Natural Childbirth VS Epidural/Medication/Interventions

[newmommy13]

there is a statistically significant correlation between interventions in labor/birth and failure to bf. obviously its not the mother's failure, i fell into this category unfortunately. but it was a failure nonetheless.

i had a beautiful 27 hour natural childbirth at a free standing birth center and delivered my daughter after 3 hours of pushing. it is my belief that i would have been given pitocin, and/or had a csection, and/or an episiotomy if i had been in a hospital setting.

instead i had a beautiful, calm, relaxing labor in a candle lit room with a fireplace and a tub large enough for my husband to join me to support my labor. there is no way i would change a thing about it!

[livingalmostlarge]

I had my first baby 5 weeks ago. I had hoped to have natural childbirth, but ended up with an epidural and having my baby vacuumed out.

So she was born 4 weeks early. I started a fever Saturday night after having a cold for 2 weeks. Then Sunday morning I went into the ER for bleeding and was told I was in labor. We were so unprepared that we begged and went home to get a bag, car seat, etc.

We went back at 5 pm and I was 6 cm dilated. I was relaxing in the tub, and made it to 7 cm before I got an epidural. I threw up and collapsed as I got out of the tub. I was on antibiotics and having chills. The ob/gyn suggested an epidural so i could lie down and sleep. I didn't sleep, I was just not feeling well and I vomited a few more times. I had terrible swelling and blood clots and childhood epilepsy. I typically had seizures when I had high fevers.

Then at 9 cm my ob broke my water and I wanted to control the pushing. So I turned off the epidural and feeling started to get back. Then Monday morning midnight passed and at 1 am it was time to start pushing. As I began to push the heartrate of the baby skyrocketed. My ob gave me 30 minutes to push before she vacuumed her out.

The baby had a fever too and I tore badly. I have to say I wish I hadn't been on any medications because I don't remember the delivery. But I'm happy I ended up with a healthy baby in the end.

So the baby went into the NICU and I ended up needing care because the bleeding wouldn't stop and the placenta wouldn't come out.

So I'm in the boat that whatever happens, happens.

[bali1228]

Originally Posted by regbyandjulie Okay, so DH and I are going back and forth with the dicussion of "natural childbirth" versus epidural/medications. My personal opinion is that DH does not get a firm say in this as he will never experience it, but his opinion matters to me, plus I've been reading how a natural childbirth is most conducive to breastfeeding, etc. So, a quick poll on who had a natural childbirth or who had medications and what would you all recommend? I am pretty much of the view that I might want to see if I can go natural, but I am reserving the right to demand an epidural at any time, lol.

I had a C-section, and I nursed like a champ. DD waited 45min for me to get back in room, hubby cuddled and bathed her while waiting. She latched right on, and the only time I had a problem was on the second day when my OB insisted I supplement w/ a bottle. It took a whole day to get her back on the breast. I think that is a big impediment to nursing, the formula companies donate the bottles and the staff want you to use them. I ended up nursing her until she was 20 months so I guess it worked out. I used to feel bad that I had the c-section, I had friends "jokingly" accuse me of getting the "easy" way out. I figure I made up for it with all the breastfeeding and making all her baby food by hand{ which is sooo easy, and so good for them btw} Good luck with what ever you decide. But know that if it doesn't work out the way you planned, anyway your baby get's here is a-ok!

[jennifercawthon]

I went natural with both of my children and I wouldn't change it for anything. First of all I did not want the possibility of any drugs getting to my child when it wasn't necessary. I have heard that the drugs do not make it to the baby, but I have also heard that the baby does not suck as well after an epidural. I don't see how a baby would not be able to suck well if the drugs did not go to the baby's blood stream. And I was very determined to breastfeed and I did both babies for just over a year. The epidural was not worth the risk to me.

I do not know why, but I just look back on my labors and cherish what I went through. It was way more intense than I every imagined. I always imagined it would just hurt in the belly. I really felt it in my entire body. I really had to concentrate and work with my body to birth my babies. It is really hard to explain. To me with each contraction it just felt like God was there with me. The whole experience really was a miracle. Women are made to birth children and I feel the pain really is a good pain. The pain isn't there to tell you something is wrong like every other pain. If you want to do it naturally then there is no reason to fear the pain. Women all over the world have natural childbirths every day.

[eppo]

Originally Posted by bali1228 I had a C-section, and I nursed like a champ. DD waited 45min for me to get back in room, hubby cuddled and bathed her while waiting. She latched right on, and the only time I had a problem was on the second day when my OB insisted I supplement w/ a bottle. It took a whole day to get her back on the breast. I think that is a big impediment to nursing, the formula companies donate the bottles and the staff want you to use them. I ended up nursing her until she was 20 months so I guess it worked out. I used to feel bad that I had the c-section, I had friends "jokingly" accuse me of getting the "easy" way out. I figure I made up for it with all the breastfeeding and making all her baby food by hand{ which is sooo easy, and so good for them btw} Good luck with what ever you decide. But know that if it doesn't work out the way you planned, anyway your baby get's here is a-ok!

thankfully i had no friends that even joked like this. they just said i am lucky they didnt have to sew me a new a*****e :) for which i am tankful and that made me feel better.

[bali1228]

Originally Posted by eppo thankfully i had no friends that even joked like this. they just said i am lucky they didnt have to sew me a new a*****e :) for which i am tankful and that made me feel better.

Yeah, it was pretty hurtful. Especially since I didn't have much choice in the matter.....oh well, everything happened for the best. I had a beautiful healthy baby, 9 out of 10 on her APGAR. So for me, it was worth the recovery and risk.

As far as not having a new one sewed...my sister couldn't use anything but pads for a YEAR after she had her son. That episiotomy ruined her...lady bits . I was pretty much all good after a month.