How was the birth of your first? - Page 2

[macandcheese]

Natural here, but we had a home birth so I didn't have to worry about coercion or pressure from hospital staff. I was really determined to have a natural delivery with my first because I read way too many birth stories where mothers sought home births with later children because of horrible hospital experiences with their firsts :(

[kltroy]

I vote 100% natural, but the disclaimer is that my first baby was breech and thus, was a scheduled c-section.  So I didn't really have a choice with him and won't count it, since it wasn't even an attempt.  My daughter, a VBAC, and my first actual *attempt* at a vaginal birth, was 100% natural.  I'm guessing my son would have been too, had he been more cooperative about positioning.  She was a hospital birth.

[Engineering_Mama]

My first (and only so far) was a home birth that ended in transfer. The only intervention I had was pitocin augmentation after I had already been pushing for 6 hours. I think most first time moms can have a natural birth if they have the right care giver and a supportive environment. Unfortunately most OBs are NOT supportive of natural birth.

[happysmileylady]

I am curious why having an IV with only a saline solution for fluids isn't considered natural enoug to be 100%?  There's no antibiotics, no pain meds, nothing going in that isn't "natural" and certainly nothing that's going to change labor at all so why is that not natural enough? 

[philomom]

Originally Posted by happysmileylady 

I am curious why having an IV with only a saline solution for fluids isn't considered natural enoug to be 100%?  There's no antibiotics, no pain meds, nothing going in that isn't "natural" and certainly nothing that's going to change labor at all so why is that not natural enough? 

An Iv is an intervention to natural labor and may actually impede your body's progress.

http://www.birthingnaturally.net/barp/iv.html

[firewoman]

If you labored and delivered your baby with only an IV, you can count yourself 100% natural in my book.

 

Originally Posted by happysmileylady 

I am curious why having an IV with only a saline solution for fluids isn't considered natural enoug to be 100%?  There's no antibiotics, no pain meds, nothing going in that isn't "natural" and certainly nothing that's going to change labor at all so why is that not natural enough? 

[earth-mama]

My first was a wonderful home birth and of course 100% natural.  Planning a second HB with #2.  

[sosurreal09]

I gave birth at 21 y/o in a birth center 100% naturally. I did hypnobabies

I think it depends on the mom. If you view birthing as something that needs treatment, then it will. If you trust yourself and your body and know you do not want any intervention, you can do it. Same with anything really. If you make up your mind and 100% commit you should be fine.

[*MamaJen*]

My first and only was an all-natural homebirth. The only intervention I might have encountered was AROM. My midwife mentioned it off-hand as a possibility, I said no, and the baby was born in the caul, which I thought was really cool.

In general, if you have your first in a hospital, there's a super-high chance you're going to encounter those interventions, even if you go in pretty well informed. The best way to get a natural birth is to stay at home with a midwife, or pick a freestanding birth center.

[*MamaJen*]

I would totally consider a delivery with an IV a "natural" birth, but I wouldn't want an IV for myself unless it was medically indicated. Mostly because of the pain and inconvenience factor. It's hard to move around naturally and easily with a IV pole dragging behind you. A heplock will give you more mobility, but it's still uncomfortable. And really, what's the need? What do you get out of an IV that you don't get from a cup of water and a straw? It's just an easy vehicle for things you don't want, like Pitocin.

I've seen some studies suggesting that IVs during labor can actually cause fluid overload. A laboring woman will drink to thirst, and that's fine.

[AlexisT]

A heplock may be a good idea if you're a bad stick. I have trouble with IVs so I'd want to be able to get a nurse who was good at it. If it's a lock, they can't put anything in without you knowing about it.

FWIW, I've never before heard of excluding IVs from "natural" birth. Managed 3rd stage is also frequently excluded.

My first was a CS--severe preeclampsia causing fetal distress.

[Monarchgrrl]

I had a natural home birth.

(((HUGS))) OP. Maybe you should write out your birth story and even ask the mamas here for some perspective? Even with my home birth, I still had a LOT of processing I had to do (and DW is still very much traumatized by it, even though it went perfectly). It wasn't like I pictured. There were some aspects I just couldn't mentally prepare for.

[ZakareyasMama]

Originally Posted by sosurreal09 

I gave birth at 21 y/o in a birth center 100% naturally. I did hypnobabies

I think it depends on the mom. If you view birthing as something that needs treatment, then it will. If you trust yourself and your body and know you do not want any intervention, you can do it. Same with anything really. If you make up your mind and 100% commit you should be fine.

I disagree. I know I went into labor trusting my body and set against interventions, but things didn't turn out that way. Sometimes women have real situations that need intervention such as exhaustion or a malpositioned baby or a physical problem in the pelvis, etc. that no amount of positive thinking will take away. 

I think what happens is that in an attempt to advocate for intervention-free birth and encourage other mothers, we forget that sometimes women need interventions and it's a balance. Of course not every woman needs every intervention every time (and that's what can happen in a sue-happy medical environment), but it's also not the case that no woman ever needs an IV, epidural, pitocin or a C-Section. We want to encourage other women to try for natural birth, but we shouldn't make them feel like a failure if it doesn't happen.

[Baby_Cakes]

Originally Posted by firewoman 

If you labored and delivered your baby with only an IV, you can count yourself 100% natural in my book.

 

I voted 100% -- my first and only birth so far was a homebirth.

My thing is, if you're educated and know what you need, and you realize you need interventions, you have done nothing "wrong".  Sometimes things happen that are beyond our control.  There is no prize to be won, and it's not a competition.  It's about birthing safely, and sometimes we need things, we need help to get our babies here.

[goldenwillow]

Natural home, water birth.  One and only DS.  Bradley classes. 

I want to add two points....

I didn't eat like crap, didn't bake a huge baby.  I limited my protein the last month.  I think that is a huge issue in America.  My SIL has a DD 5 weeks older than my DS.  She ate like crap.  Fast foods, a lot of soy, NEVER exercised and works at a well known mall purfume store.  My BIL and her didn't do their homework on birth, had every intervention and had a C-section.  Was told that her pelvis was too small.  Let's add to the depression shall we? 

I also wanted to add....  it is so very important to heal your emotional scars as best you can prior to birth.  It is important to release. 

I know, that not all interventions happen for these reasons, but come on.  Be aware of what is going into your body.  Educate yourself. 

Edited by goldenwillow - 4/27/11 at 4:14pm

[new2this]

I had a hospital birth with a midwife and had an epidural. I had every intention of going in 100%. I looked at different birthing methods and all that. Then the time came and I hit hard contractions and I couldn't deal with it. I started tensing up pretty bad. That I finally said okay give it to me because I couldn't do it. I ended up getting it when I was around an 8 I believe and roughly 3 hours later I delivered. I was able to tell when the contractions were coming and was able to push when I wanted to push. I loved my midwife and outside of having the epidural everything else went as I planned/wanted. DH was able to help catch and we were able to feed right away/skin to skin and so on. For me looking back the best thing I did was get the epidural. It helped me enjoy the birth of our daughter and all that. 

[~Amy~]

My first was a c-section for transverse positioning with a cord presentation.  We were preparing for a homebirth, but just ended up with one of those crappy situations that you really can't do much about.  My second was a quick, easy VBAC earlier this week, pit induced, but otherwise no drugs.

[Birdie B.]

I had a homebirth-turned-hospital birth. We wanted to be at home, but my water broke and my midwife had to transfer my care after 24 hours of ruptured membranes (state law). Once I got to the hospital, they wouldn't let me get out of bed and I had IVs and monitors all over the place. I couldn't handle the pain lying flat on my back, so I opted for the epidural.  Not my first choice, but it was really hard at the hospital. Since I didn't plan on being there, I had no idea how to cope.  My daughter was born pretty easily about 6 hours after we got there, so it all ended well. 

I had a similar experience to you, OP. I had 4 friends seeing the same midwives around the same time I was due.  All of them ended up transferring to the hospital, two had C-sections, one had vacuum. It seemed like a really odd coincidence, and definitely made me wonder.

I just hope it goes smoother this time around!

[Lenasmama]

I had a emergency c/section

[Gena 22]

Originally Posted by scottishmommy 

I had an IV and received pitocin after the birth.

Me too, and fair or not, I still consider my home birth essentially "natural."  The IV was for dehydration (saline only) and the pitocin was a post-birth IM shot to help delivery of the placenta.  Not sure it actually had any effect at all.

FYI - Before labor, I was pretty negative about having an IV too, and in the "just have a drink" camp.  But after a long labor and puking to dry heaves, I needed that IV.  It made the difference between a fantastic homebirth and a transfer.  Not something that should be routine, but a great option in certain cases.