Has anyone had a completely natural birth?

[stepmummamumma]

Hi all 👋

I am half way through my first pregnancy and have been looking at my options for childbirth. I feel very strongly about induction, sweeps etc and plan to refuse any interventions. I preferably would like to do it drug free but perhaps gas and air to take the edge off.

I do know that as I haven't experienced child birth before that I haven't felt pain like it before and that might change my mind, but I would like to have as natural as possible plan, assuming things are healthy.

I would love to hear some stories from women who have managed this to help me feel like it is possible.

Thank you so so much

I would say by all means plan for as 'natural' a birth as you like BUT be aware that sometimes interventions are needed to get baby out safely.

I did with both of mine but not through choice. Both labours were quick and the ward was short staffed so I wasn't assessed until it was too late!

My second birth I was given 2 paracetamol but I went from 1cm to crowning in 65 minutes and I can honestly say it was the most horrifically painful thing I've ever experienced. I would have loved pain relief but wasn't allowed any as the baby's heart rate was too fast and they needed to get that under control first.

I didn't bother with gas and air for delivery as if done the hard bit and I was a bit traumatised tbh.

I think if you have a slower more controlled labour then you should see how it goes. Don't rule anything out though - the women I know who have been most upset with their experiences are the ones who planned it down to a tee and then didn't get the experience they hoped for. Good luck x

I did. I had 2 water births, no drugs (not even gas and air), not induced etc. They were fine tbh.

But, I was lucky I guess. I had said in my birth plan that I didn’t want pethidine but would have anything else. I also said I would rather a section than interventions.

I would say that being realistic and getting the baby into a good position are the best things you can do!

I had sweeps with all three of mine as i was fed up (all overdue) but you can refuse them. This time it didn't work anyway. As above i'd say plan whatever kind of birth you would love but be open to the fact that things change. My DS this time was born at 6.31am at home as I was due at the hospital at 12pm to begin induction (13 days over). The idea of induction always bugged me but when they cancelled mine on day 12 I actually cried in frustration.

I planned for a natural birth first time. I practiced hypnobirthing and all. Unfortunately I was induced and spent 3 days in labour so ended up having every drug going, including epidural.
Second time around I had a natural birth and it was a much more positive experience. Labour was only a few hours from first contractions so the pain was very manageable.
Every birth is different so plan for a natural one but be prepared for things not going to plan.

Hi. I've had two completely natural births (in that I had no sweeps, no examinations, no interventions etc). I didn't have any pain relief (as they were home births) but I also found the pain manageable, so probably wouldn't have asked for any even had I been in the hospital.

My births were quick though. I think it is much harder to put up with a lot of pain when you've been in labour for many hours/days.

All I would say is go with the flow and don't rule anything out and you don't have to make concrete decisions now.

Yes, I had nothing but TENS and the water for my first. Great experience. That said, it is unfortunately unusual among FTMs that I know.

It's hard for me to know if these things I did "helped" or I was simply very lucky, but I think staying fit during pregnancy, walking a lot in early labour and staying at home as long as possible really helped. I was nearly 8cm by the time I got to hospital and I had a sticker on my notes to say I wanted the MLU so they whisked me straight there and started filling the pool. I do think that if I'd had to go to labour ward and been there longer things might have turned out differently.

Depends what you mean by completely natural.

I’ve had three with no pain relief other than paracetamol and tens machine.

With my second I had my waters broken after pushing for a while.

With my third I had a stretch and sweep two days before.

So not completely intervention free.

DS was a waterbirth, no pain relief, no sweeps etc, just as I had hoped. I do remember bitterly regretting the lack of drugs as he was crowning, but can't remember the actual pain iyswim? Pregnant with #2 now and hoping for similar but at home this time. I would definitely recommend hypnobirthing to help stay in control, and remember that if interventions are required you haven't lost anything- the most important thing is that baby gets here safely.

Inductions get a very bad press, but in many case the reasons for induction are sound. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to avoid interventions but make sure that doesn’t cloud your judgement when it comes to decision making.

I work with women who’ve recently given birth and often the women who are struggling most emotionally with it (aside from those who’ve had severely traumatic experiences obviously) are those who’ve had very fixed ideas of what their birth would be. It’s definirely good for your mental health to be open minded :)

I was also examined during labour with all three. And had the injection to get the placenta out

Yes I had two.

First was in hospital and I was induced. Just pessary and not drip. I spent a lot of my labour in a bath and had to get out for delivery. Did breathing which was probably a form of hypo birthing. I had v supportive midwives.

2nd birth - water birth at home. Quicker than first and v calm.

Had both dh and dsis for support.

Water birth for me was the ultimate experience. The difference between DD in water & the next two (both at home, one slightly chaotic the other very calm) was immense. It definitely had a very calming effect

I suppose my first wasn't completely natural as was induced.
No drugs or gas and air. However that suited me, I don't like the feeling with gas and air or drugs. If I'd had a back to back labour or a drip I might have felt differently.

My midwife advised to spend sometime on all fours to avoid back to back as apparently the incidence of it has risen since women have done less manual work. (But didn't see the evidence so don't quote me).

I had a natural birth, no medication or anything whatsoever with my second baby largely because I knew what to expect after my first baby and knew that the 'pain' of the contraction does stop. It was fine to breathe through the contraction, rest, breathe through. I also visualised myself as a very strong and capable woman able to manage, and I did.

The minute she crowned (It stung alot at that moment but the rest of the labour was fine) and she was born I felt completely well again, almost as if it hadn't happened. I went home four hours later feeling great.

It is not for everyone, and in my view you need to prepare for all outcomes. It is not a good or bad birth, the most important thing is simply to bring your baby into the world safely. All births are good as long as you and the baby are safe and well.

I would go as far as to say I enjoyed my labour and childbirth and would do it again in a heartbeat.

I've had one of each. DD1 ended up an EMCS so I'd had an epidural etc, labour had gone on for 36 hours so I needed some relief. DD2 was a natural VBAC, used some gas and air but no drugs.

I've had 2 water births without any drugs or medication, using hypnobirthing techniques. Both were spontaneous labours.

They were genuinely great experiences and my recovery was also good. There was lots of pressure but I would say no more pain than a strong period cramp, and 5 minutes of stinging when crowning. The hardest thing was the tiredness and stamina required.

I highly recommend hypnobirthing to any pregnant woman.

Yes. Gave birth in a MLU for my second with no pain relief or intervention. Gas and air made me queasy and did nothing for me. The birthing pool was also no use for me - it didn't ease any of the pain of contractions and I couldn't get comfortable. The midwife actually asked me to get out after a while as she didn't think it was helping and in fact I have a memory of her saying it was possibly slowing things down.

First time round I was induced at 42 weeks and had an epidural but had a vaginal delivery (although i was taken to theatre for possible emergency c section but managed to avoid that).

I had a fully natural first birth (unless you count the paracetamol when I thought it was just a backache early in the evening!). It had its moments, but was ultimately a great experience. The intensity of the pain did take me aback a little, but it definitely helped that I did hypnobirthing and also having done a lot of endurance sport, so was used to 'pain with purpose'.

My second ended being an emcs, with all the same prep, and my enormous 4th was in the water with gas and air, so like others have said, you can't control the outcome and need to be ready to go with the flow on the day.
However with the right mindset and prep I do believe that you can increase the odds of a good birth and (if it's what you want) a drug-free one. Good luck!

Nope, with all of mine water completely broke, huge flood like you see in the movies, then ... nothing. Then ..... nadda. The only action happening was constant dripping and trickling as your body still produces amniotic fluid but their is nothing to hold it in. So walking in squishy shoes/slippery thongs trying to get things moving is not a memory I will cherish. Still ....nothing. Absolutely ... nothing. So inductions via drip is all I have known. Best laid plans and all .

*there, sry autocorrect is not exactly correct in regards to grammar

Water birth with my first (and only) baby and it went really smoothly. It hurts, a lot. But by the time I got to the absolute agony stage he was ready to come out and in 3 big pushes he was here. In and out the same day, all in time for my mum to do my little sisters school runs!

I had hoped for the same - really got into hypnobirthing too which gave me a great mindset. I had a back to back labour & ended up with an emergency c section - BUT it was still a wonderful experience. Hypnobirthing helped me to feel calm and in control throughout, and gave my husband great ideas on how best to support me. I can’t recommend hypnobirthing enough!

I gave birth last summer (FTM) and I'll be honest, the whole experience was much more painful than I anticipated!

I used a tens machine at home. No idea if it did anything. I had planned a home birth but my labour didn't progress 18 hours after water breaking so I transferred to hospital. They wanted to induce but by the time I got to hospital I was 4cm so I requested a transfer to the attached birth center where I delivered in a pool. I tried gas and air but I couldn't get on with it as I'd practiced natal hypnotherapy during my pregnancy which was all breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Gas and air was the opposite and it just didn't go with my rhythm.

Honestly, the only thing that kept me going was my breathing pattern and the fact that I was quite afraid that any drugs might lead to interventions. The hypno breathing did not help with the pain! I just got through it. And once it's over, it's over.

I guess keep an open mind? Or have an idea what you are open to and what you are not? There was a class at my local hospital on birthing called when nature needs a helping hand which was quite good to help understand what all the different drugs and monitoring tools are.

(As an aside, OP, I don't like the phrase natural birth - I think it's really mean to women who've had interventions or pain relief, as if their outcome is unnatural. It's tricky language to use.)

Anyway, that said - I've had two vaginal deliveries with no intervention and no pain relief. I think it was mainly luck, in that my body seems to labour in quite an efficient way, and both babies were nicely positioned (1st labour was 9 hours but slowed up massively on transit to hospital - I think would have been more like 5 hrs at home, 2nd was 2 hours).

But things that you can do to help:

• keep really active in the run up to your due date and have a Google of positions that help get the baby in the best place for exit!
• don't be frightened about contractions and worry about what stage you're at/how long it'll last - this will make you tense up and make the pain worse, whereas it's more manageable if you can try to kind of ride the contractions.
• breathe! I didn't know anything about this, but just happened to use Pilates breathing to get through each contraction. I think hypnotherapy does the same thing.
• stay upright during labour if poss - IME it hurts a fuck ton more if you sit down or lie on your back, and slows things up. Standing and rocking hips around all good.
• take it minute by minute - it'll feel like you've been doing it forever and it'll never stop, but if you can surrender yourself to that then it's less worrying.
• don't worry about needing pain relief or interventions - just do what needs doing, for you and your baby.
• don't use any form of pain relief until you really can't bear the pain - that way you don't exhaust your options too quickly. That was an amazing tip from our fab first midwife, and ended up with with me not even getting to try out the gas and air

Seriously, though, I can tell you a decade on that parenting is a lifetime journey, and labour is just a few hours of it. Baby out safely, and mum treated respectfully and not feeling like she's let the side down, are what's key