Natural birth questions

[SummerFairy]

My OBGYN is very pro-natural birth and my mom has had 8 kids all pretty much natural with the last 4 with this OBGYN. I'm 17 and a first time mom. Would it be best for me to have a natural birth? I've heard that it's harder for first time moms to have a natural birth, Is this true and why/why not? What is so different about a natural birth than a regular hospital birth?

My hospital has a birth center for unmedicated births and an L&D floor for medicated births, high risks, and c-sections. I haven't toured to know all the differences yet as I'm only 12 weeks but i have been to the birth center with my mom and they have big tubs with jets, showers, birthing balls and stools, a huge family area, plus i'm sure other stuff that i don't know about. Would this make a better outcome for me?

 

[madasa]

I think it sounds great! Can I go there??

 

[ljo1984]

It's totally doable and the birth centre sound fantastic! Is your mom going to be there with you? After doing it 8 times herself she will be a fantastic partner to help you through it. Xx

 

[SummerFairy]

It's totally doable and the birth centre sound fantastic! Is your mom going to be there with you? After doing it 8 times herself she will be a fantastic partner to help you through it. Xx

I'm not sure at this point if she's going to be there.

 

[KiwiMOM]

I had a natural home water-birth with my LO, I'm 19 and she was my first baby. I chose to be at home for a lot of reasons like avoiding intervention (the first intervention: leaving home) as 50% of first time moms who birth in the hospital wind up with an assisted delivery here. Also because I believe it's better for baby to be home. This meant no pain relief other than my shower and the birth pool. I'm not going to lie and say it was easy but I knew it was what I wanted and never asked for any pain relief (though I got through transition by saying over and over that I couldn't do it any more, complaining was an awesome distraction). I was in active labour for 4 hours, pushed for 30 minutes and had no tearing. It was a really empowering experience and I'd recommend it!

 

[NaturalMomma]

It's more "difficult" for first time moms because they have no prior experience to what birth will be like and are more likely to be influenced by a Doctor or nurse pushing medications onto them.

A natural birth and a medicated birth are very different. A natural birth has no pain medications and little to no interventions in birth. Natural is better for both mom and baby unless there is a medical reason to use a lot of intervention.

 

[Cordelia Lynn]

I think it's very admirable that you would be doing research at this point. I didn't even start to research natural birth until after I had two c-sections. I wish I could go back and do it all over again! This time I am planning an all-natural home birth and I am so excited!!!!

 

[SummerFairy]

I'm scared to death and want to know everything i can so I can be somewhat prepared! Thank you ladies for your responces.

 

[natasharobin]

I agree with what all the other ladies here have said, it is definitely better for both Mom and baby to have a natural birth if you can. The birthing center that is available to you sounds great, if you were to choose to birth at a facility rather than at home. I am about 11 weeks pregnant with my first baby, 19, and planning a home birth (natural and un-medicated) as long as no complications arise before I am full term.

I think it is totally natural for you to be scared/nervous and in the end you need to do what you feel the most comfortable with. Wherever you feel safest and most comfortable, and by choosing to surround yourself with the people that help you to feel that way will definitely give you the best outcome!

 

[mum2jess]

Only you can decide if a 'natural' birth (I assume by that you mean no epidural) is for you. You still have loads of time so do as much research as you can to prepare yourself. I assume that whatever you decide you will have the right to change your mind at the last moment, so prepare as much as you can but go into it with an open mind.

 

[Kess]

A natural birth is totally doable for a first time Mom. I had gas and air, so not totally natural, but tbh it only distracted me and took the edge off the darned rectal pressure that bothered me more than the contractions, it didn't change the pain of the contractions. Didn't really need it to tbh, the contractions were totally manageable.