Unmedicated birth experience?

I’m a first time mom and with my son I wasn’t able to get an epidural, I was terrified when they told me that, I cried! So I went on having contractions for 4 hours and then they broke my water, less than 3 hours after they did that I had my son after pushing for 20 minutes.. to help with the pain I was given nitrous oxide, which really helped a lot.. and honestly if I have more children in the future I will probably go without an epidural! It really was a great experience for me, I did end up having a second degree tear.. I really think if I was more mentally prepared to have a natural birth it would have been even better!

My active labour was 10 hours and unmedicated.My daughter came out with her arm up and hand by her face so I was cut down and to the side to give her room (she still ended up with a broken collar bone 🙁). They did administer local anaesthetic but unfortunately I don’t do very well with anaesthetic.Most of the contractions & birth feels like a blur, I think I was just too tired and out of it and looking back I can’t help wonder if pain relief might have stopped me “zoning out” as such but by time I asked about it I was already 9cm so there wasn’t much point. I was that “out” my partner said I fell asleep between pushes and they were forcing me awake each time the monitor showed the start of a contraction to push. The hardest part for me was the stitches afterwards as there were a lot - but again this was because I don’t react well to local anaesthetic (and they’d given me the maximum dose allowed) - if that had worked and I was numb it wouldn’t have been so bad.

I had a very long 15 hour active labor and pushed for 2.5 hours, but was able to have a water birth that was transformative and amazing. When you’re not medicated, you just get into a zone and feel like you’re in a different realm, as your body is pumping you full of hormones to aid the birthing process. Try and remove fear from your thinking, and know that you’ve birthed before, so second time around your body will know what to do 💪✨ Trust in your body’s abilities and innate, feminine wisdom to get you through it. I reminded myself throughout labor that the pain can never be too much for my body to handle because it is my body just going through the motions of a normal biological process. Your job is to reduce any fear/stress so your body can do her thing. Your body is incredible and you will birth the way you’re meant to and your little one will enter the world the way they’re meant to. You’ve got this, Mama! Good luck xx

I had an unplanned natural birth, and the contractions were hard but It was such a relief when my body just started pushing and I barely felt any pain. It was my second, though. My first was a much longer labor and I am glad I got the epidural for it.

I have 1 daughter...she was a very quick birth just about 30 mon in active labor and only about 10 hr of normal contractions. She came to fast to get any medican and in all honesty if im.able to have a 2nd one (bf has low sperm count...daughter is a blessing) I'm probably going to have no medican again.

I always planned an unmedicated birth and I’m so glad I stuck with it - my contractions started at midnight and she was born the next morning at 11am. The contractions were bad I won’t lie, but as soon as I got in the pool (I had a water birth) the pain practically went! I pushed 3 times and she was out, no rips/tears/prolapses. Planning the same for baby number 2 :)

My first was a 72 hour non medicated birth. I hated every minute of it; I pushed for 2.5 hours and needed to be cut because he got stuck which lead to my over 20 stitches so healing was a bitch. I felt EVERYTHING! It was awfulMy second was a 9 hour medicated birth, I went as long as I could without it but I wasn’t progressing so they gave me the epidural which let my body relax and do its thing! I only pushed for 20 min and didn’t tear or need stitches the healing was fast!My third was a 18 hour medicated birth as well again I went as long as I could which was about 17.5 hours before I got the epidural. Once I got it I had about. 30 min window for it to work and it did, I pushed for 20 min and didn’t tear or need to be cut!.My last 2 births were amazing

The contractions suck. That’s the worst part. When it comes to pushing, your adrenaline is so high your body is basically numb. I felt the ring of fire. I felt my doctor cut me to assist in pulling out my daughter because the cord was around her neck. It’s all bearable. The contractions are what feels like knives. Once you get through and it’s time to push, then it gets better. Because pushing actually relieves the pain from contractions. Honestly, the most painful part of it all, was the nurse massaging the belly after to make sure all of the after birth is out of you. That shit fucking hurt.

My first labor was 2.5 hours, missed the epidural. Had a 2nd degree tear and I felt it happen but it wasn’t pain, it was really weird. Felt the repair too but I was so high on post-delivery hormones it only tickled, also a weird sensation.My second was under 2 hours, missed the epidural again. Another 2nd degree tear, didn’t feel the tear at all, but the repair was tough I could feel it all and it was definitely painful that time.Like actual contractions and the ring of fire and all, it was just like ‘oh well this is happening’ since I had no choice about it. My first I was totally unprepared for the speed of it, and got through it all by chanting the word “crap” through every contraction lol, I remember thinking “if I’m talking then I’m breathing” and that seemed important. So with my second I tried to talk as much as I could with contractions.

I had planned to have an unmedicated birth since the day i found out i was pregnant. I got to the hospital & i was already 3 CM dialted. A few minutes goes by & my water break. i Got admitted. Once my water broke the contractions got worse. Around 6 cm dialated i started crying. At 7 cm , i started screaming lol. I was crying & screaming in pain. It was awful. if i could go back in time, i would totally get the epidural.Labor was supposed to be beautiful, it was supposed to be exciting. Instead , it was back to back contractions. I hated it. The only thing i loved , was when my baby started crying & they layed him on my chest. i already told my husband, if i end up pregnant again, i'm getting the epidural as soon as the contractions start getting fucked up lol.