What's the point in going med free?

[Bumpontherun]

Hi ladies

I'm really starting to think about my next labour now and I'm beginning to have this sneaking feeling that I might want to do it without pain relief. I definitely won't have an epidural and after my last labour I wouldn't have morphine again. I had assumed I'd use gas and air. I can't really explain why I am now considering having a drug free birth - maybe I want to make sure that I am totally myself during labour and able to remember everything - I've lost about 8 hours of my labour with Helen due to a combination of entonox, morphine and exhaustion.

DH thinks I've gone mad.

For those of you who have given birth med free or are planning to what's your motivation?

There was never a point during my last labour where I would have ever considered an epidural but I'm not sure I would have the strength to say no to the gas!

 

[Linzi]

Im more than likely having nothing.

Only 2 options at home are G&A or pethidine... my Drs surgery won't prescribe pethidine because they don't advocate homebirths rolleyes and in labour with my son I reacted badly to gas & air.

I don't have motivation so to speak I just know thats the way it is for me! I am hoping to use a mixture of heat, water & hypnobirthing to manage the pain

xxx

 

[mamawannabee]

For me, I want to do it for the baby. One of my friends who had an epidural ended up having a c section because they gave her too much medication and she could not push the baby out and baby had to have Narcan after birth because the drugs had gotten to him. Two of my aunts have had c sections for the same reason, but more importantly, I don't want my baby born on drugs. I wouldn't judge anyone who chooses to use meds, as obviously everyone has different pain tolerances and there are lots of options. However, I will be going med free so long as I have no complications warranting a c section in which case I would obviously have to have something.

 

[syntaxerror]

Only options are epidural and IV drugs. I don't really want either. I'd be up for laughing gas but since I'm in the central US, that's not an option.

 

[Nikki_d72]

for me, it's about doing things as nature intended, as I beleive all the narcotic-based pain releif has a negative impact on the delicate balance of hormones orchestrating labour and I don't want to mess with that.

I also don't want my baby exposed to those kind of drugs - unfortunately I gave in last time and agreed to pethidine and later had an epi with augmentation drugs and the whole spiral got out of hand and I ended up with a section.

The peth was meant to "help me relax enough to let me dilate" but stopped my labour entirely and the sleepy wee baby I ended up with (after having to get her cut out of me), who wouldn't feed for 16 hours was evidence enough for me to never want to go down that route again.

It's crazy, I spent all my pregnancy not so much as taking a paracetamol or a sip of alcohol and then let them give us narcotics during the birth! I got caught in a moment of weakness and wish I hadn't. I refused the morphine after the section too, as I was sure it would go through my breast milk and I was in agony, but it just shows you how your decisions are not always straight whilst in the throes of labour - reason enough to have a birth plan prior or someone well-briefed in your wishes who will advocate for you.

I'm not sure I'd stress about G&A, as it leaves your system immediately, but I don't think it's available in NZ for HB so I'll do without it - I think, for me, it was too easy to depend on in the false sense that it was getting me though, instead of beleiving in my own ability and it made me hyperventillate a bit, too!

I want to be as present as possible for my birth and remember every single detail as well as I can, especially as I was robbed of my first one and was the last to hold her.

There will be many different reasons to go med-free but these are my main ones.

 

[Mervs Mum]

Good question!!

For me personally is wasn't really a conscious decision to give birth without drugs. What I wanted was to give birth safely, comfortably and to feel in control. With my first birth which was massively OVER medicated I felt like my daughters birth was something that happened TO me rather than something I actually did or achieved. I still feel bad about that to this day almost 17 years on....
So my subsequent births were not about no meds they were about ME being in control at every level. By default this meant less or no drugs. But I didn't set out thinking I want to do this without them. My choice of birth place dictated what was available to me. I KNEW I did NOT want an epidural again. I knew it was why I needed an episiotomy and forceps with my first so I chose to birth at a Birth Centre (I had with my eldest but agreed to induction so ended up in hospital) where, by default, there were no epidurals. After what was definitely the most empowering birth of the three (nothing tops my home birth overall but my birth centre birth healed me and validated me in a way I can never understate) choosing to give birth at home to my third seemed obvious. So that again restricts the use of drugs and intervention but again it wasn't my motivation. I think an empowering birth can be achieved even with every intervention under the sun. For me it's not about what drug or intervention you did or didn't have. It's about how you are listened to, cared for, respected and that YOU are happy in your informed choices. It's why I say home birth is a state of mind...I'm rambling now aren't I....

 

[chuck]

After an dover medicated horrible experience last time I knew I wanted to try my darnest to get along without pain meds again. It all seemed so counter productive last time.

And blow me but when I was doing it my way labour didnt actually hurt!

Not to mention med free is better for you and baby.

(I hasten to add I did have some gas and air)

 

[minibeast]

it just never went through my mind as an option.. not at any stage of my pregnancy or labour.. i think like merv's mum said maybe i also wanted to be fully in control. the thought of being numbed or at all seperate from what's happening scared me much more than any pain.

my boyfriend was reading a samurai book around the time i was due, there was a quote "if a retainer will just think about what he is to do for the day at hand, he will be able to do anything. if it is a single days work, one should be able to put up with it. tomorrow, too, is but a single day"

 

[lynnikins]

i'll have gas and air at my birth for if i need it but intend to use my TENS then Water for the pain, i find gas and air something of a distraction though and feel like i might have coped better in the final stages without it with EJ though a helpful distraction when being stiched up lol

 

[canadabear]

I am planning a natural hospital birth. I would have gone with a homebirth, but they are extreamly expensive where I am located.

My motivation is doing what nature intended and doing what I believe is best for my baby. I do not think it is possible to have medication/ chemical pain relief without it having some effect on the baby and my own bodies ability to birth properly.

There are so many hormones involved in birth and when we stop part of the process, through pain relief or another intervention, that natural hormonal balance is shifted. It is not surprising to me that so many women that choose epidurals end up with a c-section, forceps birth etc etc. We are messing with the way our bodies are MEANT to go through birth. 'Pain', if you choose to interpret it as such, is PART of the birthing process.

I guess I figure, if it's not broke, why 'fix' it?!

 

[lozzy21]

For me i dident want pethidine because of the affect it can have on baby and i dident want an epidural because of the increased chance of needing a section so that left gas and air and i coped just fine on that.

 

[BlackBerry25]

For me, I want to feel every part of being pregnant, labour and delivery. This is my last baby, and I just want to embrace every part of it.

I had an epidural with my first, which was accompanied by forceps, the vacuum, episiotomy and a very bad tear. I also had an infection, which I am convinced was from the catheder, and I have had horrible back and pelvic pain since, which I now think was from this whole shebang! I was happy with my first, and I have had no regrets other than my back being screwed up now.

 

[fides]

i am planning to go med-free b/c i am just not comfortable with the idea of any drugs crossing the placenta to my baby. i want to do it for the baby. i will be using a water tub for pain, though.

 

[SECOND TIMER]

To do it drug free for me was the best experience ever I felt so in control and everything happened so much quicker and easier with no interventions with my son before that I had pethedine and then LOTS of gas and air so much so that by the time I was pushing I just felt exhausted sick and couldnt cope with the pain I was 2 hours pushing him out and all I wanted them to do was put him back in so I could go to sleep lol it really was awful tho.

With my daughter (second birth) I birthed at birthing centre stayed at home until I felt that things were moving quite quickly and 2 hours after I got to birthing centre she was born (using one puff of gas and air which I tried and then realised that I didnt like how it made me feel so threw it away lol also at home used tens machine which I think really helped.) also only pushed for a matter of minutes with her :-D

Given the fantastic experience I had last year at birthing centre this year im staying at home to birth and cannot wait no more babies for me after this one and to do it in my home, drug free, totally aware and able to remember everything (oh and after id given birth to my daughter I was also full of energy and in no pain at all with NO DRUGS) :-D I really would recommend drug free it was the most amazing experience EVER :-D xxx

 

[sarah1980]

for me, it's about doing things as nature intended, as I beleive all the narcotic-based pain releif has a negative impact on the delicate balance of hormones orchestrating labour and I don't want to mess with that.

I also don't want my baby exposed to those kind of drugs - unfortunately I gave in last time and agreed to pethidine and later had an epi with augmentation drugs and the whole spiral got out of hand and I ended up with a section.

The peth was meant to "help me relax enough to let me dilate" but stopped my labour entirely and the sleepy wee baby I ended up with (after having to get her cut out of me), who wouldn't feed for 16 hours was evidence enough for me to never want to go down that route again.

It's crazy, I spent all my pregnancy not so much as taking a paracetamol or a sip of alcohol and then let them give us narcotics during the birth! I got caught in a moment of weakness and wish I hadn't. I refused the morphine after the section too, as I was sure it would go through my breast milk and I was in agony, but it just shows you how your decisions are not always straight whilst in the throes of labour - reason enough to have a birth plan prior or someone well-briefed in your wishes who will advocate for you.

I'm not sure I'd stress about G&A, as it leaves your system immediately, but I don't think it's available in NZ for HB so I'll do without it - I think, for me, it was too easy to depend on in the false sense that it was getting me though, instead of beleiving in my own ability and it made me hyperventillate a bit, too!

I want to be as present as possible for my birth and remember every single detail as well as I can, especially as I was robbed of my first one and was the last to hold her.

There will be many different reasons to go med-free but these are my main ones.

^^^ I couldn't put it better!!!!

Sarah

 

[Bumpontherun]

Thanks everyone, that's given me lots to think about. I did actually feel empowered by my last birth. I went in knowing that above everything I didn't want an epidural and I did not want an instrumental delivery. I know that a huge part of me not having those things was due to my own determination and my wonderful husband and midwifes advocacy of my wishes.

I don't know if I'll have another baby though and I do feel I'd just like to be myself completely throughout labour - I hate it when my husband talks about the gibberish I was talking whilst I was in labour before, I hate that I genuinely can't remember what transition feels like, I hate that I can't remember how many internals I had. I don't feel angry at anyone or that I didn't get the care I wanted I just wish I could remember

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer

 

[madasa]

Here's my take on it

A lot of docs don't like you to have an epi or narcotic type pain relief very close to the actual birth, because it can affect how effectively you push and/or affect the baby (make them sleepy, increase the risk of breathing or feeding problems).

Labour starts waaaaay before you feel it. For most people, when you do feel it, it's mild at first. It's more intense gradually. Your tolerance builds with it. Your beta-endorphins (the body's natural painkillers) build with it. When you mute the pain, your endorphins pack their bags and go home. "Hey, we're not needed anymore. TTFN!" Then, when the docs want to turn the epi down or off, or when the last shot of narcotics wears off and you can't have any more, the pain hits you like a wall. No gradual build up, no helpful endorphins (you laid them off, remember?) For me, with my first baby, it was like, short term gain, then a BIGGER dose of pain right at the end.

I found that with DS (first baby) I had lots of drugs (no epi, but I took everything else on offer!) to try to rid myself of the pain, only to suffer for weeks with a very painful recovery. This is because I was so off my face taht I couldn't move into good positions for pushing (so I was stuck on my back), I was not "present", I was not pushing effectively, I was so panicked and drugged up that I was not ABLE to help my MWs help me. Hardly surprising that it ended with an episiotomy and forceps. I was SO sore for WEEKS. I'd rather have the pain in LABOUR, when it builds gradually, comes in waves and has a definite purpose at the end, IYSWIM.

I think that the concept of "surrender" is hugely important to birth, and understated most of the time. Maybe it's just me, but I think that wanting all the drugs etc and "surrender" are at odds with each other in a very fundamental way.

Weirdly, when my second baby was born I had almost no drugs at all. I had some gas and air for the last hour or so (out of 16 hours). But I ENJOYED that birth way more than the first one! The recovery was also quick and much more comfortable. Less drugs, but LESS pain! Who'da thunk??? I'm not some weird martyr or something. Let's not forget that saying you don't want pain meds is NOT NOT NOT the same as saying you don't want pain RELIEF!! There are lots of ways of relieving discomfort in labour w/o drugs.

 

[pester]

Let's not forget that saying you don't want pain meds is NOT NOT NOT the same as saying you don't want pain RELIEF!!

Love it. I think sometimes that gets lost. I want to avoid medication and the effect it would have on me and the baby. But I DO want pain relief.

 

[jennijunni]

I have had 4 unmedicated births, and it was the best thing I could have done for my children. In the States, we dont have the option of TENS or gas and air, we have narcotics, and epis. My first was a medicated, very uncontrolled birth. #2, I did not intend to go natural it just happened, best thing ever!! I love giving birth, I love the feeling of the baby descending, and getting to emerge into the world. I love how I feel following the birth of my babies. It is what is best. If you do decide to get meds, that is okay, whatever gets you through it. It is not a contest, but it will change you, that is for sure. Hugs!! GL!

 

[NaturalMomma]

There are lots of reasons why I went med-free and plan to again for future babies.

1. I believe in as little intervention as possible in life, and that includes pregnancy and birth.

2. I don't do well with medications (I have a chemcial imbalance)

3. I had Nubain and Epidural with ds1 and it sucked

4. I really wanted to feel giving birth, and it wasn't that bad, it was managable without anything

5. Birth is painful for a reason, it's to signal to your body to push baby out. It is also not painful for the entire labor, only a little bit of it and it's at the end

6. Giving birth feels amazing and you get such an onxytocin high afterwords, you won't get that with medications (maybe gas and air since it leaves your body so quickly)

7. While labor may last hours, it's really only a moment in time