Natural childbirth moms?
ByI’ve experienced both medically managed and natural birth and I’m expecting my third child. I am planning another natural birth, and I’m starting to prepare now. I would love to hear how other moms have prepared. Where did you draw your strength to get through labor? How did you prepare? What was helpful to you before and during labor?
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5 Comments
February 18th, 2010 at 11:31 pm
I took lamaze classes and that helps alot, along with my partner’s encouragment and different positions.
February 18th, 2010 at 11:48 pm
My third child was my first natural childbirth. You’ve had one, so you know how amazing it is!
As well as demanding to be allowed up and to move freely – being able to find the best positions for me personally was a big help. I found it was best when I could stand up and lean forward or squat, leaning forward on my husband for support. Laying back is the WORST possible position for labor!!
I found the support and comfort of women who had done it before me a HUGE comfort throughout my pregnancy. I did as much research as possible. It is best to be informed – to know exactly what my body is doing, to know roughly how things feel and when, and to know that by the time I am feeling my worst, it is about to be over!
During labor I had an AWESOME doctor and an even more awesome husband and a nurse who took abusive language well
February 19th, 2010 at 12:35 am
With my first child I read about the Bradley method and did some meditation exercises to help me focus and prepare. When I went into labor the meditation worked wonders. I love the Bradley method too because it helped me to remain as calm as possible. I was able to manage hard labor sitting in a chair in a hall waiting for a labor and delivery room to open up. (I had my son at a military hospital). I don’t know what inner strength I was able to drawn on, but I got through it. It was really mind over matter. When I got into my room and the nurses and doctor started talking to me and making me be more alert it was an entirely different situation. I found it was harder to control the pain. I was already almost 7 cm and even though I asked to be left alone to labor, they knew they had to hurry and get my IV and get things set up. I couldn’t relax and I really started to feel the pain. It was good though because I started pushing after only 15 minutes.
With my second, I planned on doing the same method of relaxation and meditation. I was induced with my daughter though, and the contractions were incredibly intense. My sister and a friend were with me when the pitocin was started and they offered to rub my feet for me. The contractions came on strong and hard and they continued to rub my feet. Amazingly I was able to concentrate on their hands on my feet so well that I was able to endure the contractions. My labor was short and intense, but I was able to do it without meds. I know that a lot of people like lamaze, but the short shallow breaths didn’t work for me. I like to have quite and be as relaxed as I possibly can be. Labor for me is like a muscle cramp, if you relax and ride it out its not so bad, if you tense up it is twice as bad. I know this is long, but I hope it helps. Congrats and good luck.
February 19th, 2010 at 12:53 am
It’s really important that your doctor or midwife respects your choice. Unfortunately I didn’t have that. I ended up getting the doctor on call, because it was on a weekend, and she was horrible. She tried her hardest to give me an epidural. And one of the nurses actually said :”you may refuse now, but once the contractions become stronger, you’ll be begging for one.” I found that so discouraging. You need people like that when you’re trying to be strong.
A different nurse who wasn’t actually there during the birth, told me something that really helped. She was actually the only one that supported me, when I told her I didn’t want any type of medication. She said, to always remeber that the pain is only for a minute. No matter how bad, it only lasts for one minute. To keep an object to focus on when I got a contraction, and to breath in when the contraction started, and out slowly until it was over. She said not to scream or yell, because that doesn’t help, it just takes away your energy, not the pain.
That’s what got me through it. I kept repeating her words in my head during the really tough contractions, and telling my self, it’s just a minute. It will be over really soon. And it was, every time.
Also red raspberry leaf tea is supposed to really help during labour. You can drink several cups of it, even at the hospital. It’s supposed to help speed things up naturally. It also helps with milk production, which I guess is useful, since you’ll be nursing … two!
Best of luck to you. I hope you have a quick, painless labour, and a beautiful healthy baby.
Edit: I forgot to mention, that being in the water during contractions, is a big relief. I kept jumping in the shower, and the bathtub the whole time, until the got really close together, and it was time to have the baby.
February 19th, 2010 at 1:50 am
My first was also a medically managed hospital birth.
My 2nd was a natural birth center birth (originally planned for home, but she was 4 weeks early. the birth center was closer to a hospital than my home was, so we went there. Very comfortable. Like a big vacation house. Not “clinical” feeling at all. great alternative to hospital birth), Anyway, it was wonderful!
I used the Hypnobabies Home Study Course to learn deep relaxation techniques. It was fabulous! I had no sense of how much time was passing. My water had broken, but it had been nearly 2 days, and I hadnt gone into labor yet because the baby was in a poor position, and wasnt pressing on my cevix. My midwife spent about 5 hours dilating me manually. As in, using her hand to stretch out my cervix, and also to help turn the baby. Those 5 hours felt like minutes to me, and I felt NO pain despite the extreme circumstances. I was simply very deep inside my mind. Finally, things kicked into gear and I dilated from 3-10cm in ONE HOUR, and then she was born. It was harder to hold my concentration on my own at that point. Fortunately, I’d learned “cues” that other people could use to help me “turn my mental light switch off” so I could relax. When a contracton started, I’d start to fight it, but my mother would put her hand on my shoulder, and say “release!” which was one of my hypnotic cues, and I’d instantly go limp as a noodle. You’re taught to always be fully in control of your state of being, so it wasnt happening to me againt my will. It was just a powerful suggestion to use the relaxation that I had learned. Anyway, it was wonderful! My birth was relaxing and beautiful, and I have nothing but the best memories of it. I’d rather go through a thousand natural births, than one medicated/stressful/hospital birth.
You can learn about Hypnobabies here: http://www.hypnobabies.com/
The offical Hypnobabies yahoo group, where you can talk to other hypno moms and also find out how to buy a used home study course at a reduced price (mine came in like-new condition. the creator of hypnobabies looks them all over before re-selling): http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Hypnobabies/
I also recommend water birth, or at least laboring in water. Makes things much more comfortable! Benefits of water birth: http://www.waterbirth.org/mc/page.do?sitePageId=45768&orgId=wi
***EDITED TO ADD****
I also HIGHLY recommend seeing “The Business of Being Born”. You’ll love it! You can watch it online for free here: http://quicksilverscreen.com/watch?video=45525
It can also be rented thru netflix if your computer has trouble playing movies online. You can see the trailer for it here: http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/