[Open] Poll: C-sections and vaginal births

[~Mrs. A2J~]

For all those who've had natural vaginal births, any words of wisdom for a first timer who wants to do the same?

Stay at home as long as possible. Many times when you check in at the hospital you're then "on the clock" and if you take too long in their opinion you're at risk for interventions. Know that although it hurts it DOESN'T last forever and that when the contractions are coming fast and furious you're almost at the end so hang in there.

 

[CrystalBrooke]

C-section - emergency after vaginal with meds attempt

 

[Linnis]

Believe in your body. I hate when I hear women saying they can't do it or don't believe in they can't. Your body was designed to be pregnant, give birth to and nurse that child. Yes, some things in life are painful but you can learn to work through and handle it. Baring medical reasons like blood pressure, baby not doing well, mommy not doing well etc of course.

I think I could have gone completely med free, had I not be forced to lay on my side to keep the baby's heart rate up. I had fluids, something to keep me calm(sleeping meds basically I felt drunk) and oxygen, so almost completely med free. I did have a local for my episiotomy.

I will attempt to go completely without meds next time but if my next baby does not handle labor well, than I'll do what's better for him or her.

I'm teeny tiny and delivered a 7 pound child vaginally who was the wrong way(he was facing up instead of down).

Oh and pushing feels SO GOOD! It makes most of the pain stop. Seriously, waiting for a contraction to build hurts but pushing feels great.

Whatever you do, do not let them make you push on your back. They made me do that than when I couldn't push effectively tried to tell me it was proof I couldn't do it and wanted me to have a C-Section. Nope. I told them to sit me up and I pushed and yeah, I pushed him out.

 

[-~Truth_N_Trust~-]

i put natural vaginal, although i did use some gas so maybe i should have put with meds...

advice - try to be confident and relaxed, learn as much as you can about what will happen so you're not as scared, know that for the majority of women a fairly uncomplicated birth is very acheivable - but if you need some help it is right there for you.
I just went in hoping and praying for the best - specific prayer about how I wanted it to go - and had my DH with me and praying for us the whole time...
Oh, and pushing feels GREAT! such a relief!!

 

[~Mrs. A2J~]

Oh, and push when you feel the urge to push not just because you're 10cms. With my smaller baby I pushed when the doctor told me to push because I has reached 10 and it was very hard work. With my 9lbs 12oz baby I followed my body's cues and he was out in 3 pushes (2 for the head and 1 for the rest of his body).

 

[Leanna]

I had one planned vaginal with epidural (and all sorts of "accompaniments" as Rose put it) and then I didn't like how that turned out how I had one planned natural vaginal birth with a better recovery.

 

[BananaCake]

This thread is so encouraging to us natural-birthers!

 

[sparassidae]

4 natural vaginal births. Great info from Rose, couldn't really add anything to that.

Don't be afraid to vocalise what you're feeling, it will make you feel so much more in control.

I actually apologised to the midwife after my last for complaining so much. The second (pushing) stage was long (for me- about 15 minutes). Baby was facing slightly off centre, so changing my position worked to 'jiggle' her down, but up to that point I was "I'm pushing as hard as I can, I don't think I can do this!"

Of course I knew I could do it- I had three times before but gee it felt good to be whinging the whole time- much better than bottling it up!

 

[ufonium2]

I would do a little reading on c-sections just in case, even if I were dead-set on a natural birth.

When I was pregnant, I skipped over the c-section chapters of my books, thinking that I, as a healthy 25-year-old, wouldn't have one. But when I went in to labor, things got very complicated very quickly, and I had to have an emergency c-section so quickly that they couldn't get one of the IVs in and just started without it. So not only did I have a c-section, which I was totally unprepared for, but it was a gnarly one with a complicated recovery and I had no idea what to expect.

So I would read up on it, even if you think it's out of the question, especially if nobody in your family or friends have had one.

 

[RoseofLima]

I would do a little reading on c-sections just in case, even if I were dead-set on a natural birth.

When I was pregnant, I skipped over the c-section chapters of my books, thinking that I, as a healthy 25-year-old, wouldn't have one. But when I went in to labor, things got very complicated very quickly, and I had to have an emergency c-section so quickly that they couldn't get one of the IVs in and just started without it. So not only did I have a c-section, which I was totally unprepared for, but it was a gnarly one with a complicated recovery and I had no idea what to expect.

So I would read up on it, even if you think it's out of the question, especially if nobody in your family or friends have had one.

This is very, very wise counsel! I am a great believer in knowledge to drive away fear. I try to really learn abouteverything I can, which then dispells the darkness and brings my fear into the light.

 

[RoseofLima]

Oh one more very, very, very important thing--- pant (shallow, short breaths like you're blowing out a candle) through crowning...all the way until the head is born. That is very, very important if you want to avoid tearing! Remember pushing is an involuntary action-- so you are allowing your body and gravity to do the work and you are trying not to add any force to those contractions as the head is being born.

 

[Leanna]

You know I must have had the strangest experience with pushing. I did not have the urge to push, and it didn't feel good. It didn't feel bad either, but the contractions were hitting me like a freight truck and I finally decided I could either sit there whining about it all evening (I was at 10 for a while before I came to this conclusion) or I could push the baby out-- so push I did. I did NOT feel the ring of fire although at one point she told me not to push and so I didn't (which I found not to be a problem because I had no urge) ..... I had enough of a tear to get one stitch, which is far better than my first birth's 4th degree tear. I noticed nothing about the pushing but the contractions continued to be overwhelming until the end..... and then some (after pains).

 

[Redstiletto]

Also wanted to add that it's going to hurt- it's going to hurt a lot, it's going to be very hard work....AND despite those things you can do it!

The pain and hard work are exactly what you are supposed to be feeling- it means your body is doing its job birthing your baby. And it will end...often throughout my labor I think to myself "By this time tomorrow, I'll have met my baby!"

I am a baby when it comes to pain. Saying it is going to hurt is making me not want this part to come.

Seriously, I am petrified of giving birth (I know, I probably should have thought about that 7 months ago before I got pregnant)

I am petrified of pain, I am petrified of needles.

Dennis (my hubby) even asked me how I thought I was going to go through with it. Especially since I dont want an epidural (Because needles scare me and having a needle in my back is like a huge fear)

If he has doubts how am I supposed to pretend to be brave?

I just I am just really scared.

 

[RoseofLima]

I think that fear is a normal part of birth--particularly for first time moms. My advice would be to actually run through it all in your mind...script it out- what are your biggest fears-what will you do in the face of them? Try to be specific- try to think about how you would handle it. Athletes practice for and visualise for their competitions--they prepare for when things might be tough--and they do this all ahead of time, so it becomes easier to deal with the struggle when it appears.

I don't think it's useful to project the image that if a woman just labors "right" it won't hurt. However, and this is a huge however-- the pain of childbirth is totally different from other pain. You have to keep telling yourself in labor that this pain is there not because there is something wrong--but that this is exactly what your body is supposed to be doing! (All other pain is in response to danger, or to let you know it's time to ease up on what you are doing)Also the pain comes and goes in waves-- it is not a steady pain that doesn't stop. If you are not induced and go into labor on your own- your contractions will also build--if you do not have an epidural- your brain will release endorphins to help you through- and then adrenaline in 2nd stage.

Just keep telling yourself in labor that this pain is good, it doesn't mean anything is wrong.

LOL! I tend to look at labor like a big mental game--it's all about not letting the labor overtake you.

 

[CrystalBrooke]

I am a baby when it comes to pain. Saying it is going to hurt is making me not want this part to come.

Seriously, I am petrified of giving birth (I know, I probably should have thought about that 7 months ago before I got pregnant)

I am petrified of pain, I am petrified of needles.

Dennis (my hubby) even asked me how I thought I was going to go through with it. Especially since I dont want an epidural (Because needles scare me and having a needle in my back is like a huge fear)

If he has doubts how am I supposed to pretend to be brave?

I just I am just really scared.

I could feel myself wanting to cry as soon as I walked into the delivery room...I was aboslutly horrified! But after I got hooked up (I was put on the drip) and while we waited for something to happen, lol, I had many visitors and hubby and I played cards..my MIL yelled at the nurse..I was completely distracted! Hopefully the same will be done for you (except for the MIL thing) take a book, cards, a game..something to help pass the time and take your mind off of it.

Later that night when the contractions became noticable (just like a bad period cramp) I realized that it would be "go time" soon, and I finally broke down and cried and told my husband how scared I was..my mom came in shortly after and saw that my mascara was running (lol yeah I did my make up earlier that day) and kissed me on the head and said "It'll be ok, Emily's almost here"..and she was right. It got painful later on, but think of what you're getting out of it! A few hours of pain is nothing compared to a lifetime of unconditional love that your child will give you.

As far as the needles thing goes, I don't like them either, but I didn't like my contractions even more so I opted for the epidural, I didn't even feel the needle, it wore off later, but it did help me sleep for a little while.

Anyways, there's nothing to be scared of, the pain lets you know that your little one is trying to get out to see you!

 

[Redstiletto]

Thanks that helps a little. But I think until I go through it a first time, I wont be able to see it as anything other than a lot of fear and a lot of pain.

 

[CrystalBrooke]

That's true, I look at it better now than I did before Emily...maybe next time I won't want to cry as soon as I walk into the deliver room

But you'll be fine, just focus on that little baby

 

[olafias]

My biggest fear is that I will go into labor on a day when my husband is working far away (some days they are 3 hours away from home) and my in-laws and brother and sister-in-law are at their cabin in Canada on a lake where cell phone reception is shotty besides the fact that they would be over 5 hours away. I am afraid of being alone. I'm hoping that when my due date approaches, everyone will just stay kind of close to home in case I need someone...that scares me more than giving birth!

 

[Leanna]

What made my fear lessen was to read childbirth books-- knowledge distills fear. I read Ina May's Guide To Childbirth (sorta hippie-ish but really cool to see what a positive view those women had of their own birthing experiences) and Natural Childbirth The Bradley Way ..... birthing is not my favorite experience but there is no easy way-- c-section isn't easy, epidural/meds isn't easy, natural isn't easy.... sorry to break it to you

 

[CrystalBrooke]

hey hey hey...the meds made it easy for a while lol They at least let me sleep for a few hours. Now, Pitocin, that makes labor really hard and really painful.