What's your motivation?

[DoulaFelicity]

Hello birthing Mamas :D ,

For those of you planning a natural birth, or who have had one, perhaps you could share your motivation, information and inspirations here?

I know that a lot of pregnant and birthing Mamas can be overwhelmed by misinformation, lack of support, and unintentional scare tactics when trying to work towards their wonderful natural birth.

Perhaps we can share some information and inspiration here that may help those Mamas enjoy the positive experience they deserve? :D

Looking forward to plenty of birthing wisdom and inspiration,

[alicesmum]

it's really pretty simple for me. FREE NATURAL DRUGS!!!!

Sure you gotta do some pretty bloody hard work to get 'em, but i still think it's worth it when you feel like: "I AM QUEEN OF THE WORLD. I CAN DO ANYTHING!!!"

also, being able to get up and walk around afterwards almost straight away. i do not like to be restricted (too much energy to lie around with a tube up my urethra!).

i still consider myself very lucky, and by no means "a hero" or better than anyone else, to have had such an uncomplicated natural birth. i know it doesn't always go like that!! :p

[dannii]

Yeah i agree, it doesnt always go as planned. but im hoping for a natural drug free birth. I have nothing against people who chose the pain relief though!!

My 2 births that i had were completely different!

My first was very long, hard and i took every drug they offered.. my birth seem to start and stop, take forever.
i had an epidural, not only do i think it kills getting put in! but i was restricted to the bed, plus i didnt like the fact that i couldnt walk after the birth.

The other big factor with the epidural that i didnt like was that i didnt know when to push. It was so hard being 'told' when to push when i just didnt have the urge!

I felt like i couldnt do it, and was nearly in tears!

I also had pethadine , that i ended up spewing after, shaking uncontrollably, and i was also very sleepy at one point!


However 2nd time round, i swore i was not going to do it again like that..

i tried to stay home for as long as possible so that i could "control" things on my own, and listen to what my body wanted!

Im such a sook when it comes to pain too! :rolleyes:

i took hot showers, and paced my hallway , and breathing through my contraction. i did this for hours.

when i finally decided to go to the hospital.. i was almost done!.. I was so proud of myself lol :D

they told me i could push when i was ready.. and it was a completely different experience. i could 'feel' when i needed to push

so it was alot quicker and alot easier! Soon after bub was born, i felt like i was so clever hahaha ! i felt fine to get straight up and wasnt sick like the 1st time.

i definately have so many more reasons to try and go natural this time! i was so much happier.
well thats the plan anyways, i know it doesnt always go how u want it.

[JanetF]

Avoiding that epidural makes the world of difference to how your labour goes. Good on you! :D

I read lots about birth and discovered that birth with midwives, without interventions was safest and best for babies and mothers. So it wasn't a hard decision ;) I reckon if the World Health Organisation recommends it, it's worth thinking about and then I discovered how much research actually supports our desire to birth under our steam and how the best outcomes for babies occur when they too are undrugged at birth. It's not rocket surgery, Kimmy :D

These are lovely to show exactly how normal a miracle birth can be when women do what they do best - birth unhindered :)

http://www.nandu.hu/English/Childbirth/Csenge100/csbirth01.htm
100 photos of a home waterbirth in Hungary. 2nd child. Beautiful site!
http://danielfairbanks.com/jude/jude.htm
British home birth site. Very beautiful.
http://rachyllgyne.tripod.com/thebirthofgreyforestwalt/
Beautiful US site with stories and pics of 2 home births.

[Foxymoron]

My motivation... I guess there is just no 'other' way really.. if things are going along nicely and baby is in no danger why interfere with this amazing process!
I love the whole labour and birth thing. I keep reminding myself that it only hurts for a minute, and then I get a rest, and each contraction brings my baby closer to being born :)
I like bringing a bright eyed little babe straight to the breast and watching them just latch on instinctively.
I like being able to get up and do as I please after birthing too...
For me it's a celebration not a medical procedure, and I treat it as such... I like to be surrounded by family, not doctors.. and I've been lucky not to have needed them, just me, the midwife and whoever else wanted to come along. My daughter will be attending my next birth, along with my MIL and Hubby :)

[leabdea]

I love birthing and i wish I could do it lots more times...but now that I have 3 beaut girls I will stop so I can give them the time and energy they need.

I think labouring and birthing is one of the things I am best at in my life. I approach it like a Jazz musician would approach playing a gig. It's when I am the most spontaneous and creative and present in the moment. I am so excited about how much I am able to let go, get out of the way and let my body do what it needs to do.

The thought of using any kind of pain medication has never crossed my mind in labour. I am a sook, I think, when it comes to pain. So I read as much as I could during my first pregnancy and found the preparation for birth that seemed to make the most sense. I practised relaxation every night for the last trimester of each pregnancy and for all 3 births I would describe my contractions as painless. Sure they were 'interesting sensations that required all my attention', but not pain. I found that the more I could relax the easier it all was.

Also, I would prefer to avoid putting any drugs into my baby's body when possible - as well as my own body (considering the drugs used during labour are narcotics and 'caines).

So I guess my motivation is that it is normal and natural and wonderful. And a safe, gentle and joyous start to my childrens' lives.

[DoulaFelicity]

Oh, ladies. I'm loving these wise and joyous responses. These two quotes stood out especially to me:-

Keara:For me it's a celebration not a medical procedure, and I treat it as such... I like to be surrounded by family, not doctors

leabdeaI think labouring and birthing is one of the things I am best at in my life. I approach it like a Jazz musician would approach playing a gig. It's when I am the most spontaneous and creative and present in the moment. I am so excited about how much I am able to let go, get out of the way and let my body do what it needs to do.

(lea, I feel exactly the same way - and I was most delighted to see you quote Ina May in your post ;) ).

Keep the affirmations of our womanly powers coming, ladies! :D

[~Kimmy~]

Felicity, I want to have a natural birth because I know then for me the recovery will be quicker and easier.

And in regards to drugs, anything I take passes to the baby. I haven't taken any pain relief or medication so far, so why start during labour?

At the moment I'm praying I don't have gestational diabeties or it maybe unlikely to be able to have a natural birth :( I have to take a test in two weeks. They did offer it as optional until baby measured two weeks bigger than my EDD.

[DoulaFelicity]

Hi Kimmy :) ,

The testing for GD is a highly contentious aspect of actively managed pregnancy and birth. You may be interested in doing some of your own research as to the necessity for this testing, and what the outcome of the test truly means; the following link has enough information on this to keep you going for days! :) It is always optional for you to consent to the testing or not - it's always your choice as the consumer, no matter what. You're the boss!

http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/gestdiab.html

Also, it is extremely common for unborn babes to test as "larger" than expected for your EDD. The key word is Estimated Due Date - it's not an exact science, and babes come when they are ready. Your babe may be having a growth spurt, your EDD may be slightly off, the measurement of your babe could be inaccurate...there are many reasons for the measurement. It's certainly not an indicator that your babe will be too big for a natural birth, or that you have GD (or need to consent to testing for it). If you'd like any more information on big babes, EDDs, and GD, please let me know. I'd love to help. :)

Sadly, the hospy doesn't always tell us all the facts; your chances of a natural birth are incredibly high! And your motivation is sound.

Best wishes for your journey - may it be truly beautiful and empowered. :)

[Rainbowbrite]

Maybe i'm wrong but I considered MJ's to be a "natural birth." Even though I had a little gas which i was told would not affect or get to her. Is that wrong?

RB

[DoulaFelicity]

Well, now, that's getting technical, RB! ;) Actually, a really great question.

To keep things simple and clear, the extremely literal definition of "natural childbirth" is as follows:-

A natural birth (also known as an unmedicated birth) is just that - it is the delivery of a baby without using drugs or surgery during birth.

(From the following website: http://www.bygpub.com/natural/natural-childbirth.htm)

Technically, Entonox (gas) is a drug. However, I would have to say that's the one area where I am personally liberal in my own definition of natural childbirth. I tend to think a little bit of gas is still a natural birth. It does have side effects on the birthing Mama (ie: potential nausea and lightheadedness, dry mouth and throat causing extra thirst, or the Mama can actually get a little too "high" to labour effectively - in very, very rare cases), but there are no side effects on the unborn babe; if anything, Entonox increases the oxygen flow to the Placenta.

Based on it's lack of effect on the unborn babe, and the few and unlikely side effects on the birthing Mama, I would still call a spontaneous, vaginal, active birth with a few inhalations of Entonox a natural birth...the natural process has not been interfered with and the babe has not been medicated. Labour is unhindered.

That's my opinion, though...technically, on a totally purist level, some would say Entonox use means it is not a natural birth.

Really interesting question. :)

[Rainbowbrite]

So does that mean I'm welcome to share my story? :confused:

RB

[DoulaFelicity]

Of course, RB. :)

What was your motivation for wanting a natural, unmedicated, vaginal birth? :)

[Rainbowbrite]

Well, honestly I just wanted to see if i could do it. Luckily I had a great midwife for the important part who was so supportive, & just kept giving me encouragement.

There was NO WAY I was having an Epidural or Pethadine as just the thought of them scared me. Have heard bad things.

My SIL had peth and her kids were born so groggy & tired. Didn't appeal to me. My Sister had an Epidural and as they put the needle in, the hospital had a black out :eek: She still has bad pain in her back at the site.

If there is ever a next time, i'll be going drug free :D I do regret having the gas, but at the time the midwife kept pushing me to have it. The 2nd one i got told me i didn't need it, she was right. MJ was posterior & I think that if i'd used the shower instead of the bath, it might have been more beneficial.

So yeah, thats my story :)

[BJelly]

At the moment I'm praying I don't have gestational diabeties or it maybe unlikely to be able to have a natural birth :( I have to take a test in two weeks. They did offer it as optional until baby measured two weeks bigger than my EDD.

Hi Kimmy,

I had gestational diabetes during my pregnancy, and I had a great natural birth - it can be done. I stuck to my diet (mostly), and I did some prenatal yoga - which I really enjoyed. I felt really good in my body - I was fitter and healthier than I have been in a long time - As an added bonus, a couple of weeks after I gave birth, I'd gone down a dress size, and my tummy was almost flat :) .

I wanted a natural birth because I wanted my baby to have a drug free birth.

I educated myself on active birthing techniques, and surrounded myself with people I trusted so I could focus on the birth. I feel so lucky to have had the birth I wanted, albeit in a hospital setting. I felt safe and respected. It was a very special/sacred time for myelf, my husband and my friend who helped us - the midwife who looked after us was also moved and amazed.

[JanetF]

This is a great thread for first time mamas to read :D (And the rest of us too ;) )

[Mummabear]

The key word is Estimated Due Date - it's not an exact science, and babes come when they are ready. Your babe may be having a growth spurt, your EDD may be slightly off, the measurement of your babe could be inaccurate...there are many reasons for the measurement.


Yep. My fundal measurements actually went backwards a couple of time at the same birth centre, using the same tape measure - it all depended on who was doing the measuring. Even the same person went backwards from one week to the next. I actually found it rather amusing :rolleyes:

[melfunction]

I wanted to try and do what was best for my baby. I didn't want an epi under any circumstances and found out later, I can't have one anyway.

I didn't want any drugs of any form, but then the contractions started at 2 mins part for 15mins, then they were constant. The midwife offered me gas, which was great. I found out after, I had dilated in 1 hour - from 0 to 9. My labour was 2hrs 20mins in total for a first bub.

I was proud that even though I'd had a bit of gas, I got through it without any major drugs.

My motivation is my son, everyday.

[Angelmist♥]

After my first sons birth, where the midwives didn't believe that I was in labour, so they gave me a sleeping tablet and 2 panadols 3 hrs before he was born and jammed the gas over my face when I was telling them to stop I decided that I was doing things my way for the next birth.

My first contraction was at 8am and I stayed at home for as long as possible dancing around the lounge room with my 13 month old son!(ha ha until MIL and DH shove me in the car at 10:30am) Although the midwives were so SURE they had to break my waters, I refused point blank. I wasn't letting them interfere with me at all! The midwives tried telling me that I could not give birth with the waters intact (which is absolute rubbish) and my second son was born at 11:09am. (the waters broke on their own).No cuts,tears or abrasions!

I was relaxed and calm and knew in my heart and head that I didn't need to be interfered with!I got up, had a shower and can't remember being more energetic in my life!

I was due on Tuesday and I have vowed that this time they are NOT tying me down with the CTG. Ha ha they asked me about my birth plan and what drugs I wanted and I said definitely none! Hmmm they weren't very impressed!
The way I see it, is that it's my last baby and I want to remember it as fondly as I do my second sons.It's my body, my baby so if i don't want drugs, I'm not having them!

[Pixie]

Before I ever got pregnant I would of said yes give me anything all the pain relief you can.

I am going to a birth centre to have my baby.

Now I am pregnant I decided to do extensive research on the matter and decided at about 8 weeks pregnant there was and is no other way that I want to have my baby, I don’t need to say here what the implications are as I know those who have chosen to have a natural birth are fully aware of them.

I want my birth to be a celebration of our little girl entering the world without all the intervention and fuss I want calm and understanding environment for myself my DB and the baby.

I am sure it will hurt, I am sure there will be times I think I won’t be able to take the pain anymore, but I know that in the long run it is only for a short period in my life and she’ll enter the world fit and ready to feed straight away hopefully and I will need minimal attention and be able to just get on with it and have natural recovery from a natural birth.
I am aiming for minimal intervention and remain in complete control and at any point I am unable to communicate my wants/needs my Db will be able to take over, there will be up to 4 midwives there as well.

I am actually now looking forward to the birth process and can’t wait to embrace it.

I have come under fire from my mother, my brother, and many others who think “I am insane” so have realised it’s incredibly personal and really has nothing to do with anyone! I obviously don’t mind sharing with people who think alike :)

[*Sal*]

I had the same question as Rainbowbrite as I took gas with both my labours as well. The effect it had on me was minimal, but it's hard to say if I would have gone for pethidine or an epidural if the gas was not there. I'd like to say that I could have done without.

Next time I will be aiming for a drug free birth again, as has been said before, being able to hold baby to the breast as soon as he/she is born, is one of my favourite memories of the whole experience. Being able to get up and shower was great too.

Relaxation, breathing and listening to what my body is telling me will enable me to embrace the next labour. Bringing a baby into the world is the most powerful thing I will ever do, and I intend to be able to experience it fully without the intervention of drugs.

[cosmic]

I'm LOVING this thread!! I want a natural birth because I want to be fully present throughout the process, not to mention that I don't any drugs passing through to the baby for all of the obvious reasons. I have found this forum to be such a great source of information and I love all the links posted by JanetF! They've been wonderful in helping to re-affirm my decision and prepare me for the process.

I said to by husband the other day that I am really looking forward to the birth. He said "You mean because you will have a baby at the end of it, so you are looking forward to AFTER the birth" and I said "NO! I'm looking forward to the birth!!" Does that make me insane? :o

I have read so many inspiring stories of women who have had calm, peaceful births (hypnobirthing sounds fabulous) and I want one of those! I worry that I might be setting myself up for disappointment by expecting it to be so.. um, dare I say it.. painless?? (not sure if that's really the word I'd use), but I really, truly think that if I prepare myself properly it doesn't have to be a painful, torturous process with me screaming and abusing my husband as people tell me it will be. I imagine it in my mind as being calm and quiet and peaceful and wonderful. Let's hope it goes to plan. :rolleyes: :D

Not to self: Call that hypnobirth teacher this week!!

[Mother Duck]

Devon - Mouse - good for you, breaking the mold! (I would love to know the story behind your user name - feel free to share!) As for the birth you have coming up - don't be frightened, it is amazing and beautiful - it is intense as opposed to painful - in my opinion of course

RB - I had a bit of gas too (I was pushing too early and midwife used it to get me to breath through instead) - I don't classify that as having had drugs though.

So why for me?? First and biggest reason was for Mickayla - I didn't want her to have drugs!

Secondly - I took too many in my youth! ;)

Mickayla got quite stuck sideways, it was by no means an easy birth but I would do natural again in a flicker!

Hooray for our beautiful bodies and the opportunity to birth naturally! :D

Footnote - Hooray for all those mummies that have to have a CS - looking out for their baby's health before their own needs and desires

Boo for all those such as our Britney Spears that chose to take their baby out when it suits them - shame! - or CS for cosmetic reasons - Shame shame - may their botox be infested!

[cosmic]

- don't be frightened, it is amazing and beautiful - it is intense as opposed to painful - in my opinion of course


Intense! Great word, Jessie. Just the word I was looking for (along with all those others like calm and peaceful that I said before. :)

I forgot to add.. another reason for me is that it's my view that birth is difficult for bubba too. And so I feel like by taking drugs or 'checking out' during the process to look after myself is kind like abandoning the baby to have to go through it on his/her own, instead of us both going through it together and working together as a team.

[Mother Duck]

Ahh Cosmic - this is so true - poor bubba - holy **** - no wonder they don't like tight fitting things over their heads for a while thereafter!

Poor little loves - we were so lucky to have a water birth - I reckon this is just a better intro for them - from fluid to fluid and then into arms of mamma - beautiful

[aardvark]

During labour with #1, I was given pethadine, based on the midwife telling me I would be hours still, and feeling like I could not cope with "hours".

As it turned out, I was 20 minutes, and would have coped OK. And baby would not have needed rescusitating.

I had a psychotic reaction to the pethidine, which then culminated in a really bad case of undiagnosed PND. It was 18 months before it was diagnosed, even though I felt abnormal before I had even left the delivery suite, and was suicidal the day after I went home. And I didn't actually realise they had to rescusitate the baby until a long time later, while looking at photos.

With #2, I basically told the midwives I was allergic to pethidine, so there was NO chance of me being given it.

By comparison to #1, the birth of #2 left me feeling physically well and able to cope, with no PND. I had nothing for pain, except the support of a good midwife, and my own determination that things were going to work out differently the second time around.

The difference in the two experiences means there is no choice to make this time - it's going to be natural, and that's it.

[Rainbowbrite]

On the subject of pain, I think it was more a tightening/pressure than pain. ALso when delivering its more of a stinging/burning. It was no-where near as painful as I had thought.

RB

[cosmic]

RB.. maybe it's better to expect it to be reeeeally bad and then be pleasantly surprised. Unlike me, who focuses on words like 'intense' and 'pressure' and thinks "yeah, I can SO handle that". I'm the type who might be in for a rude shock! :D

[Rainbowbrite]

Oh ok sorry about that Cosmic. How about it was soooo bad i thought i was going to split in two, it was so much worse than i could ever have imagined. :eek:

Who am I kidding, the way that others had described it was nothing like the experience I had. Maybe I was lucky, who knows? :D

RB

[cosmic]

Well good for you. I hope to be one of those 'lucky' ones too. ;) So I really do appreciate hearing from people who did NOT have terrible, agonising traumatic birth experiences. I'm sure expecting it to be horrible (or likening it to some kind of physical trauma - like an operation or broken leg as some people do) doesn't help people to RELAX when they get in there.

... but I've probably taken this thread onto a different tangent. Back to the topic. What was your motivation, people?? :)

[BJelly]

Hi Cosmic,

For me, I did experience the contractions as painful, but the good news is that they build in intensity - so you have time to get used to it. Also they come in waves, so you do get a break (however brief), even during the second stage of labour.

What surprised me most, wasn't the pain, but how exhausting it was. It is good to be as fit as you can. And also take time to rest in the early stages of labour - to save your energy for the end. By using active birth techniques, you can speed up the labour, which isn't a bad thing.

Like others have said, breathing, vocalising, experimenting with different positions, using water (I enjoyed the shower at home and in the hospital), I have a friend who used accupressure and swears by it, having support persons there to encourage you by saying, "You're doing great", "Not long now before you meet your baby" - are all very powerful aids - they gave me a real boost.

Giving birth is very much a mental thing as well as a physical thing, not unlike running a marathon from what I understand - so give yourself lots of positive thoughts to get you through - like my body was made for this, women have been doing this for thousands of years, my pelvis is opening like it should.

[Mother Duck]

Oh yeah - and Lucozade - not out of arms reach either!!

[alicesmum]

RB -
I think you were rather lucky. Sounds like your body was made for birthing or maybe you are just a really super cool, chilled-out chicky babe and cope amazingly well (which it sounds like).

Cosmic- Though I am 110% for a natural birth and have no doubt about repeating it for my second one, i want to say something. i was like you - focussed on words like "intense" and "pressure" and similar terms that we were told about in preg yoga that sounded quite ok to me!!! so i went into labour thinking, "yeh it's gonna be painful, but....". anyway, i must say, it was way way way way way way more "intense" than i had expected; but then, you can't really know what to expect because describing it to someone who hasn't done it, is like describing yellow to a blind person. afterwards i was quoted as saying "that was horrendous" but I meant it in a good way!!! Really! :) And the fact that it was more intense than i had expected only served to make me feel even more proud of myself and more over the moon. those natural endorphins - thank god for those! :D

anyway, didn't mean to be a kill-joy, but wanted to let you know that that was my experience. like you said, if you expect that it's really really gonna hurt, then you won't be shocked. you're definitely not gonna die. It's just pain. Just electrical impulses surging along the neural networks of your body and brain. Try and see it objectively in that way, and it won't freak you out.

BTW - like you I was really looking forward to the actual birth and i am this time as well. in those later stages you turn into an animal, a wilderbeast, and that's the part I love. (Sounds weird I know, but it's the one time when you are so completely 100% absorbed in the workings of your body and uninhibited. It's wild!) :p

Okay, back on track....what's your motivation? (I gotta stop derailing other people's threads!)