If you wanted an unmedicated vaginal birth, did you have one?
In my opinion there is such a pressure to have an unmedicated vaginal birth and all social media and midwives are telling you ”your body was made for this” ”try Hypnobirthing” ”just breathe baby out and it’ll be fine” when in reality birth is just not like that. I have so many friends who wanted this ideal pain free dream vaginal birth but all ended up with emergency c sections and felt like they failed/were upset when it went the way it did.
I’ve had two unmedicated vaginal births. First one was extremely traumatic and made me want an elective c section the second time but classic nhs gave me a date that was late and my baby arrived before then so ended up having another unmedicated vaginal birth. Despite the second birth being a textbook ”good” birth I still found it unbelievably painful and in no way empowering and all these other words flying around social media and what my doula used.
Is there too much pressure on women to have this magical unmedicated vaginal birth? And therefore so many mums feel upset when it doesn’t happen? Let’s not forget that c sections are now the most common births in the UK.
This is basically a rant and I’m just interested to hear people’s opinions. No right or wrong all women are amazing however they birthed their babies!
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I had one, firmly believe in it, etc. But my birth was not at all the quiet hypno water birth bliss on social media 😂Definitely screaming bloody murder on all fours on the bed and traumatizing my poor husband lol.
I will only ever do unmedicated vaginal births (except for a true emergency cesarean of course). Even though it’s a horrible experience for me, I deeply believe it’s the safest kind of birth for me and my baby. Their safety is more important than my comfort 🤷♀️
Also I have many thoughts on the philosophy of pain and motherhood. I think the discomfort of pregnancy (and waiting for spontaneous labor) prepares you mentally for the intensity of birth. And then the pain of birth prepares you for the immense sacrifice of continuing to sustain life with your body postpartum, and motherhood in general. I’d be a very different mom if I had been medicated during labor.
I wanted one and had one. I have endometriosis and compared to my period, it wasn’t that bad. That being said, I think everyone keeps giving too many unsolicited opinions about births. I heard “you’ll be screaming for a c-section” so often. Like, thanks, mind your own da** business.
I wanted one and had an induction with no pain relief for my first (which hold god was intense) and my second was totally unmedicated and much easier lol I loved Hypnobirthing but I do feel like there’s so much push to have the perfect birth that when you don’t you feel defeated. One of my friends just had a vbac and ended up getting an epidural when she was getting tired and was so down on herself. I’m like girl you did it though!
I just had gas and air as I had to have a drip to get my labour going. I don't remember it being painful apart from when the doctor stuck her hand up to rotate baby into the correct position, that was fun 🤣
I wanted one, but had to be induced and my cervix was not dilating. I spent nearly 24 hrs contracting on a hard cervix before getting the epidural - I had also been awake for 48 hrs because my induction kept getting pushed back and I wasn't allowed to come in until 11 pm, didn't get meds to start until after 3 am. At which point I promptly passed out for 3 hrs dilated 8 cm and had a baby an hour after waking up. My body was under too much stress to do what it needed to to bring my baby into the world.
I was so set on no pain meds, but after dealing with induction I'm very pro epidural - at least for me. Anyone else can do what they want as long as they aren't shaming other people with their choices.
Yes with my son, my first birth. All natural and Best decision ever. I planned a water birth with my daughter, 2nd birth, I was in active labor for 30 hrs then begged for an epidural so I could rest- contractions were so intense and painful I lost all my energy after moving around and not really resting. So even though I’ve read an epidural can have negative effects on the baby I couldn’t push or even rest so epidural saved me so I could push her out about 5 hrs later.
I wanted one but ended up with a c-section and I believe that it’s the only way both me and my baby came out of it alive. I think it’s so dangerous and sad the pressure we put on ourselves for unmedicated vaginal birth at all costs.
Had a completely unmedicated birth with my first (not my choice) and a completely medicated birth with my second (my choice).
I can see both arguments, and if my first birth wasn’t as traumatic as it was I probably wouldn’t have had as much medical intervention as I did. Bottom line in my opinion is do whatever YOU as most comfortable with!
I wanted one and ended up in a c section, I was pretty much unmedicated until then. I personally have a very good pain tolerance and I could manage really well without intervention. However my waters broke, and I wasn’t dilating quick enough, 3 days later and the risk of baba pooping and aspirating was growing so ended up c section x
Unmedicated at home on the bed with the help of the fire department 😆 definitely traumatic and soooo lucky she was out in 15 minutes. Only child so I can't compare it to a medicated one
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