Natural vs. Assisted Labour

[Squiglet]

I get two choices when I go into labour...

I can a) Have a totally assisted labour i.e. epidural

or b) Have a totally natural labour, that means no gas and air, no pethidine... All I get is a bouncy ball and a bath.

I have to make the choice the minute I walk in through the door.. (or depending on how far along I am I suppose )

Now I did it the easy way last time with an epidural... but this time I really wanted one of those lovely relaxing home/water births you hear about on here all the time, unfortunately those options are both closed to me as well... but also the gas and air...

So the question is... if you had a choice between the two options above what would you go for, also to those who have been through it "naturally" do you think you could do it again without the precious gas and air/pethidine? ... the hospital like to push the natural one obviously... because its cheap... at least my mw is honest...

 

[kellie80]

Out of my 3 labours, with 1st I had epidural, with 2nd I had pethidine and with my 3rd I just had a bit of gas and air. I much preferred doing it natural! Yes it was more painful but you could concentrate on what you was doing propally and feel when to push. It actually felt like I had achieved something really good and I was really proud of myself. If was to have another one I would defiantly like to go natural.

 

[erin]

Maya is my first baby and I opted for a pool birth, all natural, just a bit of gas and air at the beginning (hated the stuff and only had it for a couple of hours during the firts stage of labour). In the end, I didn't get my pool birth as I got very dehydrated in the pool and my contractions stopped and they had to get me out of the pool. Well, I had her all natural (in exactly the same way as your natural option is (no gas and air, just a bath and a bouncy ball and no drugs) and I have to say...I won't do it again!! It was way too painful...I was desperately asking them for an epidural after 9 hours, only to be told that I was fully dilated by that time (I don't know if they were honest with me about that or whether they didn't do it because I was in the midwives' led unit and they didn't want to transfer me to the main unit - I will never find out lol) and they couldn't do it...5 (!) hours after that Maya was born!

Oh well...I can't see the point of going through all this pain - as if the pregnancy, the postpartum recovery and the struggle to breastfeed aren't enough! There were times during my labour I REALLY thought I wouldn't make it - of course you make it in the end but...why does it have to be so painful? I'd say...go for the drugs lol.

 

[Tangerinedream]

I would say the epidural because if you had one last time you have no idea how painful its going to be and you might not be able to handle it. Its is a shame you only have those options

 

[muppetmummy]

I really don't know what I'd choose, both options are at extreme ends of the scale. I had pethidine last time and although I'd rather avoid it this time cos it made me feel so out of it, I'd like to know the option's there if I need it.
I guess I'd have to say epidural but would opt for something inbetween if I had the choice

 

[Minxy]

Hmmmm, toughie.

I think I'd opt for natural. I had an epdiural last time but think it contributed to our ventouse delivery. Plus it'd be my last baby so I'd like to try something different so I knew what it was like!


Good luck deciding xx

 

[elaine22]

I think I would opt for natural as first time I just had gas and air, but by the end it didn't do anything for the pain except make me feel out of it, so I know I could cope with it again. Also I don't like the idea of that needle in my back lol.

Hope you're happy with what you decide.

 

[NIE]

I wanted a natural birth, but things didn't turn out that way.

I had gas 'n' air and morphine. They never really had that much effect as I was in so much pain. I ended up wanting an epidural but there was no time.

Goos luck making you decision. xxx

 

[trixipaws]

i had an almost natural labour, i had a bit of gas & air at 5cms, but the MWs soon took it off me! (coz i was "abusing" it lol, taking it in between contractions coz i was tryna get high- i hadnt had any drugs for 9 months haha!)

coz i had a home birth nothing else was available to me anyway, and if im honest when i was almost fully dilated i wished i was in hosp under a general anaesthetic havin a c section! i just wanted the pain to stop and i was frightened of pushing i just didnt wanna go thru with it lol!

havin said that, if i hav another i will opt for another home birth, and even try n do it without any gas & air.

 

[Babylicious]

I vote epidural as you said u have big babies

 

[Squiglet]

Well IF I make it to the hospital on time... I've decided to have an epidural.. Most people who did have natural births got to have a little bit of gas and air at least... but they just simply don't have it in Spanish hospitals.

I just really wanted to try the pool and stuff too.. and well I have to have one or the other. I'm also afraid that, because they won't let you birth in the pool (apparently theres a risk of drowning for the baby ) they will take me out for the worst bit and I'll have no pain relief whatsoever... and I might not be able to do it...

 

[trixipaws]

they will take me out for the worst bit and I'll have no pain relief whatsoever

thats what DID happen to me! they took me out of the pool coz they decided i wasnt gonna push in there (i kept saying i dont wanna poo in the pool lol) and as i said they took the gas & air off me ages before that. i really thought i couldnt do it but u kno what i just had to get on with it and it wasnt as bad as i thought. if i can do it u can!

 

[leckershell]

I had birth pool and gas and air but I think I would still prefer nothing at all to an epi. For a few hours worth of pain.. I'd give it a go. I'd miss the gas and air tho if I couldn't have it, it really helped.

 

[trixipaws]

squig did u hav gas & air with tia? coz tbh i dont think it helped with the pain at all. i loved the stuff- but only coz it makes u feel all floaty and watery, similar to disco biscuits hehe (hence the abusing it lol) i didnt think it made the pain any less, just made me feel a bit detatched from it. and after a while it didnt even do that anymore anyway

 

[Squiglet]

no never had it with Tia.... I was sick and was told I couldn't have gas n air or pethidine in case I was sick again...

 

[trixipaws]

ah well i think if u can do it on gas & air then u can do it on nothing. i really dont think it lessens the pain anyway. just makes u feel like ur floating a lil bit out of ur body and the girl with the body is feeling the pain, not u? (if that makes sense! lol) but its still THERE so it still hurts the same (sorry iv probably lost u there! haha its hard 2 explain)

it must be so annoying that they wont let u hav G&A or birth in the pool!

 

[sarah113]

natural

 

[Redshoes]

Can you not move 'halfway through', surely that must be an option should something arise and you need assistance??
Personally I would choose natural, but most of that depends on your mind set and prep I believe, if you feel strong and confident and want to go natural then I think you'll do fine, you've already done it once
On the other hand. if you're concerned or worried, maybe that wouldn't be a good choice and could hinder your progress naturally? But I think its a decision best left until the day, and make sure you talk lots to OH about it, so he can be your voice if need be, or whomever is your birth partner

Very best wishes Squiglet, its a personal choice and only you can make it, and whatever happens it will be right for you on the day I wanted natural with Isaac, I knew once I got to hospital the spiral of intervention would start, and it did, but had my labour not been so long who knows, at least giving you, your body and baby a chance to do it assistance free is worth a shot

 

[nefisher]

I did got into hospital with the intention of having an epidural but the midwife persuaded me to try the birthing pool, but I couldn't cope with the pain after a while so I requested an epidural. Unfortunately by the time I got to the labour ward I had dilated to 9cm and they recommended that I didn't have it so it was natural all the way. I did use the tens machine up to 5cm but it didn't really help and the gas and air didn't do anything for me either. Next time I'm telling the midwife I want an epidural and no amount of persuation will change my mind.

 

[Red_Fairy]

id have the pain relief. deffo. Your there to have a baby not to be in pain. lol.

even me having EVERYTHING. i was still in agony. Could never imagine going 'natural'