Survey about how you feel about your birth + if you used drugs- please help!!

[Ella]

Hey girls.

I'm doing a midwifery subject for uni and have an assessment to write today.
I need to do a survey of women about their views of their births. This is the outline of the essay:

The overuse of medical and pharmaceutical intervention in modern maternity practice is a highly debated matter. Interventions such as medical inductions and the use of epidurals are major elements often attributed to longer and more complicated labours and births. Whilst medical and pharmacological interventions do have their place in the world of labour and birth, the current trend in maternity care employs a highly excessive level of intervention. When compared with those who are administered drugs during labour, women who achieve a drug free birth are less likely to express feelings of disappointment, disempowerment and traumatisation. The following reflective essay will discuss this topic. It will also explore personal perceptions of the subject and the origins of this viewpoint.

So from you I need:
Did you use any drugs in your birth?
Did you have complications during your birth?
Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation?

Thanks so much for all your help in advance!!

[Catastrophic]

With DD1 - I had a bit of the gas at the start
I wasn't dilating on my own and needed to be augumentated
I feel failure for not being able to deliver my baby on my own. Which is why the 2nd baby i went drug/intervention free (except for the placenta)

*On a side note, Ella I'll swap assignments :-D*

[Rainbow_Mumma]

Did you use any drugs in your birth? DS - no, DD1 - pethadine once at the start, DD2 - epidural
Did you have complications during your birth? DS - the whole thing was a complication pre term labour at 25 weeks but the labour as such if it had been term would have been perfect, DD1 - none except her needing oxygen after as the cord was wrapped around her neck twice. DD2 - about 40 mins after evil epi her heart rate climbed above 230 and she went into distress.
Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation DS - yes but thats only because of him being so prem and passing away as said before my answer would be different had it been a full term birth where he'd be here today. DD1 - none what so ever. DD2 - yes i regret being pushed into an epi would never, ever do it again because of her "birth" i had to have a c-sec and was left feeling a failure and not wanting anything to do with her (PND) as such and found it hard to connect

HTH

[Lily Dust]

So from you I need:

Did you use any drugs in your birth? No, none.
Did you have complications during your birth? None. Unless a almost 4th degree tear counts?
Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation? I was a bit upset at the tearing as I had used an epi-no to prevent this happening but ultimately no. Had an amazing and beautiful birth, most unbelievable experience ever!
Good luck with the essay

[brogeybear]

Did you use any drugs in your birth?
I was given sleeping tablets on two occasions and sent home, then on the third time after being told I was 'talking myself into labour' (not sure how you can do that...) I was given a shot of pethidene and told that 'this will stop your contractions and you can come back in 2 weeks when you're ready'. I managed to dose for an hour, all the while still labouring and then threw up everywhere.
When my waters finally broke and they had to admit I was in labour, I had the gas for ages until they decided it was time for augmentation and I was put on syntocinon. I also had to have their 'protacol' antibiotics, and 3 hours after the synto I had an epidural.
Did you have complications during your birth?
Yes, from their management! I ended up with a ventouse delivery and my baby was sent to SCN for 3 days with routine antibiotics because we both had a slightly elevated temp. (hmmmm....anyone think that could have been from the epi???)
Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation?

Yes! 3 years on and I am still not over it! I refuse to set foot in that hospital unless part of my body is cut off and I am bleeding to death!

[Taurean]

Did you use any drugs in your birth?

Yes, an epidural only. I requested it (read screamed for it ) 4.5 hours into active labour due to unbearable back pain.

Did you have complications during your birth?

DD was posterior and stuck. She had to be manually turned after an hour of pushing (when the midwives realised there was still no head on show despite good pushing techniques). Her heart rate dropped at that point too so my epidural was topped up (it had worn off for me to feel pushing sensations), she was turned and a vacuum delivery was required.

Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation?

Not at all My goal was a drug free birth but I was prepared mentally and emotionally for the possibilities of a different outcome. I'm thrilled with my labour. My support team were fabulous and knew what I wanted and supported my choices. I made the decision to have the epidural and my entire support team questioned me - several times - before the call was made. The vacuum didn't bother me at all either as I was just grateful to get DD out - safely and vaginally

HTH!

[RainbowBrite]

Did you use any drugs in your birth? For the first 5 no drugs, last 2 both emergency c-section with epidural/spinal
Did you have complications during your birth? For the first 5 no complications, 6th birth PPROM (26+6) weeks, incompetent cervix, irritable uterus, footling breech, cord prolapse, extremely premature birth (28 weeks), 7th birth incompetent cervix, cerclage, prolonged labour, fetal distress, micro-prem (25 weeks)
Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation?For the first 5 births no not at all...quite the opposite but for the last two births yes all of the above.

[Mildez]

Baby no1

Did you use any drugs in your birth? Pethidine 12hrs before birth
Did you have complications during your birth? Yes posterior birth, PPH over 1000mls, OT for manual removal of placenta.
Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation? Not at all. Very empowering

Baby no2
Did you use any drugs in your birth? Peth 2hrs before birth
Did you have complications during your birth? No but early 36wks
Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation? No but disappointed at Dr for insisting I had synto when I was in transition

Baby no3
Did you use any drugs in your birth? The works (Peth, gas and epidural
Did you have complications during your birth? Shoulder dystocia and epidural didn't work effectively (but it wasn't a labour complication)
Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation? Lots of self disappointment at needing an epidural and completely loosing the plot. Very poor memory of labour before the epidural but I do remember been completely out of control and swearing alot. The only two words come out of my mouth were no and F*#k. So lots of embarrassment after having 2 empowering births followed by one I didn't handle at all.

[beckoes]

ive had two births, both very different.
the first i had a s&s at 41+5 and went into labour @ 4pm, laboured till 1am, freaked out, ended up with epidural, on the bed with wires attached to me and my baby, finally delivered @ 9am, it was horrible, i ended up having a bad pph, possibly due to the extended labour (bought about by the epi) and went to theatre, i felt all those things and more, dissapointment,disempowerment and traumatisation, i felt i had failed,my body had failed and mentally i had failed. i had trouble bonding with dd1, it affected my relationship with dh as he didnt really understand how i felt. i was so terrified of labour and having another baby that it affected our sex life.

my second birth i hired a doula, made sure it was going to be different, educated myself, i had a s&s at 41+6 went in to labour at home @ 1am, had a natural birth, no intervention, used the shower, natural pain relief methods, was well supported by dh and a fantastic midwife, delivered @7am, it was so empowering, i loved it, and it healed me. When DH saw the difference between the two experiences he finally understood why i felt so upset last time.

[sarah85]

Hey girls.

So from you I need:
Did you use any drugs in your birth?
Did you have complications during your birth?
Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation?

Thanks so much for all your help in advance!!

Hi Ella,
I ended up being induced at 40+5 (there were a few reasons, some of which I look back now and think they were irrelevant...i.e. my Ob wasn't going to be on-call the weeknd we were going in to - if I had my time over I'd say "so what?", also, my bub had quite a large head - ended up being 39.5cm )

Short story:
Drugs - gel on cervix, syntocin (sp?) drip, gas and epidural.
Complications - 3rd degree tear (bub was 8lb 15oz), approx 1L PPH
Feelings - While I was so excited about my baby, I was also so fatigued from the PPH that I struggled to cope. I had feelings of resentment to the other mothers on the ward who had "easy" labours, and as I had been too "out of it" to care for my daughter for the first few days I began to feel incompetent (like I'd never be able to bath her, change her nappy etc). Took a LONG time for me to feel better, stronger etc, even with a double dose iron supplement, and then I developed PND, which may or may not have happened anyway.

If you need more info or clarification let me know.

[jackrose]

Birth 1: Hospital, Midwives, long labour, c-sect delivery d/t maternal exhaustion
Did you use any drugs in your birth? yes, gas, sleeping tablet, epidural, syntocin
Did you have complications during your birth? baby hr dropping when syntocin used.
Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation? Not so much, I actually felt empowered during the labour, but maybe a bit disengaged during the 'birth'. I was pretty resigned to the outcome of csect as I felt it was a decision I made in the end and I could see the labour was going no where as it was. I was very disappointed in the repercussions of the csect - challenges breast feeding, problems with scar healing, problems bonding etc. That took me a long time to work through

Birth 2: Home, independant midwives, short labour, natural birth (VBAC)
Did you use any drugs in your birth? None
Did you have complications during your birth? None
Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation? Hell No! Joyous, empowering, positive. It certainly helped being away from the medical model in my opinion!

[zap]

First birth was twins via csection due to pre eclampsia and ds1 being breech. I felt under informed

Ds3 successful VBAC
2 stretch and sweeps which I asked for

Gas and injection for placenta.
I informed myself this time as I found a few anti VBAC docs along the way including one on the day I went into labour who refused to do a VE and said I should just book in for a csection.

[misty]

Did you use any drugs in your birth?
No. But only once was that through 'choice' - the other two times i certainly would have had drugs if I had been able to.

Did you have complications during your birth?
Slight complication with DD (I had a 'small' PPH because the cord and placenta seperated before it had been delivered, and DD needed to be resusitated as she had choked on her meconium), but that is because she go distressed, not due to any physical aspect of myself.

Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation?
I have felt slight dissapointment and disempowerment with DD and DS2, because I wanted drugs (specifically an epidural) and was unable to receive any. I have this habit of being 8cm's dialated when I get to hospital. With DS1, I had time to have any drugs I wanted, and the choice was available to me, and I choose not to. I felt fabulous about that birth. I think For ME, the disappointment and disempowerment comes into it more because of the LACK of choice, not because I didn't have a good birthing experience - IYKWIM. When I have had oppertunity to have the choice I chose not to have drugs, but I felt comfortable with that decision because it was a choice - the other two times there was no choice, I was forced into the situation by nessecity, and it was scarier, I was less in control.


This time I am trying to resolve myself to the fact I likely won't have a choice in the matter before I go in, so I am hopefully not so dissapointed.

[KimmyF]

Baby Number 1
Went in to labour at home the night I was due, laboured at home and was quite comfortable
Did you use any drugs in your birth? Yes Gas only for a short time in first stage, nothing during second stage
Did you have complications during your birth? Yes, DS was semi posterior and had his hand and arm above his head so head arm and shoulder were coming all at once, I had an episiotomy and ventouse delivery, then had to secondary PPH and a haemotoma (sp) and needed to be rushed to theatre and afterwards i had 2 blood transfusions.
Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation? yes I thought all the complications were my fault as towards the end before all the interventions I told the doctor that something wasn't right and they wouldn't listen to me and I got quite upset and then coudn't relax and I felt because I couldn't relax thats why the other complications occured. Once the doctor agreed something wasn't right I felt things were out of my control and things were being done to me rather than for me, but perhaps it was just that particular doctor. I could go on and on about how traumatic DS birth was but you get the general idea

Baby number 2
Went in to labour 6 days past due date I had had 2 sessions of acupuncture and had been attending a Hypno birthing course to prepare for labour by the time I got to hospital I was already 8cm dialated
Did you use any drugs in your birth? None
Did you have complications during your birth? Actual birth was fine, my thrid stage was heavily managed due to my past history of PPH I ended up having a primary PPH but didn't need to go to theatre or be transfused and I had a seconde degree tear which needed stitches
Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation? This was the birth experience I really wanted, I was a little disappointed that I had another PPH but it was no where near as bad as my previous birth. i felt totally in control and empowered the whole way through I only had midwives present and even then they were really only observing and checking on me until DD was ready to arrive



Hope this helps

[berrme]

DS1: I had PE and and was induced at 38 weeks. BP jest kept going up so despite my body labouring well I had to have an emercency c/s.
Drugs: gel on cervix. Lots of bp meds. Pethadine. Spinal when taken to theatre. Magnesium sulphate and morphine after c/s.
Complications: PE
Feelings: yes I was disappointed because I hadn't wanted it to go the way it did, but I was OK with the drugs and interventions as I was kept in the picture and felt that it was justified in the best interests of both me and bub. I recovered fine, bonded well with bub and was able to bf... so besides a scar I was OK. Knew that I wanted it to be different next time though.

DS2: VBAC. No PE until post birth. AROM at 8cm.
Drugs: Gas. Local while tear being repaired.
Complications: None besides a 2nd degree tear.
Feelings: Over the moon. I got my vaginal delivery. I knew I didn't want an epidural but my goal was never to be drug free as such.

[Heaven]

DD1:

Did you use any drugs in your birth?
Yes. Gas, epidural, synto, then spinal for c/s.

Did you have complications during your birth?
Failure to progress apparently. I like to call it failure to wait lol.

Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation?
Disappointment yes. I wanted a natural birth and ended up with a c/s.


DD2:

Did you use any drugs in your birth?
None but had to have injection for placenta after.

Did you have complications during your birth?
DD did get a little distressed at the end and passed meconium so didn't breathe straight away.

Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation?
No. I felt on top of the world.

[Cranky Kitten]

Hi Ella

I underwent a full medical induction, starting with gels the night before, having my waters broken and then a synto drip to induce labour.

Did you use any drugs in your birth? yes - gas, pethideine and 2 epidurals (first one didn't work properly, had to be removed and replaced mid-labour)
Did you have complications during your birth? None
Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation? No - I was a little disappointed at having to be induced, but accepting as it was done for sound reasons. My doctor explained the reasons why he thought it was a good idea and the process very well so I knew what to expect. Baby had reduced in her movements and was being monitored, then didn't react on a CTG at 38 weeks. She arrived perfectly healthy after a relatively quick birth.

[beansbeans!]

Did you use any drugs in your birth?

DD1 I had panadine forte (sp), and the midwife gave me a sleeping pill. DD2 nothing

Did you have complications during your birth?

DD1, thats a matter of contention, Contractions stopped once it was time to push, DD2 nope nothing

Did you experience any feelings of dissapointment, disempowerment and traumatisation?

I really wish I could have standed up to the midwife with DD1, I wish I hadnt gone to hospital when I did (should have stayed home longer). I wish I didnt let them treat me the way they did, and I wish I had known more about my options, etc before I went into labour. I actually wish I could do that labour and birth all over again with DD1 because I would do the whole thing differently. With DD2 the labour and birth was that quick, so no... Although maybe convincing DH to have a homebirth so I didnt have to labour in the car on the long windy country road in the middle of the night