Post your Story

Birth without pain meds

I just recently gave birth to my second child, a boy. With my daughter I was induced and gave birth without any pain meds. I planned on doing it again with my second birth. I was hoping to not get induced, but my son had other ideas. My water broke on Holy Thursay at 5 in the morning. I went to L&D and they told me that my water had not broken. On Friday afternoon I went to my doctor who confirmed that my water had broken. Because it had broken for over 12 hours ago they decided to induce. I was bummed because I really wanted to have this baby totally naturally, without any kind of medicine. However, there I was with a Pitocin drip. I labored for 30 hours and then gave birth to my son. It was hard since I was in hard labor for 9 hours at the end.

Thankfully I had a wonderful support group (my husband and sister-in-law). After only a half hour of pushing I had my son. This sure beat the 3.5 hours I pushed with my daughter, only to be assisted with a vacuum...that was awful since I hadn't had any pain meds. All in all both experiences were wonderful and I do not regret any of the decisions I made. Our bodies are made for childbirth...yes it is very hard, but a labor of love!

Suzette

Delivery by forceps

I first met John in 1994 when he began year 9 at my local high school. We got on great as friends but didn't date until Dec 9th. 2 weeks later i left him to go overseas for 6 weeks. We continued our relationship after i came back. Around July 1995 i found out i was pregnant. we were both happy but very scared at the same time especially being so young. My mum found out and told me either to have an abortion and stay home and continue to finish my schooling if not i would have to leave home. she was thinking i would have no choice but choose her way. I ended up packing my bags. John took me home to his parents and they accepted me with no questions asked.

My due date past in the begining of April 1996 and still no baby. i was worried sick. Then on 11th of April at 9pm at night i started to have mild cramps. They continued through the night like that until i had enough of the pain and hoped into a hot bath to sooth my pain. I got out, rang the hospital and they told me to come in, so i woke up john, his parents and little sister. It was pouring down hard with rain and thunder, and we got to hospital at 4am. i didn't have baby until the next afternoon at 5.18pm on 12th April 1996! It was a very painful and long labor. Being my 1st baby i didn't know how to push or anything about contractions so the baby ended up having to be delivered by forceps. My baby boy came out with an enlong head shaped like a cone because of being in the tunnel for so long. i was lucky to get an epidural and it gave me no feelings at all and didnt know how or where to push when it was time!! 7yrs later we had a baby girl and it was the quickest labor for me! i was induced on the 6th of Nov 2003, after they put in the IV pitocin.

My parent in laws asked the midwife when about would baby arrive and he said late afternoon, because it was only morning my parents in law decided to go home and asked john to ring them to come in when its near time. John also decide to go downstair to move the car in case we got fined. By the time he got back i was 10cm dilated and ready to push! the pain was much faster and more intense this time around. I did scream out for an epidural but there was no time for ordering one and i was already starting to push so I had to go without. My baby girl came after a few pushes. She was perfect in every way!

3 yrs later i gave birth to a baby boy but by vaccume this time and right on father's day 2006! we were joking i would! My water broke when i stood up while cleaning my fridge. We rang the hospital and was told to go in straight away . When doctor did an internal he found the baby was up to high and wouldn't come down. John was extremely unhappy with this labor because he saw how much pain i was in when the doctor was doing the vaccume but worse yet was the baby. It looked to him like they were trying to rip out the baby's head! a lot of force was used.

Its March 2007 now and i am 6mths pregnant with our 4th baby and its a boy this time. I am praying for a natural birth this time. I have been very lucky to have John, he is such a wonderful father and partner. He helps to feed, change and bath the kids before and after work each day. i wouldn't have any more babies if he didn't help out. After 14yrs together we are still as in love as the day we first met! lucky i didn't take my mum's advice and dump him! my kids are now: 11yrs boy (12yr in a few wks) in 7th grade in high school, 4yr old girl in preschool and a 18 month old boy still at home with mummy. I love my kids and wouldnt have it any other way.

Tien

Number 11...things didn't turn out as I had planne

I am 37 yrs old and have just had my eleventh baby six weeks ago. I was due on February 8th 2008. But as you know they always let you go a week past your date. I had asked to be induced on Wednesday night or Thursday morning the week of my due date as my hubby was going to have a few days off from work and wouldn't have to call off to watch all our other kids while I went in. My doc called me the next morning and said the head docs gave the okay...but it was a few days sooner than what I asked for. So hub had to call off two days anyway. So I was to come in on Tuesday night at seven for a low dose of pit overnight...then start turning it up on Wednesday morning. That works best for me as I can't have the cervix gel or pill because I have asthma. So that low dose pit acts somewhat the same as that for me. I was having alot of contractions on my own before they even hooked me up to the pit, and once they did as luck would have it they became erratic and eventually stopped. I was checked and was only a two. I tried to sleep but as everyone knows those beds and belt monitors make it pretty much impossible to do so.

Anyway, next morning they started turning up as planned and the contractions started coming really strong pretty quick. They checked me again and much to my disssapointment still only a two. They wanted to break my water then...but I was afraid at only a two after all those intense contractions that I might not dialate and would have to have the dreaded c section as the doctor said once the waters were broke you are commited to delivery one way or another. And my joke with my doctors with everyone of my last five births is I don't care if you gotta reach up there and pull the baby out no c section!! And of course I was concerned with his head being engaged with it being so early on. And he reassured me they don't even consider breaking your water unless the head is there. And he assured me it was but I still refused and said I felt more comfortable waiting till I was a four dialated. So he respected my wishes and said think about it, maybe I'd change my mind. If not fine too. So they kept turning me up and they were really strong and getting hard for me to breathe through. Which was unusual for me as I can usually do the breathing till like a five dialation. But the nurse assured me every induction is different and the docter said I could have the epidural now even though I was only two cm.

At first I said no as I said I usually like to wait longer as to assure pain relief at the end of the delivery when it really hurts. As you know sometimes they wear off later on as the baby decends down. But after a few more intense ones I changed my mind and got the epidural. The epidural was one of the best ones I've had and I was really excited and thought to myself wow this is gonna be a piece of cake. After about two more contractions they checked me again and I was a four almost five. All in a matter of twenty minutes. I was excited and thought for once I'm gonna have a quick delivery!! Yay!! The resident came in and said she was going to break my water. I was on the phone with my grandma from Florida and told her I was a four to five had a great epidural but had to go cause they were going to break my water.

She broke my water and soon after the baby's heart rate dropped with my contraction. And she had a hard time getting his heart rate seperate from mine on the monitor belts. So she called a head docter down to put one of those little electrode things on his head to better monitor his heart rate. So when he came in he said I'm going to check her first. He said shes a six. He continued to feel and looked up at me and said we got a problem. The cords down over the head...you can't have this baby vaginally. I was like you"re kidding, well just move it. I guess not realizing the seriousness of it at first. He said I tried I can't. Although I'm not really sure he even did. Then from there it was rush rush rush.

My resident docter had to ride into the OR with her hand up my crotch holding his head up off his cord. I was scared to death of everything. Mostly the section as I still didn't really realize the seriousness of a cord prolapse. But they put me to sleep and the whole experience was terrible. I didn't even get to see him after he was born. And I awoke in such horrible pain from the section. Anyway to make a real long story short I really am having a hard time dealing with all of it. I hated not being able to come home and do everything I could always usually do after childbirth. I know I should just be thankful he came out healthy and alive even.

But I am so depressed over it and am now second guessing everything. Like maybe if I hadn't asked to be induced and waited to go on my own. Because I really feel like the resident doctor that broke my water didn't check to see if the head was engaged. Of course after when I asked her she said she did. But I honestly have doubts. And it takes me back to the head doctor that wanted to rupture me at two cm....maybe I should have let him do it then as I know he checked. And after research of cord prolapse I now see not letting them break your water at all no matter how many cm...unless fully dilated is the best way to avoid a prolapsed cord. Especially in my case as I've had ten vaginal babies before this last one. So even if his cord would have prolapsed with me being dialated at ten I could have gotten him out fast...I never push for more than maybe five minutes if that. I just can't seem to get over it. And now on top of all that I ended up with a hernia after the section which is the size of a softball by my belly button, which means more surgery...which I'm schedueled for on April 3rd. And I'm scared to death especially after just being put under and having the c section so recently. And it's going to be so hard having eleven kids and trying to not lift stuff for so long. My hub has two weeks vacation that he's taking but the not lifting part is a lot more time than that. I just wish I could turn back time....I feel so terrible. If anyone reading this has had an experience similar to mine please contact me. I hope somebody out there can relate...I feel so alone. Thanks, Dusty

Dusty

My Greatest Experience

I found out that I was pregnant In May and I was so happy to be having a baby, even though I was young (18) I was really looking forward to it, until I found out that my scholarship to college had came though, then I became a bit upset.

Like all first time mothers, and even women who have already had children I was really curious about labor. I had heard all of the terrible labor stories, and the stories of pain meds that didnt work. But still I didnt want to jinx myself or what not. Through out the whole labor I told myself that my labor wa not gonna be bad and that I was gonna be in control the whole time. I was gonna let my body tell me what to do next. I was open to having pain meds also.

My doctor told me that I was gonna have to be induced because it was already 1 day past my due date. So 2 days later I went into the hospital to be induced. Monday night they gave me Cervadil and told me that it was gonna have to be in there all night. I was having contractions but I couldnt feel them. I went to sleep that night and then the next day at about 7am they woke me up and let me take a shower and clean a little bit.

At 10 am they started me on the pitocin. I was having really good contractions, but I still couldnt feel them. At about 1 they broke my waters and then I started to feel lite cramping like contractions. They gave me Stadol so that I could get some sleep. That worked really well. I woke up about 3 hours later and the epi man was there and ready to get the epi. I didnt really need it then, but he said that he was going to be booked for the next few hours so I minus well get it now. I got it and I just relaxed until it was time to push. I pushed about 10 minutes and then he was out!

That was by far the best and most rewarding experience that I have ever had. I cant wait till I can have more!

Dusty

I loved labor

I was young and pregnant. I read books and magazines. I remembered this one particular article though. It was called " I Love Labor" it was several stories of ladies saying that alot of times ecspecially first time mothers are so nervous, that they actually make labor worse. They talked about just being relaxed and think about what you were about to bring into this world.

I knew early on in my pregnancy that i wanted to do it totally natural. I dont know why i wanted it that way i just remember shortly after finding out that i was pregnant, i told my mom i want to have this baby natural.

Only being 19, and not knowing any better i had been having contractions for 3 days and didnt even know. I went to a regular doc appointment 3 days before my due date. I was laying on the table and the doctor was asking me what all had been going on. I said everything is good except the past couple of days my stomach has been getting real tight, i just thought that was kinda weird. The doctor laughed and said "Summer those are contractions and you just had right now" He told me i was dialated to a 7.

He told me to have my mom drive me to the hospital right away. I was a lil nervous on the way to the hospital, but i just thought about those articles. My water broke 30 mins later as i lay in lthe hospital bed. I sang to my doc. theres a hole in my bucket dear henrey dear henrey. He just laughed.

I started having hard contractions about 20 minuets later. I pushed 3 times and my beautiful son Dylon Shay 6lbs. 13 oz came into this world. So now i can honestly say I love labor, and i did it totally natural no epidural or meds. I still just have my one son he just turned 9 this last Sun.

I cant wait until the love of my life is ready to have one of our own. I loved the whole pregnancy thing, but i think im looking forward to labor itself.

Summer

summer lippard