Questions & Answers

Thanks :) yeah I'm going to go as far as I can without meds unless I have other issues arise and don't have an option. I'm not even sure if my OB is covered to delivery me at the hospital I want to go to. Something I'll have to ask. I guess I just wanna make this birth as simple as possible. I was induced at my last one and I'm hoping if I don't go into labor 2-3 weeks early my OB will induce. My due date is my 6year old daughters birthday.. She's upset enough that I'm having a baby I don't want her to feel as if she's being replaced. Being induced was extremely painful though.

started* Best of luck to you in whatever you decide :)

Are you going to have a support person there with you? Mum, hubby, sister etc? I'm going drug free for this one, even though it looks like I'll have to be induced, & i've heard that makes it more painful. However, I'm not TOTALLY ruling out the epidural. I don't want to set myself up to be sad or disappointed if I do this & can't handle the pain. There's no sense in making yourself into feeling like a failure, ya know? So our plan is that no one mentions any pain medications until I start asking my husband & mom, who will both be there with me. & even then, they have the option to tell me to wait just a little longer. Basically, when they look in my eyes & KNOW I need it, then I get it lol. Some women act like I'm a horrible person for leaving it in the hands of someone else, but they really know me best, & who knows what im going to be feeling or saying in the dark moments :P Anyways, I don't think there's any shame in changing your game plan once the game has

With my first daughter I wasn't even in pain when they gave me the epidural, originally I didn't want to have one. I know I don't want an at home or water birth. I want to be laying down at the hospital incase issues arise. I've another 18 weeks to think more on pain meds I didn't like being so numb I couldn't push.

I don't like the term "natural" as I don't think that women who give birth with help are suddenly abnormal or unnatural but I do get what people mean and to each there own. That's just my outlook though so whatever you choose to do remember that having a baby is super "natural" regardless of how it happens:) Having said that, I agree with the other ladies, it's totally a personal decision. I think a lot of ladies get stuck on the epidural for some reason but have zero problems with other types of pain management. I remember my midwife saying that if you're planning on laughing gas, morphine or anything else that is going to make you feel loopy then you might as well go for the epidural because the principle is the same. This is unless you have a fear of the epidural itself. Just keep in mind that what you feel may be much worse than what another woman feels so don't compare yourself because not all labor pain feels the same.

I would think back to your first delivery to see if having pain medication helped with your contractions and how comfortable you felt with an epidural. Never feel like you have to do a natural birth to feel strong. You are strong woman with or without pain meds. It truly is a personal decision.

I think this is an intensely personal decision. You need to ask yourself what kind of experience you want to have and go from there. If you do want to try a natural birth, you 100% can do it-you are not too weak! You just need to prepare properly. I am taking Bradley classes and it's been immensely helpful. You have to be committed to it, 100%, or it will be extremely difficult to get through some of the harder parts. Asking others is probably not a great idea-you have to think about yourself and what you want out of your birth and what is important to you and you have to do the research and make those decisions with your partner. Everyone has an opinion for you but that doesn't mean they know what's best for you emotionally or physically.

Just a side note, I had full labour for 3 days it was painful and tiring but worth it

I had completely natural, and loved it, I felt so in control and I was so proud of myself for getting thru it. It was the most rewarding thing i have ever done in all my life,

You could try a water birth? That's what I'm planning to have and I was talking to my midwife and she said it apparently helps a lot when baby's head is coming out! I'm only having gas and air that's why ive opted or the water as this is my 2nd and with my son I had the dia morphine and for me i didn't like it and it stopped my labour for 4 hours :( don't want that happening again! Good luck xxx