Birth plans & drug-free birth - how much do you want it?

[DoulaRelle]

Reading through all of these posts, I realise that for my 2nd birth I had a wonderful hospital based team around me. I was induced and I had my DH and a support person as well as a fantastic midwife. After an extremely intense 1st labour, I was utterly exhausted and ended up asking for an epidural just the once and was given it.

I found that having been through No 1 and the experience that it entailed gave me the added strength to cope with the pain far more effectively for no 2. I also believe that as I only had DH as support (that was how he wanted it) and I have to be honest, he was not really that vocal in helping me.

KNowing this I asked a very close friend to be my support person and discussed all of my dissappointments/fears/wants and things I didn't want in detail with her on several occasions. She knew there was no way I wanted an epidural again, and as little pain relief as possible. She was by far the most fantastic support I could have chosen. She was the one who was supporting me through every contraction and telling me I was doing well and the one who was vocal for me when required. I don't even remember where DH was in the room!.

I was also able to work with the contractions ie: That is one contraction closer to seeing my baby, which I was definately not able to do with No 1. I was also very lucky to have a fantastic midwife who took on board my requests re pain relief. I can distinctly remember going through transistion and my crisis of confidence, and it was the midwife and my Obs who were telling me I didn't need the epidural or the dreaded forceps!!! (Can you believe I was asking for the forceps!!!).

I know by reading on this website that many hospital based midwives and Obs are very quick to give you pain relief, but I can honestly say that they were both instrumental in me delivering with minimal pain relief (gas) and I was actually using the mouthpiece of the gas more as a focal point that anything. They were the ones telling me I could do it and I didn't need anything else. The midwife with me had actually finished her shift just before I started pushing, but she stayed with me right through till he was born, just as she had promised to do that morning.

Now having had a much better experience, I would be more likely to want to go into natural labour again and try and cope with the whole labour with zero pain relief, I have much more faith in my body and it's ability to birth a baby now. But this has only been able to come with experience.

After feeling gutted with No 1 as far as my birth experience went, I can honestly say that although No 2 was more painful - it was a productive pain, and the sense of achievement at having pushed your baby into the world - well nothing else compares!