Epidural vs Natural Birth wasn’t a question I considered during my first pregnancy. I’m a proud mommy of two kids and my birthing story for each of them is very different. With my first child, I wanted an epidural. It did not occur to me to find out the pros and cons of having an epidural vs natural birth.
I knew what I wanted early in pregnancy and I wasn’t going to change my mind. I was already scared of giving birth and I knew that I did not want to feel any pain. Having an epidural could help me achieve this goal. If I could go back and do it over though I would have had a natural birth.
When I started going into labor everything was progressing quickly. I was dilating at a normal pace. When I received my epidural and it started kicking in, the progress of my labor slowed way down. I received my epidural at 3 am. 14 hours later my daughter was born at 5 pm. It wasn’t an easy labor at all.
The Epidural Worked but Labor was Harder
The epidural worked very well. I could not feel anything down there. When it was finally time to push I had no idea if I was or not because I was completely numb from my waist down.
Since my labor was taking so long there were complications. My daughter started getting a fever which concerned the doctors. She was stuck and I couldn’t push her out. So the doctors suggested I get a C-section.
A C-section was not what I wanted to happen so they told me that the last option they had was to try a vacuum extraction. I had no idea what this was but I said OK because I wanted to welcome my daughter into the world.
I didn’t realize how serious this route was. When I agreed a lot of things happened . 12 yes 12 more people came into the room. They were from the NICU. In case something went wrong. It was already awkward enough having my legs spread open to two doctors, a nurse, my partner and his mom. It didn’t bother me at the time though. I wanted my baby out and safe.
So the doctor put the vacuum on my daughter’s head, pulled, and the suction ripped off. I felt so terrible for my daughter. The doctor tried again and it was successful. I was finally able to welcome her into the world. She turned out to be a healthy baby girl.
Regretting My Choice
She was healthy but she came into the world with a wound. The poor little thing had an injury on the top of her head from the suction. Later, I found out she could have had a sore jaw from how she exited my vagina. Which, might have caused the problems I had, trying to get her to latch when breastfeeding.
If I were to do my first birth over again, I definitely would not have had the epidural. My labor was progressing before I received the shot. If I could have felt what was going on down there, I would have been able to avoid having to use the vacuum.
Deciding on a Natural Birth
3 years later I became pregnant with my son. I knew right away that I was going to have a natural birth. The question of epidural vs natural birth did not come to mind. I knew it was going to be scary and painful, but I didn’t want the complications I had with my first child.
During my first pregnancy, I had not done any research and I didn’t ask any questions. The second time around I spent a lot of time researching and asking questions. I spent a long time on the internet, or I should say Pinterest, and I found the Bradley Method.
Knowing about the Bradley Method would have been so helpful for me in my first pregnancy. Reading the Husband-Coached Childbirth helped me prepare for my second childbirth. It helped me realize that birth is a natural process and to trust my body.
Women have been giving birth since the start of time, long before epidurals, and they have survived through it. You have to trust your body and believe in yourself.
I’m not going to lie having a natural birth is painful! But I knew that I could do it and I did. Contractions started happening around 1 am and my son was born at 5:55 am. Giving birth to him was quick and there were no complications this time.
He was 9 lbs 11 ounces and I was able to do it without the help of drugs. Though it was painful I was able to work through the pain and have a natural birth. It was a much better experience the second time around. My first childbirth would have been a lot smoother had I considered having a natural birth.
Research Your Options
Don’t make the same mistake I did. Learn about all the different options you have! I wished I would have learned more about giving birth and trusted my body. Even though both of my children were born differently they are healthy and thriving. Whatever decision you do make, you have to do what’s right for you.
Are you currently pregnant and wondering about getting an epidural vs natural birth? What made you decide to have an epidural vs natural birth? Let me know in the comments below.
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