How was the birth of your first? - Page 6

[moonfirefaery]

My friend was telling me today that she was given pitocin to slow her labor when she delivered preterm. I was like...what??? I was telling her that was odd, because Pitocin only causes contractions to strengthen and speed up...not slow down...but she was insistent. I mean, do doctors really think that, or did they just outright lie to her? Maybe she was given something other than pitocin and is mistaking it for pit? I don't know but it was hard not to let my jaw drop. I had an IV, epidural and pitocin, and they broke my amniotic sac too.

[Sharlla]

With my first I was 19. they induced me at 36 weeks and of course that involved IV and petosin.  I really tried to go without pain meds but at 8 cm they gave me a spinal then an epidural (not sure why they gave me both)  The whole thing was so fast and furious.  I started having contractions around noon and delivered at 4pm.  He was a healthy 7 lbs 10 oz.  .  i had him at the birthing center and the staff was pretty wonderful and the room was big and private.  they even let me have 7 people in there lol

[HeckedyPeg]

I labored at home for a good long time, but eventually went to the hospital (got stuck there due to finance/insurance issues, blah) because I was starting to feel really dehydrated. I couldn't eat or drink once my contractions really started because I was so nauseous for the majority of my labor, and vomited several times. Once I was at the hospital I had IV fluids and that made me feel a bit better, and I made it through completely free of medications- my doctor and nurse were both really supportive of my birth goals and natural childbirth in general, so it was a good experience, even if it wasn't at home like I wanted.

[new nic]

Wow, thats brilliant - was it difficult - how long was you in labour for???  I REALLY want a natural, unassisted birth but EVERYONE is against it, even my partner :-(

Well done you xxx

Sorry, this was a response to the woman who had a natural, unassisted birth - I'm not very good at this message response thing am I :-(   

[ElizabethE]

I think the likelihood of things being natural or intervention free depends entirely on the set-up. The fact is for most women-- especially first time moms-- the likeliness of going totally natural in our culture is slim. Even the healthiest of women wind up "needing" interventions.

My first birth had IVs and an epidural. I also was induced, but not with Pitocin. I've had two more births since then and have learned a lot.

First time moms, even educated and enthusiastic ones, hardly seem to stand a chance sometimes at going natural. :( We need to really bring out wide and vast information to people in regards to childbirth, since most of what we know on the mainstream level is very controlled and often simply false.

[CBEmomma]

IV, Nubain, Epidural, Vacuum, laying on my back, couldn't eat or drink, wasn't allowed to move, didn't respect any thing in my birth plan (which was simple like don't ask me if I want pain meds, instead she asked every 5 freaken minutes). It sucked. I was disconnected to everything and I didn't get to hold my son for atleast 30 minutes. I had a hard time with PPD and bonding.

[ElizabethE]

The poll results here indicate that many of you have had natural first births. That really tones down the pessimism in me-- nice going! Or maybe that's just the MDC climate. ;)

[Mosaic]

I'm not sure how to count mine, either. DD was born med-free in a freestanding birth center. The birth took about 36 hours because DD was posterior; so we did use blue&black cohosh, nipple stim, and AROM as "contraction stimulants", I guess you could say; and then they used lavendar oil to get my placenta to detach. DD2 was born within 15 min. of arriving at the birth center, so it was as natural as natural can be.

[iris777888]

First and only, born at 39 1/2 weeks, about 10-hour labor total. It was a totally natural birth with CNM in a hospital setting, no complications or tears. I was given pit after my labor to help deliver the placenta, though not quite sure why.

In the hospital I was at, I understand that the midwives are given a lot more leeway than the OBs. So it could have gone a completely different way just by having a different provider. The only thing I had to do and didn't want to was 30 minutes of monitoring when I first arrived.

Edited by iris777888 - 5/2/11 at 2:00pm

[Bokonon]

Originally Posted by moonfirefaery 

My friend was telling me today that she was given pitocin to slow her labor when she delivered preterm. I was like...what??? I was telling her that was odd, because Pitocin only causes contractions to strengthen and speed up...not slow down...but she was insistent. I mean, do doctors really think that, or did they just outright lie to her? Maybe she was given something other than pitocin and is mistaking it for pit? I don't know but it was hard not to let my jaw drop. I had an IV, epidural and pitocin, and they broke my amniotic sac too.

Perhaps she got magnesium sulfate or terbutaline and misunderstood?

[aja-belly]

my first birth was a home water birth with none of the interventions listed.

[mattemma04]

I delivered my 9.6 lbs dd at home(apt. at the time) with dh at my side as planned.

[Taedareth]

I educated myself during the pregnancy by reading Bradley books, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, and others. Then, knowing what I wanted my birth experience to be like, I interviewed 5 local midwives until I found one whose philosophy of birth matched mine. So I had a home waterbirth with an experienced midwife in attendence, and loved it so much that we did the same again with our next baby a few years later :)

[sunnygir1]

I had two natural births in the hospital.  My water broke at 34w 6d and 35w for my two births, so even though we had planned home births, we went directly to a hospital with a level 2 nursery.  I didn't even have a birth plan or my own doctor or anything -- but I did have my awesome midwives by my side.

Originally Posted by L J 

I did. 100% natural home unassisted birth.

I seriously doubt I could birth naturally in the hospital, unless I arrived pushing. Contractions while laying down is not for me.

I did not do contractions lying down, and nobody tried to make me.  I had the monitor on my belly sometimes, but I just took it off when they were done taking notes or whatever.  I walked around, went to the cafeteria for breakfast, ate and drank what I wanted in my hospital room, sat, and stood where and when I wanted, transitioned in the bathtub alone with one of my midwives (lay midwives who did not work in the hospital), etc.  I had no iv, no drugs, no episiotomy, etc.

[Momma Moo Martin]

My first and only baby was born at home with no interventions whatsoever.  I took Bradley classes and did a lot of reading and researching to prepare to birth her.  

[USAmma]

I am not the typical MDC mama-- I chose to have an epidural. I have past abuse issues and wanted a pain-free birth so I did not have to face and conquer old ghosts while welcoming my child into the world. It went great, I felt totally in control. I didn't know a lot about other options at that time but I knew I did have the choice between natural or medicated and I didn't even try to go natural. With my second, same story, except for that birth I had a doula and two close friends in addition to my husband. The doula was there to pamper me and support me should the epidural not take or if anything went awry. It didn't-- again, very nice, fast, complication free birth and pain-free. It was what I needed. I delayed cord cutting, I pulled her out myself and onto my belly (doctor supported her but he respected and honored my wishes to pull her out). I did not have her get the Vit K shot or the eye goo, or the bath until she got home. For some it's very empowering to work through the pain. Having supported friends through natural births, I can see the beauty of it. At the same time I know still after watching them, that my path was right for me. I'm glad I had that choice. It's all about choice, right?

[Katie Shell]

My mom had all 3 of her births naturally at home so complications and interventions were the furthest thing from my mind. I had an amazing doula and after a long labor and unsuccessful pushing I had a cesarean.

[tccandlsccmom]

I needed Pitocin, as I have a pituitary disorder....but other than that I did it "naturally" (though because of my disorder it had to be in the hospital)...

[dauphinette]

Let me preface this by saying I didnt have time to read the whole post but i thought the poll was not very comprehensive because a natural birth could really be broken down into home birth/UC/midwife assisted etc....just a thought :)

[dayiscoming2006]

Originally Posted by moonfirefaery 
 I had an IV, epidural and pitocin, and they broke my amniotic sac too.

Same thing here. They gave the pitocin when I was like 6 cm as my contractions were too far apart for their liking - AKA - I was taking too stinkin' long for them.