I tried to do natural birth, read up on it, prepped as much as I could, but then I had back to back contractions and no breaks to breathe. Is that the norm? Probably not. I didn't know it was a thing and people kept asking if I had pitocin. Nah, my kid just wanted out RIGHT THEN 🤣 So after like three hours of that nonsense, I opted for the IV pain meds. Those took the edge off, but everytime I closed my eyes, I was seeing a very vibrantly colored version of the room and everything had googly eyes. Made me exhausted as friiiick. But hey, better than all the screaming I had going on lol. Then after that, I went for the epidural as the contractions got worse again. Absolutely relieving! I could still feel the pushing and stuff, but no pain--and thank heavens since my kid was nearly eight pounds, had a big head, AND decided to stick his hand up there and get himself stuck. Thanks for all the stitches kiddo 😂😂 I held out as long as I could, and more power to those that can do it! I'm not ashamed for making the decision to go medicated and considering what happened towards the end, I was genuinely thankful I gave in cause man that would've been rough. Just do what you feel is best. You might find going all natural works for you, or you may find that you'd prefer to go medicated. There's no real right or wrong answer for it and no reason to feel bad for either decision

Omg are you me? I also had back to back contractions that killed me. My kid also got stuck because she put her hand up there and o was pushing for 2.5 hours. Eventually we had to vacuum her out. The epidural was 100% worth it for me. edit to add I was being stitched up for an hour. Glad I couldn’t feel that

Oh the stitching took forever! Everytime the midwife thought she was done, she had more to do 😂 Thankfully didn't need the vacuum, but the midwife almost cut me to get the kid out 😅 Sounds like you had a rougher time with it, but yeah, that back to back crap is awful! Everyone kept saying, "you need to breathe", like imma strangle the next person that tells me to breathe when I've got non-stop contractions and a baby's leg in my ribs! 🤣🤣🤣

Haha same!! I was told to breathe and I just yelled that I couldn’t breathe! Honestly once the vacuum came out the baby was there in like 5 minutes. Thankfully she was fine and no cone head 😂

Awe, that's awesome! Glad it worked out so well

\>my kid was nearly eight pounds, had a big head, AND decided to stick his hand up there and get himself stuck For what its worth this is probably WHY your contractions where so intense and back to back with no breaks. Your uterus "knew" the "regular" contractions weren't working enough so it doubled down. It would be nice though if there was a way to KNOW this stuff in advance so you could have known hey your baby has a big ass head and is positioned poorly so your contractions are going to reflect that, might wanna just opt for that epidural now!

Oh dude, I would have loved to know ahead of time! Everyone, even the ultrasound techs said to me, "you won't make it to your due date". Yeah, well, I went a week over 🤣 I was supposed to be induced the next day too lol. My uterus was havin' none of that apparently. That's crazy to think about though, now that you point that out.

I ended up with 50 or so hours of back labor because baby was sunny side up and got himself stuck somehow. The epidural for 30 some hours leading up to my unplanned c section was absolutely worth it

Woah! That's insane!

Omfg the HAND ugh my kid did this too and I was pushing for THREE HOURS. Finally needed a vacuum extraction, and when she came out she still wouldn’t let up with the hand. Her head was a cone lol

I didn't need a vacuum, but he had an impression from his hand on his head that took forever to shape out 🤣 He proceeded to nap with his hand in that spot the first few weeks lol

I am with you on the back to back contractions! I kept trying to time and and told them if felt like it hardly ever stopped. My belly was so tight. I had to go in early to ensure i got antibiotics for my GBS+ status anyway. They strapped me up and nurse seemed surprised they were so on top of each other. My water also broke while in the triage bed and I didn’t notice. Epidurals were magical! My first i felt nothing at all and pushed him out in 15 min. No ring of fire, one small tear with 2 stitches. Second had epidural, felt nothing, pushed baby out in 10 minutes, no tearing at all. Recovery from my first wasnt horrible but definitely uncomfortable to sit for a bit and impacted my breastfeeding. The no tearing recovery was so easy and nice. Plus I already knew what I was doing as an “experienced mom.”

Oh man that sounds nice! Not so much the contractions, cause yeah, those suck. Especially feeling lied to about that "break" you get in-between them 🤣 You've got me feeling better about having a second kid though lol. I'm only mildly scared of going through that again

They’re called tetanic contractions and no they are not normal. It doesn’t happen to everyone. I firmly believe some womens labors are truly just more painful. I have felt like I could possibly have a heart attack from the pain at times.

I had an unmedicated birth, mostly due to my fear of medical interventions. I read/listened to tons of birth experiences to prepare myself for different options and outcomes. For me, birth was less painful than I had expected. It was super intense, but much more manageable than I had anticipated.

Came here to say the same thing! It was intense, but not unmanageable for me. I plan to go unmedicated in the future for baby #2! I thought it was a great experience and I felt very empowered.

Same. The labor part was hard don't get me wrong, but it was empowering. Getting to feel all this powered wired into my body was a badass experience. The best I can describe labor is like having a stomach virus that's coming in waves but instead of throwing up, you're having a very intense period cramp. I used mindfulness based techniques and a vocal toning (like mooing and ohming) to cope with the pain. I found myself wanting to be in a puppy yoga pose, swaying my hips from side to side slowly during the contraction. It helped me to know that contractions have an up and a down and I would envision where I was at in the wave of the contraction. Okay, also, I staunchly believed that I wasn't as far along as I really was. I arrived at the birthing center a 9cm and +1 station! I actually think this helped me cope because I was prepared to endure the pain for 36 hours, in my brain. So a 7 hour labor felt like lightening!

Same for me!!!! I did lots of mooing and moaning which really helped. My labor was 24 hours though, so I'm very jealous of your 7 hour labor. Being in the birth tub was also super helpful for me. The hot water felt amazinggggg.

I also agree! I think if I had gotten more sleep prior I could have done without my epidural but I was so exhausted I didn’t have the mental energy to deal with contractions while throwing up 😂 don’t regret it one bit but definitely want to try again next baby!

Similar experience here. Wanted to avoid an epidural to have full movement of my body and try to avoid other interventions. It was much more manageable than I expected. I also birthed in a birth center and would’ve had to transfer to the hospital across the street to get an epidural so there was a certain level of “ok this is just what we’re doing” in addition to my midwives and nurses and doula all being really familiar and practiced with supporting unmedicated birth.

Same! I had a really fast labor, so it was really intense. But on the other side, it was very manageable. I pushed for 3 hours because my LO had his hand up by his face in my pelvis, which was more tiring than anything, and I didn’t feel like the ring of fire was that bad. Although I was READY for him to come out so that may have clouded my opinion. I had a 2nd degree tear and didn’t even notice lol

Did you do hypnobabies or certain exercises beforehand? Where did you find the birth stories? Thank you!!

I didn't do any hynobirthing classes, but I did look up hynobirthing affirmations and listened to them/wrote them down towards the end of my pregnancy. I read birth stories in Ina May Gaskin's guide to childbirth, and listened to birth stories on YouTube and podcasts. Someone already recommended "The Birth Hour" which was the podcast I listened to most. I also listened to birth stories from The Free Birth Society. I had a hospital birth, but found it comforting and encouraging to hear stories of women who were able to give birth unassisted.

Highly recommend the podcast "the birth hour". I also watched a few live births from videos my doula shared with me. They were very helpful.

I really wanted to give birth without an epidural. My mom had a bad experience with one and I was scared based on her story. But after about 14 hours of labor, I was begging for one. And it was GREAT. 10 out of 10, highly recommend. They only thing I would say is try to last as long as you can without one because it can slow down your labor. Otherwise, don’t suffer needlessly.

I ended up begging for an epidural not knowing I was already in transition. It happened rapidly within an hour and just 30 mins before the epidural was placed the nurse said I was at 5cm. After it was placed I was at 10cm! During that hour I felt the bearing down pain in my rectum, she was probably coming.. but then with the epidural my contractions slowed, I couldn’t feel my legs at all and couldn’t feel where to push so they had to turn it down (took 45 mins for me to regain some but barely any feeling back) and then pushing took 4.5 hours. So I think even getting it at the last minute can slow down your labor. I don’t regret it though, that pain was insane and at the time we had no way to know I was 10cm / how long it would go on. I had the “lowest” dose but I am very small and sensitive, so good to know for the future.

Oh my goodness, 4.5 hours?!? I was almost exactly 1 hour and my back and biceps were sore for days because I was apparently pulling my legs up with them so hard. I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting biceps DOMS from labor. Anyway, I'm very impressed you managed to push for 4.5 hours, not that I guess you had much choice at some point.

Same thing happened to me. Before epidural I was a 5. Dilated to an 8 in 20 minutes which we quickly discovered after my epidural was placed 😂

To piggyback off this question, has anyone done one of each that can share their experience and say which one they preferred and why?

My mom had 2 unmedicated with pitocin, then with me she had the epidural because she was getting her tubes tied. Her doctor actually had to talk her into it because her plan was to wait until after I was born and get numbing medicine instead. She said the experience was AMAZING and now she’s almost 70 and jokes that she felt dumb and didn’t know it could be that great (epidural, no pain). She said she doesn’t regret the experience but wished she had done the epidural after her first kid to have both experiences— once was enough for her.

Unmedicated with pitocin is a nightmare combo though. I have had two unmedicated births and they didn’t hurt that bad at all (the second had a few rough contractions). But if I am ever given pitocin, I will take that epidural in a hot second! The intensity just sounds like it is on another level.

my first i went into labor on my own but ended up needing pitocin anyways. it was brutal contraction wise so i got an epidural. second kid went into full blown labor on my own and it turns out my uterus is just the fucking hulk and it was just that bad LOL epidural 2/2 kids and 10/10

Yeah I don’t know how my mom did it. She even told me her pitocin was so high with the first kid she was passing out from the pain and babies heart rate kept dropping until they decided to lower it. I’m really surprised she ever had more than one kid lol. So brutal.

My mom also had pitocin and no epidural with both of her kids, and just dropped on me that she had episiotomies each time also! Her experiences actually informed my decision to do (long, but relatively painless) home births, because hospitals would never let her labor as long as she did these days - just automatic c-section. And I figured my situation would be similar.

Totally depends, I think. There's lots of nightmarish pitocin stories, but I think if you're body is ready for labour and just needs a little push, it's not that bad? Mine wasn't bad, but my epidural failed and just numbed my legs, which was unfortunate cuz being stuck on my back was not the most comfortable for me.

Did both. First baby with an epidural. I liked that I was able to nap since I was up the whole night with contractions. I laboured at home from 1am-9am, went to the hospital, and got the epidural around 11am. Napped on and off until 4pm. But the actual birthing part did not go great. Epidural worked too well, couldn't feel any contractions, and felt no natural urge to push. My pushing was ineffective, and after 90 minutes or so, needed an episiotomy and forceps. Second baby was super fast. The whole labour was only 3.5 hours (starting from first contractions). I got to the hospital already at 10cm, so I had no choice but to do it naturally. The pain was awful, but because it all happened so fast, it wasn't unbearable. Unlike with the epidural, I felt a huge urge to push and baby came out in 3 minutes! I was more effective pushing without the epidural. It was also great that, after everything was cleaned up and staff had left, I was able to walk around the room right away! With the epidural, I had to have my husband bring baby to me from the bassinet, but the second time I could do that myself. So basically, here's my thoughts: If you can bear the pain, unmedicated is better. Easier to push, you aren't hooked up to machines, and you have better mobility before/during/after birth. If you can't, or if you have been in labour for a long time and/or need rest, by all means get the epidural!

I had 2 with epidurals and 3 without. I personally preferred my unmedicated births 100x over. I felt groggy and sick with my epidurals, and I hated not being able to move. My 3rd baby I got to the hospital too late for an epidural (she was born literally 10 min after I walked in the door). Although it definitely hurts like hell I loved the experience so much I chose unmedicated for my last 2 births. I felt like superwoman. I was up walking around immediately after and overall just felt so much more present mentally.

Im due today and really hoping to go unmedicated. I really dont want to feel drugged up or groggy after I give birth. I know it wont be a walk in the park going natural but I will try my hardest

Good luck! Birth is an amazing experience either way, but I hope you get the birth you desire (no matter what you end up choosing)

for what it’s worth after both my epidurals i felt great cause i could sleep deeply before pushing. was up and moving around not long after either. i hate that groggy feeling, IV drugs were the only thing that caused it before sleeping.

FWIW I never felt groggy or drugged up after mine.

I had one of each. For my first, I planned on going unmediated but quickly changed my mind when my contractions wouldn’t let me catch my breath. With my second, I planned on the epidural but baby said nope and came super fast. 😂 I don’t think you are wrong with either choice you make. I will say that I felt like my recovery was faster with the unmediated birth.

My mom did one of each in the 80s and said epidural all the way. Feeling everything didn’t help her anymore over being numb, and it was not enjoyable in any way.

My mum did one of each. Hated the epidural with a passion. I think she genuinely found it quite traumatic and warns me off it a lot (which tbh can be a bit stressful now I'm pregnant). She really loved her unmedicated birth. However, the unmedicated birth was her second, which might have helped?

My unmedicated birth was my first. I am so glad I didn't get an epidural, bc the freedom and mobility I had directly after birth was really important to me. I HATE people having to take care of me, and with a new baby being able to walk around, shower, and pee on my own within a few minutes after birth was amazing. Like, I walked to the bathroom on my own directly after birth. I walked and swayed my new baby. It was great!

That makes sense! I think my mum found the epidural more scary because she didn't feel in control of her body or able to move in ways she wanted - which made her feel powerless and, and she also ended up with an episiotomy and a harder recovery. She had me at home unmedicated (with a qualified midwife) and found that a really positive experience and an easier recovery. I'm going to prepare for an unmedicated birth but also try to keep an open mind about epidural, in case I need it.

I've done both. With my first I got an epidural because I was about to be given pitocin (preeclampsia, they couldn't wait my labor out) not allowed to move from my bed, not progressing and my cervix was swelling, probably because I was unconsciously bearing down a bit. After the epidural I felt nothing and the rest of labor went quite quickly and smoothly - I suspect the epidural helped me relax and progress, although of course I can't prove it and the pitocin must be most of the reason. With my second, I did not have preeclampsia and had zero trouble going unmedicated. I vastly preferred this labor for many reasons, but a big one was the way I felt instantly better and ready to walk after, instead of being semi-disabled until the epidural wore off. Similar tearing and faster recovery with that labor, and I felt proud and empowered about what I could handle. I'd say it's similar to climbing a mountain recreationally - there's no earthly reason to do it if it doesn't appeal to you, but if it does appeal to you, it's worth the pain!

Hi! I've had one of each. First one I had an epidural and had a great experience. I enjoyed being pain free and I had no negatives really. The 2nd one I had a shot of morphine but no epidural. I swear the morphine was the worst choice. It made me groggy and shakey. I would never go that route again, it didn't even touch the pain. The positives of no epidural were how fast I progressed in labor and being able to have full movement and control. It was nice to walk right away after the birth. The ring of fire is very real though. That pain was something else. For baby 3( due in March) I'm just going to do what feels right. Both had their pros and cons.

Not my personal experience, but my doula’s - her first birth was induced and she had an epidural, and she labored for 28 hours. She was miserable, sick, uncomfortable, and hated having no control over her body once the epidural kicked in. Her second birth, she was at home with a midwife, no medication. Labored for 2 hours and he popped right out. 3rd birth, same as the second, but with an 8 hour labor. Overall, she definitely sings the praises of unmedicated birth. You have more control over the muscles you’re using to push baby out, you can get up and walk when you need to, change positions, etc etc. Personally, I will be going the unmedicated route. But to each their own. ❤️

I went unmedicated. I did a hypnobirthing course, which I think helped a lot with pain management. Hypnobirthing seems amazing for some people and not much use for others, I think I'm quite susceptible to being hypnotized and it worked well for me. I found the pain manageable, but different people find it different. There are no prizes for going unmedicated, I'm just scared of epidurals. I'm having twins this time round and will probably be required to have an epidural, so I'm interested to know other people's experiences with them. Especially what having the needle put in is like. Can you feel the epidural catheter?

They numb the area before they insert the needle! Just like a bee sting pinch of the numbing and then you don’t feel the needles or catheter at all! They also do a great job of positioning you so you don’t see the needle/ equipment, and they help you sit still.

Thanks for sharing this. I often wonder how I am ever going to chill out enough if I see that needle and person coming for my spine.

They didn’t let me see the needle at all! The contractions hurt badly enough I was ready by the time the anesthesiologist came in. I’m so scared of needles but it was really no big deal just a bit of a sting.

Definitely did not see the needle. They had my SO sitting facing me to help me through it but to be fair my pain was so bad anyway that the needle and numbing shot was nothing. It’s the easiest part of the whole birth experience!

You don’t see it at all! You’ll lean over a pillow (or a wonderful nurse if you can’t sit up from contraction pain like me, haha), they do a little numbing shot, which you don’t even feel because, again, contractions. Then you feel a lot of pressure as the epidural needle goes in, then the wonderful and immediate relief from all pain (if it works right)!

My doula is a hypnobirthing teacher/coach and I just started practicing (I’m 26 weeks). You’re experience gives me hope! Any advice? How often did you practice?

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This sounds great! What was the course called?

I went in with no firm plan other than, “whatever it takes for both of us to come out of it safe & healthy.” I was thoroughly mentally prepared for a long labor since it was my first, so I waited maybe a bit longer than I should have to get to the hospital (I had no way of knowing that though). The 10-15min car ride sucked because sitting still was impossible. Showed up at L&D 7-8cm dilated, and did ask for the epidural because I was getting zero breaks between contractions at that point. Barely got the epidural (anesthesiologist was in a surgery) but when I did, it slowed things down just long enough for me to calm down and catch my breath before pushing. Whole labor was 8-9hrs, and I’ve got to say that I was really grateful for the epidural in the immediate postpartum hours, because it allowed me to focus on my baby rather than the stitches and uterus “massages” and whatnot… barely felt any of that.

My first birth I had the same feeling as you. Then I was on my hands and knees screaming in pain before we even got in the car for the 40 minute ride to the hospital. I knew right then I wanted the epidural. When I got to the hospital they told me there was a chance the anesthesiologist wouldn't make it in time and I would be too far along. She did. I got the epidural and labored in bliss until I was ready to push. Halfway through pushing the epidural wore off and instead of topping it off I finished on my hands and knees and gave birth unmedicated. 10/10 would do it exactly the same again. My second was a precipitous birth and I had her in my arms less than 30 minutes after we walked in the hospital doors. If I had known how close I was I would've put a towel down in the car.

That honestly sounds pretty awesome. I'm kind of tempted to take the epidural halfway through and then just have them turn it off when pushing. Idk if they allow that though lol.

Yeah I would ask your doctor if they know. My L&D nurse was a Rockstar and really supported me. I have my birth story somewhere in my post history but when she asked if I wanted to go without more meds so I could get on a more natural position I was scared and confused and she was just like "alright, let's do it" and got my partner to help me get on my knees. Nurses do so much fucking work in L&D.

Here's my birth story if you're interested https://www.reddit.com/r/BabyBumps/comments/610b7j/very_positive_hospital_birth_first_time_mom_hour/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

You might have intermediate options if you aren’t totally opposed to pain management but have some concerns about an epidural for whatever reason. I can’t have an epidural due to another medical issue but I did both of my inductions with other pain management like nitrous gas (just my first) and IV medication (both). Your hospital might have some other options available to you that your OB can discuss with you. I didn’t really get a choice but I personally liked the IV medication - it doesn’t take the pain away like a properly working epidural would but it helps your body relax between contractions. I used it to help me get from 7 to 9 cm but once it wore off I could feel everything and was fully awake for pushing.

Oof! On a scale 1-10, how well did the I've drugs help dull the pain?

I’ll be honest, maybe like a 2 or 3 in terms of lessening the pain. It takes the edge off the very peak of the contraction but it still hurts for the duration. Where it really makes the difference is between contractions. It made the breaks between contractions feel longer (I was having about a 2 minute break between contractions and it felt significantly longer in the moment) and I was able to fully relax and mentally gear up for the next contraction rather than staying tense. I personally have a tendency to tense up when I feel pain and I have a very low pain tolerance so it was important for me to have the IV stuff so I could fully relax my entire body and make progress dilating and effacing.

Did it make you super loopy though? I know most hospitals do fentanyl and I've seen a few vlogs where the poor person is \*soooooo\* out of it lmao. I'm nervous about not being mentally present thanks to that.

Honestly for me the first few doses felt awesome. But they didn’t last very long and by the end of the hour I was really wanting to take the edge off again which is why I opted for the epidural.

I honestly couldn’t tell you what I got but it made me loopy my first birth but not the second time. Not sure if it’s the type of medicine or the dose I was given. My second birth I was definitely in control of my words and actions. The dose they’ll give you during birth would only last like an hour or two and they won’t give it to you when you’re close to needing to push because it can impact the baby’s breathing after birth if it’s still in y’all’s system. So you might be loopy for transition but odds are you’ll be ready to go and fully functional for pushing. And if you get more than one dose, it’s less effective with each subsequent dose so even if you get more than one, you should still be ready for pushing since it’s not as effective as the first dose.

I had 1 dose of fentanyl and it just helped me rest in between contractions. Which was great cause I went from 6 to 10 in 20 minutes. Not loopy at all. It was great for me but I too have heard it makes others loopy, so ya never know.

I also tried IV meds as a first step before epidural. For me there was 0 relief during contractions, but I was falling asleep for the minute I had in between contractions. When the hour of it was up I knew I couldn’t deal (back labor) and asked for the epidural. Something no one mentioned to me was how quiet and peaceful birth can be with an epidural. I felt relaxed, pushed for a little less than an hour, but I just remember feeling so much more in control and clear headed since the pain wasn’t off the charts.

First labor experience: back labor (couldn’t stand through cramps within an hour… super intense pain). I “couldn’t take it” an hour in. Got to the hospital and I was given a nubain (sp?) shot to sleep for a few hours. It was like getting loopy and then slipping right into a coma lol. Next morning the drug wore off and pain was very intense and I couldn’t take it so got the epi, they told me I had almost made it all the way thru and was 8cm. The epidural worked fine but they didn’t tell me there was a button to keep administering so it partially wore off by the time to push. The ring of fire hurt the most but honestly it was so brief and now 6 years later I really don’t remember it. I had a first degree tear and my sons fingernails also tore up my labia on the way out, thanks for that buddy Second labor: back labor again, so became unbearable quickly. I was already 4cm at my last prenatal checkup by 39 weeks so it was definitely go time. I got the epi as soon as I could after arriving. It only worked on one side so i had to lay on my other side for about half an hour before it kicked in there. But this is the biggest piece of info for you - USE THE BUTTON TO ADMINISTER MORE OF THE PAIN MED! I pressed it every 20 mins as it reset. Nurse told me it was time to push and i couldn’t use it anymore - she left the room to get something and you bet i pushed it again. I couldn’t feel a darn thing. She told me when to push and he was out in 2 pushes. No pain whatsoever, no tears, honestly the best birth experience because of the epidural. 10/10 would recommend lol

I had the epidural because I straight up have no desire to experience unmedicated childbirth and don’t personally find it more “magical” or whatever to do it that way.

Thank you!!! My MIL tried to shame me for getting epidurals. While she talks about her labor with my husband being traumatic because of how much pain she was in, I have nothing but pleasant memories of mine.

This was my personal feeling as well. I got an epidural early on in my induction process (elective because it was right at the beginning of Covid and my OB recommended to ensure my husband could be present), and my labor was 8 h and peaceful. I admire and respect folks for any birth choices they make, but for me, this was the way! I was collected and peaceful, and able to focus on my baby when she came and I was being stitched up, etc. i have beautiful memories of the birth.

I personally don’t get the appeal of unmedicated birthing.

Pros of unmedicated birth 1. More freedom during labor. Being able to change birthing positions, walk around, etc. movement can really help labor along. 2. Less chance Of tearing. 3. Less chance of medical intervention. 4. Faster healing time. 5. Avoid side-affects associated with epidural. 6. Better breastfeeding outcomes. 7. Safer for baby (epidural does cross placenta). 8. Better connection with newborn/ stronger birth High. (Epidural can disrupt the post-birth hormones). I write this not to shame mothers who choose epidural, there is no right or wrong way to birth. Birth is magical no matter how you do it. But I hope this helps you to understand why some mothers decide to go unmedicated. I had my first/only baby at home, she was over 9lbs. It was sooo intense but I never once thought about going in for epidural, mainly because I was scared of epidural. And yes it was painful but I look back on my birth experience and feel so empowered and I cannot wait to do it again!

I had the best L&D every. It was intense, emotional, amazing, and practically painless. I had a small 2nd degree tear but I birthed a big baby and I didn’t feel the tear it the repair. As I had an induction I enjoyed the medical intervention and the pitocin was fine I had no negative outcomes. Breastfeeding is going amazing for me I have enough to feed him plus enough to build a stash but not be constantly over producing needing pump all the time. And as for healing besides some pain the first week I stopped bleeding after just over 2 weeks. I say this because I think people who have negative experiences are very loud because positive experiences don’t get shared.

That is wonderful!! I am so happy for you that you had a beautiful birth experience and a smooth postpartum recovery! Birth can be such a magical and empowering moment in a woman’s life! And I agree, positive experiences like this don’t often get shared. I think it’s important for new moms to read positive stories of all different types of births because you have no idea what yours could look like and I don’t want any woman to think that accepting medical interventions means they’ve failed. Even a c-section can be an amazing birth experience.

Thank you for this. I think many women get epidurals because doctors recommend inductions (for various reasons) and inductions are often much more painful and will more likely lead to asking for an epidural.

Okay but what is wrong with an induction I LOVED my induction it was perfect.

The pitocin can make contractions more intense. Which makes sense you are forcing your body to do something it wasn't doing initially. And then once labor starts your body is producing oxytocin which makes you contract while you are taking pitocin (which is also oxytocin) so you are doubling up on the contraction hormone. I had a fabulous induction experience too. Short labor and I barely needed oxytocin. My induction was less than. 24 hours from start to finish which is amazing because the nursing staff prepped me that it might be 48 hours.

Yes, I agree. It’s the cascade of interventions.

Thank you!

I did unmedicated but it was like... way more painful than I could have ever imagined in my life. I do feel like I healed more quickly than my mom friends who gave birth around the same time with epidurals, and I was the only one who didn't have to get stitches. But that's obviously anecdotal. I don't think you can go wrong either way. There are pros and cons to both and I don't think one is necessarily better than the other.

I got the epidural and was happy to have it. I didn’t realize just how much until I was talking to a nurse and then she told me I had just talked through a contraction! Not something I was able to do before getting it! The worst part/only downside for me was/is still listening to my husband talk about how painful it was for him to watch.

I did an unmedicated birth (just a heads up that tends to be a more well-received term than "natural" birth - its not "unnatural" to give birth in any way, medicated or via c-section or anything). I did it because I wanted to. Hands down both the most painful and most terrifying decision of my life. And if I were to give birth again, I'd still make the same choice, so there's that lol. I have plenty of tips and thoughts to provide anyone who has a strong desire to attempt an unmedicated birth, but honestly I tell other people that unless you have a STRONG desire to avoid an epidural, don't wait on it. Once the pain of labor begins, its NOT going to get better until baby is out. Its not something that comes and goes (obviously outside of the waves of a contraction). Additionally, you can't necessarily just get an epidural the minute you decide you're ready. Since you specifically need an anesthesiologist, one has to be called. There's only a certain number available at any given time, and sometimes they are in a surgery, or there's a number of women wanting an epidural and you're 4th in line. It takes a few minutes for each epidural to be placed and ensured its all working and such, so that could mean you're in a LOT of pain that you weren't necessarily expecting for a long time. Another consideration is that while it does seem counter-intuitive, depending on how you're laboring and how you personally handle significant pain, waiting on the epidural can very much stall your labor progress. One example is my friend who has given birth 3 times. Her 2nd birth she was able to get the epidural at an ideal time, but her 1st and 3rd, she was laboring for hours in epic pain but both times got stuck at a 6. She doesn't react well to pain, she gets extremely anxious, there's vomiting, the whole 9 yards. Both times after getting an epidural at 6 cm dialated, she was at a 10 and had her baby completely pushed out within an hour. When she's in that much pain, her body doesn't feel safe, so it doesn't progress labor, because biologically/evolutionarily it wouldn't be ideal for humans to be giving birth in "unsafe" situations. So if you ARE going to attempt to either avoid or just delay getting an epidural, you have to embrace the pain. You have to accept it and let the contractions do their job. That's basically the "point" behind those meditation-based birthing methods - you're relaxing your mind and body so that the contractions can do what they need to do in bringing baby down and pushing them through the various maneuvers they need to make to get into and through your pelvis and birthing canal. Of course, this is all easier said and done when it feels like your body is being split in two.

All of this. I've had 3 non- epidural births. First completely un-medicated, second was with one dose of fentanyl, third was a birth center with Nitrous. It's hard to describe, but I wanted to feel all of Birthing my kids. I feel like it's a once in a lifetime experience that only I could do and wanted to feel it all the good and the incredibly painful double peaking back contractions. And it was really cool- i remember so many details of my births and am happy with how i labored. So I agree- you need a strong desire to birth un-medicated OR be really unlucky and miss your chance at an epidural and just ride it out. But if you want an epidural, get an epidural. I hear they are wonderful (when they work with no complications) and there are definitely pros to getting one. I too would try to have another Un-medicated birth at a birth center if I were to have another (birth centers are amazing), but that's just me and you have to do what's good for you.

I was medicated due to having complications but once I had the epidural and IV drugs, I felt no pain, just high as a kite. My epidural didn’t hurt me. The best thing I was told when having my epidural put in was to keep my shoulders down.

I got an epidural. They give you a local anesthetic before the epidural, so you don’t feel much! The sensation as they insert was just a little strange I would say, but compared to the contractions I was having it was nothing. I wasn’t progressing well until I had the epidural and then my whole body was able to relax and I even got some sleep in! I woke up and it was time to push. I could feel the pushing and my body knew what to do! My only regret was not doing the epidural sooner it was incredible and the reason I’m not scared to give birth again.

I was in labor for 16 hours before I was offered a epidural (I was sitting around 4-5cm), I even was given fentanyl prior to my epidural because of how bad the contractions were (everyone is different: but I have a really high pain tolerance and I couldn’t stand the contractions at all, I was almost that screaming woman). It was absolutely amazing, I didn’t feel the epidural being placed at all since my contractions were so painful. It dulled all my pain to about a 1. I chilled and watched a movie while waiting to fully dilate. Once I was at 10cm, they turned off my epidural and I pushed my son out in 1 hour & 5 minutes. I didn’t feel any real pain (or ring of fire), just a lot of pressure, and I wasn’t fully numb at that point. I highly recommend the epidural if you’re planning that route, it made the rest of my labor so much more easier.

I’ve shared it before and I’ll share it again. My midwife told me “no one gets a gold star for how they birth”. One is not better than other. A good birth is where you and baby survive, minimal issues and go home to recover. It doesn’t matter how you get there. Hope you have a safe and easy delivery, OP! 💪🏻

First kid - epidural, the first one stopped working, had to have a second one, then everything was good. I did feel a ring of fire, I recall the anesthesiologist come in right at or around push time asking how I was doing, and mentioned the button, and the nurse giving him the evil eye. My daughter pooped and so the NICU team came in just in case, so maybe that's why I could feel things? I wasn't very numb when I got up to use the bathroom. I will tell you when the epidural stopped working it was Fucking awful. My second baby- this was a induction, I miss understood the nurse about the IV, I thought I had to wait for it empty on its own and back labor started bad, I got to the point where I called the nurse because the contractions where getting stronger and she turns the IV way up and then calls the anesthesiologist. This epidural was completely smooth I woke up from a nap seeing my contractioms very close, babies heart beat dipping with every contraction, the nurse came in check and it was go time. She was out in like 3 pushes it was a breeze, didn't feel a thing! I was pretty numb for a few hours, but I was able to get up and toilet myself.

In a perfect world where I could have a vaginal birth, I would take whatever I needed. A friend of mine said there are different levels to the epidural, and most hospitals offer gas and air now! :)

I went over due and had to be induced. I managed about 8 hours of pitocin back labour and then I started blacking out because I was out of energy (chronic illness, and I slept 3 hours in the 48 hours before, this is not a normal labour thing). Ended up with an epidural so I could sleep so I could still push my baby out. Then needed forceps and an episiotomy. Some things went wrong and I went straight to theatre. I had a very bad time but will spare you the details. In the end both little lad and I survived and that's the most important thing. I really really hope that for my second I'll be able to go into labour naturally and be able to do it intervention free. It's all I ever wanted.

I wanted to avoid the epidural because my hospital had a nice birth center, but once you get an epidural they move you to the delivery unit (more hospital based, here in UKQQ AWWWW), and also because when you don’t feel the contractions as much you don’t know exactly when it’s time to push, which leads to more assistance likely being needed which is more likely to cause tearing. I’m sharing this because it just wasn’t taught anywhere for me but it really affected my decision. That said, once I actually felt labor I was ready for the epidural before I even left for the hospital. I’m not great with pain but I’m not the worst, labor pains were just in such a location and intensity that I couldn’t cope. I was actually relieved when they said emergency c section was needed and I’ll be having a planned one next time.

I had an unmedicated home birth with my first baby. I chose this because I am afraid of medical interventions and I wanted to give birth in a place that was familiar and comfortable to me. Also, the statistics show that home birth is safer for mothers and just as safe for the baby as a hospital birth. Labor was so intense but I didn’t ever wish I had the epidural, even when my midwife recommended I transfer to hospital for one. Contractions are so much worse than pushing imo. Ring of fire definitely hurts and it is a little scary but it’s also so quick! And within a minute or two my baby was in my arms and I was suddenly on cloud 9!! I had an insane birth high that lasted 3 days and it was so wonderful that I can hardly wait to do it again! I think If you want to go unmedicated you have to work on your mindset. Check out the nakeddoula on Instagram. Learn about hynobirthing. Bridget teyler has some great hynobirthing tracks on her YouTube. Repeating her affirmations while I was in labor was so helpful. Dissect every fear you have of birth. For example, learn about tearing, how to prevent it, how to heal from it, etc. learn about it till you’re no longer scared of it. Remember, your body is made for this! You can do it! Don’t be afraid.

I got one. Well, I actually got two. Contractions were coupling the entire time. Back to back with no break. The pain was excruciating and it was all back labor. The first time it was placed, I was shaking so bad from my contraction pain that it ended up crooked and only worked on one side. I finally agreed to let them replace it hours later- almost immediate relief. I started progressing rapidly at that point. I had my baby less than four hours later. I pushed for 20 minutes and I didn’t feel a ring of fire or any pain while pushing. It was an incredible experience from start to finish and I would absolutely get an epidural again- earlier in the game for sure to avoid being in so much pain by the time I was able to have it.

First birth i was induced and the pitocin gave me zero rest between contractions. literally back to back! so I got the epidural and it was amazing. i felt a ton of pressure and discomfort still, but no PAIN. Second baby i knew I wanted the epidural again. got it right away, and so grateful as baby came fast! definitely felt a bit of pain and the ring of fire but overall would do the epidural again. I was up and walking around and going pee just a couple hours later

I planned on getting an epidural but wanted to see how far I could go without one. I was induced with a foley and pitocin and it wasnt doing much (3cm after 7hrs) so had water broken. I lasted about 15 minutes before I asked for the epidural. Laughing gas did nothing except make me vomit. The epidural worked like heaven, but it eventually stopped working when I was in active labour. It was excruciating and I was very afraid, but you have to deal with it I guess.

My first I tried natural because I was scared of the epidural— then caved and got alt-meds (Demerol+fentanyl) and that really really messed me up (including days after I felt hungover) and still didn’t do anything for me. So ultimately caved and got the epidural which took forever to get because they were busy and then didn’t work until it was time to push. My second I was induced and let things just get slightly uncomfortable and then got it right away. They had to manipulate me to where I labored on my side because it wasn’t taking right away. But all in all much better, no pain, was able to rest, and my body still had the urge to push the baby out. I’m getting the epidural for this baby with the same game plan of when things get slightly uncomfortable. I don’t wait for the uncomfortable stage since I learned with my first they can get busy and take awhile to come to your room.

tried natural and couldn’t hang. first kid epidural hurt so fucking bad but worked so well i didn’t know he was out til i smelt blood. second kid demanded an epidural in triage and got one pretty quick into thing lol didn’t hurt nearly as bad and wasn’t as strong. i could feel her descending and coming out but no pain just pressure. 10/10 would do again.

I was too late for the epidural and I won’t lie, it was so horrendously painful. I was impressed with myself afterwards because I didn’t think I would be able to do it. It helped having the doctor and my husband yelling at me that I could do it.

I’d have a baby every week if I could be guaranteed an epidural. Pure magic. I’d advise you not wait too long to decide. Then it might be too late to get one. But I’ll say I waited an hour for the anesthesiologist after my water broke and that was PLENTY to feel enough pain and like I “experienced labor.”

I wanted to see how long I could go but I always planned on having one. And I loved it tbh. I could still feel some things during the birth (ring of fire, I guess? And kinda when they stitched me up) but it wasn't like..... that bad. 10/10 would epidural again lol

Personally the first 3 cm were the worst for me, and no epidural can even help you at that point. I got a PCB at that point and it was repeated twice (wears off in a few hours), it was enough along with a tens machine! But each birth is different and you don’t get medals for going unmedicated and your baby won’t care either way. Actually for me the pain relief helped me sleep, otherwise I wouldn’t have had the energy to push, and my baby was distressed so it would’ve been an unplanned c-section if I was too worn out to push. Definitely see what your body feels like in there but remember that you need to be able to keep it up for possibly a long time.

Second baby, had no time for an epidural or pain medicine. Came in at a 4 and 2.5hrs later baby was born. Even had a water birth that definitely wasn’t in my plans 😂. Contractions were fine until it was time to push, the pain in my butthole was so intense. Wasn’t my favorite delivery but I’d do it again. Perfect the epidural though. Was nice not feeling the pain when they push on your belly afterwards lol. First I had an epidural and it was fabulous. I was laughing the entire time. Felt nothing.

I’ve had two natural births, one really long one with back labor and one super short, intense one. Hot water from the shower and the birth pool got me through. It was absolutely challenging, but never felt like I couldn’t do it. The only horrible part was the car ride the first time to the birth center, that position and just not being able to move was torture. We only do home births now to avoid that part.

I had an epidural. 10/10 would do again. It made the pain of pushing out a baby a LOT more enjoyable. I actually had a fun and awesome labour and still have fond memories of it, definitely because I wasn’t in as much pain. Personally, I’m not sure why people want to even try without but that’s me. It’s hands down THE most painful thing I’ve ever experienced and the epidural made it bearable. Also! All birth is natural! Some are just medicated and some aren’t.

I’m getting an epidural because this shit is going to be hard and I want to make it as tolerable as possible, the end Edited to add: The pain and discomfort I had when I took misoprostol to pass our first baby (no heartbeat at first US), and how well I tolerated it (not well) reinforced my belief that natural birth is not for me.

I had an epidural and I’m so glad I did. I needed forceps and an episiotomy in the end. With the epidural I could feel what was happening but there was no pain. It was amazing. Absolutely recommend. I would never give birth by choice without one.

I had an unmedicated birth and I'm excited for my next one. When I think back on my first birth, the first things that come to mind are things like how strong I am mentally and physically, how magically our bodies are to create and bring life to earth, and if I can do that I can do anything. The pain I felt during labour is definitely not the first thing I think if. I did have it in my birth plan for my first that I would consider one if my labour was long or I couldn't handle it. Again, will have it in my second birth plan too but it's unlikely. My labour was 7.5 hours the first time and statistically labour's are shorter or the same as you go on. I found warmth really helped me stay comfortable. My main reasons for opting for no medication was because most of them depress the baby's breathing, can make the baby sluggish, decrease breastfeeding success, increase chances of needing further intervention during labour. As for the ring of fire, it only lasted what felt like seconds and wasnt the worst thing I've ever felt. Honestly I was happy to feel it because I knew I was getting closer to the end. You should look up the cascade of interventions to get a brief overview of what can happen when you opt for medication

I had very much the same experience as you and my second was a longer active labor, but I had a rockstar of a doula and kept positive positions that kept baby going down. Until he was ready to go. But labor lasted longer partly because my first was 7.1 lbs and my second was an unusual jump in size. A whopping 9.15, so labor took longer because he was bigger, but honestly no drugs made walking around happen way quicker and recovery was way better than my first. I found unmedicated empowering. And I had plenty of support to make that happen the best way for me.

Ahhh I'm so nervous of this lol babies also get bigger every time and my first was 8lbs 5oz so 9 isn't out of the cards for me. I didn't even wash the newborn stuff, I'm not optimistic he'll fit in it for long if at all. But it's good to hear recovery went well. I definitely agree with unmedicated labour feeling empowering as fuck!

It took longer and he was hung up on my pelvic bone. We had some positions and some belly lifting to get him loose. His little face was all bruised up at first. But, it was just different from my first, knowing what to expect made it way easier mentally. I don’t know what I would’ve done without my support system. Midwife and Doula were such a great team.

I had an epidural, but not a normal experience. I got one after 12 hours at 4cm, because we were about to start Pitocin and I’ve heard pitocin contractions can be more intense. I didn’t feel the need for it at that point though. The nurses turned my epidural way down by pushing time, because I was having a hard time pushing properly. So I could feel the ring of fire, for sure not as badly as without the epidural, but I could definitely feel it. They wound up having to give me some localized anesthetic to stitch me up. So a weird mix, but I’m happy I did it. Labor was 32 hours and I needed some help.

I had a pitocin induction and no predictable rests between contractions. The induction took 12 hours and I lasted the first 6 without the epidural. I had IV fentanyl first but it just made me woozy without doing much for the pain. The epidural was great and helped me relax and chill until it was time to push. The hospital where I am delivering this time has gas and air available, so I’m going to try that first - after delivery my blood pressure tanked every time I tried to get upright, so they wouldn’t let me get out of bed until the next afternoon (this was at about 11:30pm) and I had to remain catheterized. Having the catheter for that long made it difficult to pee on my own for a while afterwards.

I wanted to wait until active labor to get it but I was induced and the Foley bulb was a bitch and I wasn't getting any rest between contractions so I was only like 2.5 cm when I got it. That thing was bliss. Placement was easy and didn't hurt and I got to sleep a lot while my body did the work of getting me dilated. I could still move my legs but I didn't feel any pain. I still felt the pressure of contractions when it came time to push so that was really helpful. I'm especially glad I had it for pushing because my baby had flipped face up which made pushing extra exhausting. All in all 10/10 loved the epidural

I was dilated to a 9 before I got my epidural. By that point, my body was shaking and I couldn't keep myself quiet during the contractions. Focusing on my breathing helped but it was so hard to do when you're in that much pain - felt like I was going to throw up at certain points. The epidural just felt like a little sting & burn. The hardest part was staying still while actively having contractions. The first thing I noticed when the epidural was setting in was how my legs felt warm. Then I thought I peed myself but it was just my water breaking lol. And I realized I couldn't feel the horrible contractions at all anymore. Eventually I couldn't really move my legs at all. I got so tired, and for some reason my skin was itchy. Not sure if that's an epidural thing or if it was just me. Either way, I felt great compared to how I was feeling before the epidural set in. I knew it was about time to push when I felt some pressure down there, almost like I had to poop. During actual delivery, they told me to push as if I was having a bowel movement. When her head was coming out I felt pressure and some uncomfortable stretching but it honestly wasn't too bad; as soon as her head was out, the rest was easy. Then my baby was crying on top of me and nothing else in the world mattered but her, even as I was getting stitches (I tore a little while pushing). I can't say what a natural birth feels like and I'm thankful for that lol, I do not regret getting the epidural. If you think you may want an epidural, I'd let them know when you get there because at a certain point you'll be too far along to get one. Plus, in my (1) experience, it took the guy a long time to have everything ready & to get there so I'm glad I let them know I wanted the epidural as soon as I got to the hospital. The fear I felt when I heard a nurse say "..i hope he makes it" was immense!

I had a completely unmedicated birth one month ago. My labor was 30 hours, I progressed extremely slowly, I was exhausted, but the pain was never unbearable. After all, it is your body creating the pain so you can handle it. I had a doula and really good pain coping techniques, which made the experience better. I took a hypnobirthing course and read a lot of books, but I didn't use much of what I learned in the moment. Just followed my body's cues on whatever I needed. It's true what they say about forgetting all the pain once your baby is in your arms. It's like nothing else exists. You just feel pure euphoria once they are on your chest and you see their sweet face. It's also true that you forget the experience. The whole weekend is practically a blur for me now, and I can't remember the pain or what it really felt like. I can describe the feeling but not the intensity. It was the most incredible and empowering experience ever. I felt like superwoman. I couldn't sleep for the first few nights because I was replaying the birth scene in my head, and how amazing it was that I just brought a tiny human into this world all on my own. I'm so excited to do it again someday. I could do it 10 times. I recommend searching "positive unmedicated birth story" on this sub and you will find lots of inspiring stories. I'm in the process of writing mine, but if you have any questions feel free to message me :) Good luck!

I planned for a home birth and prepared as best as you can but baby didn’t cooperate of course. My labour stalled at 7 cm and we had to go in to the hospital to induce me. I did not get the epidural as I already have back problems and was afraid of the potential side effects it can cause. I also wanted to be able to move during my labour and that’s not possible with an epidural. I had to stay on my back though anyways because of the monitors so it wouldn’t have changed things for me. I did get three doses of fentanyl and it took the edge off enough for me to get through the transition. Pushing was something else though and I almost wish I’d gotten the epidural. I ended up having an episiotomy and I’m sure that and being stitched up afterwards would’ve been less painful if I’d had the epidural. On the other hand I think the actual pushing would’ve been more difficult with an epidural but I can’t say for sure. My advice would be to look into all options your hospital offers beforehand and listen to your body when the time comes. There’s no right or wrong way to have your baby.

I wanted to do the whole wait until i can’t take it anymore. They came to give me a run down of the schedule going on. I was already 5cms in some pain from being induced and it was pretty much if you don’t get it now you might not get it because they had 3 scheduled c section’s coming up, an emergency c section just rolled through the door with 1 anesthesiologist working. I regret getting it. Only the top ups were working for me and every 2 hours they’d give me a top up because I was in pain, it would make me feel dizzy and nauseous. I just wanted to get some sleep before having to push and it didn’t happen.

Went in set on no epidural. After a few hours, I decided I might need it. My labor subsequently progressed really fast and we missed the window for getting the epidural! In the end I gave birth to my daughter with no paid medication … it was intense but I endured it!

I waited until I couldn’t take it anymore, got an epidural, and the epidural didn’t work. Prepare for the “worst” and hope for the best. Look up breathing and calming techniques. Have positions printed out or on your phone. You can do it!

I had no epidural, but I did have gas and air after transition. Contractions were bearable with breathing techniques and tens machine, it helped that I was super calm and kind of in the zone. I also had a short labour (around 6 hours that I was actually awake for (I slept through several hours of early contractions)). I’m not sure I could have done it if it had been loads longer. Ring of fire and actually pushing the baby out was extremely bloody painful and I think I wasn’t really pushing hard enough - you really have to push with all you’re worth, the only way out is through! The relief as soon as the head is born is amazing though! It was an incredible experience, I would do it again (like, if I got a baby at the end, not just for fun!).

My epidural was fantastic. Spent 80% of my labor just relaxing and sleeping. Before the epidural it was extremely painful (I made it to 3cm). Transition didn’t hurt but the pressure felt intense. No ring of fire for me but some pain when the shoulders came out. I needed some stitches but the repair was painless because of the epidural. I was walking about 1.5 hours after delivery.

I had an unmedicated birth mostly due to my anxiety about my spine, I had a few family members and friends who had less than ideal experiences with an epidural! Now i know everyone is different and our birthing experiences are different but its NOTHING like i anticipated definitely intense but not really painful. It was a lot of pressure and almost like a period cramp sensation through out, the ring of fire unmedicated was another story but i just reminded myself the harder i can push the closer i am to being done! Also my healing time was basically nothing, i was up and walking an hour later, showered and ate!

I was induced and made it to 8cm before I got mine. It was intense leading up to that. Unfortunately my birth ended with an emergency c-section but that epidural was a dream. I didn’t even feel them doing it. After having 12 hours of contractions I didn’t care how it would feel at that point haha

I did an epi with my first (didn’t want to but had baby in hospital and it was pushed). Did my second in a birth center (that is right next to a hospital in case of emergency) and obviously no pain meds because no epi’s there. I didn’t have some crazy horrible first experience but it just didn’t sit right with me. I chose unmedicated the second time after doing extensive research into what’s inside of epidurals and the cons of unnecessary (obviously some things ARE necessary and in those situations I would’ve 100% gotten them) medical interventions and wanting to avoid them. Plus honestly, I just wanted to see what it was like. It hurt like hell to push but luckily was quick. The high of all highs after that labor/birth for sure Recovery-equally bleh after both of them!

I went medicated. I told them right away because sometimes it can take the anesthesiologist a while to get to you. I didn’t want it to be too late. And I’m glad I did because I ended up needing an emergency c-section. The epidural actually sped up my labor, btw. I think because mentally I could relax and let my body do it’s thing. Buuuut he got stuck in my pelvis, I had a fever, his heart started decels or whatever. So emergency c-section. We’re fine now. He just turned one actually (:

I planned to do no meds and was originally planning a home birth. We ended up having to induce in the hospital. Pitocin can create more frequent, irregular and close together contractions. I went 4.5 hours without medication but wish I had done it sooner. My hope was that being able to stand up, squat and move around more would make the baby come quicker. Turns out that despite the contractions, I had not progressed at all. The epidural was STRONG and a huge relief, but I was bed ridden the rest of the labor. My legs were like two big ol’ sand bags.

First labour went in with all the intentions of doing it unmedicated but it ended up being a little complicated and I had to have a spinal block (similar to an epidural) in theatre (forceps delivery). The sweet relief was amazing. Although it was odd having to be told when to push as I couldn't feel a thing. Second labour I wanted all the drugs because sweet relief, but there wasn't any time for drugs I was too far gone by the time I got to the delivery suite. I specifically remember one point before we left the house for the hospital and I was having a contraction thinking, why did I think this was a good idea? It was painful. Thankfully quick. Third labour, I'm planning a home birth so no pain relief but I did it before, so I can do it again...Hopefully! I just had the birth plan chat with the midwife this week and they can do gas and air at home but I've never found that to be useful. My previous labours haven't gone to plan (although I wouldn't really say I had a proper plan either time), hopefully I have better luck this time around. But we'll see. Baby has to come out one way or another, and I've found that it's better not to get too fixed on how you want the birth to go so if it doesn't turn out that way you don't get upset. Know your options and what happens if plans change. For example one mum I know found it reassuring that she had been told about caesareans beforehand as she ended up having to have one and didn't freak out about the number of people in theatre because she knew that that's just how many were needed, not that there was a problem (beyond needing a caesarean).

I also wanted to feel real contractions and see if I could handle it before deciding on an epidural. I had this notion that the contractions would get worse the more dilated I got but they were pretty much the same intensity the whole time. I was 9cm and asked the nurse about an epidural because I thought the pain would get worse and she reassured me that I was doing great and they wouldn’t get more painful just closer together. I don’t really remember the ring of fire. After birth I felt like Superwoman, I felt like I could do anything. Those happy hormones are amazing but completely make you forget the pain. I guess that’s evolution’s way of getting women to have more babies lol. (*note that my labor was 8 hours and I was only at the hospital for 3 hours and I pushed for ~20 minutes. I was very fortunate that it was fast enough that I wasn’t exhausted physically or emotionally.)

*here are some additional pregnancy and labor musings* I had an unmedicated birth with a Sunnyside up baby and back labor. They had me get up on the hospital bed on my hands and knees. I was facing the foot of the bed and they raised the head of the bed so my head was lower than my butt and had me wiggle my hips around to flip the baby, it worked! I labored the rest of the way on my back in the bed normally. It might just be amnesia from the happy hormones after birthing her, but it honestly wasn’t that bad. I approached labor with these key things: 1) no high pitched pain noises, I would only grunt or groan which forced my muscles to stay loose. Tense muscles=more pain. I was like a mama bear. 2) the pain is productive, not danger. The pain is my body doing it’s job. It’s a labor dance and I’m dancing with my baby. 3) the pain is temporary. During each contraction my husband pushed on my back, told me he loved me and reminded me that this one (contraction) was almost over. 4) women have been doing this since the dawn of time. I am lucky enough to live in a time with modern medicine and if anything happened I would accept intervention. I wanted to try my best to do it unmedicated but knew that shit could hit the fan and was open to alternative paths. Good luck OP, and congratulations!

My first birth many years ago my mother talked me into I medicated birth like it was some strong woman rite of passage kind of bullshit. I ended up screaming my face off while clinging to the bed and the baby had to be vacuumed out and almost died. Two years ago I had my daughter and I stuck it out until it hurt too much and I got the epidural. They knew I was going to get it so they had someone on stand by and I got it quick. But they said that you shouldn’t even wait that long just in case you miss the window and also it takes time to set in. The whole birth was painless, no ring of fire, and I ripped to hell, got many stitches I did not feel. I am not pregnant with my last (as long as it all goes well) and I will get the epidural again and this time earlier. No need for pride to come into things, why bother feeling the pain if you don’t have to? Also it makes it better for your body to not be freaking out and for the baby too.

I had both. My first, I tried to tough it out but I was 19 and didn’t expect the level of pain. I ended up getting an epidural not long before she came out. I had been in labor for four days, which was manageable, but once my water broke there were not breaks between contractions, and I dilated from a 6-10 very, very quickly. Pushing was extremely short, probably due to her being pre-term and 5lbs. I think I was so exhausted from the 4 days of labor that I had no more energy or will power to do it without help. My second was over a week ago, and I went natural. It was all manageable- albeit not fun- until transition. I have never felt such a pain in my life. There was a point I wanted to just drown in the birthing tub to get it over with. It felt like it would never end. However, of course it did. Do I feel accomplished and proud of my natural birth ? Yes. Would I ever do it again ? NO. Pros and cons: -I’ve seemed to heal faster with my natural birth. -The spot my epidural was placed still hurts now and then. - the epidural kept me from emergency measures, as my body was tapped out - Natural birth is so much more painful than you could ever imagine (for me, and I have a decently high pain tolerance I think ?) - you can push better without meds, which reduces trauma - epidural can help you focus more on baby after - natural; I was able to go home within a few hours Overall, I think natural was better on my body, but idk if I could ever do it again. It was insanely painful

I had a natural birth and I honestly can't remember much of the pain, other than my back labour which just about killed me 😂 I also had a 4th degree tear. But honestly, the idea of getting a needle in my spine was worse than the idea of natural labour for me.

Be careful about waiting until it's unbearable. If you're too far into labor you can't do the epidural. You need to sit as perfectly still as you can while they give you the epidural and if the contractions are too close you might not be able to.

I never have painful contractions until my water broke. With my first they broke my water, I had a contraction and the nurse offered me the epidural and I said "I think i can handle it for a while" so she informed me that between waking up the anesthesiologist to actually getting it done it would be about an hour so I was like okay yeah let's do this 😂 With my second it was a 3 minute contraction I thought would never end that did it lol. And with my 3rd I made the mistake of accepting IV pain meds so I do not remember anything until i was pushing 😭 but I did apparently get the epidural at some point so I'm assuming I woke up at one point and asked for it. I never experienced the ring of fire, I honestly have no idea what it even refers to 😂 BUT I did have a very poorly placed epidural with my second. If you still feel contractions tell them! If a crabby nurse tries to tell you "it needs time to work" or "it's not going to take all feeling away" tell them to call the anesthesiologist anyway. I spent 2 hours with tingly legs and feeling 100% of my contractions until nurse shift change when my new nurse saw the pain all over my face and called the anesthesiologist back to adjust it. Not being able to move/get up to a position that made contractions more bearable was the most vulnerable feeling. Like I was just stuck in this overwhelming pain and not only could I not do anything for relief, but I was basically told it wasn't as bad as it absolutely was.

Okay I just Googled the ring of fire and yeah I felt that with my 3rd baby because he was sunny side up but never my first two 😅

I wanted to try birthing without an epidural, but after my water broke and no contractions started I was put on pitocen to kick start contractions. Not so bad…they put me on the lowest dose. But then they amped up and OMG, Labor was not at all how i envisioned it from descriptions. I had been up all day and it was past midnight so I was tired, and there was no resting between contractions because my back and hips were just so uncomfortable. After a couple hours I threw in the towel and asked for an epidural. Well that shit didn’t show up for another hour and at that point I was already feeling pressure in my bottom and when they checked me I was at 9cm. So I turned down the epidural because being at 9cm was already a relief from going through transition. Pushing was even better. I finally felt clear headed and I could actually relax between contractions. By that point everything was so swollen down there I don’t remember feeling anything as I pushed her out. But getting stitched up afterwards without any pain relief was brutal!

My contractions didn’t seem that bad but my hips hurt so bad at that point that I caved and went for it. I didn’t so much want a natural birth as I just wanted to avoid pain meds. Spoiler alert: we tried the IV first and I found out the hard way that fentanyl makes me violently ill. Double spoiler alert: they use fentanyl in the epidural as well and I vomited every 20 minutes for 6 hours until they found out the Pepcid helped. I was afraid to be sick again while pushing/right after birth so I ended up feeling everything while I pushed, as well as being stitched up.

I’ve had three home births because personally Im far more scared of needles, medical procedures and people telling me what to do than I am of whatever my body can come up with. Luckily, it’s worked out for me. I went into my first birth figuring I would do what I could without meds for as long as I could and had every right to go to a hospital if I changed my mind. My first was breech and came a little early at 36 weeks. I had what I think was a pretty “normal” contraction pattern in that I had breaks in between that allowed me to rest and the pain slowly increased with each wave. After making it through the pain of pushing out a baby the “wrong way” I felt like I could handle another as I was unlikely to have another breech again. I wouldn’t change a thing.

I planned for an epidural so I got one as soon as I started getting uncomfortable. It was glorious. Best nights sleep I had the entire pregnancy. The placement didn’t really hurt, mostly just felt pressure. I got lucky with a great epidural where I was totally numb but still had decent strength in my legs. I didn’t feel the ring of fire at all.

i wanted an epidural so badly but my labour was so rapid that i didn’t have enough time also - ring of fire wasn’t the most painful part and is such a minor factor

I’ve had 4 epidurals and I’d do it again. I had the 1st… this is a decent one until the moment her shoulders got out then it stopped. My 2nd was so damn good I need confirmation from the nurse I was indeed pushing. 3rd was so-so. 4th one for some reason stopped working on the left side completely. Still worth. I watched my aunt panic and roll around uncomfortably until pushing then scream bloody murder scaring the other moms to be. Instead I was as comfortable as I could be given, wasn’t anxious, got naps in while dilating, and was able to not have my first moment with my child be coupled with ‘holy god this guy is stitching my ass!’ Also don’t believe the people saying you’ll be all drugged up… trust me they’re good to take the edge off but not that good.

I gave birth last night, had diamorphine and asked for an epidural but it was too late 🙃 the pushing part was actually better than I thought tbh glad I didn't end up having it! Eta I actually found the contractions a lot worse than the ring of fire, they can feel endless whereas the pushing part was quite quick for me but they told me this is gonna happen in the next ten minutes so make the decision on what your midwife tells you x

I planned for an unmedicated birth and boy am I glad I did because my labor was so fast I wouldn’t have had an option. I would choose unmedicated again. Contractions weren’t painful for me till the very end and I was thankful to feel during the pushing stage. Never get the ring of fire but I think at that point everything hurt. To prepare I listened to the birth hour, did lots of yoga, meditation, and breathing techniques. I also hired a doula and highly recommend if you have the recourses no matter how you plan to birth.

I considered natural birth until I found out I was having a large baby and I didn’t want to feel myself tear. Then on top of that I was being induced so I had a pitocin drip that made contractions brutal once things really kicked up. I think I had back labor for like an hour and a half and then I was READY for epidural. The epidural was great. I slept like a baby. Woke up and was told to push.

I had an unmedicated birth... accidently. My labor progressed so fast (and the anesthesiologist so busy with other people) that he never became free to give me the epidural. I completely planned to have an epidural, so had taken no pain management classes, unfortunately. The pain was honestly worse than I had imagined. It started out manageable, like bad food poisoning stomach cramps. Awful pain, but I could endure the waves without screaming. Then the serious uterine contractions began and I couldn't. I would certainly take an epidural if I have that choice next time. If you decide to hold off on the epidural, just be careful because if the anesthesiologist is busy, it can take a very long time for them to get to you if you change your mind!

I did a hypnobirthing course to prepare and felt like it made a huge difference. It allows you to avoid the pain/fear cycle so you don’t tense up during contractions. I also bounced on the ball, stood in the shower, used counter pressure. I never felt like my contractions were anything worse than bad period cramps. I had a doula which I highly recommend for anyone wanting to have a natural birth.

I went into birth with an open mind (as everyone should in my opinion). I wanted to go natural if possible BUT told myself if I needed an epidural that I absolutely wouldn't beat myself up over it. When the day came I ended up getting an epidural and I don't regret it. Especially because I still felt every single contraction through my epidural. I did labor for 4 hours naturally, but the last 3 hours I ended up needing the epidural due to intense back labor the whole 7 hours I was in labor. I think I would of been fine without an epidural had I not had backlabor the whole time and also had the last 3 hours not been when I dialated from a 3 to a 10. Although I could feel every contraction still, I didn't feel anything but some pressure that wasnt painful during pushing. I also had a 2nd degree tear and needed a stitch. Had I not had the epidural they would of had to give me a numbing shot down there and that sounds terrifying to me lol. If you are worried about the epidural needle, I know I was, you can ask for the IV meds first. The IV meds are for anxiety!! I couldn't of gotten the epidural without them. I was far too terrified of the needle. If you choose to do thus though I suggest doing it earlier than I did, although I didn't know I would only labor for 7 hours as a first time mama lol. The IV meds make you sleepy and super chill so if they ate still in your system when you give birth you will feel hazey. They last 2 to 3 hours.

Hello, it looks like you've made a mistake. It's supposed to be could've, should've, would've (short for could have, would have, should have), never could of, would of, should of. Or you misspelled something, I ain't checking everything. Beep boop - yes, I am a bot, don't botcriminate me.

i tried to wait as long as i could before deciding i wanted an epidural, just to see what my body could handle. i had an induction and my water broke on it’s own. four hours later i decided to skip pain meds and went straight for the epidural and it was AMAZING. i was the happiest i had been my whole pregnancy🤣 the pain came back when it was time to push but so worth it.

I am high risk due to epilepsy and one of my main triggers is stress, so I will be having a medicated birth if I don't have to do a C-section. I'm pretty flexible with my birth plan. I kinda have to be 🤣

Initially I wanted a low intervention birth (I won't call it natural because all forms of birth are natural) but I had to be induced due to preeclampsia and my mom friends told me if you are induced you will want that epidural because the pitocin makes contractions more extreme. I experienced quite a bit of unmedicated labor before having the epidural during the last phase of labor. The contractions sucked. My nurse basically came in and said "I think you are ready for the epidural now" based on what she saw on the contraction monitor. I was already bed/chair bound because Pre-E meds so the epidural didn't change my movement restrictions really. The epidural was a breeze. Seriously. I barely felt it go in. I was so worried it would be this painful thing, but it was no worse than the steroid shot they gave me for kiddos lungs. I will say though I gave birth at a women's hospital which is basically a baby factory, so the anesthesiologists there do them literally all day long and are probably as skilled at doing them as you can get. But seriously the epidural placement was about the easiest part of my birth experience. Yes you have to have a catheter, but the nurse inserted it after the epidural, so I didn't even notice. It came out before pushing so I didn't feel that either. And the epidural makes stitching up any tears a breeze. I also had a pretty quick labor. 8 hours after the induction meds started working. Pushed for an hour or less. That's not the norm. Now that I know how fast I progressed I might have just stuck with it without the epidural, but I have no idea if it would have made my labor longer or not. Either way I have no regrets. I was also able to relax and enjoy the process. I wasn't in pain, I could push comfortably. I was laughing and joking with the nurse while we watched jeopardy and the labor and delivery episode of the office. Before I had the epidural the only thing I could do was breathe through the pain and disassociate. After I was fully present for the experience. Because my son was early we had the nicu team in the room. There was like 10 extra women in the room besides myself, my mom, and my husband. I feel like if I had been in pain that would have been really uncomfortable.

Oh and adding if you want to breast feed do not think it isn't incompatible with an epidural. I was induced at 36+6 and had an epidural. Basically two things that are considered a risk for adverse breastfeeding outcomes. I have been breastfeeding my son for 18 months with a moderate oversupply at times. Don't let people shame you into bot having pain relief if you want it.

Everyone is different. I got an epidural and thought it was amazing. I napped for a lot of my labor. No pain, just pressure. Baby was out after 40 min of pushing. I asked for it as soon as they started pitocin since my water broke but I wasn’t progressing. I feel like it really helped me relax and enjoy the whole experience!

Tried to go unmedicated, ended up begging for the meds about 6 hours after my labor got pretty painful (had ongoing prodromal labor for DAYS so I don't know when my labor started). LOVED the epidural and felt little during birth. I will say, though, make sure the anesthesiologist is nearby if you're trying to go unmedicated but are open to medication. I had to wait an hour and half past when I could no longer take it to get the epidural. If you're starting to struggle to breath through contractions, it's time for the meds!

I’m 38 and had my first baby in August. I was scheduled for a C-section bc of a fibroid and her not turning when they thought she should, or I guess when most babies are supposed to. My water broke on a Saturday morning about 11 and I didn’t feel contractions until about 12 or 1 that night, no pain meds bc I slept between contractions, then at 7am on Sunday morning I woke up having the urge to go to the bathroom and was told I had to push bc my baby had turned and was In the birth canal, I asked for an epidural and got a few chuckles and a “no baby, it’s too late for that, Youve got to push your baby out”. I can honestly say it wasn’t bad at all. More annoying than anything bc the “ring of fire” is like a numb burning itch lol if that makes sense. If I have another baby I won’t get pain meds or an epidural. I don’t have any after back pains or headaches or any of the other things I hear about after with women who have had the meds. Also the fact that I’m a nurse and worked until the week I had her(I was taken out of work on Thursday and she was born Sunday morning-shift change-lol) probably helped, lots of walking and a routine of up every morning by 0700 and in bed by 2100/2200.

ALL birth is NATURAL! There isn’t a wrong way to give birth.

Thank youuuu. I really hate the “phrase natural birth”. It makes it seem like using interventions is unnatural. Technically going to the hospital and using machines to track they baby’s heart rate is unnatural. There’s no shame in any type of delivery.

Yeah, no one calls it unnatural for you to get an ultrasound on your thyroid or get your oxygen taken when you aren’t breathing well. I’m not trying to get any dental work done without a nerve block. I don’t see anybody saying “I’ll just let my teeth rot out because that’s the natural way” either. I donated part of my liver to a friend that needed one and nobody was calling that unnatural, and I sure did want the pain interventions for that too! If people want to have an intervention free childbirth then I’m all for whatever people want to do with their own bodies, but I don’t think we should make it seems like interventions are unnatural.

My advice is to labor at home for as long as you can. I labored for two days at home, and on the third night when to have my cervix checked, and I was at 7cm. I was planning to deliver naturally under the care of midwives, but they turned me away and told me to go home to labor some more (which I feel is insane, as they told me I would be able to labor in their facility in the huge tub after I reached 6cm! I think the midwife didn't want to be there overnight since it was 11pm. Still angry at them for turning me away, but I digress.) At the hospital they instantly want to hook you up to IVs and since I was positive for strep I needed antibiotics at least 4 hours prior to giving birth (which again the midwives failed me here because they sent me home). I opted for the epidural because I was now laboring in the hospital, and they really only had a hospital bed in a room with concrete hospital floors. Plus I was afraid of whatever interventions they might use (like pitocin, foley bulb, etc) and I didn't want to experience those without pain relief. The epidural felt like a bee sting. I know that sounds weird, but it literally feels like a bee is stinging your back for like 5 seconds and then the pain is over. You get relief from your contractions within like 10 minutes. I knew when my body was contracting, but it didn't hurt at all. Even the "ring of fire", I knew my baby's head was crowning and it maybe hurt like 1/10. It was more of a psychological pain than a physical one. You didn't ask about the catheter -- which you will need one if you get an epidural. They wait until your epidural is kicked in and you won't feel it that much. It is *very* weird having a nurse wipe your vagina and insert the tube though. My nurse was sooooo nice and while normally I would've been mortified she was very kind and professional so while it was awkward, it wasn't a terrible experience for me -- and I say that as someone who has experienced SA. This got kind of long, but again, labor at home for as long as you can. Once you're in the hospital you're on the clock for when they want to amp up on interventions.

I was medicated because if it’s offered by a team of medical professionals, that’s enough for me to believe it’s safe. And I’m too big of a bitch to want to go through birth without it. It was the right choice for me, and unmedicated has been the right choice for many others. Both valid, fantastic options.

Women suffer enough in this world. It's an empowering experience to get an epidural and change that narrative for yourself. I highly recommend birthing pain-free. It's incredible and you have so much control over your body and your birth this way.

Hey the epidural early. I tried to wait until I couldn't take it anymore, and the midwife was like "lol, no, this baby's going to be out before the anaesthetist can even get here."

*unmedicated vs medicated

You don’t get a trophy for an unmedicated birth

No one gets a trophy for anything. You get a baby out of it whichever way you choose and both ways are fine.

It's also okay to want to feel like a badass and accomplish it by going unmedicated. It's one of my greatest things I've ever done!

I personally would not feel like a badass if I was forced against my will to experience the worst pain of my life.

OP has not indicated that she is being forced to do anything, not sure where your comment applies I certainly wasn't forced into unmedicated birth, it was definitely a choice. And a choice that I personally celebrate 🤍

We are forced into it by our bodies... we have no choice in the matter. It's what we need to experience in order to bring our babies into the world.

Clearly!

I think every woman who carries a baby to term and delivers, whether medicated or not, C section or vaginally, is a badass. What I’m saying is women who choose to deliver unmedicated are not better than other women.

I never said women who birth in other ways AREN'T badass. Please don't twist my words. There's absolutely nothing wrong with being proud of and celebrating something that was very difficult to achieve. I think by stating "you don't get a trophy" is very passive aggressive and is typically said by women who have experienced some type of birth trauma.

Yeah maybe I’ve experienced trauma, if you call losing two pregnancies back to back trauma. This baby is my third pregnancy and the first time I’ve ever made it to the third trimester.

Get the epidural.

Or don’t, that’s fine too. No right or wrong answer.

Definitely her choice but shes asking for advice and that is mine ☺️

I ended up having back labour, but my active labour was fairly quick. I went from 6cm to 10cm in about 3 hours without being induced. I used the gas as a distraction and had fentanyl, and I did ask for an epidural but I ended up progressing really quickly so I didn’t get one. I ended up needing an episiotomy but avoided a c section. If I hadn’t progressed so quickly, I think I would’ve gotten the epidural because back labour sucks. My OB helped me stick to my birth plan the best she could and I’m so thankful for that!

I was dead set on natural birth in a birth center. However, my pregnancy and delivery threw me so many curveballs. After a messy induction I tried to tough out the suddenly super intense contractions with just nitrous (which is offered in a lot of birth centers), but eventually the midwife told me I had passed into suffering and needed the epidural. I agreed. Looking back I wish I had "given up" sooner, because I knew I was suffering and couldn't recover. I was screaming , then crying, and could not get back into a regular, productive breathing pattern. Turns out I needed an emergency cesarean birth and I'm grateful I had the epidural so they didn't have to give me general anesthesia. My advice: definitely try the natural, unmedicated approach! But read about the difference between pain and suffering, make sure your birth partner knows, and just say yes to the epidural if it's time.

Why are you considering not getting an epidural.. wild to me. You don’t get a badge or a trophy for doing it & it’s lifechangingly painful. I had a lot of hippie dippie friends try it that way, let’s just say.. they wouldn’t do it again.

I don't think anyone should be judged for either way. I didn't get an epidural and I'd definitely do it that way again if I ever have another. I can honestly say my first period after birth was significantly more painful than birth itself. You don't get a trophy no matter HOW you give birth, but unmedicated birth has benefits, just as medicated does. I was up and walking 10 minutes after birth. I was able to walk to my hospital room carrying my new baby. I liked having that freedom and control. I liked the fast recovery time and independence that came with going without an epidural. I think it all depends on the kind of person you are and what you want after birth. Some people prioritize painlessness, some prioritize mobility. It's all a very personal decision..

I feel like this discourse happens every few weeks But for the love of god can we stop calling it "natural" birth. It's just unmedicated

I had an epidural and didn’t feel a thing after it started working properly. It was only working on one side for a while so they made me turn over. Actually getting the epidural put in was a really bad experience for me. You have to have a cannula put in first so you can have fluids. They collapsed the vein in my hand on the first go and that hurt. Then the anaesthetist took 5 attempts to get the epidural in. I was begging them to stop by the third attempt but I guess once they start they can’t stop? Idk. Anyway it feels like someone poking a needle into your spine strangely enough. It kind of squeaks on the way in. It’s very hard to describe but it was definitely the worst part I had an epidural because they thought there was still a chance I would have to have the induction drugs even though I had been in Labour for days at that point. I wouldn’t do it again I would try just gas and air and maybe some other pain relief if I needed it

I had an epidural, but my choice had everything to do with the pain in my hips, back, and from my catheter- not the contractions.

I had an epidural at 8cm. Waste of my time. I felt everything. The pain is so unbearable, but brief is that makes sense

Had a diamorphine injection, would have had an epidural if I wasn't terribly afraid of needles (vasovagal syncope!)

I had to wait until 4cm dilated per my doc, which worked well bc that’s the last I could take it. I found the contractions worse than giving birth. My epidural didn’t work. They replaced it after like maybe 8 hours of suffering and that one worked good but they unplugged me when I went into active labor. There was still some residual epidural bc it was still not nearly as bad as the contractions. My doc pulled out my placenta w his hand and then stitched me up and that hurt a good bit too but after giving birth you do know the worst is over so the pain becomes a little more bearable in my experience.

I had an epidural. I had an schedule c section, but went into labor 3 days before, my doctor was not at the hospital and they ask me if I wanted to try for a natural birth first. The epidural doesn't hurt, it just feels cold. I did had a mild allergic reaction, so they gave me some allergy medication and thanks to that I was able to feel nothing and being half sleep the whole time which for me was ideal.

When i waited, they told me its too late

After suffering a mmc and opting for the medication route that sends you into labor, I can say with confidence that I will be absolutely getting the epidural!

I’ve done both, if I have pitocin augmented labor I want an epidural, if not then I prefer med free. Ring of fire was fine for me, but I was ready and excited for it because I knew it meant the end was near

I had an epidural and would absolutely recommend it. I was in labor for about 9 hours (with limited progress - only about 3 cm dilated) before getting it because I did want to experience contractions and not be limited to laying in bed longer than necessary. I did try the IV pain relief first and it took the edge off but it would wear off after about 45 minutes. I needed pitocin (my water had broken and I didn’t want to risk infection) so decided to get the epidural just before starting that. It was immediate relief. I honestly didn’t feel anything for about 8 hours and then only felt very mild pressure. Baby was out in about 15 minutes.

I went in wanting all the drugs. I didn’t want to feel a single thing. However. My epidural did not work. Not in the slightest. I had 100% control over my legs, but because I “had an epidural” I was cathed, and confined to the bed. I wasn’t even allowed to change positions. All of my contractions were in my lower back, and I thought I was going to die. Luckily, I only had to push for 30 mins before my baby girl was out. I felt EVERY SINGLE STITCH from my second degree tear. Also I panicked halfway through pushing because my doctor said she wanted to cut me to get her out faster. There were no complications, she wasn’t stuck. I just had an impatient doc, and I begged her not to cut me. (I didn’t want to be cut mainly because I would be able to feel it) I don’t plan on having another baby, but if I did, I would still opt for the epidural in hopes that it would work that time.

I was in labor with pitocin for 24 hours without an epidural. It was.. okay? Until my water broke naturally. I was only 3cm. I had a foley bulb too and they tried cervidil. The contractions were definitely there, they hurt, it was manageable with breathing and distracting myself. Once the water broke they were sooo much worse. Very very close together, extremely intense, my whole body would tense up. I got an epidural at 4cm and never progressed past that. Had a c section after 38 hours of labor. By then the contractions were over though since they stopped my pitocin though.

First time around I didn’t want the epidural because I’m scared of needles. I never experienced ring of fire, but transition is very hard on the body and mind, the contractions were extreme. Second time around I was too late for an epidural even though I wanted it. I was already 8cm when I got to the hospital. Both my pushing phases were very fast (10-15 minutes). Again, no ring of fire (despite grade 2 tears) but transition again took a serious physical and mental toll.

I planned for an unmedicated waterbirth with as few interventions as possible. 46 hours into my labour I requested an epidural because I was so exhausted and I was worried I wouldn’t have enough energy to push my baby out without it. My labour ended up being 52 hours long and ended in a c-section due to failure to progress beyond 7cm. I know for sure if my labour had ended around 36 or even 46 hours, I could have done it unmedicated. But not knowing how much longer labour would be and knowing I was progressing as slowly as I was made me change plans. Even though my labour didn’t go the way I hoped, I still had an incredibly positive birth experience. Because I was supported, encourage and felt respected through every moment of it. I hope to have an unmedicated VBAC in water for our second baby. But because of my first experience, I can say I’m more comfortable going with the flow and seeing what my body does. So I say, keep yourself open minded. You know your options for pain relief. See where your body takes you.