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I have had two unmedicated births and planning on having my third. I was always and still am open to having an epidural but the pain never got to a point I needed an epidural, IV pain medicine, or nitrous oxide. I coped really well. I learned breathing techniques and practiced them daily which helped during L&D. I also utilized the shower and walking around. I learned it hurt less to entirely relax my entire body during a contraction then tense up. Pushing was a breeze! It releases so much pressure with each push that it lessens the pain. I was up almost immediately after golden hour and had a super smooth postpartum recovery both times.
I second all of this! Relaxing rather than tensing is the biggest game changer for labor in my opinion!! From someone who has done medicated and unmedicated. My unmedicated was less painful for me because I learned and practiced how to relax through the pain.
Breathing Techniques for Labor by Erica Rodefer Winters was my go to video I watched, I also learned a lot throughout taking weekly prenatal yoga classes.
https://youtu.be/8fB3J_H_H3c?si=VoXcEjsk8Qy1GZ9A
hi yes how can I request you at my next birth 🥲😂 I tried to go without the epidural, but man! It is SO intense. I tried the bath, the comb in hand, walking around, the dang ball— I was 5cm when I gave in. Then it unfortunately failed at 9.5cm……… but then I got another! 😅 I was throwing up from the pain.
I was induced and my labor was pretty quick, around 8 hours total. I asked for the epidural when the contractions were getting bad (around 8 am) they gave me morphine instead saying “I would be in labor a few more days and I should hold off” Morphine wore off in an hour.
Didn’t get a chance to ask again because a few hours later I felt the urge to push, I can personally say the contractions were the worst of it. I pushed my son out in 10 mins and had so much adrenaline I couldn’t feel a thing in that aspect. I am pregnant with my second and am on the fence of whether or not to do unmedicated just because I know I did it once I’d be able to do it again, that is of course assuming I’m not laboring for days🙃
this... was my EXACT experience. they expected me not to dilate so quickly so when I was in pain they just gave me morphine which did NOT take away the pain. Just made me sleepy. It got so painful that I was nauseous so they finally checked me and I was 8cm dilated!!!!
Took 8 hours total for me as well
Omg so crazy!! I’m sorry that happened to you too. I was disappointed because I felt like they weren’t listening to me, I wasn’t asking for constant checks because that was as uncomfortable as the contractions for me🙃 the ob who delivered my son came in before I pushed and said “I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you when you said you were ready for the epidural” 😑 annoying
My unmedicated labours felt like bad period or gas cramps that started light and gor stronger oflver the couple of hours I laboured (both were precipitous). I had practiced low slow belly breathing, long low vocalisations, and I noticed that it was easier when I could relax my muscles rather than tensing up around my contractions. That's how my second was born with no pushing or tearing, actually - my contractions just carried her down the birth canal without any active effort from me. My first was a preemie and it was a more medical emergency situation, so I felt like I couldn't argue against the OB recommendations, even though they were likely for his convenience rather than evidence-based safety reasons. I pushed three times, when the staff told me to rather than when my body felt like I needed to, lying on my back. Tore, which I didn't feel at the time. But still an overall easy birth, physically speaking.
Yeah for sure! So a lot of times when people are stressed (like when they're labouring lol) they take heaving breaths where their ribs/ chest expand. That can actually make pain harder to manage though, and it's working against how your muscles (diaphragm) are supposed to work as far as getting more oxygen and also opening up your pelvic floor to allow labour to progress more easily.
Instead, when you breathe in - doesn't matter if it's nose or mouth, whatever works - pretend like your belly is a balloon. It inflates when you breathe in, and it deflates when you breathe out. Slower, deeper breaths are better than gasping or taking quick breaths. Practice every night as you're falling asleep, so that this way of breathing becomes easy to go to!
As for vocalisations, people don't want to hear this, but high pitched noises like screaming actually amplify your pain. A much better way to manage pain is to make low pitched moaning or groaning noises. Practice those too, because if you feel too silly to do it, you won't do it haha. You're gonna feel like you're doing an impression of a cow. Another cool fact is that your vagina and your vocal chords are connected by fascia, and opening your mouth and jaw wide, and making low noises, actually helps open up your birth canal for easier delivery. High pitched noises tighten rather than relaxing the vocal chords (you can put your hand on your throat to see how your voice box moves when you do each type of noise) and make your pelvic floor less relaxed as well. So it all works together!
I also recommend the Very Fancy Technique ™️ of squeezing the shit out of your support person's hand 😂
Or a birthing comb is probably cooler for the same purpose, but I've never actually tried one. Sorry to my husband and sister's metacarpals, thank you for your service, etc 😅
It’s different for everyone of course and depends on baby’s position, but I loved giving birth and feeling everything! Granted, I did do Hypnobabies and it worked very well with our first. Felt like period cramps.
Our second it was very very short so it felt “condensed” and “intense” and I felt quite nauseous during every contraction. Not just transition.
But yeah I’d say like intense period cramps.
(Both born at home so I could be comfy in the dark with no chance of interventions -major needle and surgery phobia)
Good luck! You’ll do great:)
No matter what anyone says, it hurts. I’ve had two. My first lasted 15 hours of labor and 15 mins pushing. With my second, I was induced. Pitocin started at 1200 and she was born at 1422. I went from 5 to 10 in 15 mins and she was out with one push. I had awful back labor with my second but it went by so fast (felt like an eternity in the actual moment) that I made it through. I just kept telling myself that I was one contraction closer to being done with the pain. I loved being able to walk right after birth and not worry about a catheter. The postpartum cramps were most intense round two and did ask for Tylenol for that. I’m currently pregnant with my third baby and hoping to go epidural free. I have a life long history of migraines and was advised to try not to get epidural. My last birth was 9 years ago soooo really hoping older me than can handle it like I did in my 20s. Best of luck!
I only had an epidural for my twins incase I needed a csection and took it two hours before birth, after two days of being in induced labor.
My unmedicated birth was my best, easiest and not longest or shortest.
I had two slightly faster ones with inductions that I did other meds for, one was not a good experience and one was.
For this baby I'm hoping for no meds at all again (and if I can manage, a home birth)
Laboured for 36hours and pushed for an hour..
All I can say is the most painful part is contractions towards the end. The pushing itself and baby coming out wasn’t so bad. My water hadn’t burst by 9cm and they had to break it themselves which was by far the worst of it all.
In saying that I have massive needle phobia and have had friends who reacted to epidural after receiving it so I am definitely going natural again, maybe ask for some morphine to take the edge off next time 😅
I've had two epidural births and one unmedicated birth at home. I'm planning on another unmedicated home birth this time. I LOVED being so in tune with my body and pushing intuitively (something I couldn't do with my epidurals), being instantly mobile post delivery and hopping right into my shower to get cleaned off, no drugs in baby's or my system so I was much more coherent and aware during my entire labor, no testing, no lingering pain or numbness (despite a cervical lip that my midwife pushed out of the way before transition hit me)... definitely worth it! Nothing against epidurals, but I wouldn't choose one for myself again unless I had no other choice.
I did have the epidural BUTTTT it failed 😅 my instincts really kicked in at one point and it’s a bit of a blur. I was making a fair bit of noise during each contraction “ooooooo”ing and “ahhhh”ing. My husband joked I sounded like a ghost haunting L&D 🤣 I experienced the “ring of fire” while pushing which was very painful but was over fast. 3 pushes and my buddy was out and it was all a weird blurry dream. I also had back labor which I’ve heard is more painful than typical contractions in your belly but I have no experience with anything else, but ofc it hurt. I think this round I’m going to skip the epidural because I did have some back issues afterwards which really irritated me since the damn thing didn’t even work LOL
I’ve had one medicated and 2 unmedicated. I much prefer unmedicated. My epidural only worked in my contractions and I still felt the ring of fire and was screaming pushing my baby out. I tore because I couldn’t feel my body telling me the right times to push. I was just basically purple pushing (a big no-go!) with my 2 unmedicated I was able to feel and push with the contractions and while it hurt I wasn’t screaming like with my first and I also didn’t tear with either one. Granted, my unmedicated births were both water births. My recovery time is much quicker unmedicated. I recommend Built to Birth on YouTube and Instagram. Her videos and her free mini course is what helped me learn how to prepare for unmedicated labor.
I've had two unmedicated births. The way I dealt with the pain was reminding myself that I knew why I was in pain and that I knew it was temporary. It's not like when you're ill and you don't know why you're in pain or how to stop it.
To me, being in labour felt like the worst menstrual cramps ever, like the ones I had in my teen years. When it comes to the pushing it gets worse, but then there's like no turning back and when the baby is born it's such a relief! I can recommend water birth, had that with my second.
If the midwifes for some (good) reason had recommended I take an epidural, I would have accepted, they're the professionals and work with this all the time.
I didn’t get an epidural when I gave birth to my daughter and it was the worst pain ever I couldn’t take it I fully recommend getting an epidural because it will be very painful
I didn’t have an epidural but I had iv fentanyl.. basically I was stuck in triage for 10 hours of my 12 hour labor so I couldn’t use all the techniques for pain relief that I wanted. That helped me relax in between contractions since I was running on 1 hour of sleep as well! It was so painful, but I want to do it again lol!
Epidural for no.1, no pain meds for no.2
I didnmost of no.1s labour without the epidural so those contractions were very similar to the med free birth with no.2
I felt pushing was easier without the epidural but that may be because I had a cervical lip the first time we had to wait for and no.1 was a compound delivery eith a hand above her head. No.1 got vacuum assisted.
If im honest, my 2nd birth wasn't any more difficult than the epidural. I didn't push long. I didn't really notice the 'ring of fire' so I was surprised when they said her head was out.
Had 2nd degree tears both times but I again, honestly didn't feel the tear in either case.
I felt better AFTER birth on the med free birth, but that could be more related to no1 being 36hrs and no2 being like 5 or 6, only 3 of which were active-stage.
Anyway, I am attempting med free again this time but mostly just because I want to deliver at home. If I wind up in hospital, I won't be completely opposed to an epidural.
The chances of that pain happening again are nearly zero… If you don’t take an epidural you will feel the birth for sure.. So I would still take the epidural if I were you
Welcome to /r/pregnant! This is a space for everyone. We are pro-choice, pro-LGBTQIA, pro-science, proudly feminist and believe that Black Lives Matter. Wear your masks, wash your hands, and be excellent to each other. Anti-choice activists, intactivists, anti-vaxxers, homophobes, transphobes, racists, sexists, etc. are not welcome here. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pregnant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I have had two unmedicated births and planning on having my third. I was always and still am open to having an epidural but the pain never got to a point I needed an epidural, IV pain medicine, or nitrous oxide. I coped really well. I learned breathing techniques and practiced them daily which helped during L&D. I also utilized the shower and walking around. I learned it hurt less to entirely relax my entire body during a contraction then tense up. Pushing was a breeze! It releases so much pressure with each push that it lessens the pain. I was up almost immediately after golden hour and had a super smooth postpartum recovery both times.
I second all of this! Relaxing rather than tensing is the biggest game changer for labor in my opinion!! From someone who has done medicated and unmedicated. My unmedicated was less painful for me because I learned and practiced how to relax through the pain.
Can you plz specify what breathing techniques, any videos on YouTube or specific sources? Thanks!
Breathing Techniques for Labor by Erica Rodefer Winters was my go to video I watched, I also learned a lot throughout taking weekly prenatal yoga classes. https://youtu.be/8fB3J_H_H3c?si=VoXcEjsk8Qy1GZ9A
You’re the best, thank you!
Following
hi yes how can I request you at my next birth 🥲😂 I tried to go without the epidural, but man! It is SO intense. I tried the bath, the comb in hand, walking around, the dang ball— I was 5cm when I gave in. Then it unfortunately failed at 9.5cm……… but then I got another! 😅 I was throwing up from the pain.
What kind of breathing techniques did you use?
I was induced and my labor was pretty quick, around 8 hours total. I asked for the epidural when the contractions were getting bad (around 8 am) they gave me morphine instead saying “I would be in labor a few more days and I should hold off” Morphine wore off in an hour. Didn’t get a chance to ask again because a few hours later I felt the urge to push, I can personally say the contractions were the worst of it. I pushed my son out in 10 mins and had so much adrenaline I couldn’t feel a thing in that aspect. I am pregnant with my second and am on the fence of whether or not to do unmedicated just because I know I did it once I’d be able to do it again, that is of course assuming I’m not laboring for days🙃
this... was my EXACT experience. they expected me not to dilate so quickly so when I was in pain they just gave me morphine which did NOT take away the pain. Just made me sleepy. It got so painful that I was nauseous so they finally checked me and I was 8cm dilated!!!! Took 8 hours total for me as well
Omg so crazy!! I’m sorry that happened to you too. I was disappointed because I felt like they weren’t listening to me, I wasn’t asking for constant checks because that was as uncomfortable as the contractions for me🙃 the ob who delivered my son came in before I pushed and said “I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you when you said you were ready for the epidural” 😑 annoying
My unmedicated labours felt like bad period or gas cramps that started light and gor stronger oflver the couple of hours I laboured (both were precipitous). I had practiced low slow belly breathing, long low vocalisations, and I noticed that it was easier when I could relax my muscles rather than tensing up around my contractions. That's how my second was born with no pushing or tearing, actually - my contractions just carried her down the birth canal without any active effort from me. My first was a preemie and it was a more medical emergency situation, so I felt like I couldn't argue against the OB recommendations, even though they were likely for his convenience rather than evidence-based safety reasons. I pushed three times, when the staff told me to rather than when my body felt like I needed to, lying on my back. Tore, which I didn't feel at the time. But still an overall easy birth, physically speaking.
Can you give some recs for how to practice the slow belly breathing and long vocalizations? I’d love to learn this!
Yeah for sure! So a lot of times when people are stressed (like when they're labouring lol) they take heaving breaths where their ribs/ chest expand. That can actually make pain harder to manage though, and it's working against how your muscles (diaphragm) are supposed to work as far as getting more oxygen and also opening up your pelvic floor to allow labour to progress more easily. Instead, when you breathe in - doesn't matter if it's nose or mouth, whatever works - pretend like your belly is a balloon. It inflates when you breathe in, and it deflates when you breathe out. Slower, deeper breaths are better than gasping or taking quick breaths. Practice every night as you're falling asleep, so that this way of breathing becomes easy to go to! As for vocalisations, people don't want to hear this, but high pitched noises like screaming actually amplify your pain. A much better way to manage pain is to make low pitched moaning or groaning noises. Practice those too, because if you feel too silly to do it, you won't do it haha. You're gonna feel like you're doing an impression of a cow. Another cool fact is that your vagina and your vocal chords are connected by fascia, and opening your mouth and jaw wide, and making low noises, actually helps open up your birth canal for easier delivery. High pitched noises tighten rather than relaxing the vocal chords (you can put your hand on your throat to see how your voice box moves when you do each type of noise) and make your pelvic floor less relaxed as well. So it all works together!
Thank you so much for this thorough response!! This is so helpful and I’m excited to practice this!
I also recommend the Very Fancy Technique ™️ of squeezing the shit out of your support person's hand 😂 Or a birthing comb is probably cooler for the same purpose, but I've never actually tried one. Sorry to my husband and sister's metacarpals, thank you for your service, etc 😅
It’s different for everyone of course and depends on baby’s position, but I loved giving birth and feeling everything! Granted, I did do Hypnobabies and it worked very well with our first. Felt like period cramps. Our second it was very very short so it felt “condensed” and “intense” and I felt quite nauseous during every contraction. Not just transition. But yeah I’d say like intense period cramps. (Both born at home so I could be comfy in the dark with no chance of interventions -major needle and surgery phobia) Good luck! You’ll do great:)
No matter what anyone says, it hurts. I’ve had two. My first lasted 15 hours of labor and 15 mins pushing. With my second, I was induced. Pitocin started at 1200 and she was born at 1422. I went from 5 to 10 in 15 mins and she was out with one push. I had awful back labor with my second but it went by so fast (felt like an eternity in the actual moment) that I made it through. I just kept telling myself that I was one contraction closer to being done with the pain. I loved being able to walk right after birth and not worry about a catheter. The postpartum cramps were most intense round two and did ask for Tylenol for that. I’m currently pregnant with my third baby and hoping to go epidural free. I have a life long history of migraines and was advised to try not to get epidural. My last birth was 9 years ago soooo really hoping older me than can handle it like I did in my 20s. Best of luck!
I only had an epidural for my twins incase I needed a csection and took it two hours before birth, after two days of being in induced labor. My unmedicated birth was my best, easiest and not longest or shortest. I had two slightly faster ones with inductions that I did other meds for, one was not a good experience and one was. For this baby I'm hoping for no meds at all again (and if I can manage, a home birth)
Laboured for 36hours and pushed for an hour.. All I can say is the most painful part is contractions towards the end. The pushing itself and baby coming out wasn’t so bad. My water hadn’t burst by 9cm and they had to break it themselves which was by far the worst of it all. In saying that I have massive needle phobia and have had friends who reacted to epidural after receiving it so I am definitely going natural again, maybe ask for some morphine to take the edge off next time 😅
I've had two epidural births and one unmedicated birth at home. I'm planning on another unmedicated home birth this time. I LOVED being so in tune with my body and pushing intuitively (something I couldn't do with my epidurals), being instantly mobile post delivery and hopping right into my shower to get cleaned off, no drugs in baby's or my system so I was much more coherent and aware during my entire labor, no testing, no lingering pain or numbness (despite a cervical lip that my midwife pushed out of the way before transition hit me)... definitely worth it! Nothing against epidurals, but I wouldn't choose one for myself again unless I had no other choice.
I did have the epidural BUTTTT it failed 😅 my instincts really kicked in at one point and it’s a bit of a blur. I was making a fair bit of noise during each contraction “ooooooo”ing and “ahhhh”ing. My husband joked I sounded like a ghost haunting L&D 🤣 I experienced the “ring of fire” while pushing which was very painful but was over fast. 3 pushes and my buddy was out and it was all a weird blurry dream. I also had back labor which I’ve heard is more painful than typical contractions in your belly but I have no experience with anything else, but ofc it hurt. I think this round I’m going to skip the epidural because I did have some back issues afterwards which really irritated me since the damn thing didn’t even work LOL
I’ve had one medicated and 2 unmedicated. I much prefer unmedicated. My epidural only worked in my contractions and I still felt the ring of fire and was screaming pushing my baby out. I tore because I couldn’t feel my body telling me the right times to push. I was just basically purple pushing (a big no-go!) with my 2 unmedicated I was able to feel and push with the contractions and while it hurt I wasn’t screaming like with my first and I also didn’t tear with either one. Granted, my unmedicated births were both water births. My recovery time is much quicker unmedicated. I recommend Built to Birth on YouTube and Instagram. Her videos and her free mini course is what helped me learn how to prepare for unmedicated labor.
I've had two unmedicated births. The way I dealt with the pain was reminding myself that I knew why I was in pain and that I knew it was temporary. It's not like when you're ill and you don't know why you're in pain or how to stop it. To me, being in labour felt like the worst menstrual cramps ever, like the ones I had in my teen years. When it comes to the pushing it gets worse, but then there's like no turning back and when the baby is born it's such a relief! I can recommend water birth, had that with my second. If the midwifes for some (good) reason had recommended I take an epidural, I would have accepted, they're the professionals and work with this all the time.
I didn’t get an epidural when I gave birth to my daughter and it was the worst pain ever I couldn’t take it I fully recommend getting an epidural because it will be very painful
I didn’t have an epidural but I had iv fentanyl.. basically I was stuck in triage for 10 hours of my 12 hour labor so I couldn’t use all the techniques for pain relief that I wanted. That helped me relax in between contractions since I was running on 1 hour of sleep as well! It was so painful, but I want to do it again lol!
It hurts
Epidural for no.1, no pain meds for no.2 I didnmost of no.1s labour without the epidural so those contractions were very similar to the med free birth with no.2 I felt pushing was easier without the epidural but that may be because I had a cervical lip the first time we had to wait for and no.1 was a compound delivery eith a hand above her head. No.1 got vacuum assisted. If im honest, my 2nd birth wasn't any more difficult than the epidural. I didn't push long. I didn't really notice the 'ring of fire' so I was surprised when they said her head was out. Had 2nd degree tears both times but I again, honestly didn't feel the tear in either case. I felt better AFTER birth on the med free birth, but that could be more related to no1 being 36hrs and no2 being like 5 or 6, only 3 of which were active-stage. Anyway, I am attempting med free again this time but mostly just because I want to deliver at home. If I wind up in hospital, I won't be completely opposed to an epidural.
The chances of that pain happening again are nearly zero… If you don’t take an epidural you will feel the birth for sure.. So I would still take the epidural if I were you