Seeking Positive Natural Birth Stories from 2Nd+ Pregnancies

I did not have to be induced with my first and had to have pitocin with my second. I was very nervous about having my second, but my second labor was faster and easier than my first. I didn't use pain meds for either one. I think in general it's much easier the second time around! Congratulations!

Hi! I've had three babies in the comfort of my own home, with an incredible midwife and no pain meds. I took a hypnobirthing class with 1 & 2 with fabulous results on #1, but not so good with #2. I took a home study hypno-babies class for #3, and it was another great birth. Having done both programs, I prefer hypnobabies. The home study class was great! Good luck!

Congratulations!!

I also have a two year old daughter, and I gave birth to a son two weeks ago. I had the most incredible birth experience, exactly what I had wanted. I'd love for you to read it (it's a bit long) on my blog at http://joyousjensens.blogspot.com

You'll have to scroll down a bit, I think it's the third post down right now, entitled "James' Birth".

Good luck!! You can do this! Postive birth stories really helped me prepare for my own, and I hope this will inspire you.

I think you're asking for experiences from women with more than one birth. I've had one but I had some comments I thought are helpful. With my one birth, I had a homebirth. Labor started in the morning when I woke up. Contractions were 5 mins apart, and labor was pretty mild for 6-7 hours. I just felt like I had to walk through each contraction and that was just fine. We had a pretty normal day through the early labor. For the next 3-4 hours I started needing to really concentrate on relaxing for each contraction. I spent this time in the bathtub. The water helped me relax between contractions. For the last 2 hours of first stage, I called the midwife over. This was the really intense part because it didn't feel like my uterus entirely relaxed between contractions. I pushed for an hour in a pretty timid way (I was afraid of tearing), but I ended up not tearing. So labor started at 8 am and ended just after 9 pm - I had 6-7 hours of active labor. With your first birth you had intense contractions for several hours, but with a labor that starts on its own, you should only have really intense contractions for 30 mins - 2 hours.

For me, understanding the hormonal process of birth really helps. You can read Dr. Buckley's article about that here: http://www.sarahjbuckley.com/articles/ecstatic-birth.htm. In her book Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering, she also adds that Pitocin labors don't have an increase in beta-endorphin, which is the pain-relieving hormone. You say that you remember the pain, but for me, the pain of labor is only a vague memory because of the amnesiac effect of endorphins.

If you want more stories of natural birth, you can download this e-book for free called Journey into Motherhood: Inspirational Stories of Natural Birth. (http://www.birthingbusiness.com/Book/giveaway.html)

Good luck!

I have had 6 different births, each child was a different story. My first was a c-section, but I have gone on to have 5 VBACs since. My second was a VBAC with an epidural and I didn't like it. I didn't like the fact that I couldn't feel when it was time to push and when the doc said push harder I didn't know if I was or not. With my third I, for some reason wanted the epidural, but wasn't able to get it because there was an emergency at the hospital at the time of my labor---by the time the got to me I was at a 10 and there was nothing that they could do and I finished the birth. Afterwards I had more energy and was up and walking and really felt good whereas before it was still a week after I got home before I felt good. My 4th was so fast that I don't think that if I wanted to I could have had anything---1 1/2 hrs after getting to the hospital she was born. My 5th and 6th I decided to labor more at home and go in later and as such they were both born after about an hr in the hospital and each were epidural free. I would suggest that if you can and feel comfortable labor as much as you can at home. Then you can get up and move around and do things as you want instead of being tied to the bed and the monitor. I felt much better being able to move around and walk around my house laboring. I also was more relaxed about the process too. AND without the drugs you are listening more to your body than anything and then you are able to tell the doc what you feel and want to do rather than being told that it is time to push. Good luck and know that you CAN do it and if you focus on the outcome--a healthy baby, then you will make it happen.
J.--SAHM of 6

I had my 1st two with epidurals and my 3rd drug-free. My labor and delivery were pretty intense with the 3rd, but this was the big thing for me that made it worth it. After my 1st two, the recovery was harder. I felt like I had been hit by a Mack truck. The babies were each a bit lethargic compared to my 3rd. I didn't realize these things were related to the medication when it was happening, just thought it was part of recovering from the birth process. But when I had my 3rd, I was up and walking around right away. Still sore, but I had my energy! When I wanted to take a shower, instead of calling the nurses to come get the baby as I had on the first 2, I got up and wheeled her down to the nursery myself because I wanted to be up and around. My 3rd baby was so much more alert and ready to nurse, etc. She was my only one that did not get jaundiced, although that was not necessarily from drugs vs. natural. I don't know if there was a connection or not, but it could have been because she nursed so much better right away. I will say, when it was all said and done, they were all 3 fine and healthy. But there were definitely some advantages to going natural. Good luck, and I hope everything goes well for you!

Hi J.,
I am in my 2nd trimester of my 1st pregnancy and would LOVE to see some of the stories that get sent to you. I think it will be very good for me to hear the positive stories and ignore the disturbing ones. If you can, please share with me. Thanks so much! L.

Hi J.,
I'm sure everyone is saying this, but the 2nd will almost undoubtedly go smoother. I had the exact same experience: first labor moved FAST with the Pitocin and by the time I started talking about any sort of pain relief it was WAY too late, so I delivered number 1 with a couple of aspirin. Apparently I was in labor all day with number two, but I was too busy being at the playground, out to dinner, etc to really pay much attention. So by the time I said 'yes this is definitely labor', the whole thing was over a couple of hours later. Of course it hurts, but the 2nd time I was much more aware of what I was feeling and I was able to tell my husband the information that I wanted about the progress of the baby's head emerging. Then you know you're almost there, and the more you concentrate and do what the doctor/midwife is telling you to do, the sooner you'll be celebrating. Good luck.

I had my second child without pain meds (although not by choice, it just happened too fast). One thing I do recall is that the contractions weren't nearly as intense during my second labor (and I didn't have pitocin either time). I think because I'd already been through it once, I was better equipped to deal with the pain and I only had to push a few times. Total labor and delivery was just under 5 hrs and only the last hour was really painful. The recovery was also very easy and relatively pain free, even though I did tear and had to have some stitches. I felt great just hours later. Doctors say second babies are often fast and easy, and that was the case for me and I hope that's the case for you.

Good luck and best wishes!

Congratulations on making it through your first birth. I too had a pretty fierce induction with pitocin with my first and made it through without any drugs -- thanks in large part to my coach (my mom). You don't mention what you have as coping methods for the intensity of contractions. I used the hypnobirthing method and I strongly recommend it. But whatever you use -- a natural birth is SOOOOO much easier. My second was born just over a year ago. I stayed at home until contractions were 5 mins apart -- not painful at all just intense and distracting. By the time we got the the hospital they were 4 mins apart, but my hypnobirthing was working so well that since the hospital was busy they put me in the admitting area while my assigned nurse was busy with an emergency on her current patient. By the time they came in to see me I was dialated to a 9 and they rushed me into a room. They barely finished all the admitting questions by the time I said, I've gotta push. They called for the doctor, but the nurse is the one who caught my daughter. In all, it was easy. I had a 4th stage tear with my first, only 1 stitch with my second. Put your mind at ease -- while there are still things that "could" happen, you've proven to yourself and your body that you can do this. Don't get tense, relax. It will be great. I wish you the best for this delivery too!

Hi J.-- First, congratulations! I only have one child, but was able to avoid the threatened pitocin with him by sucking my thumb! My water broke at 37 weeks at 1pm. By 4pm I was only 1cm, and only 3cm at 7pm. They told me they would give me pitocin if there was not enough progress when the doc came back to check on me at 10pm. I remembered reading that nipple stimulation and thumb sucking were natural stimulators of oxytocin production, which induce contractions. I started sucking my thumb as soon as the medical professionals left the room (I'm sure I looked ridiculous) and gave birth at 10:04 pm! The doctor missed the whole thing! I know every pregnancy is different, and I commend you for your commitment to a natural birth. That said, please try to remember that whatever happens, it is only one day (hopefully) of a beautiful new life. If they do have to intervene, you have 18 years to make good, healthy choices for this child. Also, any portion of natural labor is better than none at all. Good luck. I don't doubt that you'll do great. You've already proven that you're tough. It sounds like you're doing everything you can do to make it a positive experience.

Oh! I'm so excited for you! I am a doula, and am in the process of becoming Dona certified, so this is SO exciting. You can do it! Your body knows what it is doing and it sounds like you have a good husband and a good doula as your coach. And hon, if you went natural with PITOCEN, you will feel SO good about this birth. Yeah, it's still hard and it's still a lot of work, but you'll love going natural. I have a lot of positive stories! One mom had a VBAC and ended up having an 11 lb baby. It was a lot of work, but she had in her mind that she could do it, and she did. She loved it and she looks back on it with happy thoughts. The next two moms had babies that were posterior and they delivered on their hands and knees. And this last mom labored twice in the tub, on the birthing ball and had a 9 hr labor....with her very first baby. It was great! It can happen and it's exciting! Good luck to you!

I want to invite you to check out my website that has a few wonderful birth stories! I am a doula in the Boulder area and am not trying to sell my services (although I would love to talk you more if you want to!), I would highly recommend that you hire a doula! You can check out websites like www.doulamatch.com to find more listings of doulas, too!

You're on the right track! I had two natural homebirths and I have to say that the second was much easier. I don't ever want to say that childbirth is easy but the second time around was almost "easy!" I was up walking around until the last hour and then I soaked in the tub. I had only three contractions that almost put me over the top and then there appeared my little baby. It was a great experience overall and it sounds like you're going to do great! All the best to you.

J., Congrats and good for you for wanting to do another natural! I have had four natural and each one is better then the last. I have never had an IV, epidural or episiotomy and it makes such a difference in the way you feel after and your recovery. Because you won't be having pit, labor will be soooo much nicer on your body! I hope you have a midwife or a very supportive doc. Also it is very helpful to have a birthplan of what you would and would not like during labor. And wait to go to the hospital until you are really ready. I would suggest looking in to a hypnobirthing class if you can find one. The anxiety that you have from your first can be eliminated with some of the exercises and there are some really great breathing techniques that none of the others cover. Hypno birthing is a way to self-hypnotize. It is way to condition yourself to relax during childbirth and helps prepare you for it. I love it! If you would like more info feel free to send me a message. Birthing is empowering!
Good luck
E.

Hi J. - I was about to write that the second went smoother than the first but I have to laugh because there is nothing smooth about childbirth! I totally remember how anxious I felt before delivering my second so what you are feeling is completely normal.

I encourage you to focus on what you already know and have learned to guide you through this delivery. Accept the experience for what it is and not what you want it to be. Take it one step and one breath at a time and focus on that beautiful little girl you'll get to hold when it's over.

blessings to you and your family!

Kudo's I personally couldn't do it but my sisters did. One has had 3 natural now. the other did her last #3 natural and says it was her best birth experience ever. My sisters used hypnotherapy to help them with the pain stuff. one took classes that prepped her. She lent me a CD that is color therapy, I loved it. I wish I knew what it was called but your doula might know. It talks you through different colors and focusing on them and floating through the colors--I was in labor for 2 months in and out of the hospital trying to keep my baby from coming too early and that CD helped me out so much, I wanted to do natural but after the battle with my body for so long I was too exhausted physically and mentally to do it.
Good luck!

Hi J.. First of all, congratulations on your 2nd pregnancy! You've already received some wonderful comments from other moms, but I always feel compelled to tell my birth stories when asked about them. I have three boys (6,4 & 7 mos.) and each birth was so different, but all had wonderful outcomes!!
My first was with an epidural - I was so afraid of the pain and asked for relief when I was 5 cm dilated. Before that, I had used the birthing ball to get through some contractions. It seemed to help and I wish I could've used it more. But, of course, I had to be in bed after getting the epidural. I had a hard time pushing because I couldn't feel a thing!! The doctors were threatening me with a c-section if I didn't get him out within a half hour (I ended up pushing for a little over an hour). Afterwards, I had some complications - I don't think they were necessarily related to the epidural, but I didn't like not having more control over things.
My second labor progressed much quicker. My water had not broken, but I was having contractions so I went in to my doctor's office to get checked. I was 5 cm when I got there and walked across the street to the hospital to get checked in at 10 am, I asked for an epidural an hour later, but the doc was in surgery and couldn't get to me. The pain was intense and I was scared because I hadn't experienced really active labor before. I didn't really have time to try anything (birthing ball, jacuzzi tub, walking, etc.) to help me through my contractions. My OB had to be called in and when she arrived, she checked me and said that all she needed to do was break my water bag and I'd be having a baby. I begged her for the epidural, and she said, "I had two babies with epidurals, but you can do this without one". That wasn't very encouraging, but I had no choice!! I pushed three times, and he was out at 12:09! Afterwards, I felt GREAT - and it was so nice to be able to move around!
With the third pregnancy, I chose to deliver naturally. It was nice to have the choice this time! I became a little obsessed with reading and watching everything that had to do with natural births. I read a book on the Bradley Method (it had some wonderful suggestions on relaxation and breathing exercises and also emphasized how important it is to have a great coach (ie. husband) and what their role should be, which is way more active). I also watched the documentary, The Business of Being Born. It was very interesting to see how western medicine has kind of skewed the birthing process and has made it more technical than need be, especially when it comes to c-sections and sometimes unnecessary interventions. I highly recommend watching it - it's very encouraging with how it portrays women and giving birth!!
I was lucky to have a very understanding group of doctors and a great hospital that was all for trying to naturally give birth. I had said that I didn't want any intervention and even told them I didn't want in IV (their policy was to at least have a line ready, so I had to have the needle put in, but they didn't hook me up to anything). I tried to labor at home as much as possible - and even went out to breakfast and to do a little shopping before we headed to the hospital! We got to the hospital when my contractions were a little over 4 minutes apart. It felt like it took forever to get checked in and into a room. I had to lie down so they could monitor me for a little while (which is never fun!), but I told them I wanted to get in the tub ASAP. I was doing fine breathing through the contractions at that point. The nurse checked me at around 1:15 pm and I was already 7 cm dilated. They started getting the tub ready for me and I got undressed and only spent about 10 minutes in there before the contractions got REALLY strong and I couldn't get comfortable. I told my husband I needed to get out and get back to the bed to try a different position. I was having contractions on top of each other and feeling a lot of pressure. I got back into bed the same time my doctor came into the room, at which point I told her I needed to push. She checked me and said, "go ahead and push" and within a couple of pushes, my baby was born at 2:02pm! I would have to say that there was only about a half hour of PAIN that was horrible, but I knew it would be over soon. I was a little more vocal this time(and even cussed once during pushing)! :) It was wonderful though, and I would do it again in a heartbeat!!
This is what our bodies were made to do! And with support and positive thinking, I believe that anyone can do it! With that said, I know there can be complications or someone who just chooses not to go that route. So, no matter what happens, a mom can't be a failure (or a wimp) for delivering a miracle into this world which ever way it happens!!!
Good luck and best wishes to you!!

J.,

Congrats! We are due right around the same time, and we're also having another girl (our third). :) First, let me say good for you for sticking to your guns and knowing what you want for your birth. You can absolutely do this! If you avoid pitocin, your second birth will be *much* less painful than your first. Natural contractions have a rhythm that you can get into and ride with, unlike pitocin-induced contractions, which is why pitocin increases the chances of baby going into distress. Normal contractions increase slowly, peak, die down, then give you a rest before the next one starts to build. At the same time, contractions are peaking then resting for baby, allowing him/her to get sufficient oxygen in between contractions. Anyway... birth stories. First of all, there are some wonderful birth story books out there. One of my favorites is called "Adventures in Natural Chilbirth" edited by Janet Schwegel. It has a huge range of birth stories, including hospital and home births. There are also some wonderful stories posted on the web. Try googling "natural births." If you search "home births" you will also get some wonderful natural birth stories.

Both of my girls were born at home, and they were the most wonderful, empowering experiences of my life! I am nervous about the pain of my upcoming labor, but more than that, I am so excited that I get to do this again. My first was born on Christmas Day. I woke in labor at 4am and paced the house like a caged tiger. Around 5 or 5:30, I woke my husband and told him that Santa wasn't the only person coming today! We called our midwife, who said that we still had a long way to go. She said to call her when my contractions got longer and more regular. Unfortunately for me, my contractions were going to get longer and harder, but never more regular. I continued pacing the house, doing laps down the hall, around the living room and dining room, and back around the hallway. When things got really intense, my hubby ran me bath in our huge bathtub. I *HATED* it! (I later realized that I was in transition at that time.) I couldn't get comfortable, and after three contractions, I got out and flopped on my face on the bed. Suddenly, my body started pushing! It was the most intense sensation I have ever felt in my entire life or since then. It felt like every part of my body from my hair to my toes was straining to push this baby down. My husband called the midwife and told her I was pushing, and she started right over. About a half hour later, she got there and told me I could go ahead and push. It was the most wonderful relief to work with my body. Pushing felt so good. So good! After 40 minutes, she was out!! It was amazing and surreal and beautiful. My little girl was there in my arms, and I felt so good. I felt like I could literally run straight up the side of a mountain. I remember looking at my husband and saying "I'm ready to do *that* again!" The midwives weighed and measured her right there on the bed next to me. They ran a bath with healing herbs in it for me and my daughter. While we soaked together, they cleaned everything up. They tucked us into bed, got me something to eat and drink, did all the paperwork, then left our new family to get to know each other and get some sleep. It was beautiful.

My second daughter was also born at home. I was four days past my expected due date. I had been having "prelabor" contractions for 2-3 weeks, so I was understandably ready to have this baby. On Tuesday morning, my water was leaking a little bit, and I started having irregular contractions. I was elated - I figured I'd have my baby by noon. No such luck! Every time I would stop moving, the contractions would die down. I called the midwife and she told me to get some rest. She said (very rightly, too) that when real labor was ready to start, it would start without any help. In the meantime, she said, I shouldn't tire myself out or I would be exhausted when it was time. Unfortunately, I ignored her. I was wild to get labor going, so I spent the entire day walking around. My husband left work early around lunch time. I remember walking around the block - it took me about 30 minutes to do a couple laps because the contractions were so intense, every 3 minutes. However, as soon as I got home and sat on the couch, they died down. I was so irritated! We puttered around the house, got my first in bed, and hung out for a little. I finally decided "Screw this! I'm going to bed." I decided to take a long hot bath to relax my sore back, then get to sleep. I was exhausted. Of course, within minutes of getting into the tub, my real labor started! I remember thinking "Oh No! Not now!" But of course, we don't get to decided the time. This time, I knew how to stabilize myself in the tub, because I had practiced while pregnant. We called the midwife (who came QUICKLY this time!). Everything was incredibly peaceful. The candles were lit. The midwives stayed away and let my husband and I labor together in the bathroom. I remember him getting a fan and pointing it at me. It felt so good to have the hot water soothing my contracting belly while the cool air blew on my hot face. Labor was so much easier while I was in the water. I knelt in the tub with my arms folded on the edge. When a contraction would start, I dropped my head into my arms and breathed through it, staying totally focused. Afterwards, I could look up and rejoin the world. Right around transition time, it started to get too intense for me. I called for my midwife, because I needed another woman with me. She sat right by the tub and held my hand. During contractions, I would lock eyes with her, and she would breathe deeply and slowly with me, helping me keep it together. At one point, I remember whimpering that "I can't do this anymore." Strangely, there was a part of my mind, completely disconnected from my birthing self, that noted "Oh, that's a signpost of transition. I must be almost ready to push!" Sure enough, I was ready to push in just a little while. I leaned back against my husband and started to push. This time the urge to push wasn't intense like my first labor. It was more work and not as much fun as I remembered. My midwife urged me to put my fingers up into the birth canal and feel the baby's head. It helped a lot with the pushing to feel her head making progress down the birth canal. Not only was it encouraging, it also helped me concentrate on *where* to direct my pushing energy. The baby (we didn't know the sex, but I was convinced it was a boy) finally crowned. The cord was wrapped around baby's neck, so the midwife calmly went to unwind it. Unfortunately, the rest of the baby's body shot out of me at that point, so she didn't get a chance to unwind the cord. The baby did a funny little sommersault, unwrapping the cord and coming up out of the water at the same time. It was amazing. I was so much more tired than with my first birth, but I felt just as strong, just as powerful as the first time. I lifted the baby up out of the water and said "You're not a boy!!" Within moments, she was snuggled up on my chest. After a few minutes, we got out of the tub and moved to our bed, where I delivered the placenta. Again, the midwives prepared a soothing herbal bath and cleaned everything up while I loved on my baby. Two hours after her birth, we were again all tucked into bed and ready for a nap.

I call both my births runaway freight trains. They were fast and intense and very painful at times. There were moments that were so amazingly peaceful, when I felt like I was riding the waves of my contractions and I felt connected to every mother who had ever labored before me. There were moments that were painful and scary, when I thought that I couldn't do it, that I would split apart. But I did do it, and so can you! In the end, I am a different woman because I chose to experience my births fully. I am so happy with the birth choices I made. I am so glad that I got to experience every moment of my daughter's births. I know I will never be the same.

I would encourage you to take as much time as you can to labor at home. Doulas are often willing to stay with you while you labor at home, encouraging and helping you, and also telling you when to go to the hospital. Do everything you can to avoid an induction. Nine times out of ten they are not necessary. Babies will come in their own time. Pictocin makes labor significantly more painful for mom, and more dangerous for baby. It increases your chances for interventions like epidurals, episiotomy, and eventually c-section. You have to be hooked up to a monitor while you are on pitocin, which means that you have to lie in bed. Lying down is significantly more painful, and also slows your labor and pushing down. Lying flat or semi reclined is the absolute worst position to push in. Stay up as much as possible. Walking, squatting, sitting on a birth ball or stool, or kneeling on all fours all help baby descend more quickly and birth more easily. If you have access to a tub or shower while you labor - USE IT!! My water birth was much more comfortable and easier to handle than my dry birth. Educate yourself, and YOU CAN DO THIS!! Hey, we might even be laboring together at the same time. ;)

Best of luck,
S.

I have two kids, and my first labor was really intense--my water broke, and then labor was like one, non-stop contraction for three hours. So it was quick, but really hard. Number two was great! It was about two hours of labor total, and although the contractions were really intense, I had breaks between them! Yeah! By the time I got to the hospital room, I was at 10 centimenters and ready to push. I delivered baby while on my hands and knees with only one push--and afterwards couldn't believe it was over already. Not even time for the nurse to put in an IV. Then my son latched on and nursed like a champ right away. It was very sweet, and a great experience. I did have a doula, and having her hang out afterwards for awhile was really helpful. I felt like I couldn't be done already, and having someone to talk with and process with in the first few hours afterwards was really helpful.

My second labor was really not bad in retrospect. I had on and off labor for 24 hours. I called the hospital and they said to come in if I couldn't take the pain, but just to use OTC pain meds and hot water bottle. I played with my daughter, did laundry, went out for lunch, had friends over and went for a walk. I thought it was not going to go anywhere as it was a little early and just the weirdness that happens sometimes with pregnancies. My husband called the hospital when I finally couldn't sit still. My son was born 45 minutes after we got to there. I wasn't prepared at all and was scared of the pain I remembered through a demerol haze of my first delivery, but two pushes and he was out. The only thing that I had a hard time with was the cramping that happens after everything. It was much stronger the second time than the first. You will be fine and try not to worry too much. Ask for help when you need it. I am sure you have a strong support system with you. Remember your body can get through it all, just got to be able to let go a little and try to enjoy the ride. :) It is all good when you get to cuddle the new one after wards.

I had a fabulous 2nd birth. My first was 16mos (lol). I dialated to 5 cent over a 2 week period with no pain, when I got to the hospital I was still at 5cent 100% effaced. They broke my waters and I had a baby 1.5 hours later. It was amazing. She was 9.6oz and 21 long. Her birth was empowering and I felt on top of the world! Second baby's fly out so don't panic she will be perfect and so will you!

I did have pain meds (epidural) for labor for my first baby and while I loved being able to rest all day leading up to delivery, I did not like not being able to MOVE! I wanted to try a med-free delivery with my second and of course wanted to wimp out when it got tough...but it was too late, lucky me! I can't imagine if I had had a hard labor without pain meds...I am such a wimp! I did NOT write to discourage you, I promise! I had great success and FAST labor using the birthing ball! My doctor got there to check my progress after less than an hour at the hospital thinking I had a long way to go. I got off the ball and onto the bed...and there was baby...ready to deliver! I know every labor is so very different, but I loved the freedom of movement that I had with no pain meds...and the pain wasn't as bad as I thought it would be...it was doable. My mom was also there for this delivery, which was nice, along with my husband. My nurse the second time around was much more encouraging and relaxing...telling me that my body knew what it was doing and she had the RIGHT words of encouragment in a very relaxing, motherly way! My nurse for my first delivery was way too much like a cheer-leader and I wanted to rip her to shreds before I was even done pushing! (I'm not sure she had ever even HAD A BABY) Good luck with your delivery and enjoy the process as much as you can!

Hi J.,
Congrats on choosing a natural childbirth. WHile it would take all day to list my positive birth experiences none of us have that time, LOL. So basically my thought process is "The little train that could", "Mind over matter". If you tell yourself you can do it then YOU CAN!!! ;0)

Remember you are birthing the baby, ride each contraction like a wave. My favorite trick with my 5th baby (a water birth) I felt she was a girl, so I put a picture of my oldest daughter, knowing how excited she would be to have a sister in front of me. I basically smiled & laughed Shilo out. It was fantastic. People try to say I must not feel pain...Stupid people ;0) I tell myself that this is the way baby comes out & I think with each contraction that baby is moving closer & closer to being with me. IT REALLY WORKS.

Keep low light, low tones, don't have anything around to distract you. make sure everyone knows what makes you calm & what makes you uptight. You will do it! Awesome! Let us know when baby comes. G

Even at 40 I had a great natural birth with my second daughter (two girls like you). I think I started to go into labor about noon but managed to stay away from the hospital until the morning at 6 AM. I even managed to go to the Farmer's Market with the first contractions 30 minutes apart. Anyway, I had a long night and labored at home until the pain was too intense. When we got to the hospital I was at 8cm (I don't recommend you wait that long but was pretty cool to see them set me up in a room in about 5 minutes. That means me in the bed with IV line and everything). 90 minutes later my second daughter was born. The delivery nurse and hubby were the key to it all. The pain was so intense but I really focused on my breathing (yoga practice made a big difference). I got a little crazed right when she crowned but luckily the nurse and on call doctor were really calm. I asked for pain medication right about then and they both said it was too late and I was almost there, all I had to to was have this baby. Not sure why but that made all the difference. I knew what my job was and I was going to do it. I have never felt such intense wonderful pain in my life. My first daughter was natural too but I don't have as good or clear memories (long story you don't need to here). I kept focusing on they fact that the pain was temporary and would end soon. Ongoing pain without end must be so hard to deal with but knowing it will soon be over also kept me going. I also knew this would be my last baby so I might was well take it all in and feel/remember it all as best I can. I suppose the other thing that helped is I had no expectations about the birth. I had hoped for a natural child birth but was also went into it knowing that it might not go that way and needed to be ready for anything.

You will do GREAT! And your birth story will be exactly that "your" birth story. The end result is the objective (healthy baby girl) and if you are fortunate enough to have a good birth experience prior great but be ready for anything. BREATHE, BREATHE And Breathe some more and look to those around you to support you. I didn't want this to sound like advice but maybe it does. I really just wanted to give you a "You Go Girl" cheer more than anything. Soak it all in and enjoy the pain (I can say that "afterwards" (smile), and hopefully so will you). Good luck mama!

Hi J.!

Congrats to you for going natural even with a pitocin-induced labor at the hospital! I have one baby boy who is almost 11 mos old now, and another baby boy on the way due right before Chistmas! I chose to go have my baby at the Birth and Family Place Birth Center in Holladay, Utah. I was DETERMINED to go natural my first time and felt I would have a much better chance at it to have the baby outside the hospital, where an epidural was not even an option unless I transferred, but also where natural birth is the norm and I wouldn't have to fight to get our birth experience the way we wanted it! My midwife. Rebecca McInnis, didn't even need to read my birthplan, because they way they do everything routinely there is exactly the was we wanted it. My water broke at 10:30 at night right when my hubby and I were going to bed, and by 3 am we went up to the birth center because the contractions were 2-3 minutes apart and painful enough that I didn't want to lay down through them. I thought at that time that I was fully in active labor, at that point I didn't realize how intense it was actually going to get. I was sitting there on the birth ball through contractions, rocking back and forth to help keep myself calm and relaxed and thinking "this isn't so bad, I can definitely DO THIS!" Well, then Becky asked to check me because I was still smiling, laughing, and joking in between contractions, and when she found that I was still dialated just as much as when I had come in two hours before, and since my water had already broken, she told me wenned to GET THIS LABOR MOVING. She had my husband and I go into the big tub and do nipple stimulation in between contractions (its basically just rolling your nipples in between your fingers) She told us to do it til I got a contraction, then once it ended do it again til the next one came...Well, honestly I don't really know why hospitals even USE pictocin, because after just 4-5 minutes of mipple stimulation in the tub, that next contraction that came BLEW MY MIND. It was like jumping from a 2 in intensity to a 10 all in one step. I almost threw up from the sheer force of it! After it ended I was basically quivering in the tub going (in my head) "OH CRAP, WHAT DID I GET MYSELF INTO?!?!" And My midwife came in, knowing that I had had a good contraction since she had heard me the whoe way through it, and says "Okay, so now that you know what a REAL contraction feels like, tell me what you want to do...Do you want to stay here and continue to get this labor moving even better, or would you like to go to the hospital and get an epidural?" Honestly I could NOT answer that question myself, I had to turn to my husband and have HIM say it. I was like "Well, what do YOU think we should do?" and He says "I say we stick to the original plan" And I just turned back to Becky and said weakly "Yeah. What he said..." While meanwhile I was going in my head "HOLY CRAP, HOLY CRAP, HOLY CRAP..."

Well, Thats what we did. We stayed and it honestly did NOT get any more intense after that first HUGE contraction. they stayed about the same in intensity, but it was just those first few that were the hardest to handle (until I got to pushing anyways). I found that vocalizing and moaning my way through each contraction REALLY got me through them and kept me relaxed and breathing slowly. The reason I think that it didn't get more intense is because my body was better equiped to handle it after that first one. I knew what to expect, and I honestly just drifted off into Labor Land. I was falling asleep in between contractions, moaning the whole way thorugh them, and passing right back out again in between. There is a scientific reasoning behind it too, that makes a lot of sense. During a natural labor without any interventions, your body slowly builds up endorphins. the longer your labor, the more endorphins are released. Endorphins are like nature's painkillers - they dull your awareness and your sensations and also dull your memory of the event. Within just a few minutes of my baby being born when I tried to look back and remember how it felt I couldn't, I just knew it was very intense. I wouldn't even call it "painful" because it wasn't the sharp, stabbing pain of an injury or anything like that, just a rolling wave of intensity that washes over you for a minute or so and then leaves you feeling perfectly normal in between until it washes over your again. It was the same pain, over and over, but with breaks in between that really help you get through it and take it one contraction at a time. By no means is it EASY - I can clearly remember sitting in that rocking chair in the middle of a contraction going (in my head) "I can SO understand why women get epidurals!" But, the neat thing is, your body can do it. and if you relax and just let you body take over, it will and althoguh you are just along for the ride, you can do it and your body WILL do it if you don't fight it. But yes, because of those endorphins building up, most of my labor after those first few shockingly intense contractions is a fuzzy haze im my momory... it all just blurs together. I was in active labor from around 5:30 am to 11:30, I didn;t even notice when I went through transistion - I was so out of it by that time that I didn't even notice the contractions were coming almost on top of eachother - and then I was fully dialated and ready to push.

Pushing is another step UP in intensity - I screamed during every push, and I pushed for 2 and a half hours so I totally had no voice for the next few days LOL! The long pushing phase was kinda my own fault. I had read over and over that you shouldn't push as HARD as you can while crowning so that oyu have time to stretch and avoid a tear.... so I was pushing, but not PUSHING-PUSHING for the first 40 minutes or so. Then finally I asked my midwife where the baby was, since all the birth stories I had read said pushing was generally like 15-30 minutes, if that... and my baby's head was STILL no where to be seen, when I was expecting him to basically start crowing RIGHT AWAY. She was like "You're not pushing?! You need to push him around your pubic bone before he is even going to START crowning, and that takes ALOT of effort!" So yeah, after that I pushed with everything I had and each and every contraction I would ask if he was around that bone yet... that took about 20-30 minutes more, and it was really neat that I could FEEL HIM movie down with the pushes. We did take it nice and slowly during crowning and Becky was great helping me not to tear. Finally after what seemed like absolutely forever since I was so exhausted by that time he arrived - Head and body out all in one contraction! I wouldn't have torn at all, but he came out with his fist in his mouth, so I did end up with a few stitches anyways unfortunately!

It was amazing to be able to hold our baby and get to know him RIGHT away after the birth - he was passed to us RIGHT away, and we got to look into his eyes the first time he opened them and hold him and cuddle him for over an hour without having to give him to anyone else. I loved how gentley and smootly everything went after the birth. They made us both a big meal and did Gawyn's weight and measurements and tests all right on the end of the bed. He was born at 12:55pm and weighed 7 lbs, 5 oz and was 20 inches long - average sized, and healthy and bright eyed! He barely even cried!

I was absolutely blown away by the whole experience. At first I felt almost a little bit bitter (that's not relly the right word) at the intensity of it all, since it was SOOOO much more intense than I had expected it to be, but within just a few hours and especially after a few days had gone by, I just because more and more blown away by the fact that my body was able to MAKE this perfect little baby all on its own, and I would look at him, and think "Oh, he's so tiny!" and then I would immediately think "Oh my gosh, he is HUGE!!! How did he ever fit inside of me? and how on earth did I push him out?!" But really, its a miracle, and you literally do feel like you can do anything at all after sucessfully going through the experience, even if its tough!

I was so glad that we stuck with our original plan and did NOT go to the hospital to get that epidural - I knew I had wanted a natural birth more than anything, and I would have felt that I let myself down if I had done it any other way. not to mention ALL the people would would have been saying "I told you so!" Afterwards if I had - Most of them were MEN who were like "You're crazy, blah blah blah..." or "just wait til you feel it..." I now have MANY women who have had babies and had epidurals talk to me like I'm some sort of super woman for doing it natural without any sort of drugs. I definitely don't feel like a super woman. I feel like an average woman who just trusted that her body was able to do what it was made to do on its own and then went along for the wild ride. I think its aweful that american society has seemed to sucessfully convince women that their bodies are not strong enough to give birth on their own. No wonder why post-partum depression is SO common nowadays. I was FLYING HIGH after my natural birth - SO AMAZED by what my body could do and so blown away by our new little baby it created for us!

I'll definitely be going all-natural again with my second baby. I know what I'm signing up for this time, and I also know that I can do it, regardless of hiw long it lasts or how intense it gets. Of course, I hope that the second will come faster (or mostly just with LESS pushing, now that I know what I'm doing) But I am prepared to go through with it exactly the way it was last time too. I know it wont be, but know that however it turns out, I can do it! Yes, labor is definitely the most intense experience I have ever had in my life, but its also the most empowering, most amazing thing my body has EVER done. I am very excited to experience it again!

I hope my story helps a little - I told myself I wouldn't write too much since you asked for 2nd+ birth stories and that was my first one... But of course I got carried away! And who knows, maybe a first-time mom will read this too! My best advice is mostly just about the fact that your body releases endorphins all through your labor ONLY IF you do not have other drugs in your body that interfere with it's natural chemistry. The endorphins are nature's was of blocking out the pain and dimming your memory or the experience... and they really help you get through it. My most painful contractions were those first few big ones, and I think its because they jumped up in intensity because of the nipple stimulation so quickly that my body's endorphins didn't have a chance to catch up for a few more contractions. After that, I was living in the moment but off in my own hazy zone. I was out of it completely and the rest just completely blurred together. It certainly didn't feel like 6 more hours of contractions to me, If i didn't know what time I went in the tub and what time I had the baby to work out the math I never would have known how long I sat there for... and it definitely helped too not to have my midwife checking me every hour or two either because then I wasn't feeling discouraged. She only checked me three times - when we got there at 3am (4 cm), at 5 am (4 cm still) and then at 11 or so and I was a 9.5 and in the middle of transition. Just a few contractions later I was pushing. I'm glad I didn't have all those in-between checks to make me go "UGH, I'm only a _____?!?!" and then start wondering how much longer I would be sitting there for and getting discouraged.

Well, Good luck! I'm excited to hear how your second birth goes! congrats on baby # 2! It's so exciting to grow your family, and I know you can go all natural the second time around - I bet it will feel MUCH more bearable than your first labor!!

Ohh... Ahh! What a beautiful request! For inspiring birth advice from leading experts and positive birth stories, I hope you'll check-out Rites of Passage http://www.mindful-mama.com/video.aspx

Happy birthing!

J.,
I think what you are experiencing is completly normal. After my first birth which was....
water broke on the 7th at about 7 p.m. and I didn't have the baby until the 9th at 11:28 a.m. had planned on a homebirth but had to transport to the hospital and ended up getting pitocin, epidural, additional pain meds prior to epidural 3 hrs pushing, baby not breathing real well, so longish seperation, etc.
After this I really felt like I had failed and really was afraid to do it all over again... it almost made me not want to have more children!!
Well I did, and I decided to have a homebirth again. It was absolutly amazing!! I won't tell you it didn't hurt.... it did. But it was totally managable, at home I was able to do, say and move how I wanted, have who I wanted in the room (or not!) and my labor was about 13 hrs start to finish. It was totally do-able!! I felt so amazing afterward, so strong and powerful!! The pushing this time was only about 20 minutes of real pushing (maybe a little less).
Our society puts fear of birth into everyone, it's very sad and very hard to get out of your mind. I would really encourage you to read 'Ina May's Guide to Childbirth' the first part is birth stories and they really help. and/or look for birth videos online look for homebirth ones because they are usually very good, ask your doula if she knows any good links.
Have a wonderful, powerful, amazing and blessed birth.
Hope that helps!
S.

I like you, also was given pitocin while I was in labor with my first. I didn't need to be induced the nurse just wanted my contractions to be stronger. And I was in so much pain that I ended up getting an epidural. And my doctor gave me an episiotomy when we were delivering. :( So when I was getting close to having my second I expected major pain. It never really happened though. The night she was born I thought I was having really bad gas pains, and told my husband that I needed to go lay down. Actually I was in labor :) and once we knew I was in labor I remember thinking over and over, 'the pain is just going to get worse', but it never did. And because the episiotomy that I had with my first never healed properly, my second slipped right out with maybe half a push, my husband likes to say.

It wasn't until I had my third that I made the connection between the pitocin that I had with my first and the pain. With my third my water broke and labor didn't start so they NEEDED to induce labor, and that's when I made the connection between pitocin and PAIN. Going into labor naturally and just letting your body do it's thing is so much less painful than being induced. I just had my 5th and I'm happy to say that with #2, #4, and #5 I went into labor naturally and delivered my babies unmedicated. (I was unmedicated with #3 too, but like I said had to be induced and that was no fun). So good luck, you can do it.

Hey J.!
What a great, positive question!
My first baby was born with minimal drugs - something to "take the edge off."

With my second, I opted to give it a go without meds if possible. I was able to stay at home with my doula for the bulk of my labor. We went for walks, and she cooked me a high protein breakfast. She had me drinks LOTS of water and was great talking me through painful contractions.

We went to the hospital when my contractions were 4 minutes apart and were taken directly into a birthing room (the hospital had a laboring room and a separate birthing room). I got into the tub and stayed there until I went into transition.

I began pushing and they rushed my doc there and I had my son. He nursed IMMEDIATELY and has been ahead of every milestone the pediatrician looks for. I attribute some of this to being drug free at birth!

My doula rocked. I would not have done it without her. I also read The Dr. Sear's Birthing Book (Maybe it's written by Martha Sears). It helped put a lot of things in perspective for me.

Good luck to you, second time mama and I hope you get to go into labor naturally this time. It's nice to labor at home and not be hooked up to machines for hours on end.

J. w

WOW!!! A natural birth with induced contractions?! That's hard....if you have done that, then this 2nd time around will be a breeze. Your labor will be shorter, your pushing will be less, partly just because it is the second time around, but if you are not going to be induced (ie: hooked up to any machines) you will be able to move around and really make progress on your feet. I had my first naturally in the hospital and then chose homebirth for #2 & #3. My last baby (just a yeart ago) pretty much birthed herself!! I stood and walked and swayed for most of the labor (granted it was short, only 1 hour) and was standing while she worked herself out, I reached down to catch her, I hardly remember pushing, maybe a couple of grunts.
Without pitocin your body will have natural "breaks" for you to catch your breath. I remember with my second after birthing her head I felt another contraction start to come.... and then it just kind of faded away to give me a breather before the final push.
You will LOVE the way you feel afterwards!! Have a wonderful birth!! xoxo, A.

Hello J.:

I was 37 weeks pregnant, not feeling great, but managing pretty well. My husband and I took a little walk together in the evening and I felt a few contractions, but brushed them off since I was 3 weeks from my due date. We spent the evening playing scrabble with some neighbors, and returned home just before midnight. Three hours later, we woke up because my water broke. We went to the hospital and I was already dilated to a 6+. My labor and delivery nurse was fabulous. She and my husband were able to help me relax. My husband was able to get into the hospital bed behind me and massage my back (something I find really soothing). I was even able to relax enough to fall asleep for a little while. Of course there were intense times, but between my nurse and my husband, the labor was great. I felt strong and capable. Though she was "early" my daughter was still a healthy 6 lbs. 7 oz. Once I held her in my arms, I felt such a rush of joy to hold her I didn't even think about the pain or hard work I had just been through. My baby nursed well, breathed well, and we were able to bring her home after a day and night of rest and recovery for me. You can do this!

I have had 4 natural births, two with pitocin to get them started and two without. They were all completely different. Nothing comparable with each except that they were fast. The first was pretty standard, nothing to write home about, started naturally and progressed smoothly, by the time I thought about pain meds it was over in just over 4 hours. The second I was induced but with no pitocin, they just broke my water and it started. Same thing except I had to have oxygen due to an asthma attack near the end but by the time things got bad, once again, it was over. The third I was induced with pitocin, I had a horrible asthma attack, we were at a different hospital and so no respitory therapist was available on call, my OB had a panic attack so the nurses took over and sure enough by the time there was worry it was over but I was exhausted. The fourth was probably the easiest and most boring if labor and delivery could be boring. My daughter was induced but it didn't take so they gave me pitocin, still didn't take so my OB (a different one at yet a different hospital) thought well he'd go have lunch and check back in a bit. I was all set up with a respritory therapist and getting treated in advance for asthma. He was so wrong. The pit took suddenly only a few minutes after he left for lunch and I had my daughter in 45 minutes start to finish. He barely made it in time to catch her. Needless to say I had all this extra adreline since I hadn't even had time to think about it all before it was over. My point is that each labor is different and there is no reason to worry. If you are confident that you are capable then it is likely you will have a positive labor experience.

I was induced with my 1st and ended up getting meds because the pain was so intense - it felt like there was no break between contractions. With my second, I got to the hospital when I was 8cm, so there was no time for medications! Although the labor was intense and strong and fast, I felt much more able to handle it the second time around. With no pitocin, my body gave me very needed breaks between contractions, even if it was only for a quick minute or two. The contractions were very predictable - build and then taper off. With the pitocin, it came on all at once, seemed to last forever, and like I said, no break between contractions. I know we all have very different birth experiences, but I think pitocin makes it extra hard on our bodies. I had a third son, also vaginal with no meds and that went great as well. Good luck to you - I hope you have a wonderful birth experience, however it happens!

J.

Natural labor is much easier than a pitocin induced labor. I have 2 children and I had complications during delivery with both of them. HOWEVER, the complications with the 2nd stemmed from the complications with the 1st. If I were you, I wouldn't worry at all. Despite the pitocin induction, you said that you were able to deliver vaginally without any medicine - kudos to you! I know how painful that is. I delayed pain meds with pitocin until further complications arose...so I know how truly painful that is! Here's what I can say will probably happen the second time around. Your body at this point, knows what to do. You probably won't need any sort of help, such as pitocin, and your natural contractions will be FAR less painful and difficult than pitocin induced contractions. That's not to say you won't need to try to relax through them. I used the Bradley Method with both deliveries, and found with my 2nd that it helped tremendously. If you could do it before, you can do it now, and I'll bet you'll do it all on your own, and far more quickly!!! It sounds like you have a great support system - best of luck!!!

Hi J.---
My first was a sunny side up baby born at the hospital after 18 hours of all natural labor. My second was born at home in the water after...get this....two hours of labor. If you can do it with pitocin you can most definitely do it without. I won't lie, it's still not a cake walk, but the second labor is pay back for the first one. So much easier! As was the nursing afterwards.
Good luck! You can definitely do this!!!
J.

I reconmend you read the book Spiritual Midwifery by Irma May Gaskin

http://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Midwifery-Ina-May-Gaskin/...

It has a ton of positive natural birth stories in it, as well as some chapters on the benefits of natural birthing. I read it multiple times during my pregnancy, and I think it really helped me get over my anxiety about the pain of childbirth. (I birthed my daughter at home with a midwife.)

I'm impressed that you natural birthed under the influence of pitocin! I've not experienced induced labor, but I hear that it is much stronger and more painful than natural labor. So I would say that if you made it through that, a totally natural birth should be a breeze!

We also took Bradley birthing classes, which was a great way to surround ourselves with other natural birthing families.

Good luck!