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I'm just curious what different birthing methods people have used? I have had two babies and I opted for the epideral with both. I somewhat regret that decision. In the future I'd maybe like to do something different and am wondering what experiences others may have?? Thanks for sharing.
Are you feeling bad because you missed out on some pain??
I had both my kids with no epidural, would have loved one, but no body came around with the option! I was left alone in my labor room, with occassional check-ups by the nurse till delivery time. My husband was the only one with me 90% of the time. With my second daughter, I had to beg the nurse to check and see if the baby's head was coming, she refused, insisting the baby wouldn't be born till the next morning (it was 8:00 PM), so I asked my husband to look right in front of the refusing nurse, and he peeked under the sheets, and low and behold, a baby's head was there! (at that point, he was crying, from fear) After me telling the stunned nurse to get a Dr., any f...ing Dr, she grabbed one (litterally!) in the hallway and she stood there with a garbage bag over both hands to catch the baby if it came, while they found my Dr., who delivered my daughter in his suit.
My first experience wasn't great either, as I was left alone. I had one shot of demerol with the first, the second I had nothing, she was alomst 10 pounds, I was told I had too long to go for them to give me anything.
After my second, I decided not to have any more kids because of how I was treated in the hospital. I could not talk about it for years without crying, it was a beautiful moment made horrible with absolute fear and humiliation at a very vunerable moment.
Don't get me wrong, it wasn't the pain, it was the threatment I received.
And by the way, both these birth were at 2 different L.I. hospitals.
My SIL had 4 babies here in Pa and I was astounded at how well she was cared for compared to what I went through.
In the ned, I wish I had more kids, I would have lvoed to have more, but was so aftraid at what would happen in the delivery room that we settled for 2.
I love my girls to death and they were worth every minute of fear.
Well for my first born, I had 27 hours of labor and he was 10.5 pounds. I had an Epi half way through, but it wore off and I also had 3 hours of pushing. passed out from pain and exaustion. 2nd was8 lbs had him with 45 minutes of labor and pushing, no epi, he came out with his arm over his head and I needed 35 stitches to repair the damage. 3 rd just as fast, no other problems no time for epi. last no labor just right to pushing, no epi and 15 stitches. No screaming either. My husband called me a birth goddess, for dealing with it all. All were exciting and all were induced, but induction only worked on one, My bag of water had to be broke with the others. Fun huh? lol
Today is my sons birthday, he is 28, I remember is birth like it was yesterday. I had a long labor ended up with a c-section. I had a epidural so I was awake to see him born. With my daughter I wanted another c-section. Her birth was so easy!! I so miss my babies no mater how they come into the world!!
I love pa and nea1.. I thought I was the only one with a big baby, my son was 10lbs! dreameyes..go for the epidural why be in pain?
I had both of mine natural childbirth in the hospital as I was nursing. Used breathing methods as well as disassociation. At some point natural pain killers must have kicked in because I felt out of it by the time pushing came around.
I'd had labor pains for a week before the first and they kept sending me home. Seems that even at two and four minutes they weren't regularly timed. I was exhausted. A nurse who'd had several children told me to go home and take a drink of wine. I did and went right back to the hospital and they admitted me.
It's scary when at any minute you don't know if they'll have to take emergency meaures for any reason. They had to bring me in to restitch me after the second as I was hemmoraging. Now that was painful with no anesthesia, pulling out the old stitches and putting in new ones on very tender skin. I almost hit the ceiling for that one.
I asked for pain meds when my wife was giving birth to our firstborn. The nurse didn't think I was very funny. The second time around I didn't mess around with the nurses. However I was really mad at them because my wife had a c-section and they gave her some serious drugs (can't remember the name). They said it would take a few hours before it began wearing off. 15 minutes after she got back to the room it wore off. They wouldn't believe her! They said it was impossible!! You get cut open and have a baby removed and then be told you shouldn't be in any pain from nurses that are supposed to be sympathetic. Once they realized she was really in pain they changed their tune. Plus having an irate husband didn't help matters much for them.
Having a baby is tough work, for both parents...as long as both are involved in the process together. We're still a strong team...although the 4 year old seems to be winning these days (he was the c-section).
Being a hypnotherapist, I used self hypnosis, breathing, and relaxation techniques. No meds. The nurse could not believe I was so close to delivering, I was showing no pain.
It was a beautiful experience. I had relaxation music playing, and dim lights. Anyone should tell their doctor what they want, it is your birthing experience. I told mine that I wanted to hold him and breast feed for the first hour, the RN took him before time, my Dr. just got him and gave him back to me! It was great! You should have seen the RN's face! LOL.
My son was so alert, looking at everything! Scored the highest on the APGAR scale. Could not believe the difference between my first and second births.
The first was not fun at all. That was when they strapped you to the table, (wrists, and ankles!) I could not believe it! My regular Dr. was out of town, so that started it, I did not care for the one that delivered, that makes all the difference.
With my first child no meds. Second no meds. Third I pre- ordered the epidural on my first doctors visit.
My fourth child. A had very light contractions on the way to the hospital.
Walking from the car to the hospital door I had a huge contraction.
I had to stop and bend over. As I was bent over. I thought of what God had said to Eve in the Garden.
I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing;
with pain you will give birth to children .Genesis 3:16
I said a prayer to God.
I stood up and walked into the hospital. I had my son a few hours later.
I did not have any contraction after I walked into the hospital.
I recieved no meds.
The nurse had to tell me by looking at the machine when I was having a contraction.
I believed with everything in me God could do that for me and God did.
I said if I did have a 3rd I was not getting an epi. I had one w/ both butttttt. First one was EASY!!! Doc was great, we were w/ Kaiser then and you got whoever was on duty but this guy was AWESOME!!! Got the epi and it was okay. I'd then be like, I think I'm having a contraction and they would look on the monitor and tell me yes. In the delivery room when the doc was doing the episiotomy he would ask if I felt anything and I said, "yes, just a little prick". He asked me a couple more times and got the same response to which he came back with, "great, now I'm going to be known as the prick". LOL!!! Cracked us ALL up in there.
Then came my second child. Total different situation. Again same HMO and I did not know the doc on duty but it was a female which I THOUGHT I preferred, HA! Not at all. They gave me the epi but for some reason they messed up and had to do it again. Both times hurt like HE!! and it was AWFUL. Did not remember the first epi hurting like that at all. Everything was going fine till one point around 2 am something went wrong (um, yes, I ended up in labor all night on both of my kids w/ morning deliveries). The nurse came FLYING into the room which this time was an LDR and told my husband to get our sleeping 4 year old "OUT NOW!!!!". The nurse threw me on my side and an oxygen mask on me then shoved her hand up and I swear she did not even take the time to put on a glove. The babies heart rate was dropping and they were VERY close to doing an emergency c-section (in hindsight they should have but then I'm glad I did not have one kind of). Well they got her stable and let me continue to labor BUT my epi was not working AT ALL! The baby NEVER dropped (I forgot the count like 2 to -2 or something) and she was sunnyside up. They had me upping the dosage on my epi every time I could but it was not working at all and I felt EVERYTHING! Finally around 5 am it was time. I pushed that child out ALL THE WAY! My back was killing me the entire time and the back pain was sooooo bad that it took away the pain of the episiotomy that was done w/o pain meds since none of them were working. Then that a@@hole doc sewed me up and I knew later on she added a few stitches extra and it was confirmed by my current doctor. Gee, thanks . When they went to move me to the bed to take me to my reg. room I screamed in pain w/ my back. It was still really bad. It was later that night before anyone finally took the epi out of my back and it was not even hooked up. So after that and my husband witnessing the whole thing we decided that two was enough. So the Friday Special was done a few years ago. And he was fine and back to work on Monday Oh yeah, but he complained that he "hurt" as HE had been CUT down there and that I did not understand the pain. DUH!! And dude just what do you think they did to me? LOL!!!
Wow, I'm pretty surprised at the response this thread has gotten since I just posted it last night. I appreciate all the comments so far. It is very interesting to read each person's individual experience.
I love PA, that is awful the way you were treated. I wonder why it was so bad? Like you said your SIL had great care. Do you think it was the location or do you have any idea why that might be? BTW what's L.I? I'm sorry you didn't have good experiences.
Man momof2dfw that's a terrible experience! I'm sorry you had to go through that. Why do you think the treatment was so bad? Do you think it was just ignorance or incompetency?
Floridanative2 that hypnobirthing experience sounds wonderful. That is something I have been quite interested in but also very hesitant.
Thanks for all the replies.
Hoosier_Guy its nice to hear something from a dad's perspective too.
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. When they went to move me to the bed to take me to my reg. room I screamed in pain w/ my back. It was still really bad. It was later that night before anyone finally took the epi out of my back and it was not even hooked up. So after that and my husband witnessing the whole thing we decided that two was enough. So the Friday Special was done a few years ago. 
