Anonymous wrote:Recent Sibley experience here.

I had wanted a non-medicated birth but when the time came, I can't imagine wanting to walk around at that time. I felt so overwhelmed that I was just trying to get through the contractions while laying in bed. I chose to stay in the bed the whole time, got a pain medication through the IV and then an epidural. So it wasn't my ideal birth accoring to my "plan" in advance, but looking back, it was an ideal birth and I wouldn t have changed anything.

Also, the C section rate at Sibley might be higher than at other hospitals because more women in NW DC elect to have a C scheduled in advance, to fit their and their husbands schedules.

This is such utter BS. If the c-section rate in DC is higher it's because there might be more older mothers than the national average, and AMA sometimes meant a greater chance of a C-section. Let me guess, you watched the business of being born? Doctors won't perform an unnecessary c-section because of "scheduling" issues.

7-hour first-time labor, totally unmedicated. I hate pain and am normally an advil popper, but my pain was manageable with warm baths and movement. The trick is to get your labor progressing on your own at home. Once it is going like a freight train you head to the hospital (maybe a bit sooner if you live far from the hospital). Have a reliable doula or someone who is quick thinking on hand to whisk you there.

Keep an open mind that something could happen to change your plan. You may end up needing a medical induction or something. If you have to be in the hospital at the start of labor, the best you can do is try to relax. Don't suffer through excruciating pain. If you are in agony then you need the meds!

Good luck!!

I would NEVER go to a hospital that openly values a baby's life over a woman's life. They will not save you if it means risking your child.

You need to discuss it with your OB, and be comfortable with their answer, and if you aren’t comfortable you need a new OB. You also need to be on the same page with your support people about what you want *and* (my mistake here...) if you are in a large practice just because one doctor is supportive of lower interventions doesn’t mean the person catching the baby is on the same wavelength. My experience was ultimately positive but it took way more self-advocating than it should have.

Recent Sibley experience here.

I had wanted a non-medicated birth but when the time came, I can't imagine wanting to walk around at that time. I felt so overwhelmed that I was just trying to get through the contractions while laying in bed. I chose to stay in the bed the whole time, got a pain medication through the IV and then an epidural. So it wasn't my ideal birth accoring to my "plan" in advance, but looking back, it was an ideal birth and I wouldn t have changed anything.

Also, the C section rate at Sibley might be higher than at other hospitals because more women in NW DC elect to have a C scheduled in advance, to fit their and their husbands schedules.