Nymeria
Sapphire
Posts: 3,859 Likes: 11,951
|
Post by Nymeria on May 30, 2018 9:36:01 GMT -6
For all things labor & delivery! Hopes, plans, fears, questions. Let's hear 'em!
|
|
ftwr
Sapphire
😒
Posts: 3,818 Likes: 17,678
|
Post by ftwr on May 30, 2018 9:43:14 GMT -6
I feel like I'm in limbo until I get another U/S to check the placement of my placenta so I'm trying not to think about it too much. Although........I didn't really do anything to prepare last time and I doubt I will this time lol.
My plan is always "have a baby; both of us are healthy".
|
|
|
Post by mirabelle on May 30, 2018 9:58:08 GMT -6
Yesterday my OB said at my next appointment we will schedule my rcs firm date, she is aiming for 8/31 because she operates on Fridays. It’s getting real. I’m scared, but ready for a more controlled experience this time around or at least the illusion.
Is anyone else having rcs here?
Someone asked me in mixed company recently if I’m having a c-section with this one... it was a bit weird. I kept thinking do people who deliver vaginally get asked, “will you be delivering this baby vaginally?” Maybe they do.
|
|
|
Post by blurnette989 on May 30, 2018 10:09:00 GMT -6
mirabelle whenever I say how big my boys were when born eople immediately follow-up with if it was vaginal... FTR they were only 8lbs8oz and 9lbs1oz.
|
|
|
Post by blurnette989 on May 30, 2018 10:16:26 GMT -6
After my first 4 day labor, I was set to try things to improve babies position and hopefully allow for a shorter labor. I did lots of pelvic tilts and was more cognizant of posture and sitting on my exercise ball instead of reclining on the couch. Also I saw a chiropractor several times, which was also needed because of my massive belly and hip pain. I believe the chiro super helped and the labor lasted 4 hours. So far I'm doing the same again with posture and pelvic tilts. I am looking for a chiro that is versed in the Webster technique to help with positioning. My biggest fear going into this labor is that it will be too fast and I won't make it to the hospital. Lol. I just don't want a car baby. I know I can do an unmedicated birth, but I'd prefer it to be in a birth room.
|
|
|
Post by tbirdlove on May 30, 2018 10:38:46 GMT -6
I feel like I have SO much to say about this topic! I'll start with Chapter 1: Pain Management:
I seriously planned and fully intended on a med free birth with DS. I was loosing my composure around 8 hours into painful, relentless active labor (overnight, so I was exhausted anyways). When I found out that I hadn't progressed in the four hours I had been at the hospital, I completely lost it. I caved and got an epidural. And I felt like a failure.
I do NOT want to feel that way again this time.
(It was another 15 hours after I got the epidural before DS was born. And 5 hours before I made any further progress despite strong, regular contractions. It's doubtful I would have made it med free....)
So I don't think I'm going to really "plan" much pain management wise. If things are progressing and I'm doing ok, great. If not, that's fine too and I want to be able to accept an epidural guilt free. In fact, knowing what I know now about the aftermath of birth and the true exhaustion that sets in with a newborn, my goal is to make it through my birth experience as "well rested" as possible!! I'm gonna come home to TWO children and my healing postpartum body to care for. I don't want to suffer through 30 hours of med free L&D and then be thrown immediately into newborn life - plus a toddler! I'd like to make the transition as easy as possible for myself, and if that means getting an epidural and (hopefully) relaxing a bit during labor, then I guess that's what I'm gonna do!
I'm really trying to be much more reasonable about pain management this time. I'll just try to go as long as I can and see how it goes. But I'd still like for rest of my labor to be as "natural" as possible.
More to follow in Chapter 2: Immediate Post-Birth Expectations 😄
|
|
|
Post by pixiepink24 on May 30, 2018 10:56:41 GMT -6
mirabelle whenever I say how big my boys were when born eople immediately follow-up with if it was vaginal... FTR they were only 8lbs8oz and 9lbs1oz. DD was 8lbs 14oz on her due date. I feel ya! So I am nervous for second baby to be bigger and since boy, even bigger. 😳 I can't imagine going past due date.
|
|
|
Post by pixiepink24 on May 30, 2018 11:07:49 GMT -6
I did a med free delivery with DD and with my plan to deliver at a birth center, I hope to do the same again. They don't have epiderals there anyway. But so many things can happen causing me to have to deliver at the hospital instead. I do a little bit of a hypno birthing approach to help with pain management. I also try to walk and use the birth ball as much as possible. My doula will give counter pressure as well. It's so hard to plan though because so many things can happen.
|
|
Nymeria
Sapphire
Posts: 3,859 Likes: 11,951
|
Post by Nymeria on May 30, 2018 14:05:58 GMT -6
I had planned for a med free birth with DS mainly because the idea of an epidural freaked me out. Combination of not wanting to get stuck in the back and the potential for snowballing interventions. Well after hours of back labor and no break between contractions I gave up and asked for one. Since I had said I didn't want one the nurse kept suggesting other positions to labor in but I was done with the back pain at that point and just wanted relief. It worked great and other than some short-lived discussions around possibly needing pitocin because the epidural made my contractions a bit irregular, delivery went fine.
This time I'm going to try for med free again. It's just something I really want to do and while getting the epidural was NBD the first time considering it did make my contractions more irregular I'd once again like to try to avoid it and the potential snowball affect.
If I end up needing one again, so be it. I'm planning to do a little more prep on positions to labor in this time. And there will definitely be fingers crossed for no back labor this time around!!
|
|
brenna
Platinum
Posts: 1,037 Likes: 3,179
|
Post by brenna on May 30, 2018 16:13:22 GMT -6
I am the opposite of everyone in this thread so far and planned for a medicated birth. I will take all the drugs and meds to make it hurt less! My epidural was amazing and I'm hoping to get another one this time. I did about 5 hours of laboring at home and another hour or so at the hospital before I got my epidural and that was enough pain for me. It was a 22 hour labor with 2+ hours of pushing so I was exhausted as it was even though I got to relax most of the day. DD came out sideways and with the cord wrapped around her neck twice and needed some breathing assistance after birth so I'm hoping this one is a little smoother but really my birth plan is get baby out as healthy as possible with the least amount of pain possible 🙂
|
|
|
Post by chriskoo on May 30, 2018 16:52:57 GMT -6
brenna I’m with you. I planned on an epidural with DD and will do the same this time. No guilt here, bring on the drugs!! Of course, with DD my epidural pretty much stopped working after an hour, so I realize that pain happens and nothing is guaranteed.
|
|
|
Post by pixiepink24 on May 30, 2018 17:25:50 GMT -6
I also forgot to add that I will be laboring in water as best I can and hopefully delivering in water too. I swear, that was an amazing pain management option. I 100% believe that being in water for several hours saved my vagina. No stitches with that almost 9# baby. That's the only way I didn't tear. My vag was totally water logged. Lol!
|
|
|
Post by tbirdlove on May 30, 2018 17:38:54 GMT -6
brenna, chriskoo - I kinda wish that I hadn't gotten the whole med free birth idea so stuck in my head. I tend to be a little "crunchy" with some things and this happened to be one of those areas. Becoming a parent has helped me to lower MANY of my expectations 😂 So, I really want to be more realistic this time and keep my options open without judging myself 💓
|
|
|
Post by tbirdlove on May 30, 2018 17:41:44 GMT -6
That's the only way I didn't tear. My vag was totally water logged. Lol! 😂 Lol!!
|
|
|
Post by getdownplease on May 30, 2018 19:34:56 GMT -6
With DS1, I planned for whatever pain meds I needed. I was induced 11 days past my due date. So I had an epidural and everything went fine. He had the cord wrapped around his neck x2 and his little fist balled up next to his cheek, so I had an episiotomy as well. Totally not the end of the world, but I was glad for the epidural.
With DS2, I decided I wanted to try med free. So at 30 weeks I started reading about hypnobirthing and practicing. I also read a lot of Ina May birth stories and that got my head in a good space, I think. So I did it, it was hard but it went fine. I opted for a “natural induction,” again 11 days past due, which involved breaking my water, pumping, walking, and bouncing. Labor was about 4 hours from the time she broke my water. I had a labial tear but everything else held 😬
So I guess I’ll try med-free again this time. Clearly I have amnesia 😂 BUT- I hear my new birth center/hospital has nitrous...anyone used that??
I think I’ll skip the doula though. Mine was good, but with self-hypnosis there’s not a ton for them to do...at least in my case.
|
|
akwild
Silver
Posts: 453 Likes: 1,570
|
Post by akwild on May 30, 2018 19:42:30 GMT -6
I got an epidural with M. I went it thinking if it gets really bad I’ll do whatever. The epidural although it made my contractions slow actually helped me progress in labor. I was tense during all of my contractions because they hurt so much. So I have the same plan with this one. I’ll labor until I’m too uncomfortable.
|
|
|
Post by flutterfly88 on May 30, 2018 23:34:20 GMT -6
DS1 labour was a little different since he was so early, but I ended up needing pitocin to help things along, as they stalled when he had reached a point that we knew there was no stopping his coming. I tried the gas for pain relief, but it had this awful mouth piece that I had to bite in order to release the gas, and it didn't help at all, so I gave up with using it.
DS2, I was in and out of the tub (which seemed to make things more intense, but more bearable at the same time) while at home. Then when I got settled at the hospital my room had a tub, so I laboured there for a few hours. Also used the gas for pain relief, but that time I had a face mask and it worked a lot better. MH got to help catch DS2, which was such a great experience.
With both labours, I had a doula for support, which was so helpful.
This has gotten a lot longer than I intended, so I will create a second post with what I want for this time around.
|
|
|
Post by flutterfly88 on May 30, 2018 23:38:20 GMT -6
BUT- I hear my new birth center/hospital has nitrous...anyone used that?? Yes, first time I tried it, they had a weird mouth piece that I had to bite on to release the gas. It was an awful sensation in my mouth and brought me no relief, so I stopped using it. Second time around, I had a mask for my nose and mouth and that was a lot better for ease of use and actually helped take the edge off the pain.
|
|
|
Post by flutterfly88 on May 30, 2018 23:46:54 GMT -6
So for this labour, I am hoping to stick it out at home as long as I can (and then a bit longer still). If I go in too early, there is probably a good chance of me getting bumped to a different hospital (happened with DS2). I've also got my doula booked already, and she will come to my house, if needed, so hopefully having her will help me stuck it out longer.
I'm wanting to go as med free as possible. I had a spinal for my stitch placement and it was awful, from the amount of time it took for it to wear off to the pain for days afterwards. I really don't want to add that pain to the rest of my recovery if I can help it. I'm also hoping to be able to labour in the tub as much as I can, which I think helped me a lot last time.
But in the end, I'll do whatever it takes to get this little one here safely, whatever that may mean.
|
|
|
Post by Dramaphile on May 31, 2018 8:11:33 GMT -6
My first was a med-free labor/birth at a birth center, and I'm hoping to have the same in a hospital with a midwife (I moved out of my comfort range from the birth center). I am starting to interview doulas because I think I want some extra support this time. At the birth center, I think I had more hands-on help from the nurse and midwife than I expect to get in a hospital. The hospital where I am birthing is very med-free birth friendly and has tubs for laboring, wireless monitoring, and pretty flexible policies as far as they go with what your provider wants and don't really have any overarching policies that require things like an IV.
I try and keep an open mind, because birth doesn't always go as planned even if your first one did, and if I end up needing pitocin or other interventions, I may decide to get an epidural. Really, I just want the best possible scenario to let my body do what it needs to do, and if I need medical interventions after that, then I gave it my best shot. The labor and delivery for my first was painful, but manageable, and I felt like the manual removal of leftover membrane from my uterus and getting stitched after was the worst part. Local anesthetic didn't do much for that!
|
|
|
Post by justinbobby on May 31, 2018 9:07:11 GMT -6
Yesterday my OB said at my next appointment we will schedule my rcs firm date, she is aiming for 8/31 because she operates on Fridays. It’s getting real. I’m scared, but ready for a more controlled experience this time around or at least the illusion. Is anyone else having rcs here? Someone asked me in mixed company recently if I’m having a c-section with this one... it was a bit weird. I kept thinking do people who deliver vaginally get asked, “will you be delivering this baby vaginally?” Maybe they do. I’ll be having a planned c-section as well for this baby. My first I was induced at 37 weeks due to pre-eclampsia and other complications, the induction did not work after 50 hrs of contractions I only got up to 1cm dialated. I am still annoyed that they let me go that long, they finally decided on an emergency c-section after baby started getting distressed. From what I’ve heard from other csections moms a planned one is a lot easier than emergency.
|
|
|
Post by blurnette989 on May 31, 2018 10:18:07 GMT -6
Dramaphile oh man, when my placenta didn't entirely detach, they didn't even bother with anesthetic! I agree that was way more painful/unpleasant and overall just a weird experience! I hope that doesn't happen again!
|
|
|
Post by Dramaphile on May 31, 2018 11:14:25 GMT -6
Dramaphile oh man, when my placenta didn't entirely detach, they didn't even bother with anesthetic! I agree that was way more painful/unpleasant and overall just a weird experience! I hope that doesn't happen again! Yeah that part was without anesthesia, the stitches were with local, but still hurt! I came up off the bed when she put her hand up inside me!
|
|
|
Post by blurnette989 on May 31, 2018 11:30:26 GMT -6
Dramaphile oh man, when my placenta didn't entirely detach, they didn't even bother with anesthetic! I agree that was way more painful/unpleasant and overall just a weird experience! I hope that doesn't happen again! Yeah that part was without anesthesia, the stitches were with local, but still hurt! I came up off the bed when she put her hand up inside me! Ahh got it. Yeah. I have forgotten most of my labor pain. Have NOT forgotten that part.
|
|
|
Post by pixiepink24 on May 31, 2018 14:45:19 GMT -6
Are any of you ladies planning to do any classes even though we are BTDT mom's?
The birth center really suggests it but I feel like I don't need to. Plus the cost and needing child care during it.
|
|
|
Post by tbirdlove on May 31, 2018 14:51:32 GMT -6
Are any of you ladies planning to do any classes even though we are BTDT mom's? The birth center really suggests it but I feel like I don't need to. Plus the cost and needing child care during it. I'm not planning to do one this time. If your birth center is really pushing for it, maybe you could look into a "refresher" course that would be less expensive and only one night? I know they have some like that by me. I briefly considered a Big Sibling class, but I think DS is too young. The sibling class at our hospital is ages 3+.
|
|
Nymeria
Sapphire
Posts: 3,859 Likes: 11,951
|
Post by Nymeria on May 31, 2018 15:03:00 GMT -6
Are any of you ladies planning to do any classes even though we are BTDT mom's? The birth center really suggests it but I feel like I don't need to. Plus the cost and needing child care during it. I didn't do one last time and I don't plan to do one this time either.
|
|
|
Post by Dramaphile on May 31, 2018 15:06:49 GMT -6
Are any of you ladies planning to do any classes even though we are BTDT mom's? The birth center really suggests it but I feel like I don't need to. Plus the cost and needing child care during it. I'm not planning to do one this time. If your birth center is really pushing for it, maybe you could look into a "refresher" course that would be less expensive and only one night? I know they have some like that by me. I briefly considered a Big Sibling class, but I think DS is too young. The sibling class at our hospital is ages 3+. Our hospital has a big sibling class that is 2+ and it looks cute, there's some activities about babies and a craft. It's only an hour or so on a Saturday, so we'll probably take DD. I figure it'll be good for her to see the hospital ahead of time since she'll come visit us there after the baby comes. I'm not taking a birth class this time, took a 4 sessions one the first time around at my birth center. Where I was, they required the class, even for STM if this was their first birth there. I figure I'm going to meet with my doula and read some birth books this time around, and I already did the hospital tour.
|
|
|
Post by tbirdlove on May 31, 2018 15:18:23 GMT -6
The 3+ one here sounded so cute! They make a little craft with their picture for the baby! 💕 Maybe I'll look around for a younger one. ETA: tag Dramaphile
|
|
brenna
Platinum
Posts: 1,037 Likes: 3,179
|
Post by brenna on May 31, 2018 16:01:58 GMT -6
We did one last time that was one night a week over several weeks but won't do one again. I'm planning on all the meds and an epidural so I will do a little reading on pain management as a refresher just in case but won't worry about the rest.
|
|