How Did You Decide on Which Pain Medication to Use During Delivery?

You might want to check out some natural birth classes (available usually through the hospital)to find out more info about a birth without any medication. I had one precious little girl without medication and am pregnant with my second and plan on a natural birth again. I am afraid of needles as well and although I am sure that others are right when they tell me needles will hurt less then birth pains I made the right choice for myself. The other benefits I found were that I could walk around and shower soon after birth and I was able to nurse immediately after birth as my baby was not drugged. I think the pain is much more manageable then one might think but I don't know that I could have done it without the support of my husband, helping with breathing and relaxation techniques. A doula can also help with that aspect. My advice would be to research all your options and then pick one that you feel most comfortable with.

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Dear T.,

Having given birth once, naturally (vaginally and without any medication), I can say that if you are well-prepared (physically and mentally--that is, by being relatively fit, doing the recommended pregnancy excercises etc, and informing yourself about the process through reading, talking to other mothers, etc), the pain of childbirth is not as hard to go through. Also, even with the epidural, as I understand it, you will still feel some discomfort because they can't give it to you until a you're dilated a certain amount, so it's really only the very end that you won't be feeling (granted, that's when contractions are strongest, but that's also when your body can help the baby most by feeling when you need to push). The key to riding it out is not to allow them to tie you down with monitors etc so that you have to lay down (yes, contraction are very painful if you lie on your back!), but to make sure you are able to move about, stand against the wall, sit in a hot shower/tub, whatever makes you feel best.

There 's a lot more info I could give you--let me know if you're interested. (At ST Lukes there are midwives that will help you through, really good ones).Remember that in most cases labor pain is of a level that we are equipped to withstand (the movies are highly exaggerated --but they need the drama, I guess!) And it's well worth it to spare both yourself and the baby the 'hangover' from drugs. Of course, there are exceptional cases where circumstances make the birth very painful, and in such cases, hurray for medication. But there's nothing wrong with assuming that yours will be normal.

Let me know if you need more info, support, etc.
Good luck!
G.

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I always thought I would be an epidural girl but when I got pregnant with my first. However, after doing research on epidurals, their effectiveness and their effect on the baby I decided to try natural. I would give birth everyday if I didn't have to take a baby home everyday. Recovery was so super fast and I had a natural high that lasted for weeks.

Giving birth is like attacking a hard workout. You want to quit at times but you just refocus and you can do it. The first part of labor is a breeze anyway. I was folding laundry and washing dishes during the first part.

If you want to try natural I suggest getting a book on the Bradley method. Make sure your husband is behind you and knows the emotional sign posts of labor, in the Bradley book, and consider getting a doula. I never used one but have friends who swear by them. Also ask your dr. How many woman who want natural get a natural birth. Lots of docs and hospital will agree to natural but in reality will try like heck to push an epi on you. When you are in that last stage of labor being asked if you want meds every five minutes wears you down unless you have a killer coach or doula.

You can do it! Woman were created to give birth and have been doing it med free for hundreds of years!

Either way good luck! At the end if it all you will have an amazing baby!

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T.,
Your strong enough to not use the epidural, just coach your self to handle it . My mother was the best coach ever, she would tell me " Do you want a little pain medication (epidural ) so your baby can get stuck and have an egg shaped head, Once you get the epidural you dont feel nothing and you want the baby to come out. But you are not in control any more. Then you will have a life time of pain in your back . OR (my mother says ) just tuff it out like for 15 minutes ( which was totally wishable) , enjoy the Deliver on remembering the feeling and that you have done so good and you will be proud of your self. When people ask you and when you talk about it. You can say " No Medication and No Epidural. I did it on my own.
So I did it with both of my girls, i have a 6year old and a 7 month old. All i did was tuff it out and keep my self confident that it will soon be all over. BUT IT IS ALL WORTH IT !!!! I love my Girls. !!!They are beautiful with nicely shaped round heads. LOL .

GOOD LUCK >>>>> A.
DONT GIVE IN . U CAN DO IT !!

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Wow T., popular post!

First off: I think it's really important for women to know that epidurals use bipovocaine (a cocaine derivative) which does indeed affect maternal physiology and thus the baby, and also does cross the placenta (particularly after 6 hours, says the Mt. Sinai Medical Center study)... epidurals create a literal mind-body dissocation that is on par with extreme psychosis, in terms of how a psychotic would not be aware of various physical sensations. Do we really want to teach our children that transition and change requires drugs???

Some women write here of how their 'enjoyment' of their labor was provided by an epidural. Wow! How can being NUMB from the waist down, unable to walk and move if you need to, be enjoyable??? I think what's clear here in many posts is that many women are emotionally unprepared and psychologically & physically unsupported for real childbirth, and do experience enormous physical and psychological pain. In fact, the "fear-tension-pain-fear" cycle is a very real thing that must be understood before labor begins! It also is essential to NOT arrive at the hospital before having dilated well at home, because hospital procedures are very uncomfortable and contrary to the mobility and security that a laboring woman needs.

If we carry the 'dissociative childbirth' philosophy further back, we might see foundational dissociations going on in the way we handle menstruation, sexual fulfillment, and maturation in general.

Yes, epidurals can be humane in situations where a woman encounters dysfunctional labor, and has gone into labor with alot of unresolved fear, etc. Epidurals, when conservatively used, can make a totally positive difference for certain women. Also, epidurals are a typical consequence for most women whose relationships with their husbands/boyfriends has oppression, disconnection, or sexual dishonesty (unless they've cleared matters up or found an appropriate doula beforehand). But let's not underestimate the wisdom & empowerment that is possible via childbirth preparation, and women's self-care health in general!

When planning an epidural or analgesic delivery (which is one way to approach childbirth), it is essential to know that the baby feels each and every contraction, regardless of if the mother is or not, and if you are going to numb your physical experience, the baby still very much needs to have your full empathic presence, and as much movement and sound as you can muster. Our babies needs are the same as the needs of babies in the Stone Age: medicated chilbirth is a blip on the stage of history, and the mother-baby is a unit.... in fact nursing mothers and babies have the same REM patterns when asleep at the same time. Pre & Perinatal psychology is a huge new academic and philosophy realm, for more, check out www.birthpsychology.com

Women who are supported to follow their a desire to have an aware and drug-free birth (at home even, such as Erykah Badu, Cindy Crawford, and Lucy Lawless) rely on the physiological fact that our birth-coping hormones are actually our helpers! The endorphin levels of supported natural labor are actually individualized, body-made opiates, called endorphins that rise in each woman according to her specific labor pattern, unlike the total dissociation created by the epidural. Women who create this for themselves truly discover that THEY ROCK, and have alot more trust in themselves, and general intuition, through the incredible sacrifices and egobusting of early parenting and the tremendous challenges of sustaining a marriage in our society.

FYI, as a doula and midwife's assistant for some 20 years, I've known women who switch to a freestanding waterbirth center plan late in pregnancy... because once you realize that you can have the pain relief of an epidural without the mind-body dissociation, it's very appealing. At least do a tour at AABC... those deep jacuzzis are a true ally for the birthing woman, particularly when dealing with first-time jitters.

By how you convey your question, I'd like to point out that the fact that you even admit you have fear is a really big step towards accessing some deeper power as you envision your birth... you're much better off than those that completely deny that childbirth will probably be their biggest psychological challenge. That said, doing the work of working on fears beforehand and being able to stay IN your body and adapt well to labor takes alot of commitment, but this new soul, this major story in your life as a woman, and your marriage, deserves it!

It's important to value the psychological aspect, because that is the NUMBER ONE birth preparation realm that natural birth women cite as important... It's a fact that in a healthy woman, childbirth is actually an expression of optimal health: it is not a disease. It is not like having an infected tooth that needs to be pulled. It involves our emotional heart, our internal pelvic floor, external genitals, and a powerful force of energy that is a milestone in women's development, and our sexuality in general.

Giving birth, on your own two feet and in sync with your baby, or being delivered like a damsel in distress: it's up to us what we make of our capacity as women.

You can explore informed choice for birth, doula supporot for home and hospital, and you can ask your baby "How would you like to be born?" and you can ask yourself "How can my marriage be enriched or destabilized through this event?"

Have you considered the benefits of having your husband catch your baby (common in midwife-attended births, often with the care providers hands underneath) and the benefits of you and your new little one having total skin-to-skin immediate reunion and totally syncopated bonding? There are lots of reasons to figure out what your deepest dreams for this child and this birth are, and to get into the habit of moving through fears and discovering who you really are. There are some great prenatal yoga & meditation classes in town where a woman can have time and space to tune in to the wisdom of her body and her baby... and some OBs who are very empowering of women's wisdom, and the value of having a doula (Dr. Karen Swenson and Dr. Mike Love and Dr. Monk in Austin for example).

Helpful websites http://www.waterbirth.org/mc/page.do and www.lotusfertility.com

Enjoy these last months of pregnancy!!!

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My first son was actually born by c-section, and my other two boys were natural births. Have faith in your body and the amazing process that childbirth is. It wasn't until my second delivery that I really understood what our bodies do to deliver. Will your husband be there with you? Have a really great partner in the room with you to maintain focus. I also used essential oils for relaxation. Talk to your doctor so that you have a say in the kind of delivery that you want. I found it very empowering to deliver naturally.

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