wow...I would be LIVID at her response!!!! Who is she to say that YOU have no say in the matter!? Is she serious?! Or just insane?! lol!

Thank GOD, nobody on my L&D tried to talk me into an epi. They did however try to talk me into an IV, but respected my decision. Oni's heart rate was dipping, so I opted for oxygen...and nothing else.

There are always going to be people trying to talk you out of going drug free. Or call you crazy, or say "you'll see!!"

You have the right outlook. Your body was MADE to birthe (unless s/he's breech), and nobody can tell you any different.

If there's one thing that I was worried about before I went into labor was 'how horrible is it going to feel when the baby comes OUT!?'...but let me promise you, it doesn't hurt like you would think. The contractions are so intense, the last thing on your mind is the pain of the baby. It's like taking the biggest crap of your life!! LOL!!

Sarah

I think I'm most scared of the actual pushing stage and the crowning. I'm confident I can handle the contractions. I've had so many already that have been very intense that it makes me feel at ease about that. I know I will get some worse ones once I'm farther dilated and all but I know I can do it.

Yeah, she really said that. This all came up when we were at the hospital with her daughter when she delivered three months ago. She thinks she's the boss of everyone. What's bad is they've been living with us since May and will be for another 6-8 weeks so she will be here when the baby's born. I have a plan though. I'm not going to tell them I'm having contractions. I'm going to call someone from my family or my husband to come and get me and take me in. I will call them when I am good and ready. It's not like the baby's just gonna pop out immediately. I know better than that. As long as she's there after the baby is born then that's all that matters. Plus, she already has three grandchildren. This is my parent's first and I kinda want them to have first dibs as far as holding and everything. His mom's a freaking baby hog and does not respect his sister's wishes with her kids. It sucks yeah but I might go off on her before it's over with.

Also, once Brandon goes back to work my mom knows she will be coming to get me and Brina so we can spend our days with her while the hubby's at work. That way I don't get arrested for homicide. LOL!

Good for you wanting to go drug free! I know what you mean about people trying to talk you into getting an epidural. Everyone I know told me "you'll be praying for one" or "you'll see, don't worry". I just stuck to my belief that I did not want anything for pain, because I knew I could handle it. And that's what I did...no pain relief at all. You can do it!

Thanks for your support Amy! My sister in law tells me I will change my mind. She's had three kids and really hasn't felt hardly any of her contractions so my question is how in the world does she really know. I've had horrible contractions for the last ten weeks and I haven't been able to get anything for them. If I can handle that, I think I can handle anything. Heck, today for about 3 hours I was having some serious contractions that were 2 minutes apart. I got through that on my own. I was waiting to see if they would stay before I went in. I'm trying to avoid having labor stopped again because the drug they use has some horrible side effects. My contractions just start up out of nowhere really close together. The farthest apart they have ever been is 3-5 minutes.

You're welcomed. I had most of my family telling me not to have an epidural, but all my friends and coworkers told me that I'd end up wanting one. I think it helped that Thomas was on my side and helped me not think of it. I put it in my head that it wasn't even an option for me unless I had to have a c-section. I'm sure if you can handle the contractions that you've been having, then you can handle it when you go into labor.

I totally agree with Amy. You can DEF do it!!

My family was the same way, they all had confidence in me. It was my friends that said I couldn't do it.
Throughout my labor I kept hearing them say "you'llll seee!! You'll change your mind once you feel the pain!"

The only part that hurt the most was when the Dr was stretching my vagina to allow the head to come out. But, you just push through it. And before you know it, the head's out.

Don't think that the labor won't FLY by! I got to the hospital after laboring at home for most of the day. I was 5cm @ 5pm. I had Oni at 7.58pm. It went by sooo fast the nurses were SHOCKED, being that it was my first birth. They were also shocked that I was able to go drug free.

I swear I had EVERY nurse on duty in my room!! Plus the pediatric team because I had Merconium and she was only 37 weeks!! The room was PACKED! But I didn't notice until she was out.

Your body will put you in a trance, and you won't notice anything. I didn't realize that my Dr wasn't delivering my baby, some woman was, until *she* said "i might have to give you an episiotomy." and I said "don't you DARE! Let me tear on my own!" loL! I was willing to walk out if she would have insisted!

And having the the ability to be able to walk minutes after having her was amazing!!

Sarah

My nurses and doctor were amazed that I went drug free after being induced. And I agree, your body does put you into a trance. I didn't notice that Dante's shoulders got stuck and had a nurse on top of me helping to get him out. lol. And I thought the contracions were so much worse than actually pushing him out.

geez.. hearing this though i'm only 16 makes me want to try to go drug free. It doesn't sound all that bad! Everyone i've talked to said it wasn't bad at all...

it really isn't.

Now don't get me wrong. It hurts...bad. But every woman is capable. And no womans contractions hurt less than anothers. (people seem to think that because I went drug free that my contractions didn't hurt as bad...stupid right?!)

I've talked to MANY MANY women who regret getting the epi.

Princess, age has nothing to do with it. There are younger girls in villages around the world who do it. Although they have no choice, they still do it.

I refused all medical intervention, and plan on doing the same this time.

Amy, I forget. Why did they induce you again? My last Dr was induce happy, and so is this one. I had to refuse it with Oni && with this one.

With Oni I didn't even sign the papers for the epidural and don't plan on signing them for this one. He tried to talk me into to it so that if I changed my mind(he SWORE I couldn't do it either...great Dr, eh?) it wouldn't be an emergency. But I refused.

My Dr's don't like me much because I refuse intervention! LOL! sucks for them!!

Sarah

yeah... I want to try it the only thing that sucks is i'm terrible with pain lol. My dr. is induce happy. He says if I go 2 days over my DD he wants to induce me. NO WAY!

They induced me because I was 41 1/2 weeks. I'm not that bold with refusing all medical intervention. I basically did everything they asked me to. I just told them at the start that I was not going to have the epidural.

The ONLY way I'd be ok with induction is if I'm 2 weeks or more past my due date. I'd have to literally be 14 or more days past.

Me refusing induction is the reason why someone else had to deliver my baby. I didn't do it on my Dr's schedule. So he was out of town...how lame!!

Sarah

that is lame! I would be ok if it was maybe a week over or there was something terribly wrong and he HAD to be out right then.... I want him to come when he's ready.. as much as I want him out he can come when he's ready.

boy ifmy mil said that to me... she refused to leave the room til she held macy n stevne told her she wasnt getting to just yet, i had only had a few mins!

thank goodness I don't have family like that or in-laws. I'd end up shooting them! lol though i'm sure my mom and my current bf will be hogging him lol baby freaks! hehe

Sarah-at what point did you decide it was time to go to the hospital? I'm just curious because I've had so many issues with contractions that I'm afraid I'm going to have no idea when to go in. Whenever I have contractions now, they are strong. I usually try to wait 3 hours now because that seems to be the point at which they begin to stop. I definitely don't want to give birth in the car or at home. LOL!

I decided to leave when I could no longer talk through one. And when they were coming about every min & a half. They were basically back to back when I left for the hossy.

I walked up to L&D and they offered me a wheelchair, but I refused.

But with your condition, it's gonna be hard to tell, as you're already having them every 2 mins.

You'll def know when it's time to go! LOL, your body will let you know "HEY! It's bout that time!!!" How far are you from the hosital? I was about 15 mins...and still am about 15 mins from my hospital.

I took a shower, had Baron shave my legs, went to Target...all at about 3-5cm dilated! LOL! I was checking out, contracting. The cashier was like "when are you due?" and I said "well in about 3 weeks, but I'm having constant contractions, we're gonna have her when we leave here!" LOL!!

Sarah

i tried my best to go drug free. i really wanted it. i prepared myself. but when it happened, i was two weeks overdue and the baby was almost 10 pounds. i had to be on a monitor the whole time because i had thick meconium and they gave me an enema that made my contractions come on almost immediately and non stop. i had no time in between contractions to rest. plus, they wouldn't stop poking and prodding me and there were like, 10 people walking in and out of the room. it was so awful to try to deal with the pain when i couldn't concentrate and couldn't move around. and people kept telling me to be quiet because i was moaning so loud, not screaming, mind you, just moaning. i felt like i had to do something to help me block everything out and focus. finally, when they told me i was still only 5 cm after 6 hours of non stop contractions, i just gave in and got the epidural and had her about 8 hours later . now, i read a post like this and it makes me feel like i wimped out. maybe my contractions were no more painful than anyone elses but my situation made it hard to cope with them. only reason i'm saying all this is just believe you can do it but remember that you don't know what it's going to be like until it is actually happening. i wouldn't want you to feel bad about it after the fact. i really hope you can do it and that it turns out to be all you dream it could be. good luck, be strong, and go for it!!

Oh man! I didn't want to make ANYONE feel like they wimped out, or cheated!

How DARE them tell you to be quiet!!!!!

I think it's a big difference when you get to the hospital at 5cm, than if you get there with no pains. The hospital can be very intimidating and uncomfortable!

It is true that you SHOULDN'T go into the labor with a specific mindset, because like you said, ANYTHING can happen.
But, I was very hardheaded and wouldn't listen to any of the staff or nurses at my hospital when they suggested something.

My contractions were non stop as well, and I also had marconium. But I was also 5cm by the time I arrived, so the hospital aspect was very brief when it came to my actual labor.

I'm sorry if I made you feel bad about your labor situation, it really wasn't my intent!!

Sarah

You look amazing! I know you must be so uncomfortable, but it's such a blessing that Brina has stayed put this long!

Your poor tummy though I remember how painful my stretchmarks were and I only had a few! You poor thing! I hope these last weeks go by quickly for you!