Drug-Free Birth

OK, maybe a bit early to be thinking about this, but I'd like some feedback from women who know!

DH and I haven't decided where I'll be giving birth yet, but I've already said I want no drugs. Everyone I speak to over here who's pregnant plans to take as many drugs as they can be given (I've had pg women speak to me about this before I knew I was pg) and I astounded everyone by saying that I'm not planning to have any drugs when my time comes, they all think I'm mad!

So I end up saying; well, I'll probably change my mind at the time and ask for them, but I really don't want to, yet I'm being made to feel like I'm really stupid for considering a drug-free birth :angry:. I've seen a picture of the area an epidural affects and TBH I don't want all those drugs in my baby's system! I have always wanted a drug-free birth, ever since I have been old enough to start thinking I want babies. I rarely give myself painkillers for anything and just ignore the pain as I feel like I'm cheating by taking painkillers - pain is a sign from the body that all is not right, you should deal with it, not suppress it!

So is it possible to go drug-free? Or am I really deluding myself? DH will stand by pretty much anything I want, commenting "don't argue with an angry woman in labour" (bless :rolleyes:), but I don't want drugs! :help:

It is prefectly alright to have a drug free labour and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. It's your choice and i say go for it! I was planning to with my frist but ended up having gas(which i asked for) and pethadine(which i didnt ask for but wasn't in the right mind to argue) This time though, i am more educated about it all and will definatly be trying my hardest for a drug free labour. So i say, go with what YOU want. If you want a drug free labour, then try it. If you end up having some drugs, don't feel like a failure either. you would have done the best as you possible could and no one should argue otherwise.

What Tegan said, is perfect, I went drug free for the first one, then for the second all hell broke loose, i was in soooo much pain, and my pain tolerance is pretty high, in the end i asked for an epidural, as soon as he inserted it jaydens head popped out, i was so tense with pain that i could not dilate but as soon i was relaxed it was effortless, then they found out why i was in so much pain, he came out posterior, head up, which means his back was rubbing on my back.
Just goes to show you never know!!!! What i recommend is to be open minded,leave your birth plan open, Preferabley no drugs but if unbearable will consider it.
Third time round i am taking it as it comes!
You are a hero regardless whether you take drugs or not!!!
Goodluck:D

I had a little bit of gas with the twins , and my latest was entirely drug free, it was a vbac ( #3 was emerg csec ) and bubs was 10 pd 4, a bit of rocking, some moaning, focussing on my music helped and a baby. ( after 9 hrs, and shoulder distocia) IT DEFINATELY CAN BE DONE!!!!!

Yep, can definately be done........I don't think of myself as having a particularly amazing pain theshold, but I gave birth to Olivia totally drug free (7 hour labour, shoulder distocia) and whilst I was induced with Charlie, so had the induction drugs, had no subsequent pain relief drugs of any kind........

Yep I agree can be done! I had some great support too, I think that does make a world of difference. Doula/Midwives can definitely be the crutch you need to help you get through the rough patches. My experience is similar to Vanitas we did pretty similar things by the sounds of it. I used music, moaning, birthing balls, walking, showers/bath etc etc All great focus techniques.

*hugs*
Cailin

ryn

i have had 3 babies, from way before becoming pregnant i heard a couple of horror stories re epidurals and i made up my mind i would never have one. when i had my first baby i was induced with the drip after my waters broke and contractions went walk about lol, imo the drip causes the contractions to become much more intense and painful, i tried the gas and it made me throw up everywhere, i then had pethidene which to be honest i don't think made a difference. anyway onto bubs number 2, i didn't have any drugs at all, and i must say i am no matry and i don't think i handle pain to well but i was determined to try and do it without drugs, i used the hot water from the shower and also aromatherapy. with number 3 i was induced via the gel being 10 days late i chose to be induced and dd was born in 1hr - i do remember however begging for an epidural when her head was crowning and midwife and ob just laughed and said it was just about all over.

so i have had 2 completely drug free births and i can honestly say afterwards i felt so good, whereas with my first i was a bit out of it from the pethidene had really showed no interest in my baby i was just glad it was all over.

if i have another child yes i will endeavour to go drug free again, but i will always keep my options open even tho i am still scared to death of epidurals lol. it is not for everyone and everyone handles things completely different but it is a different kind of pain in a funny way it is a good pain.

just don't listen to all the horror stories and believe in yourself and your abilities in what you can do, you will be fine. make the decision you want, make sure your birth partner knows what you want. i remember with my first i was begging for an epidural after i was sick with the gas and my dh was wonderful and kindly reminded me that we could try something else before the epidural as he knew how scared i was of them.

sorry i have rambled

My births haven't been totally drug free as I had gas, but I'll try to hold off for as long as I can this time. I also used TENS machine during early labour and used the bath for both. I pushed out Mason without any gas at all, but needed a bit with Angus as his labour was a lot quicker and more intense.

Thanks for all the quick replies girls! That's so nice of you.

I am aware that drugs are an option if I really can't cope, but having my SiL and BiL think I'm mad for being excited to see bubs for the first time just because SiL was so drugged up she and BiL couldn't remember how to spell niece's name, let alone be excited to see her (this was a couple of months ago)... well, I just want to be awake and alert and have Leibling awake and alert too. My mum had loads of drugs with me and I slept for my first week, needed to be woken up for feeds and mid-feed.

Anyway, over here it's such a hospital-drugs-intervention culture that it's nice to know that it doesn't have to be that way!

Ryn, not sure which bit of Sussex you are in, but I have had friends and my SIL who between them have all given birth to 7 kids without any drugs at all, all at St Richards in Chichester.........

Thanks Lucy - that's about 60 miles away or so, but would be worth it. My hospital have quite a high induction and C/S rate, but then I do work with people who have medical complications of pregnancy so I'm sure I hear about the worst case rather than the best, even so people think I'm mad for not wanting drugs.

Hmm, might arrange to have a week's holiday by the coast come February LOL.

*puts hand up* I did it without drugs! (well... had ONE puff of gas.. blerk.. on my last contraction before pushing mind you!!) The fact that you want to do it for your baby will make all the difference. That's what got me through. My labour was augmented with the drip, but I wouldn't say it was unbearably intense.. perhaps if #2 isn't augmented, I'll know the difference with the intensity of contractions?

Anyway.. there's an article on the main site which talks about the body's natural painkillers which I found to be great, so I totally focused on letting my body do it's thing, and having a fantastic DH there supporting me and reminding me of why I didn't want drugs was everything I needed.

Do be aware of the transition stage tho.. that's where you are likely to cave! (Hence my puff of gas right at the end.. bit disappointed.. but it was so ineffective I don't count it. LOL) Do lots of reading, be prepared with positions etc, and you'll be able to do it.

I copped a lot of rolled eyes and knowing looks from people too.. all saying how I have no idea what it's like etc etc. But I knew soooo much more about the stages of labour and how the body works to get that baby out than they had ever heard, and as a result I'm sure my knowledge of this stuff is what helped me have a very fulfilling birth experience.

Good luck!

Ryn I went drug free with my ds and it was the most wonderful, empowering moment in my life. It is certainly possible if you are prepared and aware of your options. In my birth plan I had a list of steps 1 try and go drug free, 2. try min air/gas 3. if induced may ask for an epidural.
I had to be induced and had my waters broken, at first they had me lying on this stupid table hooked up to a lot of machines, when my first contraction came it hurt like h@##. Then as I waited for the next one I got so tense thinking "no, I don't want another one to come" That one hurt more than the first. That was when all my reading and knowledge stepped in. I got off the bed and walked and swayed. Went to the loo (got the machines taken off still had the drip) then I could really get into labour.

What nobody told me was that labour is about hard work not about pain. If you understand why it is hurting (muscles contrcting and pulling up on your cervix to dilate) you can let your body do it's thing. I found myself having complete trust in my body and just going to a really primeval place where labour was the whole focus.

Sorry this has turned into such a novel but I just hope that every woman can have such an amazing birth experience. It is truly amazing what your body is capable of if you just let it do what it needs to do.

In short read Active birth, learn about different positions, listen to your midwives and the most important set of questions "Do I have to have it now? What will happen if I wait 5 or 10 minutes?

Until I started TTC, I had always been one of those women who says "yep, I will want all the drugs they can throw at me". Then I started to learn more about the effects they could have, and I decided I'd try for a drug-free birth (even though the idea terrified me). It can definitely be done! Trust your body; women have evolved to give birth :) Learning about relaxation techniques can really help too, and of course good support during labour.

1. Great pre-natal education (you are very lucky to have the active birth centre in the UK!). Read the right books, speak to the right people and watch some great natural birth DVD's - they show you how possible it really is.
2. Continuous & known birth support (including making sure you mingle with a cheersquad for the birth you want!)
3. Consider having a home birth - very low rates of medication, often shorter labour, very high rates of natural birth, next to no intervention including caesareans (around 1.5%) and that nurturing care you get from a midwife, at home is gorgeous.

Certainly (from what I have heard from friends and family who are in the baby birthing zone in the UK) homebirths are really widely supported in the UK, Ryn....much more so than in Australia......... but a GF of mine who lives in Brighton, who has given birth to her 2 babies at home, was telling me that Sussex NHS Trust has the 2nd highest homebirth rate in the UK (after a rural county like Devon, I think?) with some astounding rate such as 8%?

So if anything Ryn, you are in the right place...............

I really want a home birth, but DH doesn't want me to, just in case. Ah well, have to see how we go! I do know I really don't want to go to the hospital!

As for reading and education, the midwife at the hospital on Thursday wasn't happy with me that I didn't want to give Leibling the vitK injection - apparently baby won't feel it, but I still don't want someone sticking a needle in my newborn! I've been told that I should only consult the NHS Book as that tells me "all they want me to know" - all well and good, but what about all I want to know?

I do know that SiL wanted a natural birth but ended up in labour at 4am (waters broke 11pm Christmas Eve) and by 11am was being preped for a C-Section - might have been because she needed it (she says the docs said she was too small to get the baby out), might have been because it was Christmas Day... but I just don't want that pressure on me.

Hmm, if it's Brighton and Sussex University Hospital Trust that's behind the homebirth movement then that's fab, as I'm under them, but have to check about Mid-Sussex PCT (we have two different healthcare providers, one for the hospital and one for the GP, not sure which the homebirth midwives come under, it may be the PCT). Guess I'll have loads more questions for the PCT midwives on the 11th when I see them!

Thanks everyone for all the information and giving me lots to think about.

Ryn, I will post some stats so he can see how much safer you will be at home then :) There are less rates of PPH at home too - there is no synto use (a drip to speed up labour) which is linked to it, there is just a so low rate of intervention, and if you need to transfer thats okay, but transfer rate is really low anyway. Midwives are so capable! Here is some Vitamin K information. It's actually a UK midwifery discussion.

It's still early days, maybe he just needs some confidence and information to reassure him it will be okay. Watch some homebirth DVD's / videos with him, so he can see how interactive dad is and how beautiful it is, compared to how it will be in hospital. Perhaps dont tell him the birth DVD's you bought are homebirth ones, just say you bought some and want to watch them with him and see his reaction :D

Wow, there are some scary vit K stories on that site! Hmm, if I showed that to DH baby won't be having vit K, and I must admit I'm still not convinced we need to give it, but I guess we have lots of time to make up our minds!

Thanks for all the info Kelly, I really hope DH appreciates all the thought I'm putting into this! He's not really done much more than start to realise we're having a baby, poor love.

Ryn I've had five babies 3 totally drug free . It can be done. Just remember though it is you perogative to change your mind if you want to

Hi Ryn,
As Dee said it's totally up to you, and it definitely can be done. I didn't have any drugs either with both but it wasn't by choice for my first (I asked but didn't receive!).

I would just go in with a totally open mind - see how you go. You have definitely done yourself a favour by asking questions and preparing yourself. For my first I was in total denial and when I went into labour I went into shock and cried my way through it!(Fell pregnant accidently after knowing DH only 2months at age of 22).

For my second, I knew that it could be better and got educated. I read books about the best positions, about hypnotherapy etc. The best piece of advice I heard was that the pain is a positive pain - it's pushing out your baby. If you think of that, and rather than completely tense up when contractions are happening and try to relax (I know it sounds ridiculous but it's true!) they are manageable. I put this into practice with my second and the birth was almost enjoyable and such a positive experience compared to the nightmare of my first! I had a couple of hours of pre-labour contractions that weren't intense as I relaxed, breathed, didn't get stressed out and made sure DH wasn't either. All of a sudden I went into transition and my baby was out in 2 pushes (in 5 minutes). I'm sure it was because this time I was prepared, positive and also NOT LYING ON MY BACK!!! (Standing!) Not TMI I hope!

My point is, educate yourself, maybe try some meditation/yoga (I don't know anything about that) and be open minded. If you need drugs you will decide what's right for you during your labour. Just remember you got pregnant to have a baby, not to experience labour. It doesn't really matter how you get there! Oh, also there's this good book by Naomi Wolf called "misconceptions" all about the interventionist-culture of hospitals that I read during my bitter days following my first birth!!

Zoe.

I've just gone off drugs even more! A friend who was very, very pro-drugs during her pregnancy gave birth at the weekend (huzzah!) - she has a lovely baby boy. But I know the hospital here would have loaded her up with drugs, as requested, and she needed the baby sucked out with a vacuum pump. I do not want any intervention at all, certainly not my baby being pulled out because I'm out of it: the more I hear the less I want drugs.

I know I could end up changing my mind, but the hospital here is so pro-intervention, even with my "normal" friends (not the high-risk obstetric clinic patients) have all had some sort of intervention. I am avoiding this hospital like the plague when it's my time! I am not running even the slightest risk that they manage to bully DH into making me have intervention for my baby.

Also, Zoe, I've been reading all the books too! They're fab and I'm not at all scared about giving birth in the abstract, just don't know what it's going to be like so it's sort of exciting and scarey at the same time, like a new rollercoaster or something! Pregnancy yoga seems to me a bit of a waste as it's all stuff I can do standing on my head anyway, but I'll include it in my workouts and life anyway.

Hi Ryn,

Do you have the option of the 3x oral vitamin K does in the UK?

I planned a drug free birth, and ended up having gas, but the hospital were really good - I had a midwife only delivery (my ob was on leave) and I basically had to talk them into giving me the gas once I did make up my mind.

So I had a birth plan which said 'don't offer me drugs - I'll ask if I want them.'

Well, after talking with the midwife yesterday DH has decided that we're going to the birth centre as he's not clearing up after me, baby is to have the injection in case of head bleeding and that I shouldn't believe that doctors at the hospital intervene for their sakes rather than the mother's all the time.

I am a bit upset about not having a home birth, but realistically I know I couldn't have a baby then in the next hour clean up the house, so I suppose it's a good thing. I'm putting on the plan not to offer me drugs, I think the midwife was a bit surprised at the force with which I said I didn't want to go to the hospital or have an epidural! DH still thinks I'll need medical intervention, which pees me off no end, because there's no way I'm going to be so drugged up I can't spell my baby's name, or can't push my baby out and need a vacuum, or whatever else.

I just think it's weird that you spend months not having any drugs at all (alcohol, caffine, nicotine, painkillers...) then with about two minutes to go, the doctors want to pump you and the baby full of drugs! Just seems a bit counterintuitive to me.

Do you have any other support people Ryn that will support YOU and your wishes? Unfortunately when there is a conflict of interests it can play out in labour.

DH is OK with me not wanting drugs, and I don't really mind going to the birth centre, but I don't have anyone else. My MiL wouldn't want to do that, not that I'd really want her to, and I won't ask my mum as then she'll try to get me to have the birth she wants, it was hard enough overruling her about balloons and fireworks at my wedding, so can't do it while I don't have all my wits about me! My mum thinks I should have medical intervention too... maybe if I tell DH that he'll go off the idea? He doesn't like his MiL at all. Just can't believe I've gone through all my life being a "big girl" and now everyone's telling me I'm too small to give birth! I think not. The only person to ever call me tiny was the person fitting me for my wedding dress, everyone else just sees big. Not fat, just big - hence the surprise I had a 24" waist by the dressmaker.

I had so many injections as a child, and give blood and stuff now, so I know that needles don't hurt (unless you're sewing and jab one up your nose, as I did last night); I'd rather not go with vit K but it doesn't upset me too much that baby has to have it, just I want to be there for it, not have baby taken away to be weighed and measured and jabbed. They can do all that in front of me.

Edit: Actually, Kelly, thinking about it, you're very right (as usual!). DH keeps trying to get me to take painkillers for headaches, well pre-baby he did, so why on earth do I think he'll tell me not to have drugs when I'm in labour? Maybe I should try to get him to have a proper baby and labour talk with me.

Ryn, I was lucky. My midwife and mother cleaned up all of the mess. Within a couple of hours all the washing was done and all wash clean again. You'd never have thought a baby was born not long before hand there.

That first paragraph you posted Ryn just had me worried - if he thinks the hospital will be doing what they are for your benefit only, and you are sure you don't want something (be it pain relief or an intervention) then is this going to be a problem for you? You don't want to be arguing about it in labour or being upset as you feel pushed into something you don't want - and trust me - there are some doctors who aren't afraid to rattle off the 'd' word (die) in order to push their case for intervention. How quickly is he going to buckle with that? Will he have the facts, confidence or tools to know otherwise? Do you want someone on your side who can advocate what you want and at the same time, help facilitate communication in order to find out if it really needs to be done NOW and know any alternatives? It's YOUR body. Both of your baby yes, but your body they are playing with and YOU make the decisions.

You have seen the stats which compare hospital to homebirth in terms of intervention and as I always say, I am not saying any one is better, but doesn't that show you how much unneccesary stuff is going on and what we are truly capable of? Perhaps you should print off the stats for him so he can see that the risk is the same but the difference is you are more likely to have interventions in hospital and homebirth has a rate of 0 maternal mortality in most places? (well none I have seen have stats with more than 0 maternal mortality!)

I am starting to worry about this - I know that often the labour is induced/speeded up/forceps etc used for the benefit of the doctors and midwives, not the mum, but DH refuses flat out to believe that - because there would be more "people like us" who would complain. Not if we were told I or the baby were going to die, then DH would be pressuring me into being cut up or having whatever else done to me, whereas I won't believe them and would really resent it. I really don't believe that by asking for no intervention then we'll get it.

I think I'm going to prevent DH from being in the labour room with me. I'll go to the birthing centre but have him not with me until the baby's born. I don't really want him there anyway, so that won't be a problem for me. I'd rather do this with just a midwife than with a big support team anyway. I'll make him look at the stats too just to prove my case!

You do have a long time to go until the birth Ryn, he just needs some time to learn too. You are so lucky to have the Active Birth Centre in the UK - why not go together and do a course? Will he come to some independant birth classes with you? I can locate some others if you like, there's no need to kick him out completely unless it's going to be a real problem and he doesn't want to be there but it's early days yet. It's why I get so many calls from last minute mums - all of a sudden it hits them that they are about to give birth and they aren't sure they have the support they want / need. So let him have a chance and time to develop his beliefs too, but if he is dead set against you, you can also consider a doula (check out the doulas UK website) or private midwife who will help you with things or if worst comes to worst, you can decide against him being there.

I'm starting to look int NCT (National Childbirth Trust) Courses, but they're all quite a distance away by the looks of things. I'll e-mail them tonight, but I know if we have to drive a half-hour to the course DH will pooh-pooh the idea, especially when they cost £104! That's about AU$250, and we get free NHS courses in November-December time.

I'll also look into active birth centres - I'm looking at going to Crowborough, who can't do inductions, forceps, ventouse, accelerations or caesarians; they're 12 miles from my hospital, which is 2 miles from home but anyway; they seem to be OK with drug-free stuff, but I can't find much more info without giving them a call, which I will be doing later this week!

I don't know if I'm altogether happy to pay someone to watch me scream in pain (LOL, clearly that's not the Doula job description), but it is worth a thought if I can't talk DH round.

hehehe we don't watch you scream. A doula will evaluate the situation and if you are screaming because you feel out of control or scared, she will help to get you back on track and to help you feel safe. But if you are making noise as part of an energy release, then she will let you go - letting go during labour is beneficial. :) There is generally a difference between labour noises and screaming, and helping a woman get back on track can make a big difference to her in labour. I'll see what I can find out about good courses in your area. One of my clients is actually going to the active birth centre at the moment, she's due in a month or so and will be moving back to Australia very soon - she will live a suburb away from me. Can't wait to meet her!

ps. I mean Janet Balaskas's (the founder of the Active Birth Movement) centre - she operates out of the UK.

Thanks for all that, Kelly! I'm in the RH16 area of Sussex if that helps you at all. I'm flitting between really looking forward to giving birth and being scared that it's all going to be other people making my decisions, so I'm really keen on getting all the control back.

You have all the control already. And above all, you have power to say no. Nothing is beyond your control and you need to consent to anything being done. Of course, it would be silly to think that there is no chance of intervention, I think all of us would accept it if it meant the life of our own baby. This is why it is so important to have carers you trust and support who share your same philosophies. They both need to listen to your fears and support you in having the birth you want - something you do have to work bloody hard for. You need to educate yourself as best possible and feel confident with the choices you make. Have you read 'New Active Birth' or 'The Thinking Woman's Guide to A Better Birth?' Both are great. Don't bother with, 'What to Expect When You Are Expecting.'

I've not read either of those, but have been directed to a book entitled "Natural Midwifery" about having a natural birth - it's American, but I can't remember the author. I think I'll be stocking up on reading material this weekend - good thing I have an age to wait around on trains and planes on Monday! I'm getting all excited about this again, which is good - I just hope that DH will start paying an interest too. I might have to get him his own baby book so he doesn't feel left out LOL. He's just about gotten used to pregnancy, I don't think he's thought about birth yet.

Shame we mostly studies nematode, xenopus, salamander and drosophila development at Uni: all my textbooks have pictures of how frogs grow etc, but very little on what my baby's doing! Ah well, I can coo over mouse bone development just as much as I can do human I suppose.

Ryn I agree with Kelly in having a doula, I didnt have one, but my mum is a midwife, and was my support person, and DH too, but I made sure they both knew, and agreed with what I wanted ( no intervention unless desperate) IF I didnt have my mum I would have paid for a doula, it seems a lot of money, but this is your childs life long memories, and yours!!!!!! This is soooo important . YOU NEED TO HAVE THE BIRTH YOU DESIRE you will regret it otherwise. I have been on a website where the ladies cry on their childs birthday, due to the trauma they experienced at the hands of the health professionals, dont let this happen to you
You are travelling the right path by looking into it now, and I eagerly follow your journey, and wish you the best in finding the birth you need.

DH has said no doula because we'd have to pay for one (please no comments - I'm thinking the same as you, only worse!), but refuses to tell me what he'd do IF I was in pain and someone asked him what to do. He's under enough stress without me messing with hypothetical situations. To my mind, that's going to be a real situation soon enough, not a hypothetical one!

I'm going to keep going with the yoga and exercise and just try to get my body as ready as it can be, and if anyone brings anything over to me whack them in the head with it! That'll make me feel better than drugs.

Like I said before Ryn, it's still early days and you would be surprised what some good birth preparation classes could do :) Philosophies need time to develop.

Ryn I got this email today:

Dear Kelly,
Just returned form holiday and read your post to the UK midwifery list. Have the couple concerned managed to get some classes yet?
I am an independent midwife and National Childbirth Trust Antenatal teacher and live in Hampshire. I teach private couples classes. If your couple are interested ask them to send me an e-mail.
With joy,
from Joy.

Let me know if you are interested!

Thanks Kelly! I've not heard back from the Mid-Sussex girl yet, so will ask DH about it when I get home.