Am I crazy for wanting a natural child birth?

[Evianontoast]

Hi. I'm 31 weeks and starting to think about my birth plan with my
first baby. I've never really been one for taking any kind of drugs - I don't even take paracetamol (I also don't drink alcohol or caffeine, and haven't done for years, even before I was pregnant. Not really sure why, I just don't like the idea of it).

I really feel like I'd feel better going in to birth with a plan to not have any pain relief if I can help it. I understand that many people feel this way and end up with the pain relief in the end (thank goodness it's available if you need it). But whenever it comes up in conversation with anyone, I get the "just you wait!" attitude.

Am I being completely naive? I really think I can do it without it but maybe that's just first time mum naivety? Anyone else do it with no drugs? Do you regret it/ are you glad you did it?

Thanks in advance.

he politely declined

@Sydneyb3

Your natural pain relief that is produced during labour in the form of endorphins is more powerful than any chemical drug they can give you. Woman can birth in power but the medicalisation of birth doesn’t allow for it (see pp by the anaesthesiologist Huge eye roll) If you don’t want pain relief hold onto that and do what you can. Firstly a home birth would be more supportive of this as in hospital you are more likely to be forced into interventions. Secondly, there is a wealth of knowledge on the internet if you search for it OP. You can do this.

Eh? I assure you my endorphins were nowhere near as powerful as my epidural and in fact they did nothing at all. There’s nothing empowering about writhing around in abject pain and agony for hours and screaming the place down begging for relief. I accept not everyone’s births are that painful, but if you are in that situation what are you gaining by refusing relief?

If I’m being honest the long term effects of ‘natural birth’ aren’t great. Lots of people I know wish they had had c-sections, including me.

@Evianontoast you are not crazy at all. I am the same as you. Never done any sort of drugs and dont like the idea of not being fully in control or being spaced out. Also I'd spent 9 months protecting this small person with not eating/drinking things then to possibly put drugs in my body that would then affect baby.. I didn't want it.

1st I had a water birth. Was such a lovely experience. Calm atmosphere, no pain relief. The heat from the water helps with the pain, totally manageable. Dont get me wrong it hurts lol

2nd I tried a water birth but they didn't have space. I didnt have any pain relief again.. 10lb 3oz whopper who came out with his hand against his face 😬 again.. doable! You sort of just zone out from everything and go into a bit of a trance almost! You totally got this mamma!

Now pregnant with number 3 and I plan to again have no pain relief and hopefully water birth xx

You totally got this mamma!

I know I’m being a cow but shudder

@Avocadoseed

I find it so weird when people are like ‘I refused pain relief for 173682 hours’ why though? what’s the point? Why would you actually put yourself through pain when it’s not necessary. It doesn’t make you in some elite category or a better person because you refuse pain relief. You do you but I’m sure it will be a nicer experience for everyone including the baby if you are not in excruciating pain and a high stress environment.

Why are you assuming that people who don’t request pain relief feel as if they are a better person?

It is as you say just a choice.

Actually my reasons were partly to do with the way my own fear manifests. I was afraid that pain relief and the subsequent chance of medical intervention would make my body feel ‘not mine’. I was terrified of feeling helpless.

In the end we all use a variety of reasons for our choices, and according to what then happens.

Why criticise women who choose to avoid pain relief?

LOL though, TENS and pool ARE pain relief, as is hypnobirthing if it works for you, etc.

@Glassofshloer

You totally got this mamma!

I know I’m being a cow but shudder

Glad I'm not the only one < not envy

Until women choose not to have pain relief for tooth extraction and the reshaping of broken bones, which I have never heard of despite so many women apparently not liking pain relief, I will believe there is more to it than just wanting to be able to say ‘I didn’t have any drugs’.

It’s a choice of course but I find it a very strange one.

@Avocadoseed

173682 hours
🤣
that's exactly how long it felt waiting for an epidural - we were well into the night and there were emergency C-sections and the anaesthetist was delayed.
the pain wasn't even the worst thing. it was the panic I felt with every passing minute.

@RacketeerRalph where did that bloody phrase even come from? Everyone was saying it during Covid. Surely ‘you’ve got this’ is the last thing you want to hear in a pandemic?!

@EarlGreywithLemon
I assure you my endorphins were nowhere near as powerful as my epidural and in fact they did nothing at all.

You never got the endorphins that’s why you think “they did nothing at all”. The intervention of drugs in your system completely derails endorphin production by interrupting the biofeedback process in your body. It’s well studied by biochemists.

[quote PlanDeRaccordement]@EarlGreywithLemon
I assure you my endorphins were nowhere near as powerful as my epidural and in fact they did nothing at all.

You never got the endorphins that’s why you think “they did nothing at all”. The intervention of drugs in your system completely derails endorphin production by interrupting the biofeedback process in your body. It’s well studied by biochemists.[/quote]
I still want to know this magical circle of womanhood I’m supposed to be part of now I have pushed out a baby?

I suspect it’s the circle that but anusol and tena ladies every now and then 😂

[quote Glassofshloer]@RacketeerRalph where did that bloody phrase even come from? Everyone was saying it during Covid. Surely ‘you’ve got this’ is the last thing you want to hear in a pandemic?![/quote]
🤣🤣🤣

No, it's not naive, and yes, it is possible. I had gas and air and paracetamol with my first baby. Hypnobirthing works wonders!

[quote PlanDeRaccordement]@EarlGreywithLemon
I assure you my endorphins were nowhere near as powerful as my epidural and in fact they did nothing at all.

You never got the endorphins that’s why you think “they did nothing at all”. The intervention of drugs in your system completely derails endorphin production by interrupting the biofeedback process in your body. It’s well studied by biochemists.[/quote]
I also never got any endorphins. A drug came nowhere near me though.

I never understand this. Why would you do anything medical with a choice of lots of pain or less pain - and choose the former ?

You do know that no one comes around to the post natal ward with OBE's for services to pain relieve free childbirth. ?

@Glassofshloer

Until women choose not to have pain relief for tooth extraction and the reshaping of broken bones, which I have never heard of despite so many women apparently not liking pain relief, I will believe there is more to it than just wanting to be able to say ‘I didn’t have any drugs’.

It’s a choice of course but I find it a very strange one.

It’s just what suits your own outlook.

I was scared of childbirth.

But for me, I found confidence in reassuring myself that birth was a positive, natural thing rather than a ‘bad’ thing like a broken bone. And the contractions were my body doing it’s thing snd I would do all I could to support it. And I worried (rightly it’s wrongly) that drug-based pain relief would interfere with that.

Anyway, I did use pain relief: a TENS machine ups the body’s own pain relieving endorphins, a pool does what it does.

Everyone has their own feelings. I don’t think my approach was especially ‘strange’ and neither do I think it odd that others choose max pain relief from the off.

We’re all giving birth.

@Finknottlesnewt

I never understand this. Why would you do anything medical with a choice of lots of pain or less pain - and choose the former ?

You do know that no one comes around to the post natal ward with OBE's for services to pain relieve free childbirth. ?

No one is looking for an OBE.

Plenty of people have explained their own personal outlook and choices.

@EdgeOfTheSky you’re wrong there, that’s why people who have never experienced what they know to be a very high level of pain are determined to go without it.

It’s different if labour starts and you feel it’s manageable, but to be so adamant you don’t want pain relief before it even starts? Why would you even do that?

[quote PlanDeRaccordement]@EarlGreywithLemon
I assure you my endorphins were nowhere near as powerful as my epidural and in fact they did nothing at all.

You never got the endorphins that’s why you think “they did nothing at all”. The intervention of drugs in your system completely derails endorphin production by interrupting the biofeedback process in your body. It’s well studied by biochemists.[/quote]
I had 18 hours drug free agony - I’d say that was plenty of time for the mythical endorphins to kick in.

I'd like to know why my endorphins never turned up to my unmedicated (ish) birth. I didn't even enjoy my tea and toast on that one!

@EarlGreywithLemon

It’s not really a function of time. The endorphins are produced during the second stage of labour, or the pushing phase. If you had gotten to 10cm dilated/pushing stage, they would not have given you an epidural as it would be too late. Ergo, you chose epidural instead of endorphins. Which is fine and safe and all good. I am simply posting because childbirth endorphins really exist, they are not “mythical”.

I think it depends a lot on how long it goes on, five hours of labour without drugs is quite different from three days!

Go into it with an open mind. I think it's a bit like period pain, some women experience more pain than others and it's just down to luck. It also depends on the baby's position etc.

Most drugs have possible side effects ranging from wooziness to vomiting to more serious things, so if you don't need them then don't have them but equally they're a godsend if you need them.

[quote Glassofshloer]@EdgeOfTheSky you’re wrong there, that’s why people who have never experienced what they know to be a very high level of pain are determined to go without it.

It’s different if labour starts and you feel it’s manageable, but to be so adamant you don’t want pain relief before it even starts? Why would you even do that?[/quote]
Indeed. I was that person- I bought in to the lie that if I did it "right" I'd not need pain relief and that somehow using it, made me less of a woman, less of a mother.

I did ALL the research - I'm a researcher by trade so it came easily and naturally to me. I did the hypnobirthing, I knew all stages of labour, I knew everything about birth. NCT taught me nothing I hadn't already learned. I had positive birth affirmations, I read and heard positive birth stories. I was ready.

But I wasn't. I wasn't ready for the pain to feel so excruciating. Like I was being ripped open above my belly button. Not pressure. Not a 'useful', meaningful, or productive pain. Just pain in waves of ever increasing pain and no respite between the waves- just a dulling of the stabbing/ clawing pain. I was in such constant pain that after transition I couldn't feel contractions. Had no idea when to push. And yet I still refused pain relief.

Once DS was born, I realized what total bollox it all was. I'd have had a much better experience if I'd just gone in with an open mind and asked for an epidural early on.

[quote PlanDeRaccordement]@EarlGreywithLemon

It’s not really a function of time. The endorphins are produced during the second stage of labour, or the pushing phase. If you had gotten to 10cm dilated/pushing stage, they would not have given you an epidural as it would be too late. Ergo, you chose epidural instead of endorphins. Which is fine and safe and all good. I am simply posting because childbirth endorphins really exist, they are not “mythical”.[/quote]
Endorphins are real.

So are people who don't feel them.