I had my son naturally 3 years ago. This involved a lot of screaming, hand squeezing, more screaming and 12 hours of hard labor. I am pretty sure that I begged for a C section half way through labor. It is true though, you immediately forget the pain once that tiny healthy baby comes out. I knew that I would go natural with all of my children. It just felt right, especially after seeing the documentary made by Ricki Lake on natural labor, The Business of being born
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8h0SkPcs2U (watch a preview here)
I became pregnant with Charlotte and had problem after problem from the beginning of this pregnancy. The final problem, pre eclampia. I knew that this meant I would need to be induced with pitcoin at 37 weeks. Sure enough, I was. If anyone doesn't know what pitocin is, let me tell you. It's the drug that any soon to be mom having a natural labor dreads. It artificially puts your body into labor while contractions EXTREMELY painful.
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| Foley Catheter |
I had done my research and new natural labor was going to be tough. I went into the hospital on November 30th to be induced. That night they inserted a foley catheter (pic to left). This a technical word for balloon that get blown up to help you dilate. This bad boy was uncomfortable, but really didn't hurt at all going in like I was anticipating. Mild contractions started within an hour of it in me, and only got stronger throughout the night. I was given Ambien to help me sleep, I dreamt about trolls taking over the hospital and before I knew it it was about 5am and I had to pee.
Once I got up the courage to actually go pee, my water eventually broke, and I was screaming on the toilet for Javy to come tell me why the hell there is all this fluid coming out of me. Javy called the nurse, the nurse confirmed my water broke.
I was dilated to about 5cm by 6am on Dec. 1st. My pitocin drip was scheduled to start at 7am. The contractions were already getting tough to manage through, but I knew I had to stay calm.I refused food (that's a first) as I was too busy putting my energy into breathing through contractions.
The piton started and I swear to this day THE ONLY PAIN I REMEMBER FROM BIRTH IS THE PAIN OF THE IV GOING IN. I hate needles, I hate IV's, I hate blood, and I hate seeing a needle in me. I didn't want and IV but they had to get piton in me somehow. Instantly the contractions came on stronger than I had ever experienced before.
Labor pains and contractions is all mind over matter. We as woman were made to do this, our bodies were made to have babies, we can handle any pain that comes our way- if we know how to control it. Women have been having babies for centuries with no pain meds, why do we need them now? I knew I just had to breathe and stay focused. That's what I did.However, the contractions got the best of me. After fighting back and fourth with myself and even crying over my decision, I decided I needed an epidural. I couldn't take the pain.
After consulting with my mid wives and husband about it, they called the "pain man" to come and stick that needle up my back and make me pain free. That day there happen to be a large snow storm and the pain man was stuck in traffic trying to get to work that day- I was at least a few hours out from him arriving to my bed side.
The midwife checked me again to see how far dilated I was. I was 9cm dilated! I requested the pitocin be turned off and to cancel the epidural. I changed my mind and knew I could make it that last cm epidural free.
Sure enough, after about another 45 mins of CRAZY HARD INTENSE contractions and 15 mins of pushing, my 6 lb 4 oz baby girl entered the whorl at 1pm. About 6 hours of labor- that's it!
I did it, epidural free, completely natural. It really was mind over matter. You can do anything you push your body to do!
If you are looking into a natural labor, I have 1 piece of advice for you. You must go into labor 100% confident and positive that you want a natural labor. People will try to talk you out of it and nurses may ask if you want an epidural- know that you will be tempted but also know that you can do it without any pain management!! It will be painful, but you truly forget the pain in the end. If you know in your heart that you want it- then you will be able to have that baby epidural free!
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