Post # 16
Member
4430 posts
Honey bee
Thanks guys! Well the doula is still out, they are pretty expensive around here and as much as I may think it could be worth it, i’m not doing a natural birth so once the epi is in I won’t need much pain management help (as nice as a jacuzzi sounds).
I’m really hoping to get my husband into learning counter pressure techniques for while i’m laboring at home (if my water doesn’t break first). If anyone has more information or videos to suggest that would be lovely!
Post # 17
Member
2899 posts
Sugar bee
Have you looked into hypnobirthing? I don’t know much about it, but it might be worth looking into! I think the technique tends to be more geared to women who are planning a drug-free birth, but it doesn’t seem like there’s any reason that the techniques they teach would be incompatible with an epidural. Worth looking into!
http://www.webmd.com/baby/features/hypnobirthing-calmer-natural-childbirth
Post # 18
Member
4430 posts
Honey bee
KatieBklyn: Thanks Katie! I actually have watched hypno birth videos and to be honest i’m too high-strung to “relax” for even a moment with yoga (so no prenatal yoga for me) I relax by running on a treadmill…so I’m not really sure what is the best fit for me to mentally relax while in labor. I guess walking or stair climbing? It definitely feels like I can’t find the right match for me at the moment.
I literally tried prenatal yoga videos and when I focus on my breathing I end up either overbreathing or underbreathing and neither help me relax.
Post # 19
Member
4430 posts
Honey bee
The other thing is when the epidural is in, I’m not going ANYWHERE, so just laying there doing what? What do you do when you may not be tired, and you’re just waiting with a tube in your back and iv’s in your arm (the monitors beeping and all of that makes me anxious too). Do people use music?
Post # 20
Member
2810 posts
Sugar bee
BellaDee: I guess it depends on what point you are at when you get the epi. Some people are tired enough to sleep. Some watch TV or listen to music.
For me, I didn’t get the epi until I was 10cm, so by that point, time was not something that concerned me. Honestly, in my entire labour experience, I lost all sense of time. Things felt like they went so fast, when in reality, it was like 6-7 hours of craziness. You just get so into the moment, that all you can do is try to cope in whatever way you know how.
I’m hoping that once you are in the moment, you anxieties will lessen and you’ll be able to just focus on the task at hand. Thinking about ways to deal with it now is a good idea 🙂 Reading birth stories, learning coping methods, prenatal class. For me, being as prepared as possible and removing the unknowns was very helpful!
Post # 21
Member
7643 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
BellaDee: Bring music, play games. Load an iPad or pc full of stuff. They also may have a newborn channel to watch.
I didn’t get an epi so I was I was constantly doing something. Plus it was early morning, so I was in no shape to watch movies, play games or mess with any electronics, but honestly I was SO in the moment that I hardly had time to be anxious. I was so focused on what I had to do next, so it was easy to forget about everything, even the pain.
Post # 22
Member
543 posts
Busy bee
BellaDee: This little booklet has good examples of counter-pressure and other techniques you can use before you head in to the hospital!
https://www.childbirthconnection.org/pdfs/comfort-in-labor-simkin.pdf
Post # 23
Member
4430 posts
Honey bee
kenziemt: this is perfect thank you! I’m forwarding this to my husband!
Post # 24
Member
11735 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
BellaDee: my labor went pretty fast so all I did was chat with my husband and made a few calls to my mom and sisters. I also answered some work emails, lol. I had planned to finish some actual work and the baby book i started but never had time.
if you hve friends that have had babies, I suggest texting or calling them if you start freaking out. I did this and it was really helpful to have them tell me to relax and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.
Post # 25
Member
4430 posts
Honey bee
MrsWBS: that’s awesome…I hope that’s the case for me. I was told prior to epidural (at home) to make sure i’m vertical for the most part, no laying down, try not to sit…use gravity to my advantage. I guess you don’t know until you’re in the moment!
Post # 26
Member
875 posts
Busy bee
BellaDee: I think its normal to be anxious. This is a big deal, you’ve never birthed a baby before. I was convinced something terrible was going to happen to me. I even wrote letters to my husband and unborn baby just in case I died during birth. Yes, I’m nuts. You have to just try to relax, take a deep breathe and remind yourself that you are in the best place possible for delivering your baby (the hospital). I had a totally unexpected birth story but it all worked out fine. The nurses and doctors did their jobs and I went home with a healthy little girl. Going into labor 5 weeks early was incredibly scary but the L&D nurses were awesome, the NICU nurses were so reassuring and my mom and husband were amazing. I am so confident this time around bc anything that could go wrong last time did and here we are 13 months later a happy, healthy family of 3. Its okay to be nervous but try to let your mind drive yourself crazy. 😉 Also, I think you can take birth classes online if you can’t get to one in person. There are also some one day classes that might work for you.
Post # 27
Member
941 posts
Busy bee
BellaDee: Dim lights, music, ask for no other people in the room other than your immediate delivery staff (no pop-in med students or observations). Look up different pain techniques and massage. Also look into various laboring positions.
Do note that with an epidural your pain will be eliminated, but you will also be bed bound. There’s a good chance that will include a catheder being put in place and you won’t be able to change into a lot of different laboring positions because you will be numb. For some people, this is still totally a-okay and worth it, but you should at least be aware of how it could change a birth plan.
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