I had an unmedicated birth with my second. My first was an emergency c-section. I really wanted a VBAC. Back then (28 years ago), very few doctors would allow it. A nurse mid-wife was willing to do it, but the practice didn’t offer epidurals. I did it. But I had no desire to do it again. I had epidurals with my last three. I wouldn’t have a root canal without medication. Given the option, why would I give birth without medication? I loved the epidural births. I was awake and aware of everything, but I didn’t have pain.

I did. I had pitocin but not epidural with DC1. Getting the pitocin was not a good experience and I was pressured by an older physician who has since retired and just wanted to get on with it. Well, that’s what happened! I was given pitocin when I was admitted around 6am when I was maybe 3 cm, and gave birth at 9. No pain medication, it was massively painful and scary, partly because it went so quickly. I also had no idea what was happening in the room. I couldn’t really hear what people were saying to me. I didn’t see DH cut the cord. I felt very disconnected from him to some extent DC because of the pain.

DC2 was induced because I was over 40. I was in decided on an epidural, but once my contractions started to get pretty intense (which was 36 hours after starting the induction), I decided to go ahead and get it. I hated it. I completely lost feeling in my legs and couldn’t move them. I had breakthrough pain in one specific area but I couldn’t move or shift position to relieve it in any way. I vomited. But, I was able to have a conversation with the doctors who delivered. I was able to make eye contact with my husband and hold his hand. I was able to watch him cut the cord. I heard him when he told me the baby’s sex. All things I felt I missed with DC1. I think for that reason - the connection with DH - if I was going to do it again (I’m not!) I’d probably take the pain medication again.

My physical recovery was actually worse after the epidural, but no way to know if that was related. My emotional recovery was harder after DC1. I got totally lost in that pain and it took me some time to get over it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had epidurals for my first and third, and unmedicated for my second. The first was SO long that it wasn't that much better than the unmedicated one, which was relatively fast and painful AF.

The third was an elective induction and pretty easy. After pitocin doing nothing, I got an epidural, the midwife broke my water, and I delivered less than two hours later. Pushed for maybe 15 minutes? It was really great. With both epidurals, I could feel enough to shift positions somewhat, and when to push. I have a girlfriend who also did unmedicated and then had an epidural, and she loved it. I'm glad I had the experience of delivering unmedicated, and that would have been my choice with the third, but I had painful complications for the last six weeks of pregnancy, and I was kind of done with pain.

Be careful with saying childbirth with an epidural doesn't "look like childbirth"--there are many ways to birth children, epidural or no, C-section or no. The romanticizing of unmedicated childbirth has really got to stop.

Thanks. Sounds like a vote "for".

By look like birth i just meant look like MY births, whatsoever.

It's definitely a vote for if you're feeling nervous about doing unmedicated again. You've done it twice, you feel nervous, why not give yourself the gift of feeling more relaxed? I also agree with another PP who said that the epidural makes for more effective pushing because she wasn't "frantic" with pain--I felt exactly the same way. Like, oh, this can be easy and calm? Sweet. (Discounting my first again because I'd been laboring so long--that sucks in a different way than the pain of unmedicated.)

I think I'm also afraid of the epidural. I would like the gift of more relaxed! I just hear stories about epidurals gone wrong, causing various side effects and so forth. I don't want to introduce something that isn't calm at all when at least I know I can do this the way I have before, I have some confidence.

I've also had two unmedicated births, but both were relatively painless and easy. It sounds like yours were painful and difficult. In your situation, I wouldn't hesitate to get an epidural for the third. Why put yourself through that again?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had epidurals for my first and third, and unmedicated for my second. The first was SO long that it wasn't that much better than the unmedicated one, which was relatively fast and painful AF.

The third was an elective induction and pretty easy. After pitocin doing nothing, I got an epidural, the midwife broke my water, and I delivered less than two hours later. Pushed for maybe 15 minutes? It was really great. With both epidurals, I could feel enough to shift positions somewhat, and when to push. I have a girlfriend who also did unmedicated and then had an epidural, and she loved it. I'm glad I had the experience of delivering unmedicated, and that would have been my choice with the third, but I had painful complications for the last six weeks of pregnancy, and I was kind of done with pain.

Be careful with saying childbirth with an epidural doesn't "look like childbirth"--there are many ways to birth children, epidural or no, C-section or no. The romanticizing of unmedicated childbirth has really got to stop.

Thanks. Sounds like a vote "for".

By look like birth i just meant look like MY births, whatsoever.

It's definitely a vote for if you're feeling nervous about doing unmedicated again. You've done it twice, you feel nervous, why not give yourself the gift of feeling more relaxed? I also agree with another PP who said that the epidural makes for more effective pushing because she wasn't "frantic" with pain--I felt exactly the same way. Like, oh, this can be easy and calm? Sweet. (Discounting my first again because I'd been laboring so long--that sucks in a different way than the pain of unmedicated.)

I did. First birth was unmedicated—contractions didn’t seem that bad until I was 8 or so centimeters and it was basically too late. It was very intense and I ended up with an unusual tear and serious complications.

Second birth was a planned induction and so much easier. I got the epidural at around 3 cm dilated, then had some very intense contractions that I could feel but were bearable with the epidural, then had the baby like 90 minutes later in five minutes and two pushes. Everything was very calm and I felt much more in control. I could still feel the baby and felt like my pushes were more effective because I wasn’t as frantic from pain. I was stuck in bed, but I didn’t mind because everything progressed so much more quickly. No complications and easy recovery.

I don’t know how much of the difference between my birth experiences was because subsequent deliveries are easier, and how much was because of the epidural. If I have another kid, I am definitely going to ask for an epidural.

Anonymous wrote:I had epidurals for my first and third, and unmedicated for my second. The first was SO long that it wasn't that much better than the unmedicated one, which was relatively fast and painful AF.

The third was an elective induction and pretty easy. After pitocin doing nothing, I got an epidural, the midwife broke my water, and I delivered less than two hours later. Pushed for maybe 15 minutes? It was really great. With both epidurals, I could feel enough to shift positions somewhat, and when to push. I have a girlfriend who also did unmedicated and then had an epidural, and she loved it. I'm glad I had the experience of delivering unmedicated, and that would have been my choice with the third, but I had painful complications for the last six weeks of pregnancy, and I was kind of done with pain.

Be careful with saying childbirth with an epidural doesn't "look like childbirth"--there are many ways to birth children, epidural or no, C-section or no. The romanticizing of unmedicated childbirth has really got to stop.

Thanks. Sounds like a vote "for".

By look like birth i just meant look like MY births, whatsoever.

Anonymous wrote:Will this be your second kid?

Third...

Anonymous wrote:Stick with “unmedicated” over “natural.”

Sorry just using the shorthand.

I did this. First child unmedicated, second epidural.

My first child I went into labor on my own. The second I needed to be induced at just past 41 weeks. So that was a difference for me. The first go around, I labored a long time at home and I just kept thinking - this isn't that bad, this isn't that bad, this isn't that bad. And by the time I got to the hospital I was nearly fully dilated and it was pretty much too late to get the epidural. They offered but at that point, I just declined.

Second one, things weren't progressing super fast with the pitocin. I got the epidural and then things moved quickly. The contractions definitely felt different than my first labor without pitocin and I wasn't in the comfort of my own home, etc. So I got the epidural. It was a much more pleasant experience with the epidural.

My general attitude both times was not to go in with a set plan but to see what happened and make the choices in the moment based on how I was feeling and what the doctors advised. I was also with GW and trusted them. But I didn't go in either time saying NO NEVER to any particular thing. I was knowledgeable about all the different kinds of interventions and the pros/cons but had a pretty open mind. My only hard and fast goal was to end up with a healthy baby.

I'm in a similar position and I think I'm going to go in planning for unmedicated again just because last time I could not lie down especially on my back (yes I know the epidural would theoretically fix that but I'd have to lie down FIRST). But we'll see. This pregnancy has also been a lot harder on my body so I may need more help with pain management -- but also maybe it'll be shorter because second baby? Basically, it's all unknown and I'm waiting to see what I feel like once I'm in labor. Good luck, OP!

I had epidurals for my first and third, and unmedicated for my second. The first was SO long that it wasn't that much better than the unmedicated one, which was relatively fast and painful AF.

The third was an elective induction and pretty easy. After pitocin doing nothing, I got an epidural, the midwife broke my water, and I delivered less than two hours later. Pushed for maybe 15 minutes? It was really great. With both epidurals, I could feel enough to shift positions somewhat, and when to push. I have a girlfriend who also did unmedicated and then had an epidural, and she loved it. I'm glad I had the experience of delivering unmedicated, and that would have been my choice with the third, but I had painful complications for the last six weeks of pregnancy, and I was kind of done with pain.

Be careful with saying childbirth with an epidural doesn't "look like childbirth"--there are many ways to birth children, epidural or no, C-section or no. The romanticizing of unmedicated childbirth has really got to stop.

Will this be your second kid?

Stick with “unmedicated” over “natural.”

I am collecting input since I've done only unmedicated. I'm wondering if I should hit the easy button this time (that's a joke).

I can't say I loved the births and I am nervous to go through it again. I would love to do a water birth but they don't allow those in the hospital and a room with a tub isn't guaranteed at all (I am at GW).

Some type of comparison for those who've done both, ideally those who did natural first and later tried medicated, would be helpful. I know every story is different but it's really hard to decide. I am currently leaning toward just doing what I know and what worked before, but I watched 2 birth videos and I can see how completely painless the epidural one was (did not even look like childbirth) - but also how doctor-led (now push!). That's all weird to me but I just want the baby in the end so....