r/unmedicatedbirth

FTM, I’m 32 weeks pregnant and starting to finalize my “birth plan”. I know you can plan and still have the complete opposite birth. For months i’ve been debating whether I want to go completely unmedicated, or just non epidural. I have decided that I am going in with the mindset of not getting one. I want to hear other mom’s experiences with not receiving one.

I truly don’t want a epidural, i don’t know more than 2 moms who have had a good experience with one.
Between the constant back pain, numbness, migraines, recovery, tearing, potential stopping of dilation and contractions. It just doesn’t sound like something I want to deal with/ regret later down the road.

I heard it’s a mindset thing, you’ll get to a certain point of feeling like you can’t do labor anymore and many moms cave. What was your experience with not receiving an epidural?

*I plan on getting a IV, laughing gas, and fentanyl patch still. Just NO epidural.

At 37 weeks and five days I was 3 cm dilated and 50% effaced. I was very excited and hopeful. One week later at 38 weeks and five days I am now only 1.5 cm dilated.

They want to induce me after my due date, but I am feeling very discouraged now. My first birth was a challenging induction and I really didn’t want to be induced again. Now I feel like I am facing induction again with less than my ideal disposition.

I thought at least I would be slightly more dilated and have an easier induction, but maybe not. I don’t know why that would happen, I thought I would at least be the same 3 cm as I was a week ago. i’ve been having more hip pain this week and thought maybe the baby was more engaged than last time but I was wrong.

I’m going to try more of the things that help. Just feeling a bit discouraged right now. does anybody have advice or similar stories?

Early signs of labor no body talks about?

I’m currently 35 weeks at the moment and am absolutely terrified of giving birth. I really want to have a natural birth and would really appreciate your experience / advice on how to go about it.

TIA x

I’ve just been seeing a few different nurse practitioners at my OB clinic. Never have I met my doctor lol since I moved to a small town I have had the worst OB care. The hospital is atrocious and small. I wish I could give birth a big hospital that is more focused on maternal health.
But also this birth experience is so different from my first. My first was so easy. I went into labor at home and had perfectly timed contractions, continuously progressing perfectly textbook labor lol. Amazing nurses when I got to the hospital and a beautiful experience. Great rooms, great food. With my second I am sitting at 5cm with weeks of prodromal labor and everyone at this small annoying redneck hospital trying to force me to take Pitocin. I am beginning to see why so many women just go with Pitocin and get it over with. I am feeling so discouraged and overwhelmed. I am overthinking this entire experience and I wish someone could say something positive to me that would make me feel better about this experience. I know that all that really matters is a healthy baby and healthy mama but I was expecting to have such a beautiful birth experience like my first.

If not an epidural what medication was used for stitching tears?

This is my second pregnancy. Last time they checked me I was 5cm. That was 4 hours ago. I’ve been contracting consistently since then. They didn’t admit me because there was no cervical change within the first hour. No intensity just consistently the same. I refused Pitocin but I’ve been walking around the hospital refusing to leave because I am contracting so consistently. I live 30 minutes away and I had to drive myself here. I’m afraid I’ll give birth at home if I leave. They have 10 rooms and they are all full. Everyone here has scheduled inductions or taking Pitocin so I guess they are more priority. I’m feeling so disappointed that it’s so hard for me to have a nice natural birth. Wish I had planned to have a home birth.

Hi everyone! I’m hoping to hear from anyone who has had a similar experience, particularly a VBAC induction with a small/FGR baby.
I’m currently pregnant with my second baby and have a planned induction at 38+2. I had a previous emergency C-section after labouring to around 4 cm, so this will be my first attempt at a VBAC.

This baby has been measuring small from the beginning. At the most recent growth scan at 36 weeks, she was estimated at the 7th percentile. However, she has continued to grow steadily along her own curve, rather than dropping percentiles, and there have been no concerns with her Dopplers throughout the pregnancy. Her Dopplers have remained reassuring/normal, which is one of the things I’ve found difficult to reconcile with the recommendation to deliver at 38 weeks.

The current plan for the induction is:
At 37 weeks, I’ll have a membrane sweep to hopefully encourage things along naturally.
On the day of the induction at 38+2, they’ll assess my cervix and decide how favourable things are.
If things are favourable enough, they’ll use a Foley balloon to help dilate the cervix, as I’m not being offered prostaglandins because of my previous C-section.
If/when the balloon comes out and my cervix is suitable, they’ll break my waters.
Then the plan is essentially to give my body around 24 hours to establish labour and hopefully progress into a VBAC.
They are recommending no Pitocin/oxytocin augmentation because of the previous C-section.
If the induction doesn’t progress, if they can’t safely break my waters, or if things otherwise don’t go to plan, the recommendation is to proceed to a C-section.

I’m feeling quite positive about attempting the VBAC, but also a little nervous about the induction itself, particularly because I know induced labour after a previous C-section can be a bit of a different experience.
I’d really love to hear from anyone who has been in a similar situation — small/FGR baby, reassuring Dopplers, induction around 38 weeks, Foley balloon and/or VBAC after a previous C-section.
How did the induction go for you? Did the Foley balloon work? Did your body take over once your waters were broken? Were you able to have a successful VBAC, or did you ultimately need another C-section?
And if you had a small baby with reassuring Dopplers, did you feel that the baby tolerated labour well?
I’m particularly interested in positive stories, but I’d genuinely appreciate hearing about all experiences — I’m just trying to get a better idea of what the next few weeks might look like and go into it feeling as informed and prepared as possible. ❤️

Hi; I have been for 2 night having daily contractions , sometimes 5-7 mins apart sometimes 2 and sometimes stopping for 2 hrs.
They are so painful, just came back from hospital and I am still 1cm and they are not admitting me.

39 weeks with my 2nd

Guideeee meeee

I’m due in 5 weeks and starting to feel frightened as all im seeing or hearing are worst case scenarios.

I’ve looked into Hypnobirthing, listened to an audiobook and done reading, but would like genuine feedback / advice from mums who have actually done it, what helped you? What techniques?

What did you do before hand to prepare, what videos did you watch / podcasts did you listen to?

I don’t know anyone who has had a natural birth, and have only heard horror stories about forceps, inductions, tears. It’s like people want to scare me and I feel so angry at the system.

I ideally wanted a home birth but I live in a flat in London and I wouldn’t relax knowing my neighbours can hear 🤣

Some studies and doctors will deny that the epidural interferes with natural oxytocin production. If that’s the case why is the epidural often followed with Pitocin which is synthetic oxytocin?
I try to put some trust in doctors and the hospital but it feels like they are often gaslighting people especially pregnant women.

Looking for similar stories and positive encouragement. During the birth of my daughter, everything went really smooth until the delivery of my placenta. My contractions stopped immediately after my daughter was born so I didn’t have help from my body pushing out the placenta. I pushed several times on my back and nothing. My daughter wasn’t latching at all so that didn’t help. After 30 mins, the midwives started getting a little nervous and they tugged on the cord a little. Still nothing. They had to manually go up there while I was unmedicated and torn. Still nothing right away. The more experienced midwife said she will probably have to go get the OBGYN and potentially go to the OR. I can’t really remember if I had a big contraction or if that scared me but boom I finally pushed it out. Then I had a little bleeding - just enough that they contemplated pitocin, but then the bleeding stopped.

Anyways, I’m pregnant with my second now. I’m scared of having the same issues. I’ve told this to my new midwife team (new hospital) and they walked through different things we can do and that they will have pitocin at the ready just in case. It eased my nerves a little but I know that statistically I’m at risk of this happening again. Has anyone experienced this? I’m nervous it will lead to issues with future births.

Hi,

I’m wondering if anyone had a very tight pelvic floor (causing pain with sex, sitting, etc) and still managed to have a positive unmedicated birth experience? I’ve had some pelvic floor dysfunction for years but an feeling nervous because I can barely tolerate sex since I got pregnant… and I know the baby is a lot bigger than my husband 🥴 trying to get PT but my in network provider is so booked out I probably won’t get to see anyone before the baby is born.

Is there anything you did to prepare for labor that helped you stay relaxed and calm? I feel like I’ve done really good mental prep and can confidently say that I’m not terrified of giving birth. I’m actually very excited for the entire experience of it. I’m only 27 weeks so we’ll see if my nerves amp up the closer I get but I don’t see that happening.

The only thing I’m worried about is when contractions hit I don’t want to tense up as I know that will make it worse. I’m looking for specific breathing exercises or other techniques you practiced beforehand that helped you in labor. Thank you!

Looking for ways to prepare for my third birth. I had an epidural and relentless back labor with my first two. I was induced with my second and may need to be again (I know that’s controversial however I will plan to follow what my OB says given how things went with my second regarding the need for induction).

With my first birth, I did the whole hypnobirthing course through my hospital, did the Miles circuit, bounced on a ball, etc. I found hypnobirthing completely useless upon actually being in labor, perhaps due to the nonstop back contractions, I just wasn’t prepared for that. I had also listened to Ina May’s Guide beforehand. It was nice to hear a few birth stories, but both of my births were so different than anything described, it didn’t help very much.

Then with my second, I just went in blind, was worried about the induction, wasn’t allowed to move around because the nurses didn’t want to adjust the monitors, so I eventually gave in and got the epidural.

All that said, I strongly want to avoid the epidural this time for personal reasons. I’m wanting to get prepared but I guess I just don’t know where to start, especially knowing I will likely have an induction so my experience won’t be “all natural.” The Bradley Method sounds interesting, is that what y’all would recommend?

Full disclosure, I don’t know how much my husband will be on board with it, and I’m only about 6 weeks out from birth. He did do some counter pressure for my first birth. He’s a good man! But he has a very demanding career.

Im a FTM (36+5) with a baby girl who’s measuring fairly big. I know ultrasounds can be off by 20% in either direction, but big babies run on my side of the family. I was 11.7 at birth, my dad was 12.3, and my uncle was in the 13’s.

At the 32 week follow up ultrasound she was measuring 5.7 pounds and at the 36 week one she was measuring at 8 pounds.

I want an unmedicated birth but I’ve been scared because of her size, the doctor didn’t say anything about an induction yet or c section but that my chances are increased for intervention, c section, induction, and postpartum hemorrhaging which scares me.

My mom needed a c section with me because they told her that I would get stuck and we’d both pass due to her hips being narrow and I’m scared I have narrow hips too or that something wrong will happen.

I was confident prior about giving birth, I’m practicing Hypnobirthing and learning techniques but now I feel uncertain and scared about tearing, needing an episiotomy, intervention, or c section. Plus the increase risk of hemorrhaging. I don’t want an epidural because the thought of being stuck in a bed not being able to move freely doesn’t feel right for me, plus I have a fear of needles. I want to be able to experience an unmedicated birth it feels like the best option for me.

I guess I’m just looking for others experience, or if anyone has been in a similar situation and how it all went. I’m trying to stay calm about child birth but this has me scared and I don’t want to feel this way.

First-time mom here and I’m curious to hear from both expecting moms and those who have already given birth.

Everything with this pregnancy has been going well. The only finding was a marginal cord insertion that was discovered around 28 weeks. We’ve had additional monitoring since then, and baby’s growth, blood flow, and fluid levels have all looked good. All bloodwork and labs have also been normal.

Despite that, our OB is strongly recommending that we do not go past 40 weeks and schedule an induction if labor hasn’t started naturally by then. He insists that 39 weeks to peak health for baby and anything after 40 can drastically affect babies health as well as survival rates. We were referred to an MFM for the marginal cord insertion, and that doctor also said the same thing.

I’m trying to understand why induction around 39–40 weeks seems to be recommended so often now, even when there aren’t any obvious complications. Did your OB recommend the same thing? If so, what reason did they give you? Did you choose induction or wait for spontaneous labor, and how did things turn out?

We would really prefer to give the body a chance to go into labor naturally if mom and baby are both doing well, but we also don’t want to ignore legitimate medical advice.

One other concern we have is telling our OB that we’d prefer to wait. We’re worried that disagreeing with his recommendation could somehow affect the relationship or the care we receive once labor does start. Has anyone had that conversation with their OB and decided against their recommended induction? How did your doctor handle it?

Would especially love to hear from other first-time moms or anyone who had a marginal cord insertion with otherwise normal growth and monitoring.

I’m overwhelmed. What hypnobirthing courses/programs and playlists do you recommend? I have had unmedicated births before, but I’m trying to have a better experience.

Hi all, I’m having a discouraging day. I was diagnosed with placenta previa at a 17 week ultrasound. I was just scanned again today (26w5d) and it is still COMPLETE previa. Hasn’t budged a hair. I’m starting to lose hope that it will move. My MFM was talking like it’s already pretty much a done deal that I’ll be getting a c-section, which leads me to believe that he doesn’t see many complete previas resolve at this point. I know I still have some time….but I’m just really sad because I wanted a low intervention vaginal birth. This is my first baby and I’ve done so much research and been trying to prep my body…I’ve hired a doula….ive been seeing a midwife team…it feels all for nothing.

I just wanted to hear if anyone out there with previous babies had a COMPLETE previa that resolved later on in the late 2nd/early 3rd trimester. Or just send some words of encouragement ❤️‍🩹 thank you