Care to share some nice childbirth stories without epidurals?

[Forevertired19]

My hospital has a norovirus outbreak and by some miracle dcs dad phoned our closest open mlu and I'm able to go thankfully! They don't offer epidural and from dd, I can remember asking for the epidural mainly because I'd had no sleep in 24 hours, no food, no water and my iorn is low anyway, I couldn't do it anymore. Plus me and dd became tired during the birth so I'd have had to have had an epidural anyway as they wanted to c section me.
I feel like every night I'm going into labour and I've posted so many threads on here 😥 I just panic every night.
So what is natural labour like?
I liked gas and Air with dd.
I've never tried pethidine but I'm told it's incredibly risky if given too late which puts me off.
Ive been reading into hypnobirthing as of last night.. But I think it's too late to take everything in now :/
The mlu has a bath which has in my notes I'm able to consider. Apparently the bath is really nice for waterbirth.

[MaisieMoo02]

With my DD she came so quickly I didn't have anything! Luckily dd was very small (5lb 9)!

From my experience my birth was fine, no issues and all very quick. I laid in the bath for about an hour and a half and it helped me so much, I would definitely recommend to anyone!

Hope everything goes well for you

[Olivebrach]

I had a natural labour and whilst im not going to lie and say it was easy it was definetly do-able. The worst part for me was the tiredness!

I watched a lot of youtube videos about tips amd some things that helped me were:

• Taking each contraction like a wave. It would start, peak and then come down. Breath through each and know when it peaks (about third breath) it cant get any worse and will be coming back down.
  
• visualise my body opening up and the baby moving down with each contraction
  
• a birth partner talking to me and basically telling me those things ^^
  
• swaying on a birth ball leaning over something
  
• staying upright and moving
  
• sipping cold isotonic drinks (with sports cap)
  

Ngl i thought about the epidural and pain releif lots... but i wrote on my birth plan i wanted a natural birth so noone ever offered me any and by the time i was examined it was too late really so didnt have much choice!

Good luck! People tend to say that second labours are shorter so hopefully you wont be as tired!! X

[DancingLedge]

Sounds like that was quite a difficult first birth.

Second births tend to be easier, and faster, so it will probably be a different experience.
Water can help a lot.
Gas and air is great, don't overdo it too early on.

I had pethidine in two labours, it felt good, and I had no problems with it.

There's usually a bit during the transition where we all think better of this game, but get your partner to remind you that this is brief, and means you're close to the second stage. Again, usually quicker with the second labour. If you're lucky, just a few pushes, and your wonderful baby will be in your arms.

Best of luck. A shortish labour when you're not already short of sleep can be SO different from a long one. Chances are good that you'll get this one this time around.

[Nomad86]

I had a water birth with gas and air. It was great, I felt very in control and the water was a great pain reliever. The midwives were very hands off and let me get on with it. I was chatting away between contractions, DH says I was "embarrassingly calm". Waters broke at 6am, went in at 10, ds born at 1pm. I went home at 5 and we all went to playgroup with dd the next morning. I was very lucky, but it can happen that way so try not to worry!

[Forevertired19]

I hope so :( dd wasn't difficult in my mind but incredibly hard work. At one point she got stuck coming down and the midwife had to literally go in shudders and lush her arm back down. It was terrifying and I really did overdose on the gas and Air. I was so out of it. I'm terrified for this one incase its the same experience. It didn't help as this particular hospital did not let me get mobile and move onto my side or anything. I was constantly on my back. Thank you ladies x

[Forevertired19]

@nomad really hoping my labour is the same. Dd is 11 months old and we've never left her side together. She's being looked after my my dm but I hope to be out soon for her

[Rainshowers]

My first one was long and DD’s heart rate was all over the place. I had pethidine (and hated it) and by the time she came I was utterly exhausted and it took a few weeks to get over it.

DD2 was born 6 weeks ago. Very light contractions for a few hours (I put DD to bed, ate dinner etc so not painful), went to hospital at 2am, waters broke at 4.15, got in the pool about 20 mins later and she was in my arms just after 6am. Such a different experience and the pain was much more manageable.

About two days before I’d watched a short hypnobirthing video on YouTube and did some of the breathing which really helped so it’s worth a look. Also consider a TENS machine, I had it on until I got in the pool and I’m not sure how much it worked but it was a good distraction. Good luck with your labour!

[AnneWiddecombesHandbag]

I had a 10lb 11oz baby in 1 hour and 41 mins on gas and air at 8pm at night. Did the school run the next afternoon!

[AnneWiddecombesHandbag]

It was my second birth. The first was 14 hours on gas and air. Was also up and about quite soon after. The first wasn't as gigantic though haha

[Rodent01]

First baby 48 hours of contractions, 7 hours of actual labour post 3cm.

Second baby waters 6am, hospital 7am, in water 8.30am born 9.40, home 2.30pm! Boom.

[DrWhy]

I was 4cm at my sweep! Went to the pub for a collagues leaving do as I had no idea what this meant! Went home to bed, slept, woke at 8am with period pains, called DH at work about 11am, had lunch, watched a movie, called the MLU and tried to baggsy the pool room! Walked round the close, had a bath, put the TENS on, then decided enough was enough and went in. Hung around a bit, waters broke, 6cm, got in the pool, got the and air, DS appeared about 45 mins later. I had practiced hypnobirthing and DH was very good at reminding me of it but fundamentally it wasn’t at all traumatic.

[confusednorthner]

Dd 8lb 15, 2weeks late, hospital birth due to meconium with gas and air then pethadine .
Ds 9lb nearly 3 weeks early, birthing centre lovely chilled water birth with gas and air eating Jaffa cakes! I actually look back fondly. Home 2hrs later and 2 hrs later sat in doctors with eldest who'd split her head!

[Aozora13]

It’s luck of the draw really, but I had a straightforward birth with no pain relief until the end. Contractions started at 2am and came and went all day. Phoned birth centre who said come in when 3 in 10 mins. Bounced on my Swiss ball a lot, laid down with a hot water bottle, had a bath. When they finally got to 3 in ten mins at 7pm the pain was getting unmanageable and I thought if this is active labour just starting I can’t handle it. By the time I got to hospital I was begging for all the drugs. They examined me and was 9cm. Oops. No time for drugs, just some pushing then out she came. Got fully stuck into the gas and air afterwards though! Birth centre was so lovely - dim lights, music, really peaceful (except my yelling) so different from the chaotic birth scenes you see on TV. All the best for this birth - I’m sure they will just pop out no bother

[cheminotte]

First baby was c-section, planned due to breech but sooner than they expected as I started labour and was progressing quite quickly.

Second time I read Ina May Gaskin, whose mantra was ‘trust your body’. Lots of positive birth stories in her book. I’d really recommend it.
One other tip from her was to relax your jaw. Strangely your ‘nether regions’ can’t relax if your jaw is tense.
I also nibbled on a banana and DP was massaging my lower back. I spent a large part hovering over the loo and the gas and air didn’t reach. Never used it. After he was born the midwives said I’d just ‘breathed him out’ which she’d never seen before.

[laelti]

My experience of a MLU was they were very keen to keep you active and not on your back - my midwife told me I was in the worst position and got me on my side when I wanted to lie down!
I used the pool and gas and air but nothing during pushing, and he was born with me on a birth stool after 5 hours in hospital (12 in labour).
It's different for everybody and every labour but definitely doable. Good luck!

[Notproudofthisone]

Went into labour at 7am, hospital at 10am and baby was born at 3. Laboured in the bath in the MLU and moved into the birthing pool, was only in there 30 mins and out he came. I didn’t want any pain relief but didn’t need any in the end. I was given paracetamol at about 2pm, not sure if it did anything but he came quickly anyway.
It bloody hurt but was WAY easier than I thought it would be.

[Notproudofthisone]

Oh and I went home that day too, at around 8pm I had to wait 4 hours to check baby was alright, he latched on perfectly and off I went!

[annlee3817]

The main things I took from hypnobirthing was to try and stay calm despite the pain, change position until you find something that feels ok for your, focus on breathing and understand you will have points where you think you just can't do it. I kept an open mind regarding pain relief that was available, but got through it. I just kept telling myself that each contraction was bringing me closer. Hope all goes well for you. My labour ended up being pain relief free and a positive experience.

[DumbledoresArmy]

DS2 was born without me taking any pain relief.

I found that taking really deep breaths through contractions really helped.
Cliche but it's true. It helped me stay focused too.
I was stood up through most of my contractions. When it came close & very intense I got on my knees, facing the head of the bed & leant with my elbows onto the bed head.

Not gonna lie, it was hard, but quick.
DS came out & was passed straight through my legs, straight to my chest.

It was the most incredible feeling & high of my life!!
The pain was soon forgot & I recovered really quick! I did have stitches.

DS was 8lb 9oz too!!

It is totally worth trying not to have the pain relief.

[sycamore54321]

If I've read your posts correctly, you are describing shoulder dystocia with your first child. Do you understand that means a heightened risk of it happening again? And the limitations of MLU care to resolve it and to treat your baby for any consequences of it if it should reoccur?

[LurkyMcLurcker]

First birth was looooong and exhausting. (Think 24hrs plus of active labour plus 2 days of early labour). It wasn’t bad as such but exhausting and painful and lots of G&A which made me nauseous and quite out of it.

Second was a water birth, 2 hours active, about 6 early - had G&A for the very last crowning bit, the rest I just breathed through, it was an amazing zen-like experience. I remember breathing over the top of the water and watching it rippling through the later contractions, was in my own world and felt totally in control. Still painful but also exciting. I am a complete devotee of water births now.

[RoryHatesCoffee]

I used hypnobirthing which helped massively. I bounced on a Swiss ball too, and did lots of walking.

I did have one shot of pethidin but early on and it just meant I got two hours sleep (well in between contractions but I didn't care about them for those two hours) and helped my body rest and therefore dilate.

For the final 8 hours I just had gas and air and it was down to the hypnobirthing that got me through. I found the more I focused on my breathing and relaxing my body the easier it was.

[mindutopia]

I've had two lovely natural births (did use gas & air for the 2nd, but not for the first). I had both of them at home. I didn't find the first quite as amazing and empowering as the 2nd as I had no idea what I was doing and didn't know what to expect, though it was definitely the more comfortable of the 2. I've used natal hypnotherapy to prepare for both and mostly used a TENS machine (up until I started pushing, then it was intense enough that it didn't really matter and the wires were annoying so I took it off). I didn't even think to ask for the g&a the first time around, but definitely used it the 2nd time while pushing for about 30 minutes or so as it was a much faster and more intense labour and I felt I needed it. But it really was perfectly fine. I never felt like I wanted or needed anything stronger than that.

My advice would be to wait as long as you can before you go into hospital if you have that option. Obviously, mine were both born at home, but in both cases, the midwives only arrived when I was just started to get the feeling I wanted to push and I think that made a real difference. I would have hated just sitting around being stared at in early labour. You really need peace and quiet to get labour progressing and it happens best at home (assuming there isn't a medical need for you to be monitored, then obviously you're best in hospital, but making it as home like as possible). Be mobile. I never laid down in either of my labours. In fact, the 2nd one, I did a lot of the last half standing up and swaying. It felt much more manageable to be moving rather than tied to any one place. And I don't think it's too late to practice hypnotherapy. You can download the natal hypnotherapy tracks from their website. As long as you start now and practice every day, it certainly will help.