What new hell is this?

[SoonerTexan]

We chose to wait an hour on the eye drops to get some bonding time in. I would have been fine declining it for the same reason as TulipsandSunscreen, but apparently they can get all CPS on you about it in Texas and I didn't feel like fighting that fight.

[civilspouse]

I think it's funny that there are all these natural birthing mamas with doctor husbands . We took a Bradley Method class for our first. After DS was born I was kind of afraid to do it again, even though everything was fine. I e-mailed our old Bradley instructor and she recommended reading Ina May's book and it really helped me feel less anxious about birth #2. All the worry was for nothing because it was a relatively easy birth.

We also delayed the eye drops for the reasons mentioned. Like ST said, our hospital didn't like the idea of no drops.

[diggitydot]

What new hell is this?

We had kids long before med school. By kid #3, we walked in and DH just said, "Give her drugs." Previous deliveries were sans meds. #3 was the best experience, by FAR, for everyone involved.

To each his/her own.

Placenta? Oh, fuuuuuuuck no.

[spotty_dog]

Jenn, T&S, ST...I found y'all a birth plan.

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/j...ffs-birth-plan

[GreyhoundsRUs]

Too funny Our birth plan was:
1) Healthy mom
2) Healthy baby
3) DH is in charge (all rational thinking goes out the window when I'm in pain).


Wife of a PGY-4 Orthopod

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I think it's funny that there are all these natural birthing mamas with doctor husbands . .

I actually don't think it's a coincidence. DH being in medicine has made me even more likely to research things (and I was already very inclined to do that bc of my job and personality). The medicalization of birth and pregnancy bothered me - for most moms, pregnancy is natural and healthy. Thank God for doctors when it's not but I'm not "sick", I'm pregnant. I felt very empowered realizing how natural pregnancy is as a state of being. Not everyone feels that way of course but that's just how I felt. And delivery is only one part of pregnancy. I think you can feel that pregnancy is very natural and still want a medicated birth.

One very very helpful thing our doula told me though was that EVERYONE asks for drugs when they are in labor (GRU pointed out you're not exactly rational...). So, when I begged for them, DH knew I didn't actually want them. A few minutes of trying something different (albeit still very hurty) was enough for me to know I could do this without drugs.


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[jennschwaz]

One very very helpful thing our doula told me though was that EVERYONE asks for drugs when they are in labor (GRU pointed out you're not exactly rational...). So, when I begged for them, DH knew I didn't actually want them. A few minutes of trying something different (albeit still very hurty) was enough for me to know I could do this without drugs.

That is so good to know! DH and I already planned to tell the nurse and docs not to even offer me the drugs, because I'm too stubborn and would only take the offer as adversarial; that if I come to the point of needing drugs, the idea would have to come from me in order for me to feel accepting of the choice (and like I wasn't "talked into it against my will.") So, it's very helpful to hear that my brain might make the words come out of my mouth in spite of myself, and that DH will have to be there to remind me that I don't really want them.

Oh, this is going to be fun! (yes, I'm a little nuts, but I think that's going to help in the L&D suite too!)

[GreyhoundsRUs]

For my first, I mustered my best "serious face" to tell DH that I really needed some drugs. He politely ignored me


Wife of a PGY-4 Orthopod

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

It's really important to have serious discussions and be able to communicate to your DH about your needs. When I tell people that DH refused me the drugs, they are horrified but I knew I could trust him to listen to me and make the right call.

In my case, he convinced me to wait for 10 minutes and we were able to get my pain "under control" so I could continue me free.


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[Sheherezade]

And on the other hand, I planned on an epidural but ended up going without on my second birth. I guess my first ten pound baby made the nine pound second seem not so bad. So, it's not always so bad that you are screaming for drugs.

I wonder how many OB spouses end up going natural; for me, listening to the totally rare but still there horror stories of young moms bleeding out had me certain I'd be in a hospital to deliver. There was comfort in knowing that DH had delivered lots of babies if we ended up on the side of the road - but I was going to have every possible intervention fingertips away just in case. Luckily for me, DH's position in the department also had them leave me entirely alone for my second delivery - so no interventions- or even cervix checks until
I was 9 cm in - really but I delivered in the hospital.

To each his own - in L/D and the match!!

[SoonerTexan]

I ended up getting an epidural at 9cm that was only on for 45 min but I don't regret it. I was trying to go without, but I had been up for 24+ hours at that point. It wasn't so much the pain, but the inability to continue to deal with it because of the exhaustion. I do want to go without this time and hope to have a shorter labor. And I'm learning my lesson and will NAP as much as possible in early labor this time. Last time contractions started at 6:30 in the morning and I was so excited I was up and around the whole day. Stupid move in hindsight!!!!!

[Pollyanna]

I ended up getting an epidural at 9cm that was only on for 45 min but I don't regret it. I was trying to go without, but I had been up for 24+ hours at that point. It wasn't so much the pain, but the inability to continue to deal with it because of the exhaustion. I do want to go without this time and hope to have a shorter labor. And I'm learning my lesson and will NAP as much as possible in early labor this time. Last time contractions started at 6:30 in the morning and I was so excited I was up and around the whole day. Stupid move in hindsight!!!!!

Many times it's the epidural that speeds things up because it allows mama to relax and let baby finish its journey through the birth canal.

Like Angie, our baby number two was unmediated. I was much less "present" for that delivery than any of our other five and was so exhausted after delivery. Wasn't worth it to me. Interestingly, my epidurals with my last two were far less effective, I gave the anesthesiologists a run for their money trying to make it work better (love the anesthesia team). It is also super helpful to live with your own MFM, gave me great comfort

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I ended up getting an epidural at 9cm that was only on for 45 min but I don't regret it. I was trying to go without, but I had been up for 24+ hours at that point. It wasn't so much the pain, but the inability to continue to deal with it because of the exhaustion. I do want to go without this time and hope to have a shorter labor. And I'm learning my lesson and will NAP as much as possible in early labor this time. Last time contractions started at 6:30 in the morning and I was so excited I was up and around the whole day. Stupid move in hindsight!!!!!

I remember that. You were back and forth to the hospital a couple of times too. I remember people telling you to rest and being like, "HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY REST??" since I was like 32 weeks pregnant with DD and a first time mom also. But yes, if it's possible to rest during labor do it! I didn't have much early labor...I was contracting 2 of every 3 minutes (I had really long contractions for whatever reason) within an hour of labor starting.

[SoonerTexan]

I didn't have much early labor...I was contracting 2 of every 3 minutes (I had really long contractions for whatever reason) within an hour of labor starting.

6:30 am to ~midnight was early labor (1-3 cm). I hear the uterus gets stuff down quicker the 2nd time around. I'm down for that.

[Sheherezade]

FWIW, my first was very similar ST. The second was a breeze by comparison. Quicker, much less painful, totally without stress.