What method of giving birth did you use?

[gatoamiga]

I want to echo lilysong and recommend looking into hiring a doula for your birth. I had this recommended to me by one of my best friends, but my husband was skeptical at first. It was an extra cost that we didn't know was necessary because we were already preparing for a natural birth by taking a Bradley Method class. We learned so much through our class, but we both agreed that it would really help having someone else be with us throughout the birth process because so often what you learn goes out the window when you are under stress (or in labor! . Our class instructor happened to also be a doula so we hired her and it was wonderful. My labor was very short - started at 1 am and our baby girl was born at 7 am - and it was so reassuring to be able to call our doula in the middle of the night. Our labor wasn't typical for a first birth, but she was able to affirm us over the phone and then join us at our apartment for the remaining of our labor until she determined it was time for us to leave for the hospital. When we arrived at the hospital, my water broke and I was at 10 cm, ready to push. Our baby was born about an hour later. Our doula was there the whole time, supporting us through pushing, taking pictures (of what we wanted!), and providing post-birth support. We didn't know any of the hospital nurses, the on-call doctor I had never met, and we had recently moved across the country and didn't have any family nearby. Having a doula that we knew and trusted was completely invaluable and we plan to hire her for all our future births. I highly recommend looking into hiring a doula!

We thought about going the midwife/birth center route but we were nervous about this because it was our first birth. In retrospect, I am so glad we went the route we did for this birth because my daughter was born with her hand up causing a serious tear. I needed to be stitched up in the OR soon after her birth. I'm relieved that I was there at the hospital for that so that I didn't need to transition my care from a birth center or home. That said, after the birth I did get chastised a bit about coming to the hospital so late in my labor and was told by an anesthesiologist to come early next time and approach birth "the right way", which I assume he meant with an epidural and monitoring. Next time I will be a little nervous about making it to the hospital in time because my first labor was so short, but I don't know if I'm ready for a home water birth yet. My doula said I'm a "perfect candidate" for such a birth, but I'm not convinced yet!

About having a natural birth......you can totally do it, but you need to prepare. Take a class and have a coach (husband/partner) at least and if possible, a doula. I recommend the Bradley Method and friends have had good experiences with Hypnobabies and other methods. You are stronger than you ever thought possible. I became a different person when labor began. It's amazing how your body takes over because it knows what to do. It was very empowering!

[lyricmom]

I say don't decide how you will manage pain until you actually feel it...but make sure that all of the options you want are available to you. I did a hospital birth with an epidural...no tubs in my hospital so I have no idea how much it helps.

I agree with this completely. With my first, I wanted an unmedicated hospital birth, but my water broke a month early and I ended up being induced. I have no idea what natural contractions feel like, but I found that I could not handle induced contractions without an epidural.

Whatever you do, keep an open mind and be adaptable should complications arise.

[abcdemily7]

This is so funny! Because I too haven't had children yet and I also wish to do a water birth as well, of course if everything in my pregnancy is going smoothly

[poptart8]

4 natural hospital births. All about 4-5 hours long. Between 5-15min of pushing. I've heard it is quicker if you don't get an epidural and also I am afraid of needles so there was no amount of pain that would make me want one. This is the way I will do my next birth as well (if there is a next).