If you had a natural L&D (no epidural)...

What did you find helped you through the pain best? Where did you deliver? What was the most difficult part?

I'm due in 2 weeks & will be giving birth at Winthrop, & would love some advice from BTDT moms.

Thanks!

Re: If you had a natural L&D (no epidural)...

I'd love to know, too!

Re: If you had a natural L&D (no epidural)...

We took a L&D class at our hospital and a lot of the advice they gave us really helped. DH was a SAINT through the whole delivery, rubbing my back when I needed it, giving me tons of encouragement, etc. You can read my birth story here:

http://www.lifamilies.com/chat/topic-613507-1.html

I'm in North Carolina now, so I can't really help about where.

My L&D nurse was incredible!!! She helped me count through the pushing (pushing her head out was by far the hardest part).

It hurt a lot, I'm not going to lie, but it was definitely doable. Labor I didn't find to be that bad. Pushing was really awful and I kept trying NOT to push, which just made it take longer (silly me). But I'm really glad I did it drug free. It's definitely doable.

Re: If you had a natural L&D (no epidural)...

My friend delivered drug free and she and her husband had taken classes on the bradley method of natural childbirth.

I've also been watching the episodes of "a baby story" where women deliver drug free and I've gotten some ideas from them. One woman used HypBirth. Check out http://www.hypbirth.com/fr_home.cfm

Another woman on an episode used a TENS unit (I think that's what it's called). What I understood about it is that it's electrodes that you put on your body to ease the pain.

I don't know much about any of this stuff. I'd like to deliver drug free but I'm still early on and I haven't started researching much.

Good luck to you! I hope your baby's birth goes the way you plan!

Re: If you had a natural L&D (no epidural)...

Re: If you had a natural L&D (no epidural)...

I delivered at Stony Brook. Over all I was in labor for 34 hours I spent 15 at home. I took a couple of showers and went to the store and walked. Once I got to the hospital I was allowed to be off the monitors for an hour at a time and I rocked and sat on the ball. They did not break my water till 9 1/2 cm that is when I felt real pain.

Good Luck! its not something easy to do but in the end it is well worth it.

ETA I was cut and tore (3rd degree laceration) I felt it all but just wanted DS out at that point. The stitching after I also felt but the pain wasn't excruciating.

Message edited 4/8/2011 9:53:07 PM.

Re: If you had a natural L&D (no epidural)...

I was lucky and had a very fast labors with both of my kids. No epidurals for either. My first daughter, I was given Demerol (never asked for it OR consented to it, but that's a whole other story ), but it didn't even help with the pain. Second daughter, I labored at home for a few short hours, then got to the hospital and delivered 20 minutes later....absolutely no pain meds.

Honestly, with both, it was super painful, but I just got through the pain. I wasn't specifically wanting to have no pain meds with either, it just happened. And again, thankfully, I had short labors both times.

Re: If you had a natural L&D (no epidural)...

Oh I was so curious about other ladies stories. thanks so much for posting this.
I have been thinking about going naturally without any drugs because the more I read about an epidural, the more I want to stay away!

Re: If you had a natural L&D (no epidural)...

Thanks, all! Did anyone have a natural L&D (meaning no pain meds) & have to be induced? I'm at 38.5 weeks & my doc told me today that my cervix is still long and thick. Argh.

Re: If you had a natural L&D (no epidural)...

First off, don't worry about internal exams -- they mean nothing and cannot predict when you will go in labor. So think positive.

I used Hypnobabies hypnosis during both my labors (it was so great I'm now teaching the technique).

Aside, from hypnosis it really helped me to have a low-intervention midwife. It helped to move around during labor.

I'll post the link to my birth story.

Good luck!

Evan's Drug-Free Hypnobabies Birth

ETA: I delivered at Stony Brook with the midwives -- they are fabulous!

Message edited 4/13/2011 8:35:04 AM.

Re: If you had a natural L&D (no epidural)...

Dragonfly, you had an AMAZING birth story! I hope mine is that great! Thanks for the positive thoughts. I do have one question: why do you say that the internal exams don't mean anything? And, where did you get the info? I absolutely hope you are right... I'd really prefer not to be induced.

Re: If you had a natural L&D (no epidural)...

I typed up a long response and lost it on my BB

I will give you links to my birth stories.

I was induced with my 2nd son for medical reasons.

Ryan's birth story

Colin's birth story

Re: If you had a natural L&D (no epidural)...

Vaginal exams only tell you what is happening right now, they don't predict anything. Labor progresses differently for everybody. Some women dialate early to 2 cen (or 3 or 4), but stay like that for weeks. Others go from 0 to 10 in a matter of hours. Unfortunately vaginal exams tend to set people up -- either giving them false hope that they are "going to have the baby any day now" or depress them making them think "I'm going to have to be induced." When the reality is that the numbers mean nothing. Honestly, there is no real reason for these exams and most midwives don't even do them.

Remember you are still a week and a half from your due date and most women will actually go over their due date (especially first time moms) if left alone. Do some research on evening primrose oil if you want to try to soften the cervix a bit.

Here's a link about vaginal exams.

Good luck!Myth of vaginal exams

Message edited 4/13/2011 11:30:13 AM.