My pregnancies and birth I'm talking about, I totally would...If I had known back then what I know now, I totally would have done things differently.
And while I *DID* do things with my last three somewhat how I wanted, I didn't know that you could do certain positions (and you SHOULD) to bring the baby easier...I didn't know the many many options that I had...While I did have no pain meds with the girls, I wanted a water birth, a home birth and didn't want to be flat on my back having them. I used a midwife for all three of the last births but I really didn't want to be strapped to a bed. I wanted to walk...walking helped me with Lilia and she basically just slid right out. I was sitting upright the way most women who have delivered babies for centuries did and had no problems...
With my first child, who is now 15, i was laying flat in a delivery room, with my legs up in stir-ups, gowns and masks on everyone, looking like a surgical environment...and while I understand that, as she was 9 weeks early, I wish that I would have voiced my opinion a little more but they had me SO drugged up on pain meds that I barely remember her birth which is sad.
With my son, who is 11, I did walk. I decided that I didn't want a repeat of Samantha's birth and only asked for an epidural at the latest possible moment (I was around 8 CMS I think)...I had complications with my back for weeks afterwards and found it hard to push him out...I decided then and there that if I did decide to have more children in the future, I wasn't having any drugs because both of the experiences I had were bad thus far...
Fast forward to three years later, 2002, when I was having Lilia....I went with a Midwife, whom I adored...I was walking, being monitored with a hand held heartbeat monitor to check on her status, only having to come lay down for internal checks ten minutes out of every hour, to make sure I was progressing, even though my water had broken, un-medicated, alert and sat upright and her birth was beautiful. Fast and uncomplicated...Very little pain and I cut her cord...She was 5 weeks early and small (5lbs 12 ounces) but healthy....She was the first un-medicated birth I had accomplished...
With Holli, I had to be induced somewhat as every time I would go into labor, it would stall as soon as I got to the hospital. I had actually wanted a home birth with her but Cameron, their father, didn't want that. So, away we went to the hospital when my Midwife told us to come to the office to check me out...I had gone to the hospital every time I thought I was in labor (I would stall EVERY time.) and she wanted to make sure...When she checked me, she said "yup, I see the bleeding youre talking about and youre 4CMS now...go to the hospital, we'll give you pitocin and get it going..."
As soon as I got to the hospital, they strapped me down with those god awful baby heart beat and contraction monitors and I was massively uncomfortable. They told me it was because of the pitocin they had to keep me monitored but now, thinking back, I believe that I actually had had Pitocin with Lilia too and they didnt seem to think that it was necessary to keep me strapped down then...
Anyway, her birth was painful, and uncomfortable but I did that unmedicated as well...Cameron was awesome and helped the midwife deliver her, and he cut her cord....
Julias birth was a bit more complicated...I was 37 weeks 6 days when I went into labor with her, 38 when I delivered...The night before she was born, I had called all of my coaches (Cameron had died 2 months one week before she was born) and told them that I thought it was it...I was having contractions every 5 to 7 minutes and they were somewhat painful...
The hospital checked me and said that I was 4-5 CMS but I wasnt progressing...They asked me if I wanted to go home or stay and see what my doctor said in the morning (these were resident docs and would only call MY doc/midwife if I was in true labor)...I told them I wasnt leaving, that I KNEW that I was in labor and that I wanted to see my doc...When he came in @ 9:00 am in the morning and checked me, he was outraged at the nurses as they hadnt given me an iv of saline solution or anything...I was 5 cms and couldnt believe he hadnt (or my midwife) been called.
He looked at the nurse, told her to hook me up to an iv to give me pitocin, looked down at me (apologetically) and said that we were going to have a baby that morning...Julia was born at 11:09...two hours after I was hooked up and given an IV.
I wish to the goddess that I had been more open with voicing my wants/needs and I *almost* wish that I could get pregnant again so that I *COULD* have the birth of my "dreams"...
But, alas, that will never happen...Guess Ill have to live vicariously through all my pregnant (or soon to be pregnant) friends...
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