No epidural

I hadn't prepared at all as DD came at 36.5wks before I'd even discussed a birth plan with my LMC (who incidentally was on holiday when DD was born!). I told the hospital midwives early on I didn't want an epidural though (after my cousin's horror story birth a few months beforehand put me off epidurals!) so every time I said I was sore or tired and wanted drugs they just gently told me I was doing a great job and every pain was one step closer to meeting my baby. That really helped, so I really recommend a support person/people to tell you stuff like that. It helped keep me focused on what I was doing and that there was a goal in sight. The pain wasn't just for no reason.

Hope that helps!

How fit are you? I found that cause I kept fairly active with both my pregnancy's I managed quite well. Yes was exhausted with my boy's labour cause it was really hard, fast and painful.

I asked for drugs both times but my DH said no, plus by the time I asked it was too late.

I also kept very active in labour, didn't lie on a bed and just wait for it all to happen.

Look up how to push when you are allowed to push. Don't scream out your mouth as that is releasing the pressure in the wrong place.

Also realise that between every contraction it doesn't hurt, so I counted & knew that ever contraction that went past meant I was one closer to meeting the baby. A's contractions had an ebb & flow to them so I knew by the time I got to a certain number it would start easing off. C's didn't do that but least I could count the length.

Hope that helps?

Also A was a 22 hour labour so it is doable.

I had an epidural with my first and just gas with my second. I was actually induced both times due to labour not progressing after my waters broke.

With #1 they didn't offer me any other pain relief except for the epidural and the doctor was quite pushy saying it would help reduce the chances of a c-section. I'm quite annoyed about the whole thing now actually. But i was already exhausted and the contractions came on really strong and close together so i gave in and had the epi. He was born 12 hours after the drip was turned on. It was 7 hours established labour and 1hr 45mins pushing. I had complications, tearing, bleeding etc.

With #2 i was determined not to have an epidural. It was a much quicker labour and birth this time. 5 hours from when the drip was turned on to her being out. 3.5 hours established labour and only 15mins pushing. I started off by just concentrating on my breathing then when it got too much i used the gas. The hour (i think) before she was born was a bit tough as there was a 1cm lip of cervix in the way and there was only around 1 minute between contractions at that stage i think. So i just had to lie there using the gas to get through til it moved.The contractions were really painful too and at that stage i was wishing i'd had other pain relief. lol. But i got through it and was so pleased after that i only had the gas. I felt so much better than with my first.

I think if i had been able to move around it would have been better, but i couldn't since i was hooked up the drip and monitor.

I'm hoping to have a completely natural birth next time, so hopefully i won't need to be induced.

Edited to add more about managing with no epi. When i felt a contraction coming on i would close my eyes and out zone out, and really focus on my breathing, taking big long breaths in then breathing out slowly. I did the same with the gas too.

Edited by _Deb_

Hi I was induced this time too and I managed a drug free labour but I progressed incredibly quick and when my contractions started boy did they start I had no build up in intensity like with my last labour they just came full on plus the pushing stage ended up being less than 5 minutes but I just breathed though them and told my husband with ever contraction I need drugs then when the contraction faded I said no I don't need drugs lol and carried on like that. But my established Labour was 1 hour and 25 mins and I had no pains before this..Also I gave birth Standing up (not intentional as I thought I had much longer to go)Will know better if there is a next time lol

I managed a drug free birth, I did yoga which I think prob helped and also alot of positive visualation in the months leading up and I think also being in the water helped as well.

Good for you for planning to skip the drugs. I used a birthing pool from H2OHbaby - really deep and comfy. That worked pretty well. Hypnobirthing courses are really expensive but you can get the relaxation and affirmation cds for pretty cheap. I have one I got on TM for $3 and I listen to it heaps. It would be really useful to be able to teach yourself to quickly relax on cue.
My other tips are get as fit as you can, do lots of exercise and stretching. Also make sure your iron levels are good because if you're anaemic, your contractions might not be efficient. Drink lots of water in labour.
Listening to music, dancing, singing all helps. Experiment with different positions. Get your partner to learn how to do pressure points on your back - that's amazing. Hot water bottles.
Also, if you're going to be in hospital, make sure your midwife and partner are ready to stand up for you because hospital staff can be quite pushy with the drugs. If you really don't want it, tell them straight out not to offer it to you.

I had a mostly drug free birth, but I had a protracted 2nd stage (2 hours of DD's head slipping in and out) so had a shot of oxytocin.
I just forced myself to relax and breathe deeply between contractions and told myself that each on was one less to go.

These tips might sound a bit bizzare, but they really did help me to get through contractions naturally .

* Keep your mouth slightly open during contractions, and try to keep your jaw relaxed as much as possible (meant to help open cervix at the same time).

* Whenever you feel like making noise, use low pitched sounds instead of high pitched screamy-type sounds (also meant to stop things clenching up).  That gets harder to do as contractions intensify, particularly around transition.  So it's useful to ask your support people to remind you to moan in a deep voice lol .

* Do you know that sound/action a horse makes when blowing out between its lips? Try doing that during a contraction - it helped me a bit.

I read those tips in the book 'Ina May's Guide to Childbirth' by Ina May Gaskin.  This was the only book I read during my first pregnancy, and it definitely helped me to mentally prepare myself for the event.  In fact the book managed to completely change my view on labour and birth and helped me to learn to trust my body and let it do its job.  At my first midwife appt I'd begged her for an elective C-section as I was so terrified of everything (poor woman, I had no idea that was probably the most offensive thing I could have said to an independent midwife who specialised in homebirth ).

Oh yeah, I also specifically asked for dimmed lights and very little talking during labour, and actually kept my eyes closed while in the birthing pool as I didn't really like my last midwife much and wanted to pretend she wasn't there most of the time .  Doing this helped me to get 'in the zone' others have described and makes natural labour much more bearable.

I've had two natural, drug-free births, including a home birth for my second, so can't compare natural contractions to those when using gas, epidural etc.  But I will say that I'd rather experience natural contractions a million times over, than experiencing the excrutiating agony of trying to breastfeed with severely infected (untreated), lacerated nipples!  That is the type of pain I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

I had both labours without drugs.

#1 i just kept positive throughout my pregnancy that i wasn't going down that route and had a list of affirmations which i read regularly. Things like, that this is what my body is capable of and to listen to my body and the process, and that women do this all the time without drugs, it is possible and i can do it too.
I told my midwife how strongly i felt about it and so when during transition i started to freak out that i couldn't do that intensity for much longer she just said, no way you are doing so well, you don't need that, you're almost there. Things like that. Worked really well for me.

#2 i went to Birthcare so pain relief was not an option. And not needed. A much faster more intense labour so didn't really have time to think about it, just worked through each contraction and used the breaks to keep focused. I also wrote down for my (communicationally challenged) husband some of those things that the midwife had said first time around so he knew how to coach me. I just wanted someone to say how well i was doing, that i was almost there, and that i could do this.

I actually enjoyed both labours, not that it wasn't hard and didn't hurt like hell, it is still childbirth, but i felt in control and was really chuffed with myself for doing it. It's a real achievement to work through the process just listening to your body and birthing your baby out as nature intended.