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

Yes I had a natural birth with DD, had a few puffs of gas and air when I started pushing but struggled to control my breathing so it was swiftly taken away. My labour progressed very quickly so there was no time for pain relief. I was in so much pain that had my labour lasted longer I think I'd have been begging for an epidural.

I don't understand why women put so much pressure on themselves to do it 'completely natural'. You don't get a medal at the end and aren't any more of a mother for doing it without drugs

Yes, I had a homebirth with ds2 with no pain relief, it was great.

Do be open minded though. With ds1 I had a very long labour and just used tens for most of it (I highly recommend tens!) But was knackered after 30 hours. I opted for gas and air which was like a good espresso, it really perked me up! For me, the exhaustion was worse than the contractions and it got me through that.

I would read... www.tellmeagoodbirthstory.com/birth-stories

www.thriveglobal.com/stories/46235-what-i-wish-every-pregnant-woman-knew-before-going-in-to-labour
and if you have time..
www.amazon.co.uk/Ina-Mays-Guide-Childbirth-Gaskin-ebook/dp/B003QHXLKA/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=ina+may%27s+guide+to+childbirth&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1539289310&sr=8-1
and
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00FUZPE60/ref=oh_aui_d_detailpage_o01_?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8

FWIW I had an epidural first time round, an intervention free birth second time round and an epidural third time round. I do believe that with the right support, all births can be joyous and spiritual, regardless of whether there is intervention. What is important is that you feel in control as far as is possible.

I also completely agree that if the baby is in distress then I will have whatever intervention is necessary but will avoid intervention for me if possible.

I don’t understand how you can make a distinction between intervention for baby and intervention for you?

As PP have said, OP, and in the kindest possible way: one of the biggest risk factors for PND is to set particular store by a specific birth plan, due to the risk of feelings of failure if things don’t pan out the way that you had hoped.

Good luck

Yes I did. Stayed at home as long as possible which was vital for me in keeping calm. Spent a lot of time on loo I found that and walking and mooing which relieved the pain a lot. As it got more intense the tens machine went on and then didn't come off until I started pushing. It was about creating a cocoon. The curtains were drawn and I was in our bedroom for all of it. I really turned inwards. When I got to hospital I put a blanket over my head and shut out the outside world and kept turning the tens machine up. That was what worked. Then labour progressed quickly and I went from 4 to 10 cm in about 4 hours. I would really recommend hypobirthing techniques above and also my doula who kept me calm and helped me feel confident. I wanted to have a water birth but honestly there was no way anyone was taking that tens off me!

I had a good 'natural' (your term) birth completely by luck and a bit of yoga. My contractions came on really quickly and everything happened so quickly I was in the birthing pool before I really knew what hit me.

I consider myself a bit of a wuss but I LOVED the gas and air so I was basically high for twelve hours straight. We had no complications so it was easy as pushing a baby out of your nether regions can be.

I did hit a point quite early on where I was about to panic and through some sheer miracle I just chose not too (probably the gas and air).

Good luck OP. Just go with the flow. It'll all just be a fuzzy memory five years from now.

I would advise you not to think about it too much and just go with the flow!

I didn't have a birth plan, was never asked how I wanted to do it - I just decided on the day. I managed for 20 hours with just paracetamol but the pain became to unmanageable and I had diamorphine 6 ish hours before I gave birth. I was back at home with DH and baby 7 hours after she came.

I don't regret it - I hope to have a similar story this time round (albeit hopefully a quicker labour).

Just do what feels right on the day

I have had 3 with tens and g and a. My first because it was a bit too late for any intervention and then the other 2 because I thought well I know I can so I shall!!

I did have the injection to deliver the placenta though as wug my second I tried to wait but I was getting really stressed so I just had it in the end.

I've also had 2 homebirths which were awesome!

Oh I also used yoga breathing and relaxation for second 2.

I've had two homebirths, both times used tens machine and yoga breathing.

First birth was longer (about 18 hrs established) and I'm not going to lie - there were some points when I was completely overwhelmed by the pain. However I kept putting off G&A as I didn't want to use it too soon, and no one offered it to me! (to be fair, I had put in my birth plan that only to give G&A if I asked for it, so MW was following that )

Second time was much quicker (4 hrs) and I had one truly 'oh fuck' contraction shortly before I started pushing.

See if you can do a daisy birthing course if there is one nearby. The techniques I learned really helped me and I managed to have no pain relief except one paracetamol (which I threw up) and tens machine in the earlier stages before k got in the water. Obviously it did hurt but I felt in control and had a really positive birth. I was v lucky I know, things don't always go to plan, but daisy really did help and it also informed me of the process of labour and pain relief options if I had have needed/wanted them

Yes. 2 waterbirths at home. Good size DS each time!

Used breathing techniques, bit like hypobirthing. Kept myself fit as well before and during pregnancy ...stamina and self belief helped on the big day.

No pain, just pressure and it comes in waves so just do each one at a time .