Natural labor vs epidural?! Your experience and advice, please!

Question

This will be my first. I am very interested in a natural labor but want to know details! Did you hire a dula, take classes, etc? Did you accept any types of pain meds, what kind?? How long was your labor? Pain.. i know it’s bad but I keep convincing myself if others can do it so can I? How did you do to prepare? 
Epidural: Did it delay your labor any? Cause you to have a c-section? Cause baby to go into distress? Back pains/issues after? 
Give me any advice, please!!

Answer

I’ve noticed a trend. It’s That those who use pain meds during labor have a much harder time recovering and those who feel the pain during labor recover much quicker. Basically, when do you want pain? Lol I had an epidural last time but this time I’m trying all natural because recovery was hell

Answer

I have given birth to 8 babies.   Most of them without anything for pain.   The key is to stay relaxed.   I did have one epidural which almost ended in a section as I couldn't feel to push properly.   That was with baby 3.   I swore never again.  With baby 7 I gave in and got IV pain meds which I am a HUGE fan of.  So when I had baby 8 and I felt myself starting to tense up and knew nope not doing this I had them give me the meds.   My 8th was my fastest labor/delivery but then again they have pit maxed out as baby and I were tolerating it.

Answer

I was determined to have a natural labor. I took classes read everything on how to have a successful natural birth. When the day came my water broke and because it was my first kid I ran straight to the hospital. They immediately gave me pitocin because they said I wasn’t progressing (they gave me an hour to let me progress... really?) I was in unnatural labor with pitocin for 24 hours stuck at 4cm having the most unnatural contractions they kept upping my pitocin drip. Finally after countless throwing up, peeing on myself and feeling defeated I got the epidural. I was able to relax and let my body do what it needed and 30 minuets I went from 4cm to 10 and pushed her out after like 5 pushes. The epidural made me not feel contractions but I still felt my daughter being born which I wouldn’t have any other way. My advice... don’t take the pitocin unless it’s 100% necessary.

Answer

I had my 2 kids without pain medication at all. I’m not going to lie, I asked for it but it was too late so I just had to “control “ the freaking pain. However, after I had the baby, no pain, no nothing, it was AMAZING! Just an advice, try to manage your pain as much as possible but if you can’t just ask for it. My best friend had an epidural & needed to get an emergency c-section because the contractions stop😩 . Best luck!

Answer

You’re going to get a mixture of answers... educate yourself on natural birth
Also there are other pain relief options as well.. look into those as well as the epidural
I had a pain medicated free birth and I would definitely do it again.. I labored many ways and I just took it one contraction at a time..

Answer

I'm in the same boat. first baby and I'm actually leaning toward going natural as I want to be able to get up and move or go to the shower and sit in the hot water if I want. I know I won't be able to do this with an epidural. I like the idea of trying to deliver standing and leaning on the bed or some other position where gravity will help baby come down and not be on my back trying to push. I'll have to wait til I'm farther along to really figure it out though as I have a small frame and big heads run in my husbands family. 😂 We'll have to see how big this baby is going to get and if I'll have to go with a c section instead like his mom had to with all of her kids.

Answer

Hired a doula who offered a prenatal class that helped me and my partner feel more confident. Read Ina May, and stayed as fit as I could. 
I had a water birth with no medication, and it took me 8 hours from water breaking to baby’s birth. I was in active labor and pushing for about 3 of those hours

Answer

I had an epidural and plan on having one with the next baby also. My daughter was born vaginally after two hours of pushing and no issues on her part, but the epidural only worked on the right side of my body. It’s rare for that to occur, though. With that said, I felt pretty much everything on one side and nothing on the other. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain, but if modern medicine has advanced to prevent us from feeling all of that pain, why not take advantage of it? I think it’s a personal preference and you can’t go wrong either way! Good luck!

Natural labor vs epidural?! Your experience and advice, please!

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