Member- RampagingZeebs
- 8 years ago
- Wedding: September 2011
I am about 6 weeks post-partum now from my first baby. I had a water birth without meds in the hospital.
Number of weeks: 6 weeks pp.
Brief Summary of Basic Birthplan: I wanted to go au natural but absolutely did not rule out pain meds. My total labor from regular contractions to birth was 10 hours. I had back labor the entire time and that was SO PAINFUL. Started at 5PM, went to the hospital at 10PM where I was dilated to a 7. I went in the tub immediately and while I loved that, I think it did slow down my labor slightly. I HIGHLY reccomend the tub for anyone wanting a natural birth because it really helped me relax between contractions. I would usually handle contractions on all fours and then float on my back in between.
I labored in the tub for about 4 hours and then had my water broken manually. Things really picked up after that. I am not much for swearing but those contractions were super intense!! I was about to ask for some pain meds but then felt the need to push. I pushed for about 20 minutes and my baby was born. I pushed on all fours and didn’t push unless I was having a contraction. After so much back labor, it was a huge relief to push. I tore only slightly, did not need stitches and I think its partly because I ONLY pushed with contractions.
What *Kept* you Strong: Like mwitter80 said first, its ALL about the mind. You can’t let the pain overwhelm you. I didn’t think about the pain unless I was in the contraction. Breathe, breathe, breathe. Tell yourself you can totally master the pain and overcome that particular episode. I also did my fair share of screaming, groaning and crying. It helped me, particularly during pushing.
What *made* you feel tempted: Exhaustion. I was so tired that I just wanted it to be over. I am thankful I started pushing when I did otherwise I probably would have asked for meds and had zero shame in doing so. I give HUGE credit to women who labor/push for even longer than I did without assistance.
Why did you choose to try natural childbirth? I chose natural childbirth simply because it was right for me. Part of me was curious to see if I could do it. When I was pregnant, women would tell me all their birth stories and go on and on about how painful it was. I secretly wondered if it was REALLY that bad or if there was a conspiracy among moms to keep the hype going. Nope, it really is that bad! 🙂
I also just wanted to keep my baby and I safe and didn’t want to slow down or delay delivery at all. For my next baby I will definitely try a water birth again, but will probably wait until I am about 9 before plopping in the tub.
If you want to go natural, you can totally do it! I don’t think there was much I did or could do to prepare, but focusing on the end goal and telling myself that each pang was bringing the baby closer helped. My hubs also kept up a steady stream of encouragement which helped me mentally. Good luck!
