Natural Childbirth? (moms please)?

I thought it was a possiblity while I was pregnant.

Then I felt that first good contraction, and I said no way. Give me an epidural.

I don’t regret it one bit.

I don’t feel either way about it as of now. Whatever floats your boat and makes you feel good. If it is important to you, then be prepared.
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My child was not lethargic when born and scored a 9 out of 10 on the APGAR.

There are different types of epidurals. Some are morphine based (the kind out parents probably had) and the -caine based.. which is more common these days and does not have the drowsy after effect.

I almost made it through a natural birth (17 hours) then I had to have an emergency c section. C sections are not as bad as I was led to believe. The whole enduring labor without medication thing only wore me out. I did not get any “sense of my strengthh as a woman”. I got a good case of exhaustion just before getting a baby. It was like starting a marathon after starving, being sleep deprived and having surgery. Not a great combo. What is important is do what you think is right for you and your baby. In the end a healthy happy baby is what is important not how they get here.

I have 6 children and I had my first 5 naturally. I won’t lie to you, it hurts, but it is rewarding. I waited 8 years before having my 6th (and last) child and I was just too tired to try natural childbirth. I’m glad I didn’t too considering I was in labor for more than 24 hours. So it really depends, My last child was really big so I guess that could have been why I took so long. But my other deliveries were quick.

There is no shame in asking for intervention during childbirth.Remember the goal is to have a healthy baby. If you are to exhausted or intractable pain that will affect the birthing process. do what feels right for you at the time.

I have had two hospital natural chilbirths with no pain meds (and no other medical interventions except intermittent monitoring). For me, my reasonings for choosing natural childbirth were because woman are designed to give birth and it is a natural event-I can do it because my creator created me do do it, the mechanisms of coping with pain in labor and even the process of labor is very complex and involves amazingly elaborate physiolgical mechanisms that are interrupted with the use of medications, all medications have risks to myself and my baby, some of them are severe, if unlikely (others are far too common), natural birth helps promote bonding and breastfeeding by initiating the proper hormonal reactions in mother and baby which does not happen as efficiently in a medicated mother, the memories created by the birth process will last me and I knew that birthing hormones would help me achieve a certain “softness” to my memories that would not be present because of the drugs interference with natural hormones. I am very thankful to have been able to go through 2 natural childbirths. Although it was painful and the ring of fire at crowning was “youch!”, feeling my babies be born were the most incredible moments of my life (and throughout labor the pain was manageable is was not suffering and it was not pain for no reason and so in my mind this made a big difference in my ability and desire to cope). Both my daughters were so alert and they literally wiggled there way up to my breast to nurse for the first time–the first few hours really are magical and I am glad that there was no possibility of their alertness (or mine) being dampened by medication. I also recovered extremely fast according to the nurses and doctors; they were surprised to seeing me walking around and feeling fine a short time after the birth. I also feel so thankful and empowered to know that I could go through that process and still use the coping tools I “perfected” during childbirth (especially relaxation and slow breathing) while taking care of my busy toddler and 3 mo. old baby.
I went to Bradley childbirth classes for each child to help prepare for the childbirth and had very supportive women to help and encourage me (along with my husband) throughout the process. I also chose providers who were willing to support me and move around as my body told me to–so I moved around a lot and avoided being in bed if it was possible.
For me, this worked wonderfully. I think there are times epidurals or narcotics are beneficial though. (eg, If labors are extraordinary long and the woman is exhausted or if there is an extraordinary amount of fear or the inability to relax and surrender to the labor)