way again!

MW caught the baby, hubby cut the cord, they got me on the bed for immediate skin to skin, delivery of placenta etc.

The only thing I would like to do differently this time is use hypnobirthing as when it came to pushing out his head I got frustrated thinking I wasn't pushing hard enough as I could feel him descending then at the end of a push he'd slip back up a bit and I got annoyed at myself for "doing it wrong" (those were my exact words haha). I think this contributed/caused me to tear so I think with my previous experience and hypnobirthing it will hopefully go as well as/even better than last time.

Fingers crossed!!

I wasn't allowed a 6hr discharge and gave birth at 17:56 but I did ask the next day to go home and left at approx 3-4pm the following day.

Xx

 

[noon_child]

I think in UK it is easier (intervention costs the NHS money and unless you have a medical problem you are overseen by midwives not doctors). Like a pp said, do your research. Labour at home for as long as possible too.

 

[dairymomma]

I am in the US and I have had 2 natural births in the hospital. It amazed me how many times the nurses came in to see how I was doing and say things like "Good job breathing!" and "Keep it up!" They were super encouraging and I later found out it was because most women come in, labor for a little while, and then beg for meds. (With my DD, I had a nursing doing her OB training. I was her 12th delivery in 2 weeks but I was the FIRST to do it without asking for pain meds or an epidural.) I labored as long as I could at home and went in once the contractions had been 5-7 min apart and 1 1/2 min long for at least an hour. Once admitted, I was checked, my contractions were monitored for about a half hour, and baby's hb was monitored at the same time. Then I could get up and move around as I wished. I was only checked when I wanted to be and they were happy to monitor baby's hb every 2-3 hours if I didn't want to be in bed. I found walking or swaying, sitting on the birthing ball, and having DH do counter pressure on my lower back once I started to hit transition worked the best. It also helped to keep in mind that I didn't want an epidural if I didn't absolutely need it. (I'm terrified of needles so that was a huge incentive to avoid an epi. ) I loved my natural births and felt totally comfortable doing it in a hospital. I'm planning on the same thing this time round too.

 

[GeralynB]

I'm using a midwife and delivering in a hospital. I'm hoping for a natural birth

 

[noon_child]

P I got frustrated thinking I wasn't pushing hard enough as I could feel him descending then at the end of a push he'd slip back up a bit

Oh I remember that bit!! Think it is very normal.

I too didn't have totally 'natural' birth as used TENS for most of it and gas and air at 10cm but tbh the valve on the G&A kept sticking which was worse than just breathing through the contraction so I ended up hanging it back on the wall so I could "concentrate". If so many people in the UK do it, I'm sure if you do your research and stick to your guns you can do it too.

 

[misspriss]

I'm in the same boat, want a home birth but can't because it's not allowed for VBACs here. Well I could, but no licensed midwife could attend or risk losing her license, as it is against their regulation. So I considered unassisted, but pretty much decided at this point I will attempt a natural birth in the hospital. It's a long time between now and then though...maybe I could find a midwife licensed somewhere else who can? Like TX? Hm....

 

[aliss]

I'm in the same boat, want a home birth but can't because it's not allowed for VBACs here. Well I could, but no licensed midwife could attend or risk losing her license, as it is against their regulation. So I considered unassisted, but pretty much decided at this point I will attempt a natural birth in the hospital. It's a long time between now and then though...maybe I could find a midwife licensed somewhere else who can? Like TX?

It is legal in TX, are you near the border?

 

[misspriss]

I'm in the same boat, want a home birth but can't because it's not allowed for VBACs here. Well I could, but no licensed midwife could attend or risk losing her license, as it is against their regulation. So I considered unassisted, but pretty much decided at this point I will attempt a natural birth in the hospital. It's a long time between now and then though...maybe I could find a midwife licensed somewhere else who can? Like TX?

It is legal in TX, are you near the border?

OMG really? Not that close, I'm smack dab in the middle, but it's not a long drive...Thanks Aliss!

 

[BunnyN]

My mum had a natural birth in hospital with my younger sister and the MWs were not at all supportive. They kind of took the well if you want to be in pain thats your fault attatude. She had been very medicated for her first birth and the side effects for her and the baby had scared her so she was very determined. She stuck it out and managed a natural birth. It's worth knowing what you want and being really determined incase you don't get the best support. Some hospitals are much more supportive than others so it's worth to ask around. Lots of women do have lovely natural birth experiences in hospital.

 

[misspriss]

Well, They didn't offer me any pain meds while I was in labor with DS1 for 36hrs before the EMCS, so hopefully I will get equally as supportive nurses for my VBAC.

 

[BunnyN]

That's great. Will you be in the same hospital?

 

[misspriss]

Yes, with the same doctor, AFAIK. Unless I end up changing my mind. It's the best hospital around though, with the best NICU (besides the children's hospital, which obviously doesn't have L&D), and it is where my OB works out of.

 

[BunnyN]

Sounds good. Shame about the HB laws and VBAC though. I wouldn't be surprised if there are MW's who will do a HB anyway but it may be hard to track one down and I don't know if you are comfortable with that.

 

[misspriss]

Not terribly comfortable with it, also because I wasn't terribly happy with the way my midwife-turned-doula worked out with DS. Kind of made me lose faith in local midwives. I would love to have a CNM (Nurse midwife, more like UK midwives), but none of them do homebirths around here, and the only ones that do hospitals work at the hospital where they do like off the charts amount of c-sections.

Also, we live 15+ minutes from the hospital, I don't like those numbers in case something did go wrong.

Perhaps once I have had a hospital VBAC, I will be allowed to have a HB? We'll see. I think I will be able to have a happy natural birth in the hospital, and it will be what my husband will be happy with, and that matters to me too. He is a worrier, our planned homebirth with DS scared him a bit, but he was willing to do it.