Labor With No Medication?

Linda - posted on 10/20/2010

Please be aware that Epidural Horror stories happen but aren't all that common.
With that in mind, I know you are terrified of the pain of childbirth. We all were, whether we admit it or not. But it's unavoidable. It's going to happen. It has to.
24 y/o Mom of 2 here, I remember when my 20 yr old cousin told me she was going to have a natural birth.
I refrained from describing my own labor horror story and I told her 'good for you, but please understand that it doesn't make you a bad mom or take anything away from the labor if you get right up there and decide "OK- drug me up", or if the doctor's tell you it's necessary for the baby's health, as they did for mine' and she kind of dismissed me,
since I had one unplanned Csection with my daughter and planned a second one with my son- (no offense midwives etc, but labor? been there done that got the t shirt- no need to feel that again)
I myself was nervous about the epidural, didn't want a needle in my spine, but after several hours of experiencing a 10 on the pain scale and my body's reaction to that kind of pain (vomiting- each and every contraction, not very likely to happen to you, I might add) I regained cognizance after they tried to stop the vomiting and hydrate me, they asked me if I wanted my epidural now and I said yes please.
My cousin went into labor, decided it hurt too much, got her epidural, and then no more than 40 minutes after that, had her little girl. The epidural actually sped up the process.
Which makes sense when you realize that 1. Fear of/Anticipation of pain directly contributes to pain experience and 2. If you are in pain, it affects your body's ability to heal and even function properly.
It is true that during labor, we women become more able to bear extreme pain (moreso than our male counterparts would), but they drug you up in the hospital afterward, and it's so you can heal better.
Even if you have a C section (scary thought), it doesn't take away from your child's birth.
You will get through it.

Teri Lyn - posted on 10/20/2010

I had my first daughter naturally without medication and for me it was the most traumatizing experience the burning of my vagina was enough along with pain to have the epidural with my second girl and it was the best labour and delivery yet im glad i had one yes u are numb and cant feel haviong to pee but it wore off quickly for me after birth and loved having it!! I am currently 3 months pregnant and will definitely have the epidural again!! just my opinion!!:)

Misty - posted on 10/20/2010

I have three children (4,2,11months) i did all three drug free they were 7lbs5oz-9lbs7oz. They say that once they place that baby on your chest you foget the pain.... it's true! Stick with what you want, remember EVERY delivery is different.

Ciara - posted on 10/20/2010

hi hope this helps but i was in the exact same dilema...the thing that really annoys me is that everyones labour is different so the people that tell you "oh labour is so hard ad so painfull" should be slapped i was terrified of going in to labour after al the horror stories i heard. but when i went to hospital in labour i refused pain relief and i was given several options in the end i did take the Entonox (gas and air) withhout the pethide inection and found that it was nough and seriously it wasnt that bad i have decided to go again without any pain relief (im due my 2nd in 4 weeks) but i may again go for the Entonox...hope this was helpful
p.s just a warning the Entonox can make you feel slighty woozy but this side effect doesnt last long after a minute or two without taken it. the feeling passes

Melanie - posted on 10/20/2010

I av just turned 23 and got a 15mth old girl and 5wk old twin girl's. I was induced with both pregnencys and had no pain relief with my first and had just gas and air with the twin's, i had now stiches with eather even tho the second twin was breech. i fonud that if u rly want to do it with out pain relief then u can, coz lets face it no one likes pain but if u keep tellin u self u can do it n breath tho the contrations u will coz i did n it worked for me.
I hope every thing goes ok for u.

Melissa - posted on 10/20/2010

My advice is to go in with an open mind. I didn't want an epidural with either of my kids but I had one with both. The first time around my labor was so long and drawn out, (I was induced and having contractions seconds apart) I couldn't imagine going through a whole day and night, which the warned me it might take because I wouldn't let them do a c-section. With my son I said I would take IV meds if needed but he had an erratic heart rate. So an epidural was my only choice and my labor was progressing so quickly I couldn't sit still for them to monitor him. I'd say keep an open mind go through as much as you can on your own, but at a certain point the pain peaks and you'll find out how much you can take. By the way I had two epidurals and neither one affected my ability to push. I pushed both kids out in 2-3 tries!

Geanna - posted on 10/20/2010

I had my son Sept 11th 2008. I had to be induced 3 days after my due date due to his size. I had a long labor (from the time I was induced until he came out was 25 1/2 hrs). I didnt get the epidural because I have heard from several mothers that they have had back pain from it (not all mothers have this issue). I also didnt want anyone putting a needle near my spine. The hospital I had my son at only does epidurals so I had no choice but to go without pain meds (which is ok because I didnt want them anyways). I wont lie it does hurt but if you do things that distract your mind like visualization (imagine a place you want to go some day, imagine what smells you might smell there, what things you might see, etc.). It worked really well for me so the only part that really hurt was when it came down to pushing and even then it wasnt so bad until his head crowned. That felt like a million fire ants were biting me down there but at that point it is the end and when they finish coming out the pain is gone and (due to a natural chemical released by your body) you just relax. It really isnt all that bad and I am going to do it the same in the future when I have another child. I hope this helps you.

Heather - posted on 10/20/2010

I didn't want an epi with my daughter, but I was open to the idea. While I reached a 14 out of 10 on the pain scale, I didn't end up having the medication. I asked my husband ahead of time to reply with "can you make it another ten minutes?" every time i started talking about the epidural. For me, taking it ten min at a time until it was too late was perfect. I figured I could take anything for another ten minutes, and eventually not having the option anymore was exactly what i needed. I didn't want demerol, because I didn't want my daughter to get any of it, regardless of whether or not it would affect her. It was also really nice to be able to walk right away. I felt like my recovery was so much faster.
I have heard of many women who regretted getting their epidural, but no too many who wished they had gotten it. You forget the pain, but you can always be proud that you went natural.

Fenna - posted on 10/20/2010

I have three kids and no epidurals. I wanted to hold off as long as possible with the first, but was open to the idea if I had to. My reasons were the speed of delivery, the requirement for them to poke a monitor into my not-yet-born baby's scalp, and the need for me to have a catheter if I had an epidural. None of those appealed. After 25 hours, though, I was exhausted and asked for the epidural. The nurse suggested I get into the shower while she got everything ready. She gave me some laughing gas to cut the pain while I waited. Four contractions later I felt like someone had crushed my whole body from shoulders to knees. Twenty minutes later, my daughter was born. There was no time for the epidural, but the laughing gas made a world of difference for me. My plan for the second was to do the same, but the canister of laughing gas they brought was empty, as was the second canister. The pain was too intense for me to be able to push during the contractions, so I pushed between them and it worked just fine. The nurses kept telling me not to waste energy yelling, but I couldn't. On my third, I had gas again and was able to clench my teeth and push instead of yelling and it made a huge difference. You might want to look into having a doula as they can provide lots of different pain management options. A friend of mine did that and with accupressure on her low back and perineal massage, she had nearly no pain and didn't tear.

Tiffany - posted on 10/20/2010

Okay, first off.....it is going to hurt, a lot. BUT after you are done you will not remember ANY of that. I did not want the epidural but ended up getting it because the pains were intense and I was scared. Well, it helped with contractions but it did indeed slow down my labor. When I was pushing it was horrible pain. I found out later that my epidural did not work. I felt everything. I got through it and you can too! With my next one, I will not be getting the epidural. Don't feel bad if you do end up needing it though! But if you can get through the contractions, you can get through the labor. Maybe I'm biased because I actually felt the whole process of pushing. There are a number of other things you can do to calm yourself, but the most important is not letting everyone freak you out. Politely tell them that this is what you want to do and that them saying things about how bad it will hurt is not helping you. Make sure you have an exercise ball that you can sit on, ice chips and take several showers while laboring if you need to. If this is something you want to do, go for it! You will get through it and at the end you will realize it is the most amazing experience you will ever have.

ASHLEY - posted on 10/20/2010

Try it without meds if you can do it power to ya! If you decide during labor you want medication then don't feel bad asking. You want to enjoy the birth of your child so remember to put that first if med free works for you that is great! Don't worry about the epidural usually it slows labor only if you get it early if you try and hold out till at least the 2nd stage of labor it's less likely to cause a problem. I got an epi with my first child when I was about 5 or 6 cm (no complications) and I had a great delivery! I am due Jan 20th with my 2nd and again I plan to wait as long as I can before I get my epi. I would love to do without if I could.

Amanda - posted on 10/20/2010

I didn't read all the comments so sorry if I am repeating. I read the first page and skimmed the rest. My beginning story is similar to Rachel's. I was 22 and knew I didn't want an epidural and educated myself about options. I couldn't convince my hubby that the birth center was best for me until I was 5 months along. LOL I started off with a Dr. and I disliked her and her staff as did my hubby. They didn't answer any questions and would tell me something and walk out of the room like I was supposed to know what they were talking about. I know not all Dr.'s are not like this but my first experience turned me off to Dr.'s. So, I finally made an appt at the birth center and both my hubby and I loved the midwife. She never left the room and didn't rush us along at all! It sounds like your hubby is on your side with the no meds which is awesome! I know that I would have not made it through labor with my first if it were not for my hubby. We took Bradley classes (highly recommend!) and he was the perfect coach. I even got him a "coach" shirt to wear during my labor. He had my honey sticks and water constantly coming. LOL He would even force me to drink water when it had been too long since I drank. I was in labor for 14 hrs with my first and ended up not getting a water birth like I wanted but the water did help with the pain while I was in. I got "in the zone" and couldn't tell you most of what happened. I do know that I used the birthing stool to deliver and I tore a bit. The stitches actually hurt worse than the delivery but I was holding my baby by then and nothing else mattered. With my second, I got my water birth and everything happened so quickly I didn't have time to think. LOL I didn't realize I was in labor until my water broke and she started crowning right away. HAHA Good luck with your decision, it is a hard one but you will make the right choice for you. Don't wait to make your decision at the last min, educate yourself and have a birth plan.

Calvina - posted on 10/20/2010

Hi! I'm 25 and have three children. They are 2,3 and 5. I had all three without any pain medication and am so thankful I did so! Everything went by so quickly and after the delivery, I felt wonderful! I was up and walking right after they cleaned me off! It is obviously very painful BUT if you take lamaze and learn how to do the correct breathing and learn to find a focal point, you will be fine! I actually closed my eyes and kind of zoned out. It was the strangest thing but I didn't even realize I had been in labor for 3 hours! Everyone tells you that you will forget the pain, I never believed them, BUT IT"S TRUE. You will remember that it hurt but not remember the pain itself. You can definately do it!! Good luck :)

Chrissie - posted on 10/20/2010

Hunny every labor is different for every woman. I am not saying it doesn't hurt because it does. It depends on your pain tolerance as well. I personally did not want an epidural either, I understand your fear of them, and of the hesitation to go at it with no medication at all. I went in with a fresh mind that I was going to avoid drugs at all costs, but I was not going to bash myself if I decided I needed them either. And guess what? =]
I did it all by myself, and it hurt like a mother but it was all worth it. Take it step by step and contraction by contraction. If you can't handle it ask for something. As far as your husband goes, explain to him that child birth is like pushing a watermelon through a lemon hole. I'm pretty sure if someone was going to stick a table leg down his you know, he'd probably want some pain killers too. It great to take their opinions for what they are and consider all of your options, but he is not the one that has to push this baby out.

Alison - posted on 10/20/2010

As a labor and delivery RN and a mother of four, all I can tell you is to leave your birth plan flexible, and do what feels right. There is no pain in the world like labor pain, and some handle it better than others. Its an individual decision for you to make, not your partner. An epidural does NOT slow down labor for everyone, and the side effects are minimal. Dont listen to everyones horror stories about their epidurals, because for every bad story, there are probably 150 good ones. Make decisions as they come, discuss your options with your doctor and nurses. Communicate your needs at the time and don't try to be a hero. There is no reason to feel guilty or defeated by accepting pain meds! You are giving life to another human being for goodness sake! You are entitled to be as comfortable as possible.

Amber - posted on 10/20/2010

Hi my name is Amber and I am 27 years old and have two wonderful boys. With my first son I had an epidural and a little bit of morphine and that's what made my labor longer beccause I didn't really know when to push. With my second son I saw a midwife and had him naturally. I did most of my laboring at home and when we got to the hospital I had him within an hour . It was very painful but so worth it. I was able to feel what I was supposed to do because I wasn't so out of it because of medication. Also having pain meds can be harmful to the baby because it slows down your labor and can make the baby stay in the birth canal longer with no oxygen.. I would say natural is the way to go . It is scary thinking about having no meds but its not that bad. Its also so much better for the baby. Good luck with everything you can do it.

Navoy - posted on 10/20/2010

Hello there! I have 3 children and i had them all natural, no epidural! i found it best to stay at home as long as possible before going to the hospital and have a very comforting and funny person around to take your mind off the pain. Yes labor is painful verrryyy painful, but just stay calm dont panic because it'll give you the shakes and you'll get dizzy. I did however get an IV when reaching the hospital and received demural (spellcheck) with the first two of them, it didnt last long at all. I am very very happy that i did not get an epi b/c i enjoyed the laboring experience very much so and after your baby is delivered any pain you may have had is totally gone!!!!!!! Many friends that i know have had epi's and they regret it!

Valerie - posted on 10/20/2010

I had an epidural with my first and it did make the labor longer I think. By the time he actually came out it had worn off so it was like I was giving birth naturally anyway. With my second, I didn't make it to the hospital in time for the epidural, which was fine cuz I didn't want one that time. A few years later I had my 3rd and she came natural too. I've done it natural 3 times and I would do it again if I were gonna have any more...but I got my tubes done so I (hopefully) don't have anymore! Good luck! You definitely feel better afterwards without it. At least I did.

Michelle - posted on 10/20/2010

I totally agree with Sarah - do what ever feels right to you and go with an open mind! Having a support person that feels that same with help alot. My midwife, anytime I made a demand (rub my back, get me ice, help me walk) would say 'She is in charge, she is the one having the baby, make her comfortable'.

Michelle - posted on 10/20/2010

I think you should just go with what happens. I definitely wanted to try my best to have a natural childbirth, but after being induced (She was 10 days late!!), the pain was intolerable. They explained it to me that when you are induced your body does the work in a few hours that it would over a few weeks naturally. There is no way that I could have lasted my 26 hours of labour without an epidural. It didn't make my labour last longer and after I got it I kept telling everyone in the room how stupid I was for waiting so long. Don't be scared of the pain, your body will be able to handle it and you and your nurses will be able to make the right decision for you. And an epidural (or other medication) is not failure. Remember that!

Michelle - posted on 10/20/2010

If you want to labour without medication and have back labour your nurse/doctor/midwife can give you saline in a needle at the site of pain and it will dissapate, and they are just salt and water. My friend had it for her first labour and swore by it. I had back labour with 2 of my kids and there was not time for the saline shots. It will hurt, but I found the stitches worse since you dont have a warm little baby afterwards.

Stephanie - posted on 10/20/2010

It does hurt, but not as bad as people are claiming.....to be completely honest with you, it just feels like you're having your monthly and the cramps are just a little more severe....don't worry, just remember not to hold your breath when a contraction hits, just breathe in and out slowly and have your husband wrap his arms around your lower back (While your standing) and gently squeeze...when I had my first daughter, my mother done that to me and it really helped..also, as you're lying down, turn on your side and have your husband massage your lower back with his fists, gently pushing on it....that also helps. Don't worry, you'll be fine...I asked for medication coming on the end and the dr told me it didn't even have time to kick in and my daughter was here..lol....congrats as well!



P.S: I always said when it comes to childbirth or children, my mother knows pretty much everything, she has 11 children ( all grown up,married and got children of their own now). So whatever she done raising them, I'm doing the same with my two..lol.

Shannon - posted on 10/20/2010

I totally understand where you are coming from, when I was pregnant with my first I was 20 and I took a prenatal class and they went through all the different methods of pain management, medicated and unmedicated. As soon as I saw the upidural I looked at my husband (then fiance) and said no, I can't do that!
Now after 4 babies in 5 years(4 1/2 yrs,3 1/2yrs, 2yrs and 5 1/2 months) , I can honestly tell you every delivery is different, and you will always be scared or nervous when that due date gets close. I had nitrous oxide at the end of each labour (within 40 minutes of the gas I was pushing). I personally wouldn't say never to anything because one never knows what you may feel during labour.

If I can give you one piece of advice it is keep moving, so long as they don't limit you to your bed, its best to keep moving/walking, bouncing on a "birthing ball" and thing to use gravity to help that baby move down!
Best of luck!!

Megan - posted on 10/20/2010

I have two children 21 months (my girl) and my son is 4 months I had newbain (spl?) for my girl and for my son I didn't have any kind of pain medicine... Labor was painful for me, my son was 8lbs 9oz and I am slim so he was a big baby for me. I wanted to have pain medicine but by the time I asked it was too late he was ready to come out and it wasnt easy, his arm came out along with his head... my doctor was out of town that day so someone else had to deliver him which I wansnt happy about but not much I could do. I ended up with 24 stiches and a very painful vagina... lol... But so worth it! I did for a moment think that I wasnt going to be able to have him naturally but give him a few GOOD pushes and thats really all you need! You dont need pain medicine to have a baby concentrate on your breathing and relax!! Good luck and best wishes to you and your baby!!





Labor isn't as bad as everyone makes it sound =P

Dawn - posted on 10/20/2010

I have 2 children, 6 and 3, and I had the same concerns you do. At my birthing class they went over all the different pain medication options and presented one called Duramorph, this one intrigued me because it goes into your spine, but does not entirely numb you. It doesn't have any affect on the baby and you can still get up and move around while in labor (unlike an epidural) It lasts from 12-15 hours. It was great! When I went in to labor with my second thats what I told them I wanted and was told that they don't do Duramorph for 2nd babies, but there is something similar that doesn't last as long.

Sarah - posted on 10/20/2010

i never wanted to have drugs during labor adn with my first i tried so hard not to and then tried gas, i regret it so much because it made me very sick and i spent the rest of my labor ( another 12 hours) throwing up, falling asleep then waking up in pain i felt out of control and had no time to prepare for the next contraction. labor is different for everyone and yes it is painful but its just one day.

the best advice i can give you is to keep an open mind because if you go in hospital saying im not going to have any pain relief and you do you will be disappointed.
but if you want or need some inspiration to help you my i had my first when i was 17 years old i only had the gas and i had a beautiful little girl now 4, then i had identical twin girls vaginally drug free when i was 20, another baby girl when i was 21, and a baby boy not even 4 months ago also drug free im now 22.
dont feel embarressed about anything you do while you are in labor just do what feels right.

TeWaarati - posted on 10/20/2010

Hey there, i have 2 girls my eldest is 3year and youngest is 8mths she was born on the 24th Jan this year, with my eldest i had a small amount of pethadine but with my youngest i was like you - i wanted to do it without meds but was terrified of the pain because i knew it was going to hurt. What i did was tell my midwife that i wanted to do it without pain medicine and i told her the only time i will have pain medicine is when she thinks i need it. Well im pretty glad i told her because when i did go into labour i was begging her to give me something and she stood her ground and said NO because i didn't need it and im glad she did. You actually feel better knowing that you did it on your own, and im glad that i did do it on my own. At the end of the day it is really up to you and what you feel comfortable with and if that's having no medicine then make your mind up to do it and leave it as that.

Loni - posted on 10/20/2010

Wait til ur in labour...ul soon make a choice. I had a totally natural labour not by choice my baby just came really quickly!!! I wanted everything that was on the menu but waited to long to ask 4 it hahaha U will b fine do what u think is best and good luck xx

Ileana - posted on 10/20/2010

Hi Amanda, I have 2 babies. DD is 2yo and DS is 4 months. I had my 1st at 19 with no medication, epidural or any type of pain medicine. I was induced the first time around but to be honest I don't think it was all that bad. I was in labor for 7 hrs. I knew I didnt want any medication at all and the nurses tried to push them on me and my dr even told me I would be asking for it. Little did they know. Fastforward 23 months later I am in labor once again and AGAIN no pain meds. With baby #2 I cant really tell you how long I was in labor because I started feeling strong contractions lasting from 4-5mins at 7am and he was born at 9:34am and when I got to the hospital at 8am I was already 7cm dilated... Anyway, everybody's pain threshold is different. Another thing is contractions are usually more painful than the actual delivery you just gotta remember to BREATHE! Seriously if you hold your breath, it makes it more painful. I suggest you talk to your OB/GYN about Red Raspberry Leaf Tea... I am a strong believer in it. I think thats what helped me with my contractions. No, it does not make it less painful it makes them more efficient. And makes labor faster. I hope your labor and delivery go as you would like. Good luck!

Tania - posted on 10/19/2010

I've only had one child, it was natural and no drugs whatsoever. I was also petrified of labour and how much it would hurt, but i also didnt really want any drugs, however I did ask for gas to be ready (just in case) as it seemed to have less of an effect on baby and me.... Once labour started, yes it did hurt, but I managed to do without the drugs and felt so proud that I had the labour as I planned... In the end, its up to you and all depends on your pain threshold. Do whatever you need to do and try not to stress!

Victoria - posted on 10/19/2010

All I can say is have an open mind about labour, the birth and the pain relief you can have. Dont listen to the horror stories as every labour & birth is different. My mother told me when you go into labour keep saying to yourself "this is the begining of the end". I had a no pain relief for my birth and I had forceps which your surpose to have an epidural for but I said no to the epidural. At the end of all the labour and the birth you have a beautiful baby and it is all worth what you have just gone through.

Sarh - posted on 10/19/2010

Nicole I couldn't agree more!! I'm pretty sure I would have given in and had the epidural w/my 2 if I had long hard labors.

Hope - posted on 10/19/2010

I had my son four and a half months ago. All natural; no pain medication at all. I went in with the plan of no medication because I also did a lot of research on the effects of each medication.
So after all of my research I decided no medication but if I did need something for the pain I decided on a four point water block. It's an all natural choice. They basically put lil ducts of water in your back to calm the nerves. It has shown no signs of slowing labor, nor effecting the baby or the mother. And I believe I read it can be issued much later on than the epidural and other popular choices.
In the end, as I said before, I went all natural. I know being young and this being you're first pregnancy you're probably going to be offered the pain meds often. Just remember if you want to go with out it because you honestly believe it's the best option for you and the baby; that's you're choice, don't let them pressure you into getting something just because they keep asking. (and trust me, they'll ask a lot. Just stick to how you truely feel)
Here are two great added pluses from not taking the pain medication. I was up and moving around and feeling great days before my best friend who had her daughter more that 30 hours before me. And two you will have a much more pleasent baby. My son smiles and coos and is just over all more happy than all the other babies I know and when his dad brought that up to the peditrician she told us it is because I had a calm, medication free delivery.
Hope this helps =) Just remember you can do all the research you want you just need to go with you're instict. (One more thing that I'd recommend. Make a requst list and make sure you're decision is listed on it if you decide no medication that way all the nurses, doctors, etc will know ahead of time so they don't just assume any thing. Also put on there if you want a certain person to stay with you during the whole delivery if medically permitted. And make mutiple copies to give them. It'll help get you're wants across when you may not be able to tell someone.)
♫☼H♥pe☼♫♪

Nicole - posted on 10/19/2010

It will depend on how fast labor and delivery goes. I only have one child and I had him with no epidural and no pain medication. The only pain I had was in my back and my husband would rub it and feed me ice chips. I had my baby boy ALL NATURAL. I would do it all over again. I think another factor on pain meds or epidural is your pain tolerance. I am very glad that he was ALL NATURAL. Like Tia has said, only YOU can make the ultimat decision so good luck.

Tia - posted on 10/19/2010

You should watch organic birth or Orgasmic birth. It will change your whole perspective on the "pain of labor". Its all about the way you perceive the pain and being knowlegable on ways to relieve it. I would say go natural but educate yourself on the process of labor and how you can pro actively manage the pain. AT the end of the day no one can tell you what ius really right for you. All the best!! LAbor can really be a spiritually and physically transcendent experience if you know how to make it one :)I went through it twice and LOVED it. You'll be fine :)

Tricia - posted on 10/19/2010

It sounds like your husband is really interested in being an integral part of this whole process. If that's the case, I would recommend looking into The Bradley Method or "Husband Coached Childbirth". This really helped my husband know how to help me in labor and helped me knowing that he was prepared and willing to walk with me through every moment. Statistically speaking, you are more likely to have a natural birth at a birth centre and with a trained support person (doula, a well-taught husband, etc) because once you're in labor it is SOOO hard to make reasonable decisions. Wish you all the best. However it turns out, remember that healthy baby, healthy mom are the most important things!

Chrystal - posted on 10/19/2010

Honestly, the best answer I can give you is to do what you think is best. I am 26 and just had my baby girl in July. She is 3 months old now:) I will tell you the truth, labor is painful. But it's such a wonderful experience, and I don't even remember the pain now. I chose to have an epidural, but it didn't even last long at all. Not saying that would happen to you, it just turned out that mine didn't. I was in 18 hours of labor, and it wasn't fun LOL, but like I said I can barely even remember the pain now. So the best decision you can make is the one you think you will be truly happy with in the end. Good luck w/ the rest of your pregnancy, and your labor:)

Bonnie - posted on 10/19/2010

Rachel, Lacye, and Sarh I was induced with my second son and had terrible back labour, did you ladies?

Bethany - posted on 10/19/2010

I had both the epidural and some nubane. Just go for the epidural. The other stuff just made me groggy and sleepy, and it does affect the baby. Also, 15 minutes after I got my epidural I was ready to start pushing, so don't listen to people when they say it makes labor last longer. I have seriously been recommending the epidural to everyone I know since I delivered my twin boys, and I'll do it the next time around too.

Chrissy - posted on 10/19/2010

I had a no drug birth. I went through 23 hours of labor and 4 hours of pushing because I was stuck at 9.5 cm. It was the best thing I have ever done. If you can do it and your baby and you are safe going natural, go for it. I used a lot of meditation, relaxation, music, the bathtub and partner support, plus I wasn't afraid to be vocal. I just made the sounds that were comforting and used those sounds to guide my baby down. I used imagery to guide my baby down and out. We were both fine, and the funny thing is, she didn't cry when she was born, she was alert and content. So, if you can do it and are not high risk, do it, it was worth it for me. And if you can't at least you can say you tried and you are doing the best for YOU and your baby (the only two people that matter at that moment). Good luck to you! Peace.

Christina - posted on 10/19/2010

All I have to say is the gas mask works wonders!! I never had an epidural either, but if you plan on going natural and can't stand the pain the gas mask is an option!

Jacqueline - posted on 10/19/2010

I have 2 children, both boys. With my first i did not have an epidural, I had 52hrs of labour and took the pethadine(injection in your leg 1 hr before he was born) and the gas for 2 hrs before he was born. Yes it does hurt the crowning hurts the most and i remember scraming at the nurses to just pull him out. almost immediately after the delivery its like someone brainwashes you and you forget what exactly the pain felt like especially when you look down at your perfect lil bub. with my second i was in labour for 13hrs and opted for the epidural(he was spine on spine which intensifies labour by two-fold) he was born healthy happy and alert after 19hrs labour. the gas and pethadine don't really have much affect on the pain they don't ease it at all really...the epidural you can't feel much at all, having my first naturally meant i knew how to effectively push and did not impede my delivery. In the end it is up to you, if you go to a private or public hospital you have the choice to change your mind should you feel you can't cope with the pain. good luck with the rest of your preg and delivery :)

Sara - posted on 10/19/2010

I think a good idea would be to just plan on no medication, and then keep an open mind during labour. I've done both kinds, medicated and unmedicated. I must say I liked unmedicated better. It felt better, and it just made it seem like I was doing something I was supposed to be doing, instead of fxing a problem. I used hypnobirthing for my second, which I think is what made it possible. I really really recommend it.

Sarh - posted on 10/19/2010

You are correct Rachel! I was induced w/my son and the contractions are worse, all I got from being induced was the pain of false contractions and NO other progress! It made me so mad because my doctor didn't listen to me and insisted on the induction rather then just breaking my water. Guess what he broke my water and my son was born w/in a half hr!

Rachel - posted on 10/19/2010

Lacye, I was part of a natural birth class and every mom, including myself, planned on having a natural birth with a midwife at a birthing center. I remember the teacher telling us "If you end up in the hospital getting induced, don't feel bad about getting an epidural. The pain from induction is much worse than natural contractions." I've heard that the contractions are just much stronger and come on faster than your body normally would without the drugs.

Lacye - posted on 10/19/2010

I had an epidural. Well, let me rephrase that, I was forced to have an epidural because it was either that or have a C-section because I had to be induced and the medicine was putting me in too much pain (sidenote, not all women have this reaction!). So I chose the epidural. To be honest, I didn't know how long I was in labor. I just felt way too good and I slept most of the time!

Nicole - posted on 10/19/2010

I had my son (my 1st child) 1 month after I turned 21 and I swore the whole time I wanted no epidural or pain meds. I ended up getting like 1 mil of pain meds put into my IV 6 hours into labor, it did nothing but made me feel drunk and sleepy. All the pain was still there. I chose not to have the epidural because I didn't want the risk of being paralized for the rest of my life for just a few hours or days of pain. My labor was 7 hous long and honestly the worst part was that when his head came out I tore and it stung. After that it got much easier for me. My son is now 1 and I can't even recall how much pain it really was. I'm glad I chose to go all natural. I can now say "I DID IT!". Every woman is different and every labor is different. Just pick which method YOU'RE more comfortable with. Just rememebr sometimes things happen and you don't have a choice in the matter. GOODLUCK! ~Nicole~

Sarh - posted on 10/19/2010

Jennifer, natural or not you still gave birth! lol. Screaming and crying makes the pain worse. For me it did. My son's cord actually came out w/his head, the doctor was like you don't see that often. lol.

Ashley - posted on 10/19/2010

The pain is unique to every woman. My cousin is the biggest wimp around (I'm serious), and she had her son with no drugs. When she gets pregnant in the future, she wants to do it again with nothing. I had about a half of a dose, and that didn't do anything for pain, but it helped me sleep between contractions. I went in with a no-drug mentality, and only asked for some when I really really needed it. Sure, it's painful, but the worst part for me was the stitches after (I had a rough delivery, and not everyone needs/gets them, so don't worry). I highly recommend no drugs. But remember, even if you say "no" at first, don't be afraid to ask for them later. The nurses want to make you as comfortable as possible. One other thing, I know it sounds crazy, but the more you relax yourself during birth, the easier it will be. Try using only your abdominal muscles, and RELAX YOUR LEGS! (That was my biggest problem...)

Jennifer - posted on 10/19/2010

Lol yeah I think mine was made of leather too, I had the same problem!