HOW WAS YOUR BIRTH? EPIDURAL? NATURAL?

Dianne - posted on 09/15/2010

I planned on natural, but being that my water broke @ 11am, got to the hospital @ 1pm and I wasn't having any contractions I was given Pitocin to start them and dear lord did they start! I endured the contractions for 5 hours then I just couldn't anymore so I ordered the epidural! I'm glad I did because I was in labor for another 7 hours after that. Although, by the time it was time to start pushing, I felt pain either way because they lowered the dosage and it started wearing off. Fortunately I had no negative side effects to the epidural. I must say though, hats off to all the naturals who felt ALL the pain ALL the way!

Valerie - posted on 09/07/2010

ALL NATURAL



With my first son all I had was pain killers

Labor and delivery lasted 3 hours.

Best labor I've ever had.

Loved the experience.



With my second son it was ALL natural.

No pain killers or epidural (I REFUSE)!

Labor and delivery starting from the first contraction lasted 12 mins. I pushed him out at 8 centimeters.

I felt everything, rough experience because my doctor was only there for 2 minutes. And the darn nurses were getting on my last nerve. After that NO MORE BABIES! I love my 2 boys and I am very happy I didn't choose any other method. Natural was the best feeling even after my last experience.

Melissa - posted on 09/05/2010

Well All my 3 where Normal. But i must admit i had epidural.

Aida - posted on 08/29/2010

I had three boys and they were all natural no epidurals. And it was all worth it!! Granted yes it was painful but in my my mind it was how GOD wanted it to be! And it was!

Vanessa - posted on 08/22/2010

2 epidural y el ultimo ni al hospital tuve tiempo gracias ha dios que por lo menos mi esposo pudo llamar 911.

Adriana - posted on 08/22/2010

mine were both c sections ...with my first i wasnt dialating so i was induced but still nothing happend i was having contractions for 3 days until my mom said to do the c section ...the second one was a c section because its just easier that way ....

Henrietta - posted on 07/30/2010

I had an epidural with both of mine. I was a little nervous about it the first time so I'd asked for pain meds through my i.v. but I was having hallucinations from it and it was not a good feeling at all, plus it would wear off. I was in labor for over 30 hours with my first (he was also a week late) so I finally asked for the epidural. I did really good after that. The 2nd one I chose an epidural from the beginning. My labor with my daughter was about half the time with no problems. I do notice however that there's an area on my back where the epidural was that really hurts if pressed on hard but since that almost never happens, I consider it an acceptable trade for bypassing almost 50 combined hours of labor pain lol.

Chacee - posted on 07/29/2010

i was in labor for 3 days the pain got worst with every contraction , got the epidural the last 2 hours of my labor which they said helped me dialate faster and helped me rest so i can have the strength to push when he came and had him natural and three pushes he was out. i was 3 weeks early with a 8 pound 1 ounce baby.

Maria - posted on 07/25/2010

Natural-no meds nothing...super long labor 60hrs, but I had a home birth. No regrets, and thank God everything went well, great midwives and plan on doing it like that with all my future kids :-)

Emily - posted on 07/15/2010

natural, no drugs other than the one to induce and pitocin to speed it up.
i was induced at 6 pm wed and on fri about 12 am they decided to give me pit because the dr said she was tired of waiting for this baby to come (they induced me early so no duh the baby and my body wasn't going the right speed).
I discussed my options with the nurse and told her about the horror stories I had heard about hour long contractions. but after about 10 or 15 minutes on that I felt the baby go for it.
I went from a 4 to a 10 in less than 20 minutes and at 1:08am she was born.

Claudia - posted on 07/13/2010

i got the epidural bcuz i was in labor for over 19hrs. my water broke so i had to go to the hospital wen i got there i was only 1cm dialated. they let me do it all on my own wit no drugs to get it started. but its not tht bad like others say. oh i had my son naturally no csection.

Estela - posted on 07/04/2010

this was my 1st pregnancy && it was NATURAL all the way. I was induced 2 days before my EDD. when I came into the hospital I was already in active labor, I was 4 cm open with no contractions or pain what so ever. like 2 or 3 hours before the baby was born I asked for some pain meds to sleep a little..... then all of a sudden it was time to push in 3 pushes he was born & I felt an instant relief ٩(-̮̮̃-̃)۶

Raquel - posted on 07/04/2010

I went into preterm labor on a Thursday and had her on the following Saturday morning. Because she was too small, they couldn't give me any pain medication. I had her naturally and she came out after 2 pushes. I was only in labor for about 20 minutes. That was my 3rd time going into labor though.

Helen - posted on 06/12/2010

Thank y' all, estoy de 32 semanas y la verdad todavia no me decidia, pero con lo que he leido a menos que mi Dios diga otra cosa, voy a tener mi parto natural.

Marcela - posted on 06/07/2010

With my first I went through 24 hours of labor without an epidural. I had a doctor who didn't believe in epidurals & said it I would be more effective without one. I was already pushing for what seemed to be a loong time when the doctor said the baby was not going to come through! After all of that I was sent to have an emergency c-section and had an 11 pound baby girl! The whole thing was too much but the good thing is that the second time around my c-section was programed so I skipped the suffering I went through with my first.

Anna - posted on 06/04/2010

WIth both my sons I had an epidural. I tried my hardest to do it naturally but the pain just got worse. I waws in labor with my first for 48 hrs..and my second was almost the same. but when it finally came time to push it took me 10 mins and they were out..I was scared to have the epidural b/c of all the stories I've heard, but I made sure thye only had to do it once and that it was a professional and not a student doctor..

Elisabed - posted on 05/28/2010

Just had my third child. I didn't have the epidural. I went in to the hospital at 9:20 a.m. I delivered at 11:31 a.m. My baby weighed 9lbs 3oz. I think we women are able to handle any kind of pain. God made us great!

Emily - posted on 05/26/2010

natural, no drugs
i was induced at 37 weeks
then used pitocin later on
actualy hard labor pushing less than 1 hour

Blanca - posted on 05/21/2010

I had an epidural and it was the worst thing i could have done. I was already at 6cm and once i got it everything stopped. they were planning to do a c-section since i had already been in labor for about 12 hours. but right before they prepared me for that they checked me again and i was at 10cm. i had my baby after about 45 min and we both had a fever of 105. he stayed in the nicu for one week and i had complications with my right leg. 6 weeks later i am barely walking and still cant hold my own weight.... so i would say just go natural...

Brenda - posted on 05/21/2010

El mio fue natural, tengo solo una niña de 3 años ahora y no necesite Epidural, solo fueron 4 horas de labor y las contracciones fueron al final dolorosas pero valio la pena traer al mundo a ser tan hermoso como mi peque y no fue porque no quisiera la Epidural simplemente que cuando las contracciones fueron demasiado fuertes ya era DEMASIADO tarde!!!, lol

Mari - posted on 05/19/2010

I had the plessure of having both and the natural way was not by chioce! I had an epidural with my son, who is my first child and it was great! I didnt feel a thing! I had my ipod in, I combed my hair, and I read a magezine all the way up to 10cm. Even when I pushed I was so numb I didnt feel anything. My daughter who is my second child I had without meds and that was horrible. She was coming out so fast that I didn't have time to get it caz they had a multiple traumas at the hospital I was giving birth at. But if you have that pleasure of having a natural labor once your done you will feel like you can conquer the world as many times as you want! Heck at that point you may feel like you can swim to Europe and back...lol

Griselda - posted on 05/18/2010

It's very interesting that most of the resposes state 'natural'. I don't know if its a cultural thing but many hispanics shy away from getting pain relief. Now, I'm wondering, for those that didn't give a reason for going 'natural'- was this decision based on what was your family member's past birth plan? In other words no epidural because its frown upon in your family, your great grandparents, grand parents, mother, and older aunts didn't get it.

In my family the older women such as my mom, aunts, grandparents etc frown upon it...

but I didn't care I got the epidural :)

Sophia - posted on 05/17/2010

I was trying to go natural but after 24 hrs of labor I would not get past a 4 and the baby was not dropping, so I decided to go ahead with a c-section and I am glad because he was 11 lbs 14 oz and I am a 5'1" woman

Elizabeth - posted on 05/17/2010

me, al natualllll !!! no epidural or nothing!!! but then My kids were both premies.

Beatriz - posted on 05/06/2010

I went natural for both of my births. My husband and I took Bradley classes and I felt prepared. My first birth was at the hospital because my daughter had a congenital heart defect and my second birth was at a birth center. The birth center was the absolute best!! I will go natural with any of my future babies. If you are mentally and physically prepared, you can definitely do it:)

Astrid - posted on 05/04/2010

even when I was more than 60 hours in pain (I was in labor a lot!), I didn't have an epidural...

Heidi - posted on 05/04/2010

epidural.. i was such a baby when it came to my contractions once i was 6 cm plus my labor was long it took 22 hours for my little girl to arrive...

Jaimie - posted on 05/04/2010

Mine Was Natural, I Could Take The Pain It Wasnt As Bad As My Mother Said It Was, But When It Got To The Point Where I Couldn't Take It Anymore... My Doctor Said I Was 10cm.. So I Went Natural, 2 1/2 Hours Of Pushing.

Gertrudis - posted on 05/04/2010

it was normal for 10 hours then i got the epidural and had the baby 3 hours later

Jaen - posted on 05/03/2010

epidural, it was hard.

Wisdom - posted on 04/24/2010

When ever in doubt I highly recommend this documentary http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/
I would highly encourage mother to go for natural births by preparing themselves to give birth. Unfortunately our society tells us that when you go into the hospital you have to be immobilized in a wheel chair or laying in bed but what they don't tell us is that the more active we are in our own labor the more chances we have to give natural birth.
My own story goes that when I was ready to push, the doctors were so threatened by my determination to give birth squatting (which is how many indigenous cultures do it, as is the less painful and less damaging for the woman's body) that they kept telling me NOT TO PUSH. Against my will I gave birth while lying down, and therefore suffered some tearing (nothing major).
For my next baby I am planning to give birth in a birthing center or at home, as I am ready to give birth naturally again as it is beneficial to the mother and the child.

To prepare yourself to give birth naturally I highly recommend this reading: http://www.birthingfromwithin.com/

I hope this helps :)

-Wisdom

Marysol - posted on 04/22/2010

I was induced, I was two days past due and had low amniotic fluid. They said the baby needed to come out. I ended up getting the epideral, i couldnt just lay there and handle the pain...they wouldnt let me move, walk or, squat because the baby needed to be monitored. I delivered naturally within 12 hrs of labor. which was really good, if he hadn't came when he did they were gonna get him out thru c-section....

Johanna - posted on 04/22/2010

i was preggo with my 1st child and i had my babyshower march 29th and at 2am march 30th my water broke i was scared because it was my 1st and i went to sleep after changing and everything and i woke up at around 3pm the latest i ever slept lol i woke up with no pain i ate breakfest and then was counting the contractions and they felt like menstral cramps but a lil stronger and so i aint go till i was 3mins apart in contractions and when i got there they checked and his head was there and i started pushing he was born march 30th at 340pm and it was a vaginal birht with no medication what so ever...but everyone is different

Nuria - posted on 04/21/2010

Mine was natural but it was really painful!!! I did not want to have an epidural.

Lydia - posted on 04/14/2010

MINE WAS NATURAL....I DIDNT PLAN FOR IT TO HAPPEN THAT WAY...BUT IM GLAD IT DID...I LABORED AT HOME FOR LIKE 17 HRS AND BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE HOSPITAL, THE DOCTOR WAS AFRAID TO TELL ME IT WAS TOO LATE FOR ME TO GET AN EPI BECAUSE I WANTED ONE....SO BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE L&D ROOM, THEY BROK MY WATER AND 20 MINUTES LATER, MY SON WAS BORN...AND I LOVED IT! I WILL DO IT AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT

MaryEllen - posted on 04/11/2010

I was given an epidural with our first, but labor was so long that it had worn off by the time he was born. Later took a Tylenol and was fine.

I had a c-section with our second. I was on serious pain-killers for almost a week. Big difference!

Carol - posted on 04/11/2010

I had a natural birth no epidural. My girl was also born after three pushes. My contractions were manageable and I would not say they were painful. I will have the same kind of birth for my second baby.

Shannon - posted on 04/10/2010

I had a Natural birth for my daughter, my son I chose to have an Epidural....My son was a big baby 10lbs, this is why I chose to have an epidural, after he was born, I regretted it, it was the worse feeling I felt, I had an excruciating headache,I felt extremely nauseated, weak and irritable, was not ready to start nursing due to the state I was in.
My daughters birth was completely different, I chose to have her naturally, I'm so glad I did, I was in labor for 2 hour, labor pains were intense but manageable with deep breathing, my little girl was born after 3 pushes..it was quick and easy :)

Amy - posted on 04/09/2010

I have had one child with an epidural and one without. The one without of course hurt more but to me it was worth it. I couldn't feel anything with my epidural and they had to tell me when to push. I don't remember the pain exactly withoud the epidural but I am proud to say I did it myself and I will do it again without the epidural if I ever have more kids.

Maria - posted on 04/06/2010

I was induced but other than that all natural. 11 hours of labor, tore quite a bit but no pain medication and it was worth it all.

Barbora Milena - posted on 04/05/2010

natural all the way.... got contractions at 12pm at home, had shower, called my doc, went to the hospital, doc checked me, my water broke by 3pm n by 9pm my daughter was born...no epidural, no medicine, nothin, just my mom by my side, loads of showers n boucing ball :-D

Carol - posted on 04/01/2010

Both births were natural for me. I generally have a reaction to any kind of medication or anything "strange" in my body. I don't even remember (and this has been 5 years) how painful it was. The only thing I remember is how glad I was that my children were so perfect and beautiful. I think we should all experience the pains of labor, for some it might be a good birth control, for others, it tells you exactly what nature is all about. I need to add as well that I have a high tolerance for pain though and every day Yoga classes (from a tape in my livingroom) helped with my concentration and I didn't scream.

Rita - posted on 03/29/2010

All natural i heard of all the risks with epidural so i dont like it i was in labor for 15hr and took the pain i was screaming to the top of my lungs and they put me in every positions you can imagine butt up on y side in the bathroom toilet it was hard but all natural :)

Bianca - posted on 03/29/2010

EPIDURAL!!! I was really young when I had my first. Of course I was scared and everything went pretty smoothly. No excruciating pain, just pressure at the end for a few seconds. With my second, I felt those contractions!!!!! Props to all you naturals! I honestly don't think I could have done it.

Natalie - posted on 03/29/2010

I had the epidural.I didnt feel anything untill it was time to push it hurt a little.To be honest during the labor itself it was wonderfull the bad part comes after.And this is not only my opiniion ive heard other moms say it yoo.It does something to your back.My back started hurting after that it hurts when its cold on rainy days when its humid it's almost like artritis and im 20 years old.So seriosly i wouldnt recomend it.Im planing to have another baby in the future but epidural i dont see in that future,,,

Yazmin - posted on 03/28/2010

I meant more painful that the contractions... sorry!

Yazmin - posted on 03/28/2010

I was a day late ( it's my 1st bby so I was scared) so I went to the hospital the day after my due date and they told me that eveything was fine but his heart was beating fast ( the tire from the car popped on the way to the hospital.. scary) so they left me there... I was only 2cm for about 5 hrs so they induced my labor.. contractions were killing me so I got the epidural (the best =]) but I only opened 4 cm from the time I got there which it was a Sunday at 6pm until Monday 2pm when the dr decided that it was going to be a c-section which I think was more painful than the epidural lol

Elisabed - posted on 03/27/2010

Both of mine were natural. I didn't have the epidural. I'm still a little skeptical about having a needle go in my back. Both of mine were only a couple of hours. Of course the second child was less time than the first. I'm not sure how I'll do with my third. I guess I'll find out in May!

Sarah - posted on 03/04/2010

With both my kids i had an Epidural, i'm a wimp i'll admit it. With my first i was in labor 16 hours, my second only 4. They were both vaginal, and o only tore a little with my first. The labor of the first was worse only because i was on drugs to progress my labor and it made the contrsctions worse. With my second i dialted naturaly.

Karina - posted on 03/04/2010

mine was natrual.

it was only a 30 min of labor.

and at first i got there i didnt feel anything.

and she checked me saying that i was in labor she gave me the epurdural

and then with 3 push my son was out!