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Here is mine for DS, enjoy! Not 100% intervention free, I had ARM, but the rest is a natural birth :) Hoping DS2's birth is fairly similiar! Though I think I can do without the weeks of prelabour!
https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...8-a-75573.html
Bub #2
Id done calmbirth classes this time around. And accupuncture.
I was on msn chatting telling my cousin that nothing was happening, was still having pelvic pain but had had that one an off for weeks
Started to get a little bit more painful, but nothing that seemed like contractions, it was too irregular.
I went to my aqua class like normal. I should have taken the advice I was given, to get DH to drive me, because by the end of the class I was having 4 cx in 10 minutes and did not want to get out of the pool.
They didnt seem that bad, until I had to drive home having them - luckily had a gf follow me home to make sure I got there OK.
Rand the MW who assured me it was not false labor and they were not going away, and to take it easy, so dowhatever I had planned and some in to the hospital.
I told DH we were going NOW and rang my parents to come over. They were 30 mins away, so rang my Aunty who came over to stay with DS1 until my parents got there to take over.
I sent DH to get petrol (yes, not on the way, I made him go get it and come home!) then we went.
I was breathing thru the cx on the way to the hospital cos I knew DH would freak out, but when we got there and he went to the back of the long line at triage, I stopped trying to remain composed andthe lady called up to the birthing unit for a wheelchair.
I told DH to tell them I wanted gas when we got upstairs, which we did. My midwife smiled and suggested trying the shower first.
Ok I said, but I need to go to the toilet first. Ahah. Lighbulb.
We didnt get off the toilet again til DS2 was born.
40 mins all up from carpark to birth, no time for drugs, 5 mins of pushing and my beautiful boy was here. Natural third stage, minor/1st degree tear but no sutures.
3 hours from start to finish.
Oh, DS was 10lb 3oz :D
My Aunty later told me she thought she was going to deliver DS in the ensuite.
I'd had pre-labour for about 4 days, and by day 5 I was pretty tired and over it all. Everything was ramping up on that 5th day, and looking back it was getting pretty intense, but at the time I just kept thinking it had to get so much worse. For my whole pregnancy everyone told me horror stories, how much pain I'd be in, just to go the drugs etc etc So as I worked with my contractions which were 10 minutes apart all day, never getting closer to the magical '3 minutes apart and go to the hospital', I started to think I'd never get through it when it finally became the real deal.
I went to my Ob appt at 6pm that afternoon for a check up as I was 8 days past EDD, and was praying I was even just starting to dilate as I'd had enough, to lay back on his table and find out I was 8cm dilated! I was sent packing to the hospital, getting there at 7pm, in the bath at 9pm, and birthed my baby girl at 10.36pm. Water was my drug, and yep it hurt, but my body gave me fantastic chances to rest and recuperate (my ctx were pretty much 10 mins apart my whole labour) and once I actually believed I was doing it it became a truly amazing experience.
I kept moving pretty much the whole time, vocalised from deep within, and just visualised my cervix opening and bub moving down. To this day I still go wow, did that really happen. The prelabour was exhausting, but I truly believe it helped my body prepare so well for the actual birth, I just wish I'd embraced it more, rather than being frightened of it. I completely understand how women can need other options during labour, I came close to asking a few times, but I'd really fallen in to the trap of believing it was going to be horrific from all the negatives I had heard, so it became this huge thing in my head. So much so I was pretty much in denial it was happening, looking back now I realise just how hard I'd been labouring that day at home.
You can read both my homebirths here https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...aul-94502.html and here https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...is-145393.html :) Both completely natural and drug free. Both were also over 9lb.
Wow these stories are amazing, it's so great to hear of so many women with positive birth stories! I definitely feel inspired now & I'm determined to go after my natural birth. Thankyou so much for sharing ladies, it has really given me a big boost :)
Hi Babyluv,
I think it is absloutely fantastic that you want a natural and drug free birth. You are informed and know exactly what you want and I love that! I havent recorded my birth stories, but I thought Id just give you a little information from them.
DS2's birth was beautiful. The contractions came on very hard and strong once my waters had broken. I was screaming through most of the contractions and the nurses were trying to get me to have every drug available. I kept saying no and they kept repeating that I was in too much pain and it was better if I just took the drugs because that is what they are there for. I wasnt listening because I was confident in my ability to birth my baby and I knew I could push through without drugs so I resisted them all! I knew I wanted a natural birth and I was going to get it! I was able to push him out with only a minor tear. My baby was so alert and I was able to bond with him immediately, and the nurses even admitted that he was so well because I hadnt had any drugs which can make babies drousy. My recovery was very quick too.
I will contrast this with the birth of DS1 where I didnt get my planned natural drug free birth and it upset me for ages. I felt like an absolute failure because I let the Dr give me an Epidural and the gas, which then led to other problems and interventions. I now realise that I had these drugs because I needed them at the time. I wasnt weak or a failure, but I was scared being in labour for the first time and the pain absolutely overwhealmed me. I wasnt confident in my body's ability to birth my son, and the pain was just too great (DS1 was posterior). I just wanted to share that with you, not to scare you but just to let you know that you should never feel like a failure if it doesnt work out for whatever reason.
Good luck. I hope you can get that drug free, natural labour you want because it is absolutely amazing, but if not, then its ok too.
I had tricky births however 2 of my BellyBelly Baby buddies have recently had totally amazing home water births: Mayaness and Roryrory... I'm pretty sure they both posted their stories. Truly inspirational :)
I used the gas for mine, but apart from that it was all natural pain relief and the labour was a very positive experience. Whilst the pushing bit was a little traumatic, that wasn't anything to do with interventions or drugs, etc - in fact, if I'd had an epidural by that point, it probably would have ended in a c-section. As it was, I was able to deliver him vaginally and without drugs. I guess what I'm getting at is that whilst I might not have had an "ideal" birth experience, it was natural, vaginal, and positive from the point of view that I was able to do it naturally. The interventions (ARM, vacuum) were necessary but nothing to do with my body's ability to birth my baby. You can read my Birth Story to get the full picture - I'm so proud of myself and have such a strong belief in my body despite the drama at the end.
Brilliant advice! I should have put that in my post too. Although I must say that I didn't feel disappointed or like a failure for having an epidural or allowing my OB to intervene - I was just so damn proud of myself for what I achieved anyway! I found my DD's birth so empowering and the most amazing, wonderful experience I could ever imagine. Giving birth is an unbelievable feeling and I can't wait to do it all again, even if I do need drugs but hopefully I won't next time!:
I had gas for DS1 and no drugs for DS2, had synto for the placenta for both (not my choice for DS2) Their stories are linked in my sig, but are very long - just skip halfway down to get to the birth bit. I think its important to be supported in your decision so make sure your partner is on the same page as you and your birthplace is supportive of you not having drugs.
Tauren, I was just upset because I so wanted a natural birth (and I told everyone I was going to get one, lol). I blamed all the interventions that took place after the epidural on the epidural and I knew that they would never have happened if I never took it. I didnt go into details because BabyLuv didnt want to hear horror stories. However I should have never have let myself get upset by it, but its easy to do that when you read about so many people who have the birth story you wanted, and you feel weak because you couldnt do it, even though it was necessary at the time.
Giving birth is the most amazing, fantastic thing you can experience. I hope you get you get the birth you want next time and Im glad you had such a wonderful experience the first time too. I feel so blessed that I was able to achieve the birth I wanted for DS2.
Hi Ladies,
Just wanted to say thankyou for all your positive birth stories.
Our baby girl was born naturally sat @ 3:12 am 7pound 6ounces, I had a 1st degree tear requiring 2 stitches & can say I am very happy with my labour & birth and am very grateful for your stories, they really gave me coincidence and I feel great :)
Heres mine
https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...ry-107850.html
I don't count the Nebs or tamiflu tablets, They were for the swine flu :-)
Woohoo! Wonderful news, I'm so happy you had a wonderful birth :):
Grats Babyluv! Fantastic job hun!
You're more than welcome to read mine :D
Link is in my sig x
My other 3 birth stories are all here too, but you'd have to look for them, I'm too tired!
DD1 was the only one that I really had any pain relief & it was only gas & peth to relax me & let things happen.
I've been very lucky IMO :D
ETA! Congrats!!!
Congratulations Babyluv! I'm glad it went well, hopefully you will share your own story when you're up to it :D