I’m 28 and pregnant with my first, and I feel like so many of the videos I’ve seen where people compare epidural vs no epidural, everyone is so polarized and stuck on their opinion and almost determined to scare women into thinking what they do. Thank you for sharing both a positive and a negative experience on both sides and for being such an objective and reasonable voice. It has really helped me understand better how I want to approach this whole thing.
I had a non medicated tub birth and feel the same, I watched a lot prior to birth on youtube which was somewhat helpful/not helpful haha. I can confirm after birth I feel 10000% that us women should be able to choose what works best and is healthiest for us. It's hard enough going through delivery no matter what! Congrats and all the best!
@@DannaCatfinally someone said the truth. No one have to watch videos to get fooled but, women can choose what is best for them. Natural birth is the most painfullest thing ever and even after knowing that people choose it to know what the pain is. Idk what name should i say to women like them but, it's in my mind and i won't say it. But, i will never ever choose a hard birth with my legs up or to tear down there. I hate getting any bad things down there.
Congratulations! IDK if you've given birth yet but stay away from Kaiser is my only advice I'll be pushy about. Only PART of some of the "passive" labor for my first, was epidural. They had to get me off the meds before pushing because the epidural medication was dangerous to my baby's heart. I felt everything. I am thankful I had an epidural after waiting for three hours in the waiting room, and I wasn't able to sleep for two days before that...I couldn't sleep on the epidural either because obviously I was still in labor and a lot was happening. If you can sleep, let yourself sleep. If you can't sleep (I had a major rash for example, and other issues due to pregnancy) at least try not to panic. You WILL make it through. It took about four hours to push which felt like hell since I was so exhausted and nauseous. The pain didn't compare to how bad the nausea was and I was afraid I was going to pass out or choke on vomit. I don't know many women with that experience so chances are unlikely. But just keep focusing on the desire to birth a healthy baby as much as is possible.
Baby came, and I did end up having her fully unmedicated. I got to the hospital at 6 cm and 90% coping great with the contractions and then my water broke and everything went insane really suddenly. I dilated those last 4 cm in under an hour and pushed baby out an hour later. If my water hadn’t broken, I think I would have continued coping with it fine, but I didn’t get a break between contractions for those two hours, and my right hip had a Charlie horse basically from that point on 🫠 My team knew I was aiming for unmedicated but that I was open to getting an epidural if I was struggling to cope. By the time I asked for one, I was pushing and it was too late to get one. I don’t regret my decision, and I feel amazing knowing I was able to do that. But it is definitely something that should be an individual choice. I had medical reasons for not wanting an epidural, and I do still think that was the best choice for me.
I’ve been hesitant to watch any videos on natural birth vs epidural birth because of how polarized people’s experiences can be! I really appreciated your objective review and pros and cons!
Goes to show how fear makes a HUGE difference in unmedicated birth, this is why its SO important that we share how amazing unmedicated birth can be if we go into it with confidence in our healthy babies and bodies. Thanks for sharing
I had an epidural with the birth of my son. Wouldn’t change a thing. Once I got the epidural, it was easy breezy. Like a walk in the park. I definitely like the fact the my son came into the world in a relatively calm manner. But for the ladies that decide to do it naturally….my hat’s off to you. 😊
I’ve encountered such odd responses when I say I’m not getting an epidural. So many people just question me and treat me like I haven’t spent time considering the pros and cons. Your stories and pros/cons are so helpful and informative and it’s really good to hear both positive and less positive experiences from the same person. (To be clear, since it is a polarizing topic, I just get violently ill from drugs, but by no means expect others to go unmedicated.)
Me too. So many older women treat me like “oh no, you’ll want it” as if I didn’t weight the pain option or that I’m underestimating it. Well my family has a history of medication not being as effective on our bodies, especially pain relief and anesthesia. Besides, there are women all over the world who do it without meds, we are built to birth. For me, I made the decision and I want to stick to my guns, I don’t appreciate older moms belittling me.
@@TheMessCalledJessive had the same experience this is my first and im due in December im determined not to have an epidural due to a history of consistent bad reactions in my family that have left some women with serious issues, the amount of ridicule I get is nuts. Im not knocking women who want one obviously it there choice and whatever is best for their birth is the route they shld go, so I dont understand the flack I get for my choice😅
The nurses telling you to calm down is exactly what they said to me during my second birth while I was screaming. Also had zero time for the epidural and I was NOT prepared for that pain 😅 thankfully my third was way more peaceful 😌
I find that to be really rude, personally. I've had two natural birth experiences, all planned. And I couldn't help but scream through both, but especially with my 2nd since the pain was off the charts and not like my first birth. My midwives never told me to calm down or be quiet but encouraged me the whole way through. Pregnant with my 3rd and will go hospital route this time with planning an epidural, so likely won't have to go through that. But would find that incredibly annoying.
1st: hospital + epidural, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th: birth center water birth, unmedicated. 5th: planning natural birth again. Although the pain is a lot, it is temporary. But the low and then high of the natural process and much, much easier recovery makes the pain worth it to me.
I totally understand! I’ve had 3 epidurals and 3 naturals. My last baby I got an epidural which cascaded into a whole lot of unnecessary interventions. Baby and I turned out fine, but honestly the ordeal felt traumatic especially after knowing how uncomplicated my naturals births were. Now pregnant with my 7th at age 40 and preparing for a natural birth.
I totally agree. They say that if you feel emotionally relaxed, yiur body will produce more Oxytocin hormone, which helps to open the cervix & surrounding muscles more easily. This is super helpful for the baby to come out. On the other hand, if you are freaking out, your muscles won't relax easily, the cervix won't open easily, which means the baby cannot come out easily & the whole experience will be much longer & harder. So that's exactly what I experienced. I had a super traumatic birth the 1st time. Had forceps delivery & much tear. But the 2nd time, I had a professional doula who came into the delivery room with me & she took me through the whole process, couching me through all different positions & so on. So I ended up having all natural birth with no medical intervention, no pain meds, no gas, & even passed out the placenta naturally without any injection. It was a peaceful experience for both me & my husband.
Thanks for sharing your story. I was surprised to hear you say that your tearing was worse with the unmedicated births due to rushing. I have heard other women say that they tore worse with an epidural due to not feeling what was happening down there. So I appreciate hearing a totally different perspective!
Pretty sure a lot of women tear further up into their rectum (3rd-4th degrees) because they push flat on their back with epidurals and it puts all the pressure straight back. I had a pillow tilting my hips slightly to my left side and I tore only 2nd degree in a j-hook to the left side of me with my epidural. I think the tearing with epidurals is due to the positioning. My sis-in-law has torn all three of hers naturally because she pushes fast in a squat and gravity pushes with her.
@@MichelleNelson-ob9ed I hadn’t considered using pillows to alter the lying-down position so thank you! I’m due in two weeks. Hoping I can cope without an epidural but if I need it then it’s good to be armed with position ideas! 🙏
I tore 3rd degree twice with both of my natural births. Gave birth with midwives, at a birthing center, both water births and I tore, hemorrhaged and had blood clots in my uterus that midwives had to pull out with their bare hands and no medication. While my experiences don't seem to be the norm, it just goes to show, that every birth is different. Pregnant with my last and am going the hospital route this time, due to my previous experiences.
I appreciate hearing about your different birth experiences! I am expecting my first child in March , and I am trying to get as good of a grasp on my options as I can. I would prefer natural, but it makes me happy to hear stories of the epidurals helping out! I also have a doula who will be coaching me during the birth, so hopefully that will help me with relaxing :)
I am pregnant with twins and I really needed this video. I was feeling like a failure if I couldn't do a natural birth, but this made me feel a lot better for wanting to get an epidural. Thank you!
Aw congrats! That’s so exciting! Twins! Girl, don’t feel like a failure. You’re bringing TWO humans into the world! That is a miracle in and of itself! You got this!!
I’ve had two, midwife only deliveries to singletons (no pain relief) and now I’m having surprise twins end of nov/Dec and I’m opting for an epidural. I’m feeling really calm and confident about that decision and just think that my body has been through enough growing these two babes, plus the extra monitoring and extra staff like obgyns and paediatricians in the room that I’m choosing to take care of myself and embracing this labour for the amazement it is. Two babies! That’s just incredible. You can rest your body. Hope this helps mama.
I just had my second epidural a month ago. The first I got 12 hours in and it wasn't very fun because I was exhausted. I was so frustrated, defeated and I didn't enjoy it but it did help with the awful back labor. The 2nd one I decided, due to some factors I couldn't control, to get epidural almost as soon as I got to hospital. Best choice I made I was so happy I did it quickly that time. I know I could have done it without the epidural but it was really awesome to be totally rested and fully awake and mentally there watching my baby come out. It was amazing. I'm still gonna try to go unmedicated with the next birth, I wanna go to a birthing house, but this second epidural changed my mind about them completely. It can be such an awesome and beautiful experience ❤️ don't let anyone make you feel bad. I felt so powerful and in control with my second epidural.
I had twins and I’d absolutely recommend epidural. The doctor may need to manually shift one of the babies which they said is extremely painful. I was really grateful to have the epidural. Wishing you a very healthy and easy as possible birth experience!
When you said you were 'older' with your last baby and then revealed you were 33, I almost fell out my chair! 😂I'm 30 (almost 31) right now with my first baby. Currently 33 weeks and already decided I'm getting an epidural. But I was really curious and love hearing about people's experiences. Thanks for making this video! ☺
I’m 40 and having my 7th 😁 I definitely feel older than when I had my first at 24, but not old by any means! Women are often naturally fertile until sometime in their 40s, often not until nearing 50.
I really appreciate your perspective. So often I feel shamed for getting an epidural with my babies. My mom had even made a comment about how she doesn’t think I could handle a non medicated birth. I wish women could just do what is best for them with no judgement. I have had positive experiences with my births and that’s all that matters ❤
Thank you for taking the time to share your stories. First time mom to be and it is really helping my anxiety of an unknown experience to hear different perspectives.
I have to add couple of corrections here, as someone who had an epidural, an annoyingly doctors never tell you this beforehand and this adds to the misinformation which doesn’t help: you CAN walk with an epidural and you DONT need a catheter. This is because they can dose it as little or as much as you want. I explained I didn’t want to not feel my legs and then the midwife told me epidurals are dosed. So she gave me a low dose (I was in back to back induced contractions for over 15 hours so I was ready to die!) and she checked I could pee on my own so didn’t need a catheter and could walk around and change positions. I just needed a dose enough to make the contractions bearable. If I knew this before I went into labour, I would not have been hesitant towards the idea of an epidural at all. Secondly, the epidural anasthesia doesn’t enter the bloodstream so it isn’t supposed to get to the baby at all - this is what I was explained. It goes directly into the spine and not the blood stream. I’m about to have my 2nd at 40. Think I’ll go for the epidural and hope to not have to experience induction again.
@@MichelleNelson-ob9ed I'm sorry to hear this. that sucks. Don't understand why they dont offer it in other countries. Surely it's a lot less management for everyone. You dose it yourself (there is a set limit of course)
4 births.. all natural. The first was by far the hardest. I think due to fear and uncertainty, but also the nurse told me the first "makes a path" for the rest.
This is such a healing video. I had a very long and extremely traumatic birth with my first child. I held out for over 20 hours before having an epidural. I felt defeated for needing it in the end, since my mom gave natural birth to four kids. Sometimes you just can’t predict how it will go. I know it’s said again and again, but it’s really true that you have to go into labour with an open mind.
Sending you so much love and prayers. I struggle with the same thing and it’s such a hard thing for many women to have to go through. For me it’s because of PCOS, but whatever the reason, it’s devastating. Wishing you your perfect baby one day.
Loved your story. I also have 4 kids 2 epidurals and 2 natural unmedicated births. If I had to choose again I would get an epidural. We also chose to not find out the gender until birth with our fourth. I was induced by just using a breast pump with her. My contractions were intense at 6 cm I had back labor for the first time and lots of uncomfortable pressure in my bottom. I requested to get an epidural ( my plan was to go natural like my last two) back labor is the most intense pain I have ever felt. I got the epidural and and had baby 20 minutes after injection. She was born sunny side up with one hand on her face coming out. I’m thankful that god spoke to me encouraging me to get the epidural so I didn’t have to experience the last moments of intense pain.
I have had all mine at home. My second one he was posterior or face up and it was incredibly painful and took a really long time. My entire body was bruised to the touch. My midwife said it's the most painful baby position to give birth to.
I had my first baby 3 months ago and had to get 2 epidurals which caused my spinal fluid to leak, causing what’s called a “spinal headache” which was an excruciating pain up the back of my neck, into my head to behind my eyes. That was honestly worse than pushing. To this day my spine feels bruised and painful. I feel like they ruined my spine with the epidural and it didn’t even really work. So I never want ti do an epidural again being that I am now traumatized and afraid of ever messing with my spine again. Your back and spine are so important for the rest of your life, I had no idea it could ruin my spine like this. I’m still hopeful that it can heal more over time but I’ve heard other moms tell me they still experience pain at the epidural sight like 9 years later. So whenever I do have another, I am nervous but I want to try a natural water birth.. I know it’ll be painful but my last experience was absolutely horrible so I feel like that’s unavoidable. At least I’ll be protecting my back and spine which I need to support me the rest of my life
My 4th child was a water birth at home and was an amazing experience! Painful, yes, but that water helped so much! One benefit of water is, it helps you to be able to more easily move around.
I’m so sorry! That’s awful. I will say I’m super biased and for natural birth if anyone can do it. But the doctors also don’t tell you how unnatural and bad it is for your spine and tailbone to birth on your back 🤷♀️ which is what majority of people are made to do. Likelihood of tailbone fracture goes up. If you ever have another baby, I HIGHLY recommend reading Ina Mays Guide to Childbirth
This is why I’m afraid of an epidural. I’m slightly “bendy” but no official diagnosis of Ehlers-Dahlors. One may have a connective tissue disorder and not even know it or misplacement. I don’t trust myself to stay still enough during contractions. With our son my water broke before contractions really set in. I think the loss of the fluid made it way more intense. I kept denying the pitocin they were trying to push when we got to the hospital. Ended up with IV pain medication at hour 10 & 13. Wore off at hour 16 and pushed for 1 hr and 45 minutes. Definitely exhausting. I was joking with them though- I was ready for lunch! I tell all my friends to do what they want. Just research pros and cons.
I had 3 epidurals and will be having another baby in less than a week! One thing I learned that epidurals are not equal. With my first, I was so numb dumb I could not feel anything or move my legs at all! It was uncomfortable and I didn’t feel myself pushing. With my third, I was able to move my legs. I didn’t feel any pain but I did feel pressure when I was at 10 cm and ready to push! This was a game changer! If you plan on getting an epidural, I recommend telling the anesthesiologist to give you half of the recommended dose. And then you can always click the button to adjust if it’s not enough!
I've had 5 epidural, and they are definitely not equal! A few didn't even work, while others did and helped relax my body in order to progress with the birth. My fourth was the best one, and I felt absolutely amazing the whole time lol.
Thank you for this! I'm pregnant with my first, and even though I'm still early on I'm already starting to decide what route I want to go. I'm leaning towards unmedicated, but I definitely want to do my research.
Had a natural birth 18 years ago and now expecting baby #2. I really want to have another natural birth but now you’ve got me considering an epidural! Thanks for the insight!
I've had 1 epidural and 2 natural births since. I will never go back to an epidural birth, but i will say you missed out not having a water birth! I've done one water birth and one on the hospital bed and the water birth one was SUCH a beautiful birth with not much pain❤ My third non-water birth was sSSSooo painful and I was so sore after.
@@AnnaBruceblogHey! Midwife here! Where are you located? I always love to know where midwives need to go to fill in the gaps to give people options! Thanks.
@merethalok9759 having the weight of your belly lifted while you're contracting makes them so much less painful. Since this comment I gave birth to my 4th but wasn't able to have a water birth and it was still nowhere near as easy as my water birth. I would talk to a midwife about it.
@@shb8212 thank you so much! I will most definitely be talking to a midwife. I hope you and baby number 4 are doing well! ❤️I’m only in my first trimester at the moment so just weighing out options and water births seem to be the way to go for me.
Epidurals sometimes don’t work properly, I felt EVERYTHING with my last child, after the birth that’s when the epidural medication kicked in but only on my left side, my leg was too numb to walk for hours. Also multiple epidurals can hurt your back in the long run, I have lower back problems that pop up from time to time in the area they administered my epidural shots. I had 3 births, all with epidural.
I agree, I had a painful C section with my first as the epidural didn't kick in properly. My body did however go into adrenaline mode when they struggled to get her out.
I also had back pain that lingered in the location of my epidural for about 6 months after birth. I'm still very grateful that I got the epidural, but wish I was able to labor in different positions.
What I’ve read is that being induced (Pitocin) can cause a delay in breast milk production, in turn not being able to breastfeed right away. Interesting .
@@danielacabral3774my doctor was concerned about postpartum bleeding for me so in addition to the pitocin I received to labor, I got a second entire bag poured into me once the baby was out to contract my uterus down. I had no issue with breast milk supply and breastfed my baby straight through to 11 months. Just don't supplement from the start, let them stimulate your supply and pump for 5-10 minutes after day feeds in the hospital if they have a pump for you. If you get it going right at the beginning, it will work. Watch videos about establishing breastfeeding supply.
This video was very informative and thoroughly convinced me, that epidurals are not for me 😅 that con list was crazy! I’ve had two natural births. My first was sunny side up with back labor right from the start, and I recently gave birth to twins. Minimal tearing with the twins and only four hours from the first contraction till it was all over 😌 No matter how you give birth, holding your newborn baby(ies) in your arms is the best feeling ♥️
How did you get through your back labor, what did you get them to roll over? My first was sunny side and it delayed birth so long we had to do a c section. I'm afraid it's going to happen again with this one
@@abigailloar956 It was really painful, so much worse than "just" regular labor! He didn't actually roll over, he came out forehead first; but the delivery was vacuum-assisted. I try to make labor progress by walking around, squats, moving my hips etc., as much as I can - and relaxing! Try not to worry; birth is easier when you're calm and relaxed :) I hope this birth is a better experience for you
@@abigailloar956 My first 2 kids were sunny side up. My 3rd babe was regular anterior. OP labor is far and above more painful. Women will try going on hands and knees to turn the baby, but I couldn't even do that. I did a lot of leaning forward with my second child, hoping that would put him anterior, but he turned back to OP once I went into labor and never turned. I did deliver vaginally but it was excruciating. Ironically, I didn't bother with my third and he was OA. I did the Miles Circuit with him, and I wonder if that helped. Good luck
That’s so funny- for me I was so tense pre-epidural and as soon as they gave it to me I went from 5cm to birth within like an hour and a half! It made it sooo much faster (and agree more enjoyable)
Thank you for sharing all 4 stories!! And concisely. That’s hard 🤣 Totally agree about every birth being beautiful regardless!! 38 and 5 with baby #4 (our first girl) now.
I'm currently 6 months pregnant with my first and have been holding off on these types of videos for some time now. I've never been one to want a super detailed birth plan but as we get closer to the due date my mind needs some peace when it comes to all these options! This video was so incredibly helpful and eye opening. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. It really helped me understand both types of births! :)
Birth 1: home, water birth, all natural Birth 2: at 42 weeks, midwife transferred me to OB. Got pitocin, asked for epidural in transition, had a 1 sided epidural which hurt way bad, I tore badly, and epidural kicked in at the end, so I was spared the tearing pain. Birth 3: induced in hospital, pitocin, with a midwife in hospital, who let me do my own thing, quick, no tears, great, natural, 2 hours after pitocin had baby Birth 4: tried epidural from the beginning, it made me pass out and they turned it off immediately. I gave away my freedom, but has no pain control whatsoever. Hardest birth because of restrictions and stuck in bed... So I had a natural delivery, but was pushed around and wiped out by the medicine reaction, and it was not fun. Birth 5: induced with pitocin, natural again, easy and fast. 2 hours from first strong contraction until baby was in my arms. Birth 6: I'll be induced next week. I don't think anyone could convince me to try another epidural because of my bad reaction. I wish I could have another home birth, but I have had antibodies since my 3rd, so they induce me at 38 weeks now, and I have to be in the hospital.
Ugh- I know what you mean! I’ve had epidurals and naturals. The most recent epidural birth turned into a cascade of medical interventions that most likely wouldn’t have been necessary had I not had the epidural. Preparing for another natural this time. I’m learning lots of coping techniques, but may also try nitrous for the first time.
My nurses kept offering the epidural whenever they came to check on me. I was planning for a natural birth but I didn’t appreciate that I was trying to focus on my contractions they’ll be like are u sure about pain medicine. So I felt pressured by the nurses. So I gave in at 5 cm 😢😢😢
Your first delivery was almost the exact same as mine! I had an epidural with my first, but I got it very late. Didn’t have an epidural with my second (arrived at the hospital too late - he was born less than 20 min after I got there). I’m pregnant with #3 and am planning on leaving for the hospital earlier this time so I can get the epidural 😅
I love how you addressed this so graciously. My first 2 births were scheduled c sections because my babies were relentlessly breech. Then with my 3rd I had a successful VBA2C because baby was head down 🙌🏻 I am preparing for another natural birth for our 4th if the Lord wills. I agree with you that natural birth is so. painful. But using your intuition through labor and the fast recovery is so worth it. I was so swollen, bruised, and sore after both of my c sections and recovery was so slow. I wouldn't choose interventions if I could help it, based on my experiences ❤ Thanks again for your video! It was very informative and a breath of fresh air on the birth scene ❤
Congrats Elizabeth and i hope you get the birth you want again! Was it hard to find a provider that would do a VBAC2C and how long did you wait (or do they recommend) between each pregnancy? Thank you!
@@alexandras9750 Thank you! I had another lovely natural birth and healing is going well. I waited 15 months after my 2nd c-section to get pregnant. Almost made the recommended 18 months 😂 But my midwife wasn't worried. She was supportive of a VBA2C since the reason for the c's was baby positioning and not health complications. I wait3r 18 months to get pregnant again. We had moved to a different place but the provider I have now was also supportive since I had a successful natural birth. I know not all providers in the US are supportive of VBACs so I feel very grateful that I experienced 2 natural births after the 2 c-sections I had done!
It seems every epidural is different! I had an epidural with my first and it was incredible. Didn’t completely take away the pain, but it took the edge off to where I could focus on contractions and could even move my own legs!
Loved the story! Had my first via epidural but got it at 8 cm, had her shortly after so no time to really kick in. My next 2 were natural births. Definitely prefer those over my epidural. Although, I totally agree that natural birth is painful. For me it’s been a temporary pain where the epidural has been an ongoing pain. I still have issues at my epidural site due to anesthesiologist hitting a nerve while doing the epidural.
@@mendingmandy869 Thank you We are definitely a team, we were deciding on Epidural or Natural during the entire pregnancy. And during the delivery we decided to go epidural after viewing this lovely video…. I’m glad we have two healthy baby boys now
I really appreciate this video so much. One question I have is, when you actually get the epidural, like the initial injection in your back, is that painful? Or is the labour pains so strong that the injection pain just doesn’t even register? I’m terrified of getting an injection in my spine. It sounds so painful and scary to me.
I have had six vaginal births. 2 in the hospital, 2 with pitocin, and then 4 home births. I had an unnecessary episiotomy, and tore with the other 4 the last two severely. This last one, I looked into gentle birthing and the bradley method. I also felt the baby's head as she came out and my the difference!!! Just very small tearing with no stitches. If you can change your mentality, it can help for sure!! Hope this helps someone trying to decide! Also my babies are 9 or 10 lbs with large heads:)
Just had my second baby, first one was a C-section for breech. I had a Vbac induced with Pitocin and a foley bulb at 40weeks. Got to the hospital at 2cm, and the foley was placed. It was definitely uncomfortable by I couldn’t really feel contractions despite the Pitocin and seeing them happen on the monitor. The foley bulb came out at 5cm and then they broke my water at 3:15. It got crazy painful instantly. Contractions 2 minutes apart, I ended up getting in the shower with little relief. I was looking at the nurse and midwife and begging them to help me lol. I started pushing at 5:15 and baby was here at 5:36. I had a second degree tear. Got the shakes super intense after. It was amazing. I’m still in disbelief that I did it with no epidural. I’m not in a hurry to do it again though lol.
Very interesting to hear your perspective on your 4 hospital births! I've found that one of the biggest pros for natural birth is that women can birth outside of a hospital environment! Like in the comfort of their own homes or birthing centers.
After having a 4th degree tear, I'm so pro epidural. Natural was my preferred method going into labor but I changed my mind really quickly and so glad I did. I went from 5 cm dilated to 10 cm within 20 minutes after getting the liquid gold.
@adrinedesouza That's definitely where things got bumpy. I pushed for 4 hours and it ended up being a forceps delivery. They didn't even offer a c-section and I was so tired I just wanted the baby out at that point.
I had two épidurals, i felt everything (the épidural doesn't work on my pelvic floor but help with contractions), i've always being able to moove my legs, i had no tearing, not even a scratch, no difficulties to recover, no problem for lactation,... I see so many videos telling how evil épidural is and i don't understand why, personnely it helped me feel reassured regarding a possible c section and sooth me making the birth better. I know that i'm reacting poorly in all anesthésia and some women are reacting strongly, but at the end we all have a child we are going to love like crazy no matter how much pain we've endured.
Thank for this video . Out of all the videos I’ve watched (dozens lol) this was the most descriptive and answered my concerns best . I’m having my 1st (at 38 ) and I’ve know from the day I found out , I’m getting the epidural and your video has helped me feel I’m making the right choice for my experience.Thanks again 💛
I tore so much with my epidural birth and not at all with my natural birth, since I was able to control the pushing and position. For my epidural I was pushing so hard for two hours with the practitioner directed pushing while for my natural birth I was able to wait until my body instinctively was pushing and not bear down hardly at all. Also, breast feeding was a lot easier with my natural birth, made a huge difference for us! I would definitely prepare for a natural birth if I were you too, since I had zero pain relief with the epidural for my first baby, was on pitocin (which made it continuous, horrible pain), and ended up needing a c-section. Apparently more than 10% of people have little to no pain relief with their epidurals, so it really helps to go in psychologically prepared for anything
I had an epidural with my first. I could relax and even sleep in between of my 12 hours labor. I really helped with the pain until it was time to push. For some reason it still hurt like nothing in the world before and while pushing, I could not really notice when exactly to push so I had a 3 grade tear and needed quite few stiches. I also had post epidural headaches that lasted for more than a week, had to stay so long lying in the hospital taking pain meds and could not brastfeed. I am currently 37 weeks pregnangt and even if I am not oposed to getting an epidural again if I need it, I am trying to prepare to go natural this time to avoid all the complications that I had the first time around.
I had two unmedicated births and the pain is so unbearable I feel like I’m done having kids but deep inside I would love a girl one day. I’m scared of the epidural leading to a c section 😭
Sarah Lavonne is a L&D nurse and doula and she does fantastic videos about position changes that help labor. You can still move once you get an epidural and I think a lot of people run into issues when they just lay in bed. She said to turn every 30-45 minutes, etc. highly recommend her videos.
Loved this video! I had all 4 home births and although they were very peaceful births, no screaming, tearing or anything like that, but I was so “in the zone” like you mentioned that I wasn’t really engaging with anyone. I was just focused on breathing and trying to stay in my head and out of my body. I wish I could have been more present.
I have done both: epidural and emergency c-section for first, natural VBAC with no pain relief for second. And I had second at 39, so it doesn’t matter what age you are. In my opinion, giving birth is not just about your body and your ability to give birth, it is heavily influenced by your baby, the position of the baby and so many other factors including your environment and state of mind. Remember that you didn’t get pregnant for the labour! If your baby is healthy and you are healthy and ok, that’s the most important. If you feel you need an epidural once you’re in labour, then do it. And for the needle, yes it is not pleasant if you think about it going in but you won’t be focusing on that when you’re in labour and the pain relief is instant. For natural birth, yes it’s incredible if you can do it. BUT my pain with my second labour was way more manageable and quicker. Water was an incredible pain relief. Hypnobirthing also helped immensely. All to say, go with what feels right for you. The biggest thing you can do for yourself is to prepare to keep as calm as you can in labour - panic is the thief of energy- and focus on getting through each contraction as it happens and nothing more. And prepare for postpartum healing - lots of bone broths and healthy foods and snacks at hand to help your body heal.
I have also had 4 babies, 2 epidural deliveries and 2 unmedicated! My last was actually an accidental unassisted homebirth. I did intend to go unmedicated, but at the hospital!
For all the pregnant women out there, don’t forget that childbirth doesn’t always go as you planned. Childbirth can be an unpredictable event that don’t comply to your will. My advice, stay flexible and prepare yourself for every possibility. In the words of the Beatles, let it be. My daughter was in the right position for all my pregnancy, but she decided to turn around a few days before my due date... She took a breech position. My doctor tried to put her back head down with the help of a colleague (they pushed on my belly with all their might, it was as painful as a contraction), but my daughter wouldn’t budge. My doctor told me I could still try to have a vaginal birth, but she strongly suggested that I have an epidural. They could act faster in case of emergency if I already had the epidural. In the end, my daughter didn’t engage in the birth canal, I was in the obligation to have a C-section. For me, it was the worst-case scenario. I was so in a daze when I hold my girl for the first time. Everything that came after the birth is so fuzzy. I hope things will go better for my next child. By the way, I think its true that the way your child come into this world can represent its personality. My daughter didn’t wanted to come out of my belly and today she is a cuddly baby who don’t want to stay away from mama.
I am currently 25 weeks and 2 days first time pregnant and still trying to decide if I don't want an epidural or if I do want it. I am also trying to find a good book to read that gives both perspectives of epidural and no epidural birthing that will also give me good tips on how to handle the pain and breathing techniques haha I feel so unprepared. Thank you for this lovely video as it helps me a bit to decide on what I want! God bless you and your family!
i would recommend the book “birthing from within” the goal is to help you get into the right mindset for birth, which i feel is so important and underestimated. but, the book doesn’t judge on how you birth; hospital, home, natural, medicated (i have lots of recommendations if you want any more)
Thank you for sharing! I’ve just had baby #2. Both were epidurals but such different experiences! With the second baby I actually asked to have my epidural turned down almost entirely so I could move to more positions. It was very painful but I was finally able to push in a squatting position. Without that I’m not sure I would have been able to get my second out - he was a stubborn little guy!
You can have your epidural turned down?? I wish I had known that when I gave birth!! I wanted to get into a better position but I couldn’t move my legs at all.
@@charissadubin9355 Yes you would never know because they don't tell you! It's good to ask OB beforehand because I think it might depend on how they administer it? However, for most epidurals they are continuously administering after an initial stronger dose from what I understand, so you can ask them to give you less or more. The only downside with giving less (from what they told me), is that once it's turned down, they may not be able to control your pain even if you ask it to be turned up again; since the pain has already "broken through" and there's only so much they can give/turn it up.
I'm age 36 and currently 36 weeks pregnant with my 4th baby. I have had all low risk pregnancies and unmedicated natural births in hospital, except my second birth was a roadside birth, but I didn't make it to the hospital. The birth went really well despite not making it on time.
Thank you so much for this video. We're going to start trying for a baby soon and it's so helpful to hear from someone who's had varied labour experiences. Birth choices are so personal, what sounds scary to one person will sound relaxing to another. Personally I find the idea of epidurals quite uncomfortable to think of, because when I've had my movement limited (even slightly) for medical reasons I've found that super scary - whereas I've had a lot of pain in my life and if I can move around I find it relieving. I can imagine for some people they're not worried about moving around too much but hate pain, and I can totally see how for those people it would be the other way around.
I've had an unmedicated birth, a c section, and plan to have a medicated vbac this time. I hope it all works out. To be able to experience all the ways of delivery sounds so cool 😁 Also, 34 here on my 3rd and last child. I feel too worn out and old to endure another unmedicated birth 😅
Thanks so much for this video! Ive had two unmedicated births at a birthing center no epidural. They were incredibly hard long painful and very traumatic for both my husband and I for me going through the horrible pain and him seeing me go through it. I had long hrs of back labor with my first baby. I am 39 weeks pregnant with my third baby. I have an induction scheduled in two days. Going to get the epidural this time hoping for a much more relaxed birthing experience.
I did all the preparation for my unmedicated birth and I’m still traumatized from my fast labor with my first. It was only 7.5 hours. Birth is just hard ❤
Side note; I know sometimes Pitocin is necessary but in Kaiser they did not try anything else for me and didn't tell anyone it's a black box medication. Thankfully it didn't end up worse but I did have some significant side effects from that. If I could have been at home with a midwife or at least in another hospital I am convinced it would've been better.
Hi thank you so much for this balanced take . I’m so glad I found your channel as a soon to be new mama I’ve really been looking for some positive voices on motherhood and Joy in motherhood. I feel like God just answered a prayer of mine ❤
Does the pain subside after the baby is out? For how long does it hurt after the "ring of fire", averagely, if we`re talking about a natural, vaginal birth?
I’ve had three children all natural births. I could never get an epidural I always felt the opposite way, Afraid and totally against getting one!…. That’s just my personal opinion! Everyone is different and every birth is a different experience whether good or bad
This was very helpful and informative! I've had one unmedicated birth so far (not by choice - it was precipitous so there was no time) and am currently pregnant with my second and thinking about what to do this time around.
Hi Anna, thank you for your information. I'm currently 36+4 weeks pregnant with my 3rd right now. I took castor oil with my last and it really worked much to my surprise. How far along were you when you took it? Just want to know because I plan to do it again but don't want to do it too early.
My 2nd was on the traumatic side. With my 1st I knew going in I'd probably end up getting an epidural and I was just very go with the flow. I didn't feel anything bc of the epidural. I couldn't even feel myself pushing or any pressure or anything. It was nice but labor took a long time. I was pushing for 2 hours. With Mt daughter I wanted to do it differently. I experienced with an epidural so I wanted to try natural, but also wasn't 100% against getting an epidural. I just wanted to do my best to go natural. Well my midwife couldn't be there so another was and she basically lied to me to get me to accept pitosin to speed up my labor(I was already in labor, it just wasn't moving along much). Pitosin was the ONE THING I didn't want. BUt she used fear tactics to get me to agree to it and my labor ended up progressing so quickly I didn't have time to get the epidural when I'd finally asked. I managed the contractions for about an hour and then asked for an epidural. But then while they were gearing it ready I started feeling the urge to push, the midwife checked me and of course I was 10cm ans it was too late for an epidural. I pushed on my hands ans knees for about 10 minutes before she told me I needed to lay on my back and try(no idea why, also not what I wanted) ans then pushed another 15 minutes and she was out. But I dilated from about 2cm to fully dilated in under an hour and then pushed her out in about 20 minutes. It was excruciating and my contractions wouldn't stop. I had no breaks for the last 10 or so minutes between contractions and I almost passed out a few times because the idiot midwife kept telling me to hold my breath while pushing(not recommended anymore). It was just an awful experience. But I did heal much faster from it than with my son
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I had an unmedicated induction turned emergency c-section with my first birth, and want to try again for a vaginal birth this time, but I have no idea what I want. Last time, I went in for a post-due date ultrasound and got sent to the hospital for a an immediate pitocin induction due to baby’s poor condition. I dilated to a 6, before the heart-rate decelerations were too bad to continue labor. I was so stressed out the whole time cause I thought my baby was dying. I honestly barely noticed the contractions. The nurses kept telling me I must be in pain, but I was too focused on the heart-rate monitor to care. When we did the spinal for surgery, I think the doctor botched it. It took him 40 minutes and was the worst pain of my life. People keep saying that wasn’t normal, but I just don’t know if I can handle anyone stick me in the back again.
I found this video very beneficial as you seem to have had every type of birth planned and unplanned medicated and unmediated. My first birth was medicated but my baby was over 9 pounds and I was really in a lot of pain so I’m not sure if my epidural was very effective. I was faring well until I got the epidural at 9.5 cm so I wonder if I just never got enough of the medicine before I started pushing and they didn’t give me anymore after pushing. I felt every stitch afterwards, and was able to move my legs the entire time. So I’m very on the fence about my next birth: prepare for a natural birth since I’m pretty sure I could do it or try for another epidural and hope that one works a bit better.
I’m 28 and pregnant with my first, and I feel like so many of the videos I’ve seen where people compare epidural vs no epidural, everyone is so polarized and stuck on their opinion and almost determined to scare women into thinking what they do. Thank you for sharing both a positive and a negative experience on both sides and for being such an objective and reasonable voice. It has really helped me understand better how I want to approach this whole thing.
I’m so glad it was helpful!
I had a non medicated tub birth and feel the same, I watched a lot prior to birth on youtube which was somewhat helpful/not helpful haha. I can confirm after birth I feel 10000% that us women should be able to choose what works best and is healthiest for us. It's hard enough going through delivery no matter what! Congrats and all the best!
@@DannaCatfinally someone said the truth. No one have to watch videos to get fooled but, women can choose what is best for them. Natural birth is the most painfullest thing ever and even after knowing that people choose it to know what the pain is. Idk what name should i say to women like them but, it's in my mind and i won't say it. But, i will never ever choose a hard birth with my legs up or to tear down there. I hate getting any bad things down there.
Congratulations! IDK if you've given birth yet but stay away from Kaiser is my only advice I'll be pushy about.
Only PART of some of the "passive" labor for my first, was epidural. They had to get me off the meds before pushing because the epidural medication was dangerous to my baby's heart. I felt everything. I am thankful I had an epidural after waiting for three hours in the waiting room, and I wasn't able to sleep for two days before that...I couldn't sleep on the epidural either because obviously I was still in labor and a lot was happening. If you can sleep, let yourself sleep.
If you can't sleep (I had a major rash for example, and other issues due to pregnancy) at least try not to panic. You WILL make it through. It took about four hours to push which felt like hell since I was so exhausted and nauseous. The pain didn't compare to how bad the nausea was and I was afraid I was going to pass out or choke on vomit. I don't know many women with that experience so chances are unlikely. But just keep focusing on the desire to birth a healthy baby as much as is possible.
Baby came, and I did end up having her fully unmedicated. I got to the hospital at 6 cm and 90% coping great with the contractions and then my water broke and everything went insane really suddenly. I dilated those last 4 cm in under an hour and pushed baby out an hour later. If my water hadn’t broken, I think I would have continued coping with it fine, but I didn’t get a break between contractions for those two hours, and my right hip had a Charlie horse basically from that point on 🫠 My team knew I was aiming for unmedicated but that I was open to getting an epidural if I was struggling to cope. By the time I asked for one, I was pushing and it was too late to get one. I don’t regret my decision, and I feel amazing knowing I was able to do that. But it is definitely something that should be an individual choice. I had medical reasons for not wanting an epidural, and I do still think that was the best choice for me.
I’ve been hesitant to watch any videos on natural birth vs epidural birth because of how polarized people’s experiences can be! I really appreciated your objective review and pros and cons!
Thanks!
You say you were too old for natural birth at 33 with your fourth kid… me at 33 being pregnant for the first time 😂😂😂
I feel like “old” means something different to everyone. Congrats on the baby!
@@AnnaBruceblog of course it was a joke 💖
I'm 36 with my first baby. I also had to giggle at this remark 😅
I had my first baby unmedicated last year at 34.
OMG!!! I'm 10 years old than you and thinking about a natural birth....
This was the best pro/con epidural/unmedicated birth video I’ve seen. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences!
Wow, thank you!
I don't know - I had most of the cons even though I didn't have an epidural 🤷♀️
Goes to show how fear makes a HUGE difference in unmedicated birth, this is why its SO important that we share how amazing unmedicated birth can be if we go into it with confidence in our healthy babies and bodies. Thanks for sharing
I had an epidural with the birth of my son. Wouldn’t change a thing. Once I got the epidural, it was easy breezy. Like a walk in the park. I definitely like the fact the my son came into the world in a relatively calm manner. But for the ladies that decide to do it naturally….my hat’s off to you. 😊
How many cm were you when you got your epidural?
@@anisasiddiqkara429 I think about 5. It’s been almost 25 years ago now. He’s my pride and joy. 🥰
Did you have much to any tearing, if you don't mind me asking?
@@keelalewis629it depends on how you do it and everyone is different
I was begging screaming begging, for that epidural. They didn’t give it to me. Worst experience ever.
I’ve encountered such odd responses when I say I’m not getting an epidural. So many people just question me and treat me like I haven’t spent time considering the pros and cons. Your stories and pros/cons are so helpful and informative and it’s really good to hear both positive and less positive experiences from the same person.
(To be clear, since it is a polarizing topic, I just get violently ill from drugs, but by no means expect others to go unmedicated.)
So glad it was helpful!
Me too. So many older women treat me like “oh no, you’ll want it” as if I didn’t weight the pain option or that I’m underestimating it. Well my family has a history of medication not being as effective on our bodies, especially pain relief and anesthesia. Besides, there are women all over the world who do it without meds, we are built to birth. For me, I made the decision and I want to stick to my guns, I don’t appreciate older moms belittling me.
@@TheMessCalledJessive had the same experience this is my first and im due in December im determined not to have an epidural due to a history of consistent bad reactions in my family that have left some women with serious issues, the amount of ridicule I get is nuts. Im not knocking women who want one obviously it there choice and whatever is best for their birth is the route they shld go, so I dont understand the flack I get for my choice😅
The nurses telling you to calm down is exactly what they said to me during my second birth while I was screaming. Also had zero time for the epidural and I was NOT prepared for that pain 😅 thankfully my third was way more peaceful 😌
I find that to be really rude, personally. I've had two natural birth experiences, all planned. And I couldn't help but scream through both, but especially with my 2nd since the pain was off the charts and not like my first birth. My midwives never told me to calm down or be quiet but encouraged me the whole way through. Pregnant with my 3rd and will go hospital route this time with planning an epidural, so likely won't have to go through that. But would find that incredibly annoying.
Repot those rude b*thes! That’s not how you treat patients
1st: hospital + epidural, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th: birth center water birth, unmedicated. 5th: planning natural birth again. Although the pain is a lot, it is temporary. But the low and then high of the natural process and much, much easier recovery makes the pain worth it to me.
I totally understand! I’ve had 3 epidurals and 3 naturals. My last baby I got an epidural which cascaded into a whole lot of unnecessary interventions. Baby and I turned out fine, but honestly the ordeal felt traumatic especially after knowing how uncomplicated my naturals births were. Now pregnant with my 7th at age 40 and preparing for a natural birth.
I'm 28 and excepting my first I'm considering a water birth. How was your experience and is there anything you'd do differently?
It's amazing how different the experience of unmedicated birth can be when you arm yourself with knowledge and preparation!
Yes!!
I totally agree. They say that if you feel emotionally relaxed, yiur body will produce more Oxytocin hormone, which helps to open the cervix & surrounding muscles more easily. This is super helpful for the baby to come out. On the other hand, if you are freaking out, your muscles won't relax easily, the cervix won't open easily, which means the baby cannot come out easily & the whole experience will be much longer & harder. So that's exactly what I experienced. I had a super traumatic birth the 1st time. Had forceps delivery & much tear. But the 2nd time, I had a professional doula who came into the delivery room with me & she took me through the whole process, couching me through all different positions & so on. So I ended up having all natural birth with no medical intervention, no pain meds, no gas, & even passed out the placenta naturally without any injection. It was a peaceful experience for both me & my husband.
Thanks for sharing your story. I was surprised to hear you say that your tearing was worse with the unmedicated births due to rushing. I have heard other women say that they tore worse with an epidural due to not feeling what was happening down there. So I appreciate hearing a totally different perspective!
Pretty sure a lot of women tear further up into their rectum (3rd-4th degrees) because they push flat on their back with epidurals and it puts all the pressure straight back. I had a pillow tilting my hips slightly to my left side and I tore only 2nd degree in a j-hook to the left side of me with my epidural. I think the tearing with epidurals is due to the positioning. My sis-in-law has torn all three of hers naturally because she pushes fast in a squat and gravity pushes with her.
@@MichelleNelson-ob9ed I hadn’t considered using pillows to alter the lying-down position so thank you! I’m due in two weeks. Hoping I can cope without an epidural but if I need it then it’s good to be armed with position ideas! 🙏
I tore 3rd degree twice with both of my natural births. Gave birth with midwives, at a birthing center, both water births and I tore, hemorrhaged and had blood clots in my uterus that midwives had to pull out with their bare hands and no medication. While my experiences don't seem to be the norm, it just goes to show, that every birth is different. Pregnant with my last and am going the hospital route this time, due to my previous experiences.
I appreciate hearing about your different birth experiences! I am expecting my first child in March , and I am trying to get as good of a grasp on my options as I can. I would prefer natural, but it makes me happy to hear stories of the epidurals helping out!
I also have a doula who will be coaching me during the birth, so hopefully that will help me with relaxing :)
Sounds like you are very prepared! It’s gonna go great! Congrats!
I’m due in March as well! Wishing you the best possible birthing experience and healthy baby~
this was so helpful. i love how you gave your honest opinion on both choices and weren’t pushy about anything! Thank you!
You’re so welcome!
I am pregnant with twins and I really needed this video. I was feeling like a failure if I couldn't do a natural birth, but this made me feel a lot better for wanting to get an epidural. Thank you!
Aw congrats! That’s so exciting! Twins! Girl, don’t feel like a failure. You’re bringing TWO humans into the world! That is a miracle in and of itself! You got this!!
I’ve had two, midwife only deliveries to singletons (no pain relief) and now I’m having surprise twins end of nov/Dec and I’m opting for an epidural. I’m feeling really calm and confident about that decision and just think that my body has been through enough growing these two babes, plus the extra monitoring and extra staff like obgyns and paediatricians in the room that I’m choosing to take care of myself and embracing this labour for the amazement it is. Two babies! That’s just incredible. You can rest your body.
Hope this helps mama.
I just had my second epidural a month ago. The first I got 12 hours in and it wasn't very fun because I was exhausted. I was so frustrated, defeated and I didn't enjoy it but it did help with the awful back labor. The 2nd one I decided, due to some factors I couldn't control, to get epidural almost as soon as I got to hospital. Best choice I made I was so happy I did it quickly that time. I know I could have done it without the epidural but it was really awesome to be totally rested and fully awake and mentally there watching my baby come out. It was amazing. I'm still gonna try to go unmedicated with the next birth, I wanna go to a birthing house, but this second epidural changed my mind about them completely. It can be such an awesome and beautiful experience ❤️ don't let anyone make you feel bad. I felt so powerful and in control with my second epidural.
I had twins and I’d absolutely recommend epidural. The doctor may need to manually shift one of the babies which they said is extremely painful. I was really grateful to have the epidural. Wishing you a very healthy and easy as possible birth experience!
Epidural all the way’ I’m not pregnant yet but I will ask for the pain meds as soon as I check in to the hospital lol. I can’t handle pain
When you said you were 'older' with your last baby and then revealed you were 33, I almost fell out my chair! 😂I'm 30 (almost 31) right now with my first baby. Currently 33 weeks and already decided I'm getting an epidural. But I was really curious and love hearing about people's experiences. Thanks for making this video! ☺
Right! I’m almost 30 & will start trying soon. Really felt the old with that 😅
I’m 40 having my 3rd 😅
I’m 40 and having my 7th 😁 I definitely feel older than when I had my first at 24, but not old by any means! Women are often naturally fertile until sometime in their 40s, often not until nearing 50.
Im 28 about to have my first I'm thinking about doing a water birth
10 weeks at 37 years with my first. Plan on natural.
I really appreciate your perspective. So often I feel shamed for getting an epidural with my babies. My mom had even made a comment about how she doesn’t think I could handle a non medicated birth. I wish women could just do what is best for them with no judgement. I have had positive experiences with my births and that’s all that matters ❤
Yes!!!
My mom had 8 kids and tells everyone to get an epidural lol.
Thank you for taking the time to share your stories. First time mom to be and it is really helping my anxiety of an unknown experience to hear different perspectives.
I have to add couple of corrections here, as someone who had an epidural, an annoyingly doctors never tell you this beforehand and this adds to the misinformation which doesn’t help: you CAN walk with an epidural and you DONT need a catheter. This is because they can dose it as little or as much as you want. I explained I didn’t want to not feel my legs and then the midwife told me epidurals are dosed. So she gave me a low dose (I was in back to back induced contractions for over 15 hours so I was ready to die!) and she checked I could pee on my own so didn’t need a catheter and could walk around and change positions. I just needed a dose enough to make the contractions bearable. If I knew this before I went into labour, I would not have been hesitant towards the idea of an epidural at all.
Secondly, the epidural anasthesia doesn’t enter the bloodstream so it isn’t supposed to get to the baby at all - this is what I was explained. It goes directly into the spine and not the blood stream. I’m about to have my 2nd at 40. Think I’ll go for the epidural and hope to not have to experience induction again.
Wow, thank you for this!!
We don't have a walking epidural in Australia so you're stuck to the bed 😢
Yes, I asked my doc about walking ones and they don't do them here either. Nashville. Depends on hospital unfortunately!
@@MichelleNelson-ob9ed I'm sorry to hear this. that sucks. Don't understand why they dont offer it in other countries. Surely it's a lot less management for everyone. You dose it yourself (there is a set limit of course)
@@drakeandweezyfbaby That's so crap, I'm sorry.
4 births.. all natural. The first was by far the hardest. I think due to fear and uncertainty, but also the nurse told me the first "makes a path" for the rest.
That’s amazing!
This is such a healing video. I had a very long and extremely traumatic birth with my first child. I held out for over 20 hours before having an epidural. I felt defeated for needing it in the end, since my mom gave natural birth to four kids. Sometimes you just can’t predict how it will go. I know it’s said again and again, but it’s really true that you have to go into labour with an open mind.
Prayer request for fertility 🙏
May God grant you your heart's desire to have a child
His Faithful ❤
Prayers to you!
Sending you so much love and prayers. I struggle with the same thing and it’s such a hard thing for many women to have to go through. For me it’s because of PCOS, but whatever the reason, it’s devastating. Wishing you your perfect baby one day.
Praying!!
WOW finally a pros and cons video that’s actually helpful. Thank you!
Glad it helped!
Loved your story. I also have 4 kids 2 epidurals and 2 natural unmedicated births. If I had to choose again I would get an epidural. We also chose to not find out the gender until birth with our fourth. I was induced by just using a breast pump with her. My contractions were intense at 6 cm I had back labor for the first time and lots of uncomfortable pressure in my bottom. I requested to get an epidural ( my plan was to go natural like my last two) back labor is the most intense pain I have ever felt. I got the epidural and and had baby 20 minutes after injection. She was born sunny side up with one hand on her face coming out. I’m thankful that god spoke to me encouraging me to get the epidural so I didn’t have to experience the last moments of intense pain.
So many similarities!
I have had all mine at home. My second one he was posterior or face up and it was incredibly painful and took a really long time. My entire body was bruised to the touch. My midwife said it's the most painful baby position to give birth to.
I had my first baby 3 months ago and had to get 2 epidurals which caused my spinal fluid to leak, causing what’s called a “spinal headache” which was an excruciating pain up the back of my neck, into my head to behind my eyes. That was honestly worse than pushing. To this day my spine feels bruised and painful. I feel like they ruined my spine with the epidural and it didn’t even really work. So I never want ti do an epidural again being that I am now traumatized and afraid of ever messing with my spine again. Your back and spine are so important for the rest of your life, I had no idea it could ruin my spine like this. I’m still hopeful that it can heal more over time but I’ve heard other moms tell me they still experience pain at the epidural sight like 9 years later. So whenever I do have another, I am nervous but I want to try a natural water birth.. I know it’ll be painful but my last experience was absolutely horrible so I feel like that’s unavoidable. At least I’ll be protecting my back and spine which I need to support me the rest of my life
I had a natural water homebirth with my first and it was painful but wonderful. Your body knows what it’s doing and it’s amazing to witness
My 4th child was a water birth at home and was an amazing experience! Painful, yes, but that water helped so much! One benefit of water is, it helps you to be able to more easily move around.
Elected c section is also an option if you dont feel comfortable with a natural birth :)
I’m so sorry! That’s awful. I will say I’m super biased and for natural birth if anyone can do it. But the doctors also don’t tell you how unnatural and bad it is for your spine and tailbone to birth on your back 🤷♀️ which is what majority of people are made to do. Likelihood of tailbone fracture goes up. If you ever have another baby, I HIGHLY recommend reading Ina Mays Guide to Childbirth
This is why I’m afraid of an epidural. I’m slightly “bendy” but no official diagnosis of Ehlers-Dahlors. One may have a connective tissue disorder and not even know it or misplacement. I don’t trust myself to stay still enough during contractions.
With our son my water broke before contractions really set in. I think the loss of the fluid made it way more intense. I kept denying the pitocin they were trying to push when we got to the hospital.
Ended up with IV pain medication at hour 10 & 13. Wore off at hour 16 and pushed for 1 hr and 45 minutes.
Definitely exhausting.
I was joking with them though- I was ready for lunch!
I tell all my friends to do what they want. Just research pros and cons.
I’m pregnant with my 1st at 33yrs. Thank you for this video ☺️
You’re welcome 😊
I had 3 epidurals and will be having another baby in less than a week!
One thing I learned that epidurals are not equal. With my first, I was so numb dumb I could not feel anything or move my legs at all! It was uncomfortable and I didn’t feel myself pushing.
With my third, I was able to move my legs. I didn’t feel any pain but I did feel pressure when I was at 10 cm and ready to push! This was a game changer!
If you plan on getting an epidural, I recommend telling the anesthesiologist to give you half of the recommended dose. And then you can always click the button to adjust if it’s not enough!
That's great advice and def something to think about!
Thanks for the advice -
That is a really good recommendation :)
I've had 5 epidural, and they are definitely not equal! A few didn't even work, while others did and helped relax my body in order to progress with the birth. My fourth was the best one, and I felt absolutely amazing the whole time lol.
Thank you for this advice
Thank you for this! I'm pregnant with my first, and even though I'm still early on I'm already starting to decide what route I want to go. I'm leaning towards unmedicated, but I definitely want to do my research.
I'm in the exact same boat as you 😂 these sleepless nights got us studying
This video was awesome to hear different perspectives of birth from the same individual. Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it!
Had a natural birth 18 years ago and now expecting baby #2. I really want to have another natural birth but now you’ve got me considering an epidural! Thanks for the insight!
waiting for the dr to push is so ridiculous. i'll catch my own darn baby! haha
That’s what I was thinking 🤣🤣
I was told the same thing with my second daughter lol
I've had 1 epidural and 2 natural births since. I will never go back to an epidural birth, but i will say you missed out not having a water birth! I've done one water birth and one on the hospital bed and the water birth one was SUCH a beautiful birth with not much pain❤ My third non-water birth was sSSSooo painful and I was so sore after.
I would have loved a water birth but there are no midwives in our area and our hospital doesn’t allow birth pools.
@@AnnaBruceblogHey! Midwife here! Where are you located? I always love to know where midwives need to go to fill in the gaps to give people options! Thanks.
Could you possibly tell me more about the water birth? I’m pregnant with my first one and I’ve been highly thinking of a water birth.
@merethalok9759 having the weight of your belly lifted while you're contracting makes them so much less painful. Since this comment I gave birth to my 4th but wasn't able to have a water birth and it was still nowhere near as easy as my water birth. I would talk to a midwife about it.
@@shb8212 thank you so much! I will most definitely be talking to a midwife. I hope you and baby number 4 are doing well! ❤️I’m only in my first trimester at the moment so just weighing out options and water births seem to be the way to go for me.
These stories were very helpful to listen to! Thanks!!
Epidurals sometimes don’t work properly, I felt EVERYTHING with my last child, after the birth that’s when the epidural medication kicked in but only on my left side, my leg was too numb to walk for hours. Also multiple epidurals can hurt your back in the long run, I have lower back problems that pop up from time to time in the area they administered my epidural shots. I had 3 births, all with epidural.
That’s good to know! Sounds like you had quite an experience!
I agree, I had a painful C section with my first as the epidural didn't kick in properly. My body did however go into adrenaline mode when they struggled to get her out.
I also had back pain that lingered in the location of my epidural for about 6 months after birth. I'm still very grateful that I got the epidural, but wish I was able to labor in different positions.
What I’ve read is that being induced (Pitocin) can cause a delay in breast milk production, in turn not being able to breastfeed right away. Interesting .
@@danielacabral3774my doctor was concerned about postpartum bleeding for me so in addition to the pitocin I received to labor, I got a second entire bag poured into me once the baby was out to contract my uterus down. I had no issue with breast milk supply and breastfed my baby straight through to 11 months. Just don't supplement from the start, let them stimulate your supply and pump for 5-10 minutes after day feeds in the hospital if they have a pump for you. If you get it going right at the beginning, it will work. Watch videos about establishing breastfeeding supply.
This video was very informative and thoroughly convinced me, that epidurals are not for me 😅 that con list was crazy!
I’ve had two natural births. My first was sunny side up with back labor right from the start, and I recently gave birth to twins. Minimal tearing with the twins and only four hours from the first contraction till it was all over 😌
No matter how you give birth, holding your newborn baby(ies) in your arms is the best feeling ♥️
Yes you’re def right about that!
How did you get through your back labor, what did you get them to roll over? My first was sunny side and it delayed birth so long we had to do a c section. I'm afraid it's going to happen again with this one
@@abigailloar956 It was really painful, so much worse than "just" regular labor! He didn't actually roll over, he came out forehead first; but the delivery was vacuum-assisted. I try to make labor progress by walking around, squats, moving my hips etc., as much as I can - and relaxing! Try not to worry; birth is easier when you're calm and relaxed :)
I hope this birth is a better experience for you
@@abigailloar956 My first 2 kids were sunny side up. My 3rd babe was regular anterior. OP labor is far and above more painful. Women will try going on hands and knees to turn the baby, but I couldn't even do that.
I did a lot of leaning forward with my second child, hoping that would put him anterior, but he turned back to OP once I went into labor and never turned. I did deliver vaginally but it was excruciating.
Ironically, I didn't bother with my third and he was OA. I did the Miles Circuit with him, and I wonder if that helped.
Good luck
@sitcomchristian6886 I have heard a lot about the miles circuit, and I will try it this time. Thank you, it's good to know it wasn't in my head!
That’s so funny- for me I was so tense pre-epidural and as soon as they gave it to me I went from 5cm to birth within like an hour and a half! It made it sooo much faster (and agree more enjoyable)
Thank you for sharing all 4 stories!! And concisely. That’s hard 🤣 Totally agree about every birth being beautiful regardless!! 38 and 5 with baby #4 (our first girl) now.
Congrats! Yes it was very hard to be concise lol
I'm currently 6 months pregnant with my first and have been holding off on these types of videos for some time now. I've never been one to want a super detailed birth plan but as we get closer to the due date my mind needs some peace when it comes to all these options! This video was so incredibly helpful and eye opening. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. It really helped me understand both types of births! :)
Hi when is your due date, im 8 months pregnant now 8 weeks till birth due April
Congratulations! I'm due 3/15!@@HELLO-b1p
Birth 1: home, water birth, all natural
Birth 2: at 42 weeks, midwife transferred me to OB. Got pitocin, asked for epidural in transition, had a 1 sided epidural which hurt way bad, I tore badly, and epidural kicked in at the end, so I was spared the tearing pain.
Birth 3: induced in hospital, pitocin, with a midwife in hospital, who let me do my own thing, quick, no tears, great, natural, 2 hours after pitocin had baby
Birth 4: tried epidural from the beginning, it made me pass out and they turned it off immediately. I gave away my freedom, but has no pain control whatsoever. Hardest birth because of restrictions and stuck in bed... So I had a natural delivery, but was pushed around and wiped out by the medicine reaction, and it was not fun.
Birth 5: induced with pitocin, natural again, easy and fast. 2 hours from first strong contraction until baby was in my arms.
Birth 6: I'll be induced next week. I don't think anyone could convince me to try another epidural because of my bad reaction. I wish I could have another home birth, but I have had antibodies since my 3rd, so they induce me at 38 weeks now, and I have to be in the hospital.
Ugh- I know what you mean! I’ve had epidurals and naturals. The most recent epidural birth turned into a cascade of medical interventions that most likely wouldn’t have been necessary had I not had the epidural. Preparing for another natural this time. I’m learning lots of coping techniques, but may also try nitrous for the first time.
My nurses kept offering the epidural whenever they came to check on me. I was planning for a natural birth but I didn’t appreciate that I was trying to focus on my contractions they’ll be like are u sure about pain medicine. So I felt pressured by the nurses. So I gave in at 5 cm 😢😢😢
Your first delivery was almost the exact same as mine! I had an epidural with my first, but I got it very late. Didn’t have an epidural with my second (arrived at the hospital too late - he was born less than 20 min after I got there). I’m pregnant with #3 and am planning on leaving for the hospital earlier this time so I can get the epidural 😅
I love how you addressed this so graciously. My first 2 births were scheduled c sections because my babies were relentlessly breech. Then with my 3rd I had a successful VBA2C because baby was head down 🙌🏻 I am preparing for another natural birth for our 4th if the Lord wills. I agree with you that natural birth is so. painful. But using your intuition through labor and the fast recovery is so worth it. I was so swollen, bruised, and sore after both of my c sections and recovery was so slow. I wouldn't choose interventions if I could help it, based on my experiences ❤ Thanks again for your video! It was very informative and a breath of fresh air on the birth scene ❤
Congrats Elizabeth and i hope you get the birth you want again! Was it hard to find a provider that would do a VBAC2C and how long did you wait (or do they recommend) between each pregnancy? Thank you!
@@alexandras9750 Thank you! I had another lovely natural birth and healing is going well. I waited 15 months after my 2nd c-section to get pregnant. Almost made the recommended 18 months 😂 But my midwife wasn't worried. She was supportive of a VBA2C since the reason for the c's was baby positioning and not health complications. I wait3r 18 months to get pregnant again. We had moved to a different place but the provider I have now was also supportive since I had a successful natural birth. I know not all providers in the US are supportive of VBACs so I feel very grateful that I experienced 2 natural births after the 2 c-sections I had done!
thanks so much for taking the time to make this video! Very helpful information for us new mamas to make a more informed decision ❤
It seems every epidural is different! I had an epidural with my first and it was incredible. Didn’t completely take away the pain, but it took the edge off to where I could focus on contractions and could even move my own legs!
Loved the story! Had my first via epidural but got it at 8 cm, had her shortly after so no time to really kick in. My next 2 were natural births. Definitely prefer those over my epidural. Although, I totally agree that natural birth is painful. For me it’s been a temporary pain where the epidural has been an ongoing pain. I still have issues at my epidural site due to anesthesiologist hitting a nerve while doing the epidural.
Oh wow! I’m so sorry! That must be awful
Yup me too and I had so much break through pain it wasn't even worth it
We are currently in labor now
And she just got the epidural
This video was so helpful ❤
I’m SO glad to hear it! Congrats on your little one!
We? You mean the mother of your baby?
@reflectionsinthebible3579 what's wrong with his verbiage? Sounds like he's a team with his wife.
@@mendingmandy869 Thank you We are definitely a team, we were deciding on Epidural or Natural during the entire pregnancy. And during the delivery we decided to go epidural after viewing this lovely video…. I’m glad we have two healthy baby boys now
@@reflectionsinthebible3579 Yes we meaning team pal
I really appreciate this video so much. One question I have is, when you actually get the epidural, like the initial injection in your back, is that painful? Or is the labour pains so strong that the injection pain just doesn’t even register? I’m terrified of getting an injection in my spine. It sounds so painful and scary to me.
It is painful, but not terrible.
I have had six vaginal births. 2 in the hospital, 2 with pitocin, and then 4 home births. I had an unnecessary episiotomy, and tore with the other 4 the last two severely. This last one, I looked into gentle birthing and the bradley method. I also felt the baby's head as she came out and my the difference!!! Just very small tearing with no stitches. If you can change your mentality, it can help for sure!! Hope this helps someone trying to decide! Also my babies are 9 or 10 lbs with large heads:)
Pros and cons at 17:13 if you’re a skipper like me
Thank you for sharing this video! I’m getting ready for my first baby and this was very helpful. Thanks again.❤
You are so welcome!
Just had my second baby, first one was a C-section for breech. I had a Vbac induced with Pitocin and a foley bulb at 40weeks. Got to the hospital at 2cm, and the foley was placed. It was definitely uncomfortable by I couldn’t really feel contractions despite the Pitocin and seeing them happen on the monitor. The foley bulb came out at 5cm and then they broke my water at 3:15. It got crazy painful instantly. Contractions 2 minutes apart, I ended up getting in the shower with little relief. I was looking at the nurse and midwife and begging them to help me lol. I started pushing at 5:15 and baby was here at 5:36. I had a second degree tear. Got the shakes super intense after. It was amazing. I’m still in disbelief that I did it with no epidural. I’m not in a hurry to do it again though lol.
Awesome job mama!
Thank you for sharing!
Very interesting to hear your perspective on your 4 hospital births! I've found that one of the biggest pros for natural birth is that women can birth outside of a hospital environment! Like in the comfort of their own homes or birthing centers.
After having a 4th degree tear, I'm so pro epidural. Natural was my preferred method going into labor but I changed my mind really quickly and so glad I did. I went from 5 cm dilated to 10 cm within 20 minutes after getting the liquid gold.
Wow that’s really fast!! A lot of people say epidural slows down dilation. Definitely not for you! 😂 I’m considering it too
Do doctors give a stitch if you tear 4th degree?
@NS-yz8ym Yes they do, and you have to be taken to an operating room because it's a more extensive repair.
@adrinedesouza That's definitely where things got bumpy. I pushed for 4 hours and it ended up being a forceps delivery. They didn't even offer a c-section and I was so tired I just wanted the baby out at that point.
@adrinedesouza oh that's interesting, and good to know, in my case it was because I have a narrow pelvis and the baby got wedged.
I'm so grateful to come across this video! I am a soon to be mother and I appreciate your feedback you rock! ❤
I had two épidurals, i felt everything (the épidural doesn't work on my pelvic floor but help with contractions), i've always being able to moove my legs, i had no tearing, not even a scratch, no difficulties to recover, no problem for lactation,... I see so many videos telling how evil épidural is and i don't understand why, personnely it helped me feel reassured regarding a possible c section and sooth me making the birth better. I know that i'm reacting poorly in all anesthésia and some women are reacting strongly, but at the end we all have a child we are going to love like crazy no matter how much pain we've endured.
Hi Anna thank you for this video so informative, can you let me know what books , podcast and videos train you for natural birth? thanks!
Thank for this video . Out of all the videos I’ve watched (dozens lol) this was the most descriptive and answered my concerns best . I’m having my 1st (at 38 ) and I’ve know from the day I found out , I’m getting the epidural and your video has helped me feel I’m making the right choice for my experience.Thanks again 💛
So glad it was helpful! Congrats!!
I tore so much with my epidural birth and not at all with my natural birth, since I was able to control the pushing and position. For my epidural I was pushing so hard for two hours with the practitioner directed pushing while for my natural birth I was able to wait until my body instinctively was pushing and not bear down hardly at all. Also, breast feeding was a lot easier with my natural birth, made a huge difference for us! I would definitely prepare for a natural birth if I were you too, since I had zero pain relief with the epidural for my first baby, was on pitocin (which made it continuous, horrible pain), and ended up needing a c-section. Apparently more than 10% of people have little to no pain relief with their epidurals, so it really helps to go in psychologically prepared for anything
Anna, thank you for sharing your experiences!
Which books did you read for natural birth?
No one told me about the catheter!!! Thank you!!
I had an epidural with my first. I could relax and even sleep in between of my 12 hours labor. I really helped with the pain until it was time to push. For some reason it still hurt like nothing in the world before and while pushing, I could not really notice when exactly to push so I had a 3 grade tear and needed quite few stiches. I also had post epidural headaches that lasted for more than a week, had to stay so long lying in the hospital taking pain meds and could not brastfeed. I am currently 37 weeks pregnangt and even if I am not oposed to getting an epidural again if I need it, I am trying to prepare to go natural this time to avoid all the complications that I had the first time around.
Don't clench up during contractions. Use that energy to push you baby down. When crowning when you feel burning stop and blow.
mom of three all natural home births never tore
I had two unmedicated births and the pain is so unbearable I feel like I’m done having kids but deep inside I would love a girl one day. I’m scared of the epidural leading to a c section 😭
Never let that fear keep you from having another it’s sooooo worth it!
Sarah Lavonne is a L&D nurse and doula and she does fantastic videos about position changes that help labor. You can still move once you get an epidural and I think a lot of people run into issues when they just lay in bed. She said to turn every 30-45 minutes, etc. highly recommend her videos.
Loved this video! I had all 4 home births and although they were very peaceful births, no screaming, tearing or anything like that, but I was so “in the zone” like you mentioned that I wasn’t really engaging with anyone. I was just focused on breathing and trying to stay in my head and out of my body. I wish I could have been more present.
I have done both: epidural and emergency c-section for first, natural VBAC with no pain relief for second. And I had second at 39, so it doesn’t matter what age you are.
In my opinion, giving birth is not just about your body and your ability to give birth, it is heavily influenced by your baby, the position of the baby and so many other factors including your environment and state of mind. Remember that you didn’t get pregnant for the labour! If your baby is healthy and you are healthy and ok, that’s the most important.
If you feel you need an epidural once you’re in labour, then do it. And for the needle, yes it is not pleasant if you think about it going in but you won’t be focusing on that when you’re in labour and the pain relief is instant.
For natural birth, yes it’s incredible if you can do it. BUT my pain with my second labour was way more manageable and quicker. Water was an incredible pain relief. Hypnobirthing also helped immensely.
All to say, go with what feels right for you. The biggest thing you can do for yourself is to prepare to keep as calm as you can in labour - panic is the thief of energy- and focus on getting through each contraction as it happens and nothing more. And prepare for postpartum healing - lots of bone broths and healthy foods and snacks at hand to help your body heal.
I have also had 4 babies, 2 epidural deliveries and 2 unmedicated! My last was actually an accidental unassisted homebirth. I did intend to go unmedicated, but at the hospital!
Oh wow! I bet that was a crazy experience!
I’ve had three natural and one hospital epidural birth. Now I’m deciding which one I should do with our 5th. ❤
What does the castor oil do?
Google it!! It will amaze you
For all the pregnant women out there, don’t forget that childbirth doesn’t always go as you planned. Childbirth can be an unpredictable event that don’t comply to your will. My advice, stay flexible and prepare yourself for every possibility. In the words of the Beatles, let it be.
My daughter was in the right position for all my pregnancy, but she decided to turn around a few days before my due date... She took a breech position. My doctor tried to put her back head down with the help of a colleague (they pushed on my belly with all their might, it was as painful as a contraction), but my daughter wouldn’t budge. My doctor told me I could still try to have a vaginal birth, but she strongly suggested that I have an epidural. They could act faster in case of emergency if I already had the epidural. In the end, my daughter didn’t engage in the birth canal, I was in the obligation to have a C-section. For me, it was the worst-case scenario. I was so in a daze when I hold my girl for the first time. Everything that came after the birth is so fuzzy. I hope things will go better for my next child.
By the way, I think its true that the way your child come into this world can represent its personality. My daughter didn’t wanted to come out of my belly and today she is a cuddly baby who don’t want to stay away from mama.
I am currently 25 weeks and 2 days first time pregnant and still trying to decide if I don't want an epidural or if I do want it. I am also trying to find a good book to read that gives both perspectives of epidural and no epidural birthing that will also give me good tips on how to handle the pain and breathing techniques haha I feel so unprepared. Thank you for this lovely video as it helps me a bit to decide on what I want! God bless you and your family!
i would recommend the book “birthing from within” the goal is to help you get into the right mindset for birth, which i feel is so important and underestimated. but, the book doesn’t judge on how you birth; hospital, home, natural, medicated (i have lots of recommendations if you want any more)
@@elthel I would like more recommendations please!
Thank you for sharing! I’ve just had baby #2. Both were epidurals but such different experiences! With the second baby I actually asked to have my epidural turned down almost entirely so I could move to more positions. It was very painful but I was finally able to push in a squatting position. Without that I’m not sure I would have been able to get my second out - he was a stubborn little guy!
You can have your epidural turned down?? I wish I had known that when I gave birth!! I wanted to get into a better position but I couldn’t move my legs at all.
@@charissadubin9355 Yes you would never know because they don't tell you! It's good to ask OB beforehand because I think it might depend on how they administer it? However, for most epidurals they are continuously administering after an initial stronger dose from what I understand, so you can ask them to give you less or more. The only downside with giving less (from what they told me), is that once it's turned down, they may not be able to control your pain even if you ask it to be turned up again; since the pain has already "broken through" and there's only so much they can give/turn it up.
@@abigailf857 That's so good to know!! Thank you!
This was such a great watch
So glad!
Love this! Thank you for sharing your story!
thank you for such a geniue share
I'm age 36 and currently 36 weeks pregnant with my 4th baby. I have had all low risk pregnancies and unmedicated natural births in hospital, except my second birth was a roadside birth, but I didn't make it to the hospital. The birth went really well despite not making it on time.
Thank you so much for this video. We're going to start trying for a baby soon and it's so helpful to hear from someone who's had varied labour experiences. Birth choices are so personal, what sounds scary to one person will sound relaxing to another.
Personally I find the idea of epidurals quite uncomfortable to think of, because when I've had my movement limited (even slightly) for medical reasons I've found that super scary - whereas I've had a lot of pain in my life and if I can move around I find it relieving. I can imagine for some people they're not worried about moving around too much but hate pain, and I can totally see how for those people it would be the other way around.
I've had an unmedicated birth, a c section, and plan to have a medicated vbac this time. I hope it all works out. To be able to experience all the ways of delivery sounds so cool 😁 Also, 34 here on my 3rd and last child. I feel too worn out and old to endure another unmedicated birth 😅
Haha I can relate
Thanks so much for this video! Ive had two unmedicated births at a birthing center no epidural. They were incredibly hard long painful and very traumatic for both my husband and I for me going through the horrible pain and him seeing me go through it. I had long hrs of back labor with my first baby.
I am 39 weeks pregnant with my third baby. I have an induction scheduled in two days. Going to get the epidural this time hoping for a much more relaxed birthing experience.
You’re gonna do awesome mama!
Thanks for sharing!! ❤
You are so welcome!
Thank you for this video! It was so useful to me!
I did all the preparation for my unmedicated birth and I’m still traumatized from my fast labor with my first. It was only 7.5 hours. Birth is just hard ❤
What are the books? And UA-cam classes
I will try to remember and put a video together soon
What are the books to read about the natural birth ? Or the channels?
I will hopefully list them soon
Side note; I know sometimes Pitocin is necessary but in Kaiser they did not try anything else for me and didn't tell anyone it's a black box medication. Thankfully it didn't end up worse but I did have some significant side effects from that. If I could have been at home with a midwife or at least in another hospital I am convinced it would've been better.
What are good UA-cam classes to take for natural birth? Or in medicated
Could you explain how did the pain feel?
Bad. Its not something you can accurately describe
Hi thank you so much for this balanced take . I’m so glad I found your channel as a soon to be new mama I’ve really been looking for some positive voices on motherhood and Joy in motherhood. I feel like God just answered a prayer of mine ❤
Aw I’m so glad to hear this!!
Does the pain subside after the baby is out? For how long does it hurt after the "ring of fire", averagely, if we`re talking about a natural, vaginal birth?
After the after birth comes you feel pretty good. I mean there’s some discomfort for a few days but it’s not bad
@AnnaBruceblog thank you!
I’ve had three children all natural births. I could never get an epidural I always felt the opposite way, Afraid and totally against getting one!…. That’s just my personal opinion! Everyone is different and every birth is a different experience whether good or bad
thank you so much for this ❤❤
You're welcome 😊
What UA-cam classes did you take ? Looking to try natural with my son
I honestly can't remember. sorry!
when you say you took castor oil, do you mean you drank like 2 tablespoons and it helped w labor?
Yes! a TINY bit!
This was very helpful and informative! I've had one unmedicated birth so far (not by choice - it was precipitous so there was no time) and am currently pregnant with my second and thinking about what to do this time around.
Congrats!
Hi Anna, thank you for your information. I'm currently 36+4 weeks pregnant with my 3rd right now. I took castor oil with my last and it really worked much to my surprise. How far along were you when you took it? Just want to know because I plan to do it again but don't want to do it too early.
I always waiting till right around my due date. Maybe a few days before
Thank you for sharing your story! ❤🙏🏻
You are so welcome!
My 2nd was on the traumatic side. With my 1st I knew going in I'd probably end up getting an epidural and I was just very go with the flow. I didn't feel anything bc of the epidural. I couldn't even feel myself pushing or any pressure or anything. It was nice but labor took a long time. I was pushing for 2 hours. With Mt daughter I wanted to do it differently. I experienced with an epidural so I wanted to try natural, but also wasn't 100% against getting an epidural. I just wanted to do my best to go natural. Well my midwife couldn't be there so another was and she basically lied to me to get me to accept pitosin to speed up my labor(I was already in labor, it just wasn't moving along much). Pitosin was the ONE THING I didn't want. BUt she used fear tactics to get me to agree to it and my labor ended up progressing so quickly I didn't have time to get the epidural when I'd finally asked. I managed the contractions for about an hour and then asked for an epidural. But then while they were gearing it ready I started feeling the urge to push, the midwife checked me and of course I was 10cm ans it was too late for an epidural.
I pushed on my hands ans knees for about 10 minutes before she told me I needed to lay on my back and try(no idea why, also not what I wanted) ans then pushed another 15 minutes and she was out. But I dilated from about 2cm to fully dilated in under an hour and then pushed her out in about 20 minutes. It was excruciating and my contractions wouldn't stop. I had no breaks for the last 10 or so minutes between contractions and I almost passed out a few times because the idiot midwife kept telling me to hold my breath while pushing(not recommended anymore). It was just an awful experience. But I did heal much faster from it than with my son
Wow I thought midwives used more gentle methods and went for the least amount of interventions. That’s surprising
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I had an unmedicated induction turned emergency c-section with my first birth, and want to try again for a vaginal birth this time, but I have no idea what I want.
Last time, I went in for a post-due date ultrasound and got sent to the hospital for a an immediate pitocin induction due to baby’s poor condition. I dilated to a 6, before the heart-rate decelerations were too bad to continue labor. I was so stressed out the whole time cause I thought my baby was dying. I honestly barely noticed the contractions. The nurses kept telling me I must be in pain, but I was too focused on the heart-rate monitor to care.
When we did the spinal for surgery, I think the doctor botched it. It took him 40 minutes and was the worst pain of my life. People keep saying that wasn’t normal, but I just don’t know if I can handle anyone stick me in the back again.
You’ll know when the time comes!
I found this video very beneficial as you seem to have had every type of birth planned and unplanned medicated and unmediated. My first birth was medicated but my baby was over 9 pounds and I was really in a lot of pain so I’m not sure if my epidural was very effective. I was faring well until I got the epidural at 9.5 cm so I wonder if I just never got enough of the medicine before I started pushing and they didn’t give me anymore after pushing. I felt every stitch afterwards, and was able to move my legs the entire time. So I’m very on the fence about my next birth: prepare for a natural birth since I’m pretty sure I could do it or try for another epidural and hope that one works a bit better.
Thank you for this video. Very helpful for me a first time mom to be.
Glad it was helpful!
what kind of tears did you get? you did not specify but I am curious!
I don't even know
How did you prepare for the natural birth as far as videos and podcasts
I searched on UA-cam for breathing techniques and things like that. Love the birth hour podcast