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.

Cool, Beansprout, you will be fine whatever happens. you've chosen the place you feel comfortable with and you know what you want - that's all great. I had a straightforward labour with just TENS and the pool - the pool is the best ever, TENS is also really good and gives you/partner something to do in early labour. Timetable went: membrane sweep at 3, waters broke at 4, into hospital at 5, TENS on, nothing really happening, sent home again; TENs started really helping at about 6.30; into hospital again at 9, into delivery room at 9.30, still only using TENS and not even at top level at 10.00. Walking around constantly. Into the pool at 10.15 when things were getting tough - this is where breathing is the best, best and most important thing. Felt like Cleopatra in asses' milk. Then a very difficult hour, but helped immensely by making LOTS of noise, and by hanging on to partner for dear life. Couldn't get anywhere with gas and air. Baby born 11.14. Then came the plus side - half an hour later I walked down the corridor to a different room to recover - felt bright as a button really, although my arms ached from hanging on to dh.

I was scared throughout that the midwife would despise me and as a result didn't ask for lots of information I would have liked. In particular, i would have liked her to help me with the gas and air. Wish now that I'd tried it in early labour to get it right before things got tough. Also wish that I'd never handed over the TENS control to dh - my contractions came on with a thud each time, not a slow buildup, so I found it difficult to say 'switch over' (to contractions mode) quickly enough.

Well, loads of dribble but it will be all different and exciting for you beansprout! you'll be through it before you know it. Best wishes

I had a home birth and all i had was 2 panadol. I found sitting in the bath helped with pain and contractions.

I was very relaxed abou the labour - more worried about what happened afterwards! Personally I found the more relaxed I was the less the pain effected me. If the birth centre lets you take your own music etc then anything that would make you more comfortable could help.

all the best!

that makes total sense papillon as the more tense you are the more your muscles tense and the pain intensifies

beansprout, do they do any holistic treatments in the birth centre?

I gave birth to 10lb DS1 with gas and air only. Of course it hurt but it's not completely unbearable and it does stop immediately afterward (bar the soreness). DS2 was gas and air only too.

Don't let other people put you off. I remember that in our antenatal class I was the only one who did not put up her hand to say she planned to have an epidural, and the teacher asked me why I did not want any pain relief, in front of everyone and made me feel like I was very weird. But, like so many women, I managed fine with tens machine, birthing pool, and gas and air at the very end. Just keep remembering that our greatgrandmothers were delivering their babies without pain relief for thousands of years, most of the time successfully.

You are all wonderful people - thank you SO much. MN is like magic - I post something, go to bed, and when I get up in the moring here are all these fantastic messages which were EXACTLY what I needed to hear. I have basically gone from feeling completely overwhelmed into a feeling of yep, I can do this!!

Birth Centre is fab and will basically support us in doing whatever we want. In each room there is a little stereo , oil burners, a pool, en suite bathroom and one-to-one midwife care. They encourage active birth but I can always transfer to hospital should I want/need to.

And now I feel lke I can actually do this, I can't thank you all enough (insert very grateful and tearful emoticon). Sniff.

I had three children with no epidural, just tens machine and gas and air. It was fab. I could move around, go to loo, stand, sit, kneel, whatever.

They weighed 7.14, 7.12 and 9lb so fairly big. I won't pretend it didn't hurt but it was bearable and so so worthwhile.

In fact the most profound and absorbing experience of my life. Makes me quite to think I won't do it again...

Just think, each contraction is one more you won't have to do again, one more nearer meeting yr baby.

No 3 by the way was so quick I cdn't have had an epi anyway, woke at 4.30 in pain, in hosp by 6am, need to push by 8.15am, four pushes (waters, head, body, placenta) baby out by 8.30. That was the 9lb-er as well! It's the pushing I had found hard work before so this was a big plus.

Had excellent midwives and all in all three very positive birth experiences.

Skim-reading the thread, some good ideas, lydialemon is right about breathing and positions, and as others say, every birth is uique, you need to go with how you fweel. All the veey best of luck.

I feel like that clary but I'm sticking with two.

beansprout, so glad to hear Mners have helped you hun, can't wait for the birth now to hear how wonderful it was for you. It's making me want another hearing about that birth centre well almost lol

no none with my three
all fine

Beansprout, just wanted to add my words of wisdom

Everyone has different pain thresholds, you may get to 4cm and have just had a little discomfort, or you may be in agony and not know how you can cope with it all and only be 1cm! If you feel you need pain medication take it. Childbirth is not a test of character!

Pain can be largely ignored if you are able to meditate or self hypnotise...people have had operations without anesthetic, only using hypnosis.

I had both my 10lb babies with just gas and air during the transition. I did not have an easy time and with DD had to have a ventouse intervention. However I mentally took myself off to a beach in Dubai/Bali/Frinton on Sea, and pretended that I was feeling great.

Learn some breathing techniques. I breathed triangles...In for 4, out for 4, hold for 4. The more pain I felt the louder I made the breathing!

Get in a pool if possible

Back massage is fantastic

As soon as your baby is out the pain really does just go away like magic! Focus on that thought.

dh did bruise my lower backwith his massage

I've had one with an epidural and one without. Both births were fine! Yes it hurts, yes it's hard work, and I was never truly confident that I could 'take it', but giving birth - with whatever pain relief you use - makes you realise just how fantastic and strong you really are.

I used tens and breathing/chanting/marching with both births, but what helped me enormously with the second (and I'm sure enabled me not to need an epidural) was hot baths and my dh holding me during the later contractions and massaging me after each contraction.

Good luck!

good luck beansprout congrats on using a birth centre

I had only gas and air I'm a total wimp with regards pain and thought I would definately have an epidural. I also thought labour would take ages, I'd try the pool etc, all my plans went astray. When the pain first hit I thought this is way too sore it's only the start and I can't cope already. This led to me being distressed. As it turns epidural. Yes it hurt like you would not imagine but I kept in my mind if I can just get past the next contraction took it one contraction at a time. The urge to push is like nothing I have ever felt before and once I started pushing I had something else to focus on. The feeling when that baby comes out is like nothing on earth it will blow you away. Saying all of that I would do it all again tomorrow to have another one (must be insane I know).

Trust your body, I felt like the baby and my body took over and I was a bystander. I'll look forward to hearing your lovely birth story.

meant to say i dilated so fast no time for epidural

good luck beansprout!!!

I also managed with gas&air and tens for first one....b**y painful, mbut still managed!!

Not got time to read the other posts but my advice it try to do it without epidural if you can.

I had epidural for DS1, no time at all for anything with DS2 and decided on nothing for DS3. All of those births were fine and positive but to be honest, while DS1 was obviously more or less pain-free with the epidural, I found the other 2 births the most exhilerating (sp?) and satisfying.

DS2 was so quick that I just shouted/screamed but it was so short that it was fine.

For DS3 (just 3 weeks ago!), I decided, based on the speed and shock of DS2, that I wanted to stay calm, try and breathe and like others have said, just think each contraction is one less to do and one closer to meeting the baby. It worked and the other thing I'd highly recommend is sitting on the ball! It was FANTASTIC!!! For me, this felt like it was only the very peak of the contractions that were hard so it felt like the gap in between was longer iyswim. I'd never have considered it myself and the midwife suggested it and boy am I glad. You can rock on it and I used the end of the bed to pull myself backwards and forwards on it while using gas and air. That birth experience was the best one of all.

You can do it - go for it girl!!! Can't wait to hear your birth story!!

Big hugs and lots of luck to you. Enjoy!

Just read someone else's post and remembered that the good thing about no epidural is how good you feel afterwards!

In fact, I was out of hospital within 3 hours for DS2 and DS3 and felt amazing. I lolled around in my dressing gown feeling crap for days after DS1 (epidural) so there is that benefit too!

I got no epidural, because I came in too far gone to have one. I didn't think I would be able to make it, because I don't have all that high of a pain threshold, but I managed to make it. I had an excellent nurse that used to be a midwife and a dr that pretty much let me progress at my own pace. I didn't have anything during the birthing process and only had one Tylenol (Calpol) afterwards. I had a quick 3 hour labor (first child) and managed to push out a 9-lb baby. The dr. said she's always amazed at how much faster non-epidural patients recover. My husband's cousin had a baby 11 days before I did, and she was progressing very rapidly until she got the epidural, then she had 19 more hours of labor. If I had another, I know I would try to do it the same way I did before.

Haven't read other messages so apologies if I repeat anyone. Ds was an induction and (poss. as a result?) the pain came on very quickly and was pretty awful once they broke my waters. Had an epidural administered twice but on each occasion it failed and the drugs administered had absolutely no effect. Eventually had to go under a general anaesthetic to have a c-section.
With second child I thought I would attempt to have an epidural again in case I needed a second c-section but the labour progressed so quickly and without incident that it was never necessary. And it was an incredibly satisfying experience. And I was home within hours.
I would say if there are no complications (I had pre-eclampsia in my first pregnancy) I would go ahead with the birthing unit and not worry about the epidural.
Good luck!

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Beansprout I'm awful when it comes to pain, so I anticipated that I would take everything going when it came to my labour... however I managed at home with just a long bath, TENS machine, birth-ball and massage until I went to hospital where I was already 9.5cm dilated! As the midwife told me, I cried - 'but I was planning an epidural! is it too late?' she just smiled and encouraged me to use the birthing pool, where i delivered my lovely little boy about 1 hour later with only gas and air. It really wasn't that painful, except the last 2 pushes when he was actually born, but even then it happened so quickly. He was 9 pounds 2 ounces!

You can do it, but at the end of the day, if you decide you do want extra pain relief then its no big deal and you'll know at the time what you can cope with. I wish you all the best! You'll have a wonderful experience at a birth centre I'm sure xxx

Beansprout... if there is no epidural there is no epdiural... you WILL cope... if you have a choice of an epidural you are likely to opt for it if you are scared. Make sure your birth partner knows how to best support you, make sure he keeps you calm and focused on your breathing !
Is it your first?

P.S. I did both mine without an epidural and DS (my 1st) was 18 hours of 1stage and 6h of second stage.... OK I did beg for one at the end but it was nearly over so they declined). Consider water/birth pool for pain relief it's very good!

beansprout you will be fine. Came across a similar reaction to having my babes at home, lots of folk saying "are you sure" and "you are brave" - personally I think folk going into busy consultant led wards are brave!!!

Both mine born with nada ..... I really enjoyed giving birth too, it felt amazing and I wouldn't have wanted anything to dull that feeling.

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