Help me get my natural water birth..

Hi everyone.

Well bubba number 2 is on his or her way and this time i would really like a natural birth. I had every intention for a natural birth with ds but i was group b strep and went into hospital for antibiotics and as labour was not progessing so was induced and well cascade of interventions and i had the epidural. I wasn't able to really move as i was hoked up to a drip and was being monitored and so things didn't quite go to plan.

This is something that i would really like to do for myself as i am not known as an overly active person but would really like my baby to be born in the most natural way to kinda prove to myself that i am strong and my body is strong.

I have a few months to prepare so how can i best prepare myself to birth natually? What are your best tips and hints and what tools can i get to use that are effective in helping me reach my goal. I am very scared of pain so i think ill need all the help i can get!!!

Firstly, congratulations!

Your body was made to birth your babies. Full stop. Trust it. What stopped you last time was the interventions and you know that, so you are on the right track.

Your choice of care provider is the most crucial factor in whether you will birth naturally. An independent midwife will give you the best chance.

The right support in labour also plays a vital role. Having a doula/midwife or both who will help you through the tough times makes an amazing difference.

I had every intervention under the sun when my first child was born. I can look back now and see clearly that had I had a doula or midwife supporting me, I would not hve made the same decisions and my birth would have proceeded very differently.

HTH

C x

Arm yourself with as much knowledge as you can.

Darling, don't be scared of the pain - my first was an induction and second completely drug free totally natural waterbirth. The pain is no comparison

My First Birth

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...th-cooper.html

My Second All Natural Water Birth

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...th-centre.html

Mentally preparing yourself is important, understanding the reasons behind your induction to prevent it happening again (I too was GBS + first time and opted the second time to have a douche vs anti-biotics but the second time it came back negative)

I did a Calm Birth course which explained the physiological process of birth and explained why people feel pain as well as great strategies to deal with it. I also found that Birth Skills by JuJu Sundin to be immensely helpful and worked in beautifully with Calm Birth.

My best advice is to get in the right head space and spend time every day visualising your ideal birth. Get onto Calm Birth, get a copy of Birth Skills and start making time every day for yourself to practice everything so it's second nature on the day.

OH - and if possible, go through a Birthing Centre vs hospital. It's a very different experience!

Good luck honey!!!

With Aiden I was induced stuck to a machine for 17 hours, he was posterior born via mighty vac and then spent his first week of life in the newborn centre....

so when I was pregnant with Charlotte I armed myself with as much knowledge as possible!!!! I read Active Birth by JuJu Sundin - best book ever!!! Managed to get DH to read it at the last minute too!!! Booked in with a Birthing Centre and had the most amazing midwife EVER!!!! I walked heaps..... got myself into the right 'head space' too.... you can do this -yes it will be hard and it will hurt but its a good pain!!! Exciting pain- the most intensive feeling of your life!!! I birthed Charlotte into water and she was posterior no tears ...... she was 9pounds ... total 4 hours labour - yes it was quick but boy it was amazing really amazing....................

Honey your are strong... you just got to believe in yourself ..... xxx

I had a natural labour with DD, it helped that DH was really excited the whole time, and found everything intriguing and amazing, it really encouraged me, it reminded me that the experience was about the birth of our baby, rather than the pain. he kept checking the machine and telling me when a contraction was coming, he'd get really amazed when a 'really big one' occured. I just took each contraction as it's own individual contraction, and kept thinking "one less". When it got really painful, DH reminded me about my plan to have it naturally, and that I'd already come so far.
Just try and tell yourself that the pain is good pain, not 'reason to be scared' pain. It's healthy, beautiful pain, it's your baby saying "I'm ready to meet you."
I was meant to be induced, and was so reluctant that I spent hours walking and swaying instead of sleeping to try to naturally induce, and it worked! Every contraction after that I was thankful for, I kept thinking "Yay, contractions. DD, you are doing this at your own will."
You can do this, you are a woman, you were made for this.