Happy non-epidural stories please!

[beansprout]

I'm due on 5th October and have chosen to be at a birth centre rather than a hospital for a number of reasons. That said, I've been getting very anxious about managing the pain (it's my first) and havng an epidural isn't an option (midwife care so no medics).

I've had lots of people say "oooh, are you sure about this?" which is just making me feel worse. I still stand by my decision, but this aspect of it is becoming very hard. Can someone tell me they were fine without an epidural please and that it is entirely possible without one?!! A bit of reassurance would go a long way at the moment!! Many thanks in advance.

I had dd completely natural (although i had the injection to get the placenta out - too tired to push it out!). Not even gas and air (bastards lol). It wasnt actually not that bad tbh. If I had the same labour for my future children i would be very happy I found just pushing and concentrating on pushing dd on when having contractions eased the pain. Good luck - ooo its getting close

It is possible as I managed with 3 of mine without an epidural (4th was an emergency section). However, each labours were different and it was only my 2nd one that I really felt I coped well just with gas and air. I had pethidine with the other 2. Is that a possibility for you?

I had both of mine with gas and air only. With ds, being my 1st was rather anxious and was worried that I needed something more- the gas & air didn't seem to have any effect on me, but it did help me control my breathing. Started panic towards the end, got out of the birthing pool and the midwife even went off to get trolley for an epidural, while she was gone, waters broke and ds was born within the hour.
And with dd, well didn't even manage to have my half hour on the monitor, very intense, no time for anything other than gas and air, which once again, didn't really have any effect on me that I was aware of.
Good luck, keep us posted!

My last three children were born with just gas and air. The last two, intentionally. I found that by concentrating hard on music, and using the gas and air that I was able to cope with the pain, and didn't let it overcome me.

Because we were late to the hospital with ds2 there was no time for an epidural before he was born. That's when I realised it WAS possible to give birth without an epidural.

And I felt so much better the next day, No stiffness and feeling that you've been run over by a truck. Thats why I decided not to opt for an epidural the next time, and it was such a positive experience.

HTH, Good Luck.

You might find this thread useful Has anyone regretted a home birth? since you can't have an epidural at home.

Wasn't meaning you might want to go for home (although you could), more that you might find some of the posts useful from a managing without an epidural point of view!

With DS1 I was petrified of pain and was adamant I wanted an epidural...however when it came to it it was the middle of the night and the aneasthetist was in theatre so I couldn't have one (typical!) Got through really well on pethidine. When DS went into distress I had no choice but to have an epidural as they thought they would have to do a c section (which they didn't in the end!). But I hated it. Didn't like the feeling of not being in control of my body. When my time came with DS2 my one proviso on pain relief was that I definately did NOT want an epidural, barring emergencies of course. I coped on gas and air and pethidine again. imo positive frame of mind works wonders. I found labour was easier to cope with if I kept telling myself I could do it, and each contraction telling myself it would end soon, and that at the end of it all I would meet my baby. HTH

I had an epidural with my first and hated it because she was induced and it was all going too slowly. This was followed by a second as the first only took on one side, foetal monitor, drip, catheter, episiotomy and finally ventouse. This all took 24 hours

I swore I would have my second w/o an epidural or being induced and got permission to go over 2 weeks over (as long as I went in for a check-up daily)- and I'm an "older" mum.
At 12 days over I started naturally at home, went in, had gas and air, had dd2 pretty shortly after and even the afterbirth came out on its own! I remember asking the midwife if I should push, she said "if you like" and I pushed twice (or was it 3 times???)

What a difference between dd1 & dd2. After the natural birth I would have done it all over again - several times!

The problem with childbirth is it's different for everybody. Also the first always takes longer to arrive. With hindsight I would never have let myself be induced with my first - it feels very un-natural. As long as you access to gas and air (and use it properly, 15 secs before each contraction starts) and the odd injection to relax you, you should do fine

I was a scaredy cat for my first and demanded an epidural but in fact, I only had time for the test dose (midwife told me afterwards, as my labour was fairly short). Just gas and air, and I felt fantastic afterwards - knackered of course, though! For the second I felt giving birth was no big deal so I had a bit of pethidine. (plus gas and air of course) Did not like that at all - made me feel extremely woozy afterwards. For the third I had just gas and air. Would highly recommend it - and for the third I sat in a rocking chair for the first few hours - really took the edge off the contractions.

Well done beansprout for choosing a birth centre, i really wanted to do that for mine but alas it was too far away!

I only used a tens machine with ds1, not even gas & air! the labour was a total 9hrs (2hrs pushing as a result of tiredness, make sure you have some sort of sustanence at hand!) and i can honestly say that it was relatively pain-free except for the final lot of contractions.

Ds2 - had gas & air as well as i had to have my waters ruptured due to being 5cm dilated without a single (known) contraction!!! he arrived after only 3 and a half hrs so it was quite painful but i managed to resist anything else.

I did a lot of yoga at home with ds1 but nothing with ds2 and used the old trick of massaging the perineum with sweet almond oil RELIGIOUSLY for the final month or so. I managed to escape any tears or cuts (slight skin tear w/ds1). I highly recommend doing this now if you haven't already!

Remember though to keep as open a mind as possible as with childbirth anything is possible. if you cannot manage without using some sort of pain relief, DO NOT CUT YOURSELF UP ABOUT IT! Go with the flow, remember your breathing as this focuses your mind!

oh and i also used a birth ball too and aromatherapy oil to sniff...

I had only gas and air with both of mine. Both I consider to have been positive experiences.

I had gas and air with my three. Too many cons to consider an epidural, and it was OK. It does bloody hurt though BUT it is not impossible to deal with, and the high you get when it all stops and they give you your baby is indescribable.

What tips can I give you?? Er, remember to breathe - its really easy when you're having a contraction to hold your breath. I had my mum reminding me to breath all the time When you hold your breath you tense up which makes it worse, if you try to take deep breaths (esp. if you do it with the gas and air clamped in your mouth!) it makes a big difference.

Keep moving if you can, and think about your labour positions. Lying on your back is pretty crappy, I found that kneeling on the bed was better - gravity helps with the delivery then as well, and mw still have easy access IYSWIM!

At the end of the day though you'll be the one in labour, so just do what feels right for you and don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

best wishes!

With my first dd I had an epidural.

In my second pregnancy I was determined that I wasn't going to have one. People kept saying to me, oh are you sure? Yes I was sure and I did it

I stayed upright walking about through most of the labour, breathed through my contractions in through my nose out through my mouth. It seems silly to say this but remembering to breathe is very useful you naturally want to tense up but by taking deep breaths and concentrating I managed to get through 11 hours of labour by just breathing and used gas and air for the last 2 hours.

A brilliant positive experience and would gladly relive that day all over again. Something I never thought I'd hear myself say.

Best of luck.

I gave birth at a bithing unit with a TENS machine and a birthing pool. The fact that getting an epidural wasn't an option actually helped me to focus. I felt at ease with the TENS and pool, because they were both methods you can try whilst not in labour to see if they suit you. I found being at the birthing unit afterwards wonderful too.

Just tell people that birth is a "normal life event" and that if it becomes anything other than this they will transfer you to hospital.

If you don't try, you will always wonder what might have been. It's not "lots of people"'s baby or birth, it's yours and you have the right to have it how you want.

(PS I found repeating "this will pass" during transition very useful indeed.)

This is my first time on mumsnet so I have a question: do you mind people from outside the UK joining in? I found your site from a google search.

Childbirth: I had my first child by c-section at 30, mainly because I was misinformed, but my second was born at home, naturally, when I was 41. The doctor came to my house, which is very unusual here, and stayed for the last 12 hours or so before I delivered. I had no episiotomy, no stitches, no epidural, no drugs, no... etc. My son came out a very healthy, 10 lb. 14 oz. boy. I was worn out, but just fine, too.
It's not for everybody. You have to be comfortable with your choice. If worrying about it will make delivering worse or if the pain just becomes too much or if a hospital sounds like a more comfortable place to you, I don't think anyone can think less of a mother for whatever their choice may be. We all have to get the information we need and then do what we feel is best for us.
For me, I interviewed about 7 doctors before I chose mine. Most people here go to whichever doc the insurance covers, but I don't trust them (the insurance companies or most docs) very much. The first docs I interviewed all wanted to and/or told me that they would do a c-section again for one reason or another, without even asking my opinion. They told me my age or gestational diabetes or previous c-section or being Rh negative or having a history of herpes would prohibit a natural birth but I think they were just taught to cover their butts by doing c-sections or were NOT taught the wisdom of natural childbirth because some big corporations paid off the medical schools to teach otherwise) so I did a lot of research and decided the natural way was a better chance for me and my child. I brought my findings in to my doc and he was surprised, read the articles from the New England Journal of Medicine, etc., that I brought in and agreed he also thought it was the best choice. It was.
Trust your body to know what to do because childbirth is not an illness but a natural event, but still have a good doc or professional on hand for emergencies.

No worries WindyCity - there are mums/moms/mutti etc from all over getting on here. Welcome! Can I assume you are living in Chicago?

I had my first just TENS. Its all to do with having a good midwife which I am sure you will have in a birth centre and if you know you haven't got the option you won't be tempted. Just remembe the more they do the worse it is.

I am hoping that I will have a similar birth in the next few weeks and I really don't want an epidural.

GOOD LUCK!

Thanks and yes, to AussieSim. Actually, just outside of Chicago.

Good luck, Beansprout!

Oh hell, I know I've been an epidural-advocate to you, Bean, I am sorry. FWIW I had dd1 with an epidural that went a bit wrong, and probably kicked off the old 'spiral of intervention' and meant everything had to be started again with a drip and generally was vile vile vile and a birth I took ages getting over. I didn't even want to look at the baby, I was so shell-shocked and knackered. I was absolutely determined to do dd2 without one, and the ensuing waterbirth was one of the most amazing highs of my life. Totally fantastic. Wonderful.

I had both my children only using gas and air and a tens machine. IF I can do it anyone can. I wouldn't rule anything out though beansprout. Go in with an open mind. I didn't even write a birth plan I just wanted to take it as it came. I'd planned on having every drug going but both my births we're too quick for anything. Felt like hell at the time but I'm so glad now. Good luck

Windy city isn't it the middle of the night in chicago?? I thought you were 6 hours behind us. But then it is a few years since I went to Chicago.

Had four children without pain relief, (well a bit of gas and air right at the end for the last one), and I planned to take everything they offered me. So it is possible

Beansprout - wanted to wish you lots of luck.

I did have an epidural for my dd and I know that you wanted stories of people who managed without, but I did do without one for absolutely ages, so felt that it's still a positive story for you. Most people would have produced a baby by the time I had my epidural!! Basically I had 2 days of "pre-labour" (contractions every 5-10 minutes), plus 8 hours of full on contractions every 1-2 minutes on gas and air at the end of which I wasn't dilating at all. Before checking me the midwife actually said she thought I was ready to start pushing, but then it turned out the baby was posterior, so really I was going nowhere fast, and an epidural was a blessing, and my only option. Having said that, if the labour HAD been progressing, I think I could have continued on just gas and air, even though I'd had no sleep for 3 nights! I'm really hoping to do without an epidural for my second, due in March, indeed I'm hoping for a homebirth, where the epidural won't even be an option.

Hope it all goes really well.

Beansprout - I went for my first at home, and got through 28 hours of labour including 3 hours of pushing without once feeling the need for either gas and air or an epidural. I used Tens, a pool, and 'diaphragmatic breathing' throughout. I did have an epi in the end because DS was well and truly stuck, and I demanded an epidural if I was to lie on my back for ventouse.

Presumably if you do need any extra help, (inc ventouse etc) you can just transfer?

Good on you beansprout!
I went into labour with a completely open mind, not particulaly wanted an epidural but decided i would have one if the need arose.
Needless to say the need did arise and i felt i could cope no longer without having it.

If it isn't an option for you (giving birth at birthing centre), then i'm sure there are lots of alternative options available. As Blu said, surely if you felt it necessary and your midwife felt it necessary then you would be able to transfer to a hospital.

Good luck, i hope everything goes just how you hope

I was induced with DS1 and my contractions were very regular and strong so I needed an epidural.
Due to ill health in the last trimester of DS2s pregnancy I was told, in hospital waiting to deliver, that I couldn't have one. The reason for this that I'd had numbness and they were fearful of causing nerve damage.
Thank God I didn't as it was a much nicer birth. I managed with tens, using lavender oil and then gas and air. The midwife suggested diamorphine and foolishly I took it even though I felt I was close to giving birth. DS2 was born very quickly after that and was asleep.
I stood for most of the labour which was tiring but I felt this helped him come out quicker, it took less than 3 hours.
The only advice I'd give is stand up for yourself, it's your birth and your body. I'm sure it will be beautiful though especially being in a birth centre Many hugs and good wishes for you xx