How did you give birth ?

Dh and I are TTC to conceive and I've been researching some of the hospitals near us in NJ and I am shocked by the c-section rates. I've seen the Business of Being Born, so I knew that they were high, but I didn't realize they were that high ! ( 50 % in the hospital near me) Of course, there are many times when c section is neccesary, but that number is crazy. Anyways, it made me curious. How did you give birth ?

How did you give birth ?

Vag drug free.

I waited as long as I could to go to the hospital, which would be my suggestion if you want to do that route. I only went in when I did because I was bleeding and it made me nervous, but I was fully dilated when I got to the hospital.

Arrived at 410, started pushing at 430, she was born at 530. Try didn't even have time to put an iv in me

Re: How did you give birth ?

Induced with Cervadil, gave birth vaginally without an epi

Re: How did you give birth ?

Vaginally with an epi.
The epi did NOT slow my labor at all, did NOT slow the baby coming down the birth canal, and did not cause me to need pitocin or any other interventions as a lot of the research suggests.
My birth was text book.
I will say that the epi wore off by the time it was time to push and I felt EVERYTHING. Tearing, crowning, etc.
It was bad. But it was less than an hour of pushing.
But I did not feel ONE contraction from 4 cm when I arrived at the hospital to 10 cm when it was time to push.
Sweet heaven that thing was. Sweet heaven.
I want to kiss that blessed anesthesiologist who administered it.

Message edited 8/4/2014 12:37:18 PM.

How did you give birth ?

C section after 12 hrs of labor. And in the end there was no way DS was coming out on his own. His arm was up over his head and was making him too wide to come out.....and I had issues that my dr would not allow me to be off my blood thinners too long so I always knew it was a big possibility and wouldn't do anything differently.

Re: How did you give birth ?

Both. 1 kid, vag with drugs. 2nd kid, c-section because he never turned. He was side to side in my rib cage and I had a herniated umbilical.

Re: How did you give birth ?

I've given birth 3 times, all vaginally. I had an epidural with my first two, but my third was drug free.

How did you give birth ?

I went through 30 hours of labor with 3 hours of pushing and I ultimately ended up with a csection. In my case though I really feel like there was no other way. DS was huge (almost 11lb!) and no matter how hard I pushed he just would not budge.

How did you give birth ?

I delivered both of my DS vaginally with drugs (in NJ at a hospital with a fairly high rate of c-section - even though of the 10 people I know who delivered there, only one needed a section).

After DS 1, when the anesthesiologist came to take out my epi she mentioned that they were discussing the possibility of me needing a c-section but, things started to progress.

Re: How did you give birth ?

How did you give birth ?

I had a vaginal delivery with an epidural and pitocin. I was allowed to push as long as my vital signs and my dd's heart rate were stable. I was pushing on and off for 7.5 hours. I was allowed to labor in different positions in the bed but I was unable to stand since I had the epidural. The nurses helped me to change positions. I had a lot if back pain despite my epidural because my daughter was face up. The residents that assisted with my delivery performed massage to help move things along- in the end I had a vaginal delivery with only a minor tear that required one stich. I credit the doctors and nurses that were present for my delivery for assisting me to avoid a c-section.

Re: How did you give birth ?

Vag with drugs.

Re: How did you give birth ?

Vaginal with epidural. But, I tried to push, and nothing was happening, so the doc gave me some drug to help me feel my contractions more (not sure what it was), and then they turned off my epidural.

Re: How did you give birth ?

induced with both of my kids epidural with both DC#1 had vaginally DC#2 ended in an unplanned C-section

Re: How did you give birth ?

Two C-sections.

My first, they insisted she would be over ten lbs so I scheduled a C-section per my doctors recommendation. (she ended up only being 8lbs 8oz)

I was trying for a VBAC with my son but because I had GD I wasn't allowed to go past my due date. I showed zero signs of labor so I had to have a repeat C-section.

Message edited 8/4/2014 12:37:44 PM.

Re: How did you give birth ?

Re: How did you give birth ?

C-section because DS was breech.

How did you give birth ?

Vaginal delivery with epi. Water broke at 2:30. I got the epi when I was 9 cm so at that point, I do not think much can slow it down. Started pushing at 4:45 and I had DS at 5:30.

How did you give birth ?

Since I am post preggo and not planning on any others I can say honest I *NEVER* *EVER* *EVER* Wanted a vaginal birth. NO thank you no way in hell did I want to do that. I remember crying at 20weeks realizing there's only one way for her to come out.

Thankfully she was always breech (like she knew). So she was a C/S baby. Healthy and happy. I was still in labor pains for 9hrs because she came early but ultimately she was a C/S. If only she'd waited for a planned C/S.

To this day I still think it was the best option ever. I hate the shame and stigma that c/s get. So many of us have them (not by choice) and our children are just as likely to be as healthy as vaginal births.

My water started to leak at 1am. I had to wait until 9am or so for the doctors to all be there and do another woman first, then it was my turn. In and out in like 10mins it felt like. Pretty quick. Once I got my spinal it was finally painless. Took nothing at all from me being a mom or having a birth moment.

Re: How did you give birth ?

DD1- I was induced, was in active labor but progressing VERY slowly, had an epi so they could start pitocin, labor still moved slowly. Epi only numbed 1 side. Baby's heart rate was dropping with every contraction so I ended up with a C-Section. When they started cutting I could feel everything so they gave me another drug that made me super loopy and I hated it. Worst birth experience I still feel DD wasn't ready and I shouldn't have been induced.

DD2- VBAC. Waited to go to the hospital, expected to be AT LEAST 4-5 cm. Got there at 1.5cm I had to stay and be monitored since I was going for a VBAC. Got epi after 12 hours labor at the insistence of my OB and DH- only worked on 1 side and wore off within 3 hours. I felt everything for the birth (3 pushes!) and stitching up afterwards Still the most exhilarating and amazing thing I've ever done.

DD3- VBAC again. Didn't want drugs but OB said I needed to have them or risk a ruptured uterus because I was straining so hard against the pain- got to 4cm without epi. This time the epi worked so different from the 1st 2 times. I was totally numb from the waist down for HOURS. I went from 8-10 cm in like 1.2 an hour and pushed DD out in 2 pushes.

How did you give birth ?

Vag

Re: How did you give birth ?

Vaginally, with an epi. No induction. Water broke at 2:30am, went to the hospital, got an epi at 5cm I think? Didn't slow progress. Felt all the pushing, pushed for less than half an hour, baby born at 3:19pm.

Re: How did you give birth ?

Vaginally with Epi. Tried to go without, but by around 8 cm I couldn't take it anymore and caved. I was also induced so I feel like the pain was not gradual but rather hit me all at once. It was intense.

It almost ended by emergency c section because dd's heart rate dropped, but thankfully I dilated quickly and pushed her out super quick (I literally pushed 3 times and she was out all in a matter of a few min). I was very thankful; I did not want a c.

Message edited 8/4/2014 1:30:01 PM.

Re: How did you give birth ?

I SOOO wanted to have a natural birth. I also saw the Business of Being Born. (I wanted to anyway, but I guess that made it even more so.)

Alas, both children were breech.
DS #1 my water broke, so while it wasn't really an emergency, it was pretty quick with no pre-planning (was going to try for a version 3 days later) and they knocked me out due to a medical condition the anesthesiologist refused to give me a spinal block. It was basically the complete opposite of what I wanted.

DS#2 I tried an unsuccessful version. It was better, I guess - although as they poked me with holes and tried to get the spinal block in I wondered why on earth I wanted to be awake for it!!

How did you give birth ?

Both kids were vaginal with drugs
I tried to labor at home as long as possible which I think helped. With #1 technically contractions started at 3am and she was born at 5am the next day. But the contractions weren't really time able til the evening and so I waited it out as long as possible. Got to the hospital at midnight, was 5cm, dd was born at 5am. I'm sure if I went in earlier that day I may have ended up with a csection since it took a while to progress

With #2 I labored at home til 7cm...Ds was born 3 hours after getting to the hospital.

Both times I got the epi as soon as I arrived. With my first I barely felt pushing etc...with Ds it wore off earlier and I felt it alllllll