Who is planning on going "all natural" - no meds?

[jerseyshoregirl]

Hi everyone!

I am trying to find out who is planning on going au naturale (no epidural or gas). I know I am and am just curious who is planning to and who already has (with another child).

My DH is not thrilled with the idea - is afraid I'll be in too much pain, but the idea of a needle going in my back and the sometimes lingering pain afterwards bother me more than the idea of letting my body do what it was built to do.

I would love to hear from others!

Jeannie

 

[lisac25]

the idea of a needle being put into my back completly freaks me out aswell, i would like to think i can just do it with the gas and air again, same as with my first x

 

[2nd time mum]

No way! I'll take whatever pain relief I can! Some women do manage fine without pain relief but I think it best to keep your options open. I had an epidural with my first and still felt in a dulled way what was going on and once he was born all the pain disappeared. An amazing feeling. Keep your options open!!

 

[Pyrrhic]

I went natural as I was more scared of the drugs than I was of labour! I have an allergy to anesthetics, which would be used anyway but I've paranoid about any pain relief really. The TENS machine really helped me though.

 

[Jkelmum]

Nope i will be havin whatever i can to make labour as easy as it can be

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Yes I'm planning to go all natural, I'm far more afraid of medical interventions than the labour pains. I trust my body to do what it was designed to do. (obviously this wouldn't be the case if I had medical conditions or complications.)

 

[ellismum]

I am giving birth in our local mw led unit and the highest level of pain relief they offer is Pethadine but as I plan to breastfeed I will not take them up on that offer as I can hinde them latching on. The hospital is over 12 miles away so I am removed as much as I can be from temptation!!

After attending antenatal classes with the OH and going over the forms of pain relief available as well as there pro's and con's for me the Epidural has more con's than pro's, more so the OH than me!! The thought of being stuck lying on a bed fills me with dread and I want to use gravilty as much as possible (mobile is not available on out NHS trust) I trust my body to do what is needed and I am lucky that my baby is the best position for birth. G&A all the way.

 

[snettyb]

Pain releif for me too. I'm not out to impress anyone by suffering when its so not necessary. All the pain releif methods are safe or they wouldn't give you them. I had the epidural with my first as it was a 36 hour labour and i needed to rest, i would like to do it without this time but if i feel like i need it i will get it.

Keep your options open hun, there was a lady on here not long ago who was so sure on how she wanted things to go and she ended up devastated when she ended up with just about every intervention and in the end a c section. I haven't even wrote a birth plan coz unfortunately mother nature don't read and follow it so i don't see the point xx

 

[jerseyshoregirl]

I am really enjoying reading these responses! We start out birthing classes in two weeks, so I'm sure I'll learn more there. I guess everyone has different expectations. My hope is not to have any more "lingering" pain than I have to (not planning on getting an episiotomy if I can help it!). Thanks everyone

 

[Pyrrhic]

Pain releif for me too. I'm not out to impress anyone by suffering when its so not necessary.

I don't know of anyone who's had a natural birth to impress people. When you're in labour, the last thing you care about is what people think. Most have them because they don't want the drugs in their system.

 

[jerseyshoregirl]

In my case, that is exactly the reason why I want to go all natural. I'm not a big fan of medicine if I don't absolutely have to have it. And I've heard of situations where the needle caused lingering pain after the birth or of women who had trouble with even getting the epi inserted right at all.

It's certainly not to impress anyone...I just want the pain to last as short of a time as it has to, the intensity of it during that time doesn't scare me as much as hurting for a longer period of time might.

 

[cybermum]

It isn't soemthing you can say definite yes or no too until you are there and going through it.
If its anything like my last labour I will be having meds because I was bouncing off the bed in agony and getting very distressed.

I will say that for me when I had the epidural I felt a lot more calm and 'with it' IYKWIM

I have quite a high pain threshold but in the end even the pain was too much for me to break through,despite me using my breathing,focusing etc

 

[Pudding-x123]

I'm planning on going natural! I can see me on the day though asking for anything and everything haha!

 

[Laura--x]

I'd love to think i can go natural but whether i do or not is a whole different story!

 

[amslou]

at the moment our plan is to have as little intervention as possible. I am open to gas and air as its wonderstuff - ive had it before for an operation i had to be awake for but i am going to try and cope without. I'm not planning it to be a martyr or anything but just because i hate the idea of an epidural and i know that my mum still gets back issues from it now after 26 years and because i am hoping for a waterbirth so need to be in full control to be allowed to stay in the water. I didnt know that Pethidine causes problems with baby latching for breastfeeding though. Thats put me off more!

 

[purple_socks]

I'm planning on no meds- i'd like a home water birth and i'm hoping to use hypnobirthing techniques and lighttouch massage to get me through. I've been researching pain meds availible and it seems to b a bit of a slippery slope....epi slows things down which can result in c-section for failure to pregress or they give u stuff to speed it up which causes fetal distress which ends in a c-section and pethadine makes baby unable to feed properly etc etc. plus i'm super scared of the thought of hospitals/needles/things going in my spine etc etc

I trust my body and i'm sure it has a way of naturally coping...after all having babies is a big part of our bodies function!

Although having said all that...i wont know for sure until the time comes...i might end up screeming for all the drugs in the world!!

 

[ToniAnne8]

Hi I am going all natural when in labour. I tried gas and air once when i went into pre term labour but i threw up off it so when it came to the real labour time I had nothing abd intend to do the same this time. I want to be as normal as poss when my baby is delivered. I dont want to be woozy off any drugs and i dont want my baby to be either.

Hope this helps with your decision.

https://www.babyandbump.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=17411&stc=1&d=1239281486

 

[ajarvis]

I've had the epidural, and hated it. I still felt the pain - as it didn't take properly - and I HATED being stuck in bed not allowed to eat or drink. So no epidural for me, and the other drugs I don't want as I'll be breastfeeding. I'm definitely not out to impress anyone either just don't want to deal with the epidural again!

 

[xxxjacxxx]

I had an epi with my first and swear it didnt work. Since then I have suffered sciatic and low back pain and I think it was the epi that did it.

Ive managed with the the last two on g&a and pethidine and I hope to do so this time. I did request an epi both times but i seem to ask too late, like when im 8cm dialated lol!

I would not be able to do it without g&a, it seems to like me and I concentrate on breathing it in and chewing on the mouthpeice is great in itself!

But I would not rule out trying an epi again, it just depends on how things go this time........but no, I have quite a high pain threshhold but im not for completely 'au naturelle'

 

[loz]

when i was having my dd i was just going with the flow, the idea of a epidural freaks me out too so i knew i wouldnt be having one of them.

when it actually happened tho i got to 7cm with out any pain relief and then my waters broke and the pain was really bad, i had gas and air and pethadine, after 3 hours i was complaining to mw that pethadine had wore off to which her reply was it lasts for 6 hours!

i thought i was going to die at that point and was begging for a epidural! i couldnt have one tho because it takes a hour to set it up and she said i would of had baby by then. was pushing her 30 mins later and pain was not as bad so i would see what feels right at the time x