@chriatopher Labor combs helped me immensely! That let me focus and feel a sense of control more than anything else.
Unmedicated birth advice
- Thread starter catholic2001
- Start date
@chriatopher I’m doing the hypnobabies course per my doulas recommendation and I’m really enjoying it!
@chriatopher Everyone is so different! The comb really didn’t do anything for me 
chriatopher
New member
@catholic2001 My birth course was more mindfulness based than hypnobirthing. However I fully recommend either one.
In my course there was a lot of focus on preparing by doing guided mindfulness exercises. Repetition helps build pathways in your brain. So when I was in labor I pretty quickly found a way to breathe through the contractions and stay calm. I learned that through not tensing and getting stressed all the good hormones that help get released. So staying calm and relaxed (physically) are very important. It’s all about mentally being able to cope with the pain.
Currently also pregnant of my second and I purchased the online version of my course so I’d have access avain to those guided meditations.
In my course there was a lot of focus on preparing by doing guided mindfulness exercises. Repetition helps build pathways in your brain. So when I was in labor I pretty quickly found a way to breathe through the contractions and stay calm. I learned that through not tensing and getting stressed all the good hormones that help get released. So staying calm and relaxed (physically) are very important. It’s all about mentally being able to cope with the pain.
Currently also pregnant of my second and I purchased the online version of my course so I’d have access avain to those guided meditations.
projectsocial
New member
@projectsocial Do you know Dutch? Otherwise I’m afraid it won’t be very helpful.
@catholic2001 In addition to the great tips, have a STRONG birth partner who you trust completely. My husband read “the birth partner” probably 3 times preparing to be my partner and he really was incredible. When I started to lose my calm during transition he kept me present and active and called me back to my deep breathing. I would not have had such a beautiful birth experience without a strong birth coach/partner.
christluvzu2
New member
@braddery Totally agree! My husband also read the birth partner, and watched the hypnobirth classes too so that he could be as supportive for me as possible. That really helped. Also for my second I was in the shower multiple times- I was skeptical about whether I thought it would help, but my mom (IBCLC and prior doula) encouraged me to try it and it was amazing. I have never loved a shower so much as then. All of those things were so great. Also for my first I used an exercise ball quite a bit.
I would also add- if you are birthing at a hospital, ask for nurses who are supportive of unmedicated births! That can also be such a help, in contrast with some nurses I had early on during my first labor who were not supportive at all and made discouraging comments. As soon as we got the nurses switched to those who were supportive, the overall energy was so much better. We knew going in to the second to make this request right at the beginning and had an amazing nurse who got their assignments changed from triage on to stick with us and support us through it.
I would also add- if you are birthing at a hospital, ask for nurses who are supportive of unmedicated births! That can also be such a help, in contrast with some nurses I had early on during my first labor who were not supportive at all and made discouraging comments. As soon as we got the nurses switched to those who were supportive, the overall energy was so much better. We knew going in to the second to make this request right at the beginning and had an amazing nurse who got their assignments changed from triage on to stick with us and support us through it.
televisionassistant
New member
@catholic2001 I am 10 weeks pp from an unmediated birth (my first birth). My childbirth classes focused on the hypnobirthing methodology. I also meditated and exercised regularly throughout my pregnancy, and spent a lot of time thinking about labor and mentally preparing for it. Watching videos and reading stories about natural births helped me know what to expect and prepare for.
I think that prep work helped get me in the right mental state for labor. What got me through labor was letting go and trusting my body. I breathed through contractions, and did my best not to tense up. I wrote a few positive affirmations for my husband to tell me, including “trust your body, trust your baby” and “your body was made to birth your baby.” I also had a doula who suggested different labor positions and helped with natural pain management (ex. massage, hip squeeze, etc.).
Good luck!
I think that prep work helped get me in the right mental state for labor. What got me through labor was letting go and trusting my body. I breathed through contractions, and did my best not to tense up. I wrote a few positive affirmations for my husband to tell me, including “trust your body, trust your baby” and “your body was made to birth your baby.” I also had a doula who suggested different labor positions and helped with natural pain management (ex. massage, hip squeeze, etc.).
Good luck!
paingiverchris
New member
@televisionassistant This sounds like the experience I had after my first son was born. It was so, so much mental prep and reading birth stories to know what to expect. Having a doula around, even though I didn’t really need her, was just really mentally affirming too. In the end I ended up having back labor because baby was posterior, and if it wasn’t for that I can honestly say it wouldn’t have been that bad. Anyways, 100% worth it - the rush of endorphins I experienced after my son was born was amazing.
Second baby came in 2.5 hrs and was born in an ambulance after a fetal ejection reflex. In the words of Ina May “my brains were in my vagina” because labour went from 0-100 in like 30 minutes I didn’t understand wtf was happening to me and had no body at home to be like “clearly you are in transition.” Probably should’ve tried to go to the hospital earlier, but I was like “nah, there’s no way labour will be this quick.”
Second baby came in 2.5 hrs and was born in an ambulance after a fetal ejection reflex. In the words of Ina May “my brains were in my vagina” because labour went from 0-100 in like 30 minutes I didn’t understand wtf was happening to me and had no body at home to be like “clearly you are in transition.” Probably should’ve tried to go to the hospital earlier, but I was like “nah, there’s no way labour will be this quick.”
@catholic2001 You just have to find a way to be able to relax ideally during contractions, but most definitely between contractions. It isn't about minimizing pain, it's about coping with it. Just remember: Every contraction ends. And nobody is pregnant forever.
Also, having a great support person is crucial. Evidence shows that having a support person who isn't a part of your social circle (aka hiring a doula, not using a friend/relative) decreases rates of c-sections and increases rates of unmedicated births.
Good luck!!
Also, having a great support person is crucial. Evidence shows that having a support person who isn't a part of your social circle (aka hiring a doula, not using a friend/relative) decreases rates of c-sections and increases rates of unmedicated births.
Good luck!!
@catholic2001 If you can get into a tub or even a shower that can help so much! Change up your positions as much as you can, sitting backwards on the toilet was one of my favorites.
I had a water birth and had some really bad back labor so when the warm water wasn’t working anymore my midwife was putting ice water on my lower back and that helped a lot.
It really is all about your mind and expectations going into it so things like hypnobirthing are really good.
I had a water birth and had some really bad back labor so when the warm water wasn’t working anymore my midwife was putting ice water on my lower back and that helped a lot.
It really is all about your mind and expectations going into it so things like hypnobirthing are really good.
@catholic2001 I've heard great things about hypnobirth but haven't taken the class.
What helped me was reading about and watching videos of positive calm births.
They can be tricky to find because sometimes you find a video and end up watching an unwanted unmedicated birth. Like the person waited too long to get to the hospital and they are screaming for an epidural as baby is coming.
A lot of home birth videos can be encouraging because you know that person obviously wanted that situation and to go for unmedicated. I also really love the movie "The Business of Being Born" it's old but I watched it in my early 20s long before I was thinking of having children and it impacted me in such a positive way.
With my first I just did a ton of visualization while doing prenatal yoga once a week. Lots of positive affirmations. I'm also just generally a pretty stubborn person and have a high pain tolerance. There definitely was talk of an epidural after I had been pushing for awhile without progressing. If my husband hadn't been so supportive of knowing what I wanted I think I would ended up with one.
What helped me was reading about and watching videos of positive calm births.
They can be tricky to find because sometimes you find a video and end up watching an unwanted unmedicated birth. Like the person waited too long to get to the hospital and they are screaming for an epidural as baby is coming.
A lot of home birth videos can be encouraging because you know that person obviously wanted that situation and to go for unmedicated. I also really love the movie "The Business of Being Born" it's old but I watched it in my early 20s long before I was thinking of having children and it impacted me in such a positive way.
With my first I just did a ton of visualization while doing prenatal yoga once a week. Lots of positive affirmations. I'm also just generally a pretty stubborn person and have a high pain tolerance. There definitely was talk of an epidural after I had been pushing for awhile without progressing. If my husband hadn't been so supportive of knowing what I wanted I think I would ended up with one.
Wanted to add I did end up pushing for about 3 hours total unmedicated. I'm due with my second in less than a month and I've been told by everyone, midwives, doula, therapist, random mom friends, that second time around it goes much much quicker. There's basically zero chance of having to push that much for that long.
All the best on your journey and I hope your labor goes smoothly no matter how baby gets out
You got this.
All the best on your journey and I hope your labor goes smoothly no matter how baby gets out
You got this.alanstranger1
New member
bible_follower
New member
@catholic2001 With my first the bath/shower was so helpful. With my second, it didn’t really help at all. I think how the baby is positioned may matter with respect to how your labor feels. I would bet body ready method and/or things like spinning babies may help.
@catholic2001 Hypnobirthing affirmations got me through two unmedicated births, one in the hospital and one at home.
purplegirl50
New member
notloveisnotjesus
New member
@catholic2001 I really liked the Bradley Method class I took. It can be hit or miss, but the best part of it was that its focus is husband-coaching… basically training your husband to be your doula.
They go through things like relaxation techniques and reframing what “pain” is. e.g. pain is a signal from your body that something is wrong; in a normal healthy delivery, nothing is wrong, but we can feel pain due to fear, anxiety, overwhelm, stress. By getting in tune with our bodies, feeling confident in our “pain management” plan, and taking care of ourselves, we can have a relatively “pain” free labor. Pressure, cramping, discomfort, overwhelm, sure; but not “pain” (if that makes sense??)
Anyway, I did this in anticipation of my second. My first was induced two weeks early and was a 66 hour long labor - by my choice. I didn’t want a C-section (I had a huge surgery phobia at the time. I still do, but I used to, too). But I was on practically every drug a woman could be on. But with my second I still wanted to avoid a C-section, but I wanted more control and I wanted to do it as drug free as possible.
I still had to be induced, this time nearly two weeks late. It was 18 hours, most of that pain med free. A lot of walking, tried the bath but the monitors wouldn’t stay on and I had to get out, a lot of rocking on the ball. I did choose to do the nitrous about an hour before my transition. Transition hit like a fucking brick and sucked ass. Idk if it was because the pitocin was driving me through it or transition always sucks ass, but that was the only thing I’d say was “painful” during the whole thing, and that’s because I couldn’t keep up with my relaxation techniques between or even think well enough to communicate my needs. I remember taking the mask off a couple of times to say that the gas isn’t working and to give me something stronger, only to be hit with a contraction that proved that the gas was fucking working only now I wasn’t using it and can’t get even breathe to speak.
Delivery was freakin’ awesome and 100% worth it. I could feel my baby move inside me as he was pushing out. The endorphin rush is a freakin’ trip. Immediately after I looked at my husband and said, “WHOOOO! Let’s do that again!!”
I did not, in fact, do that again or even want to. That was the hormones talking, lol. But it was an amazing experience.
Yours will probably be different cuz you’re different! But the Brady Method helped my husband a LOT. He was an absolute champ the whole time and it was a bonding experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. WE delivered a baby, if that makes sense?? We were in it together the whole way.
They go through things like relaxation techniques and reframing what “pain” is. e.g. pain is a signal from your body that something is wrong; in a normal healthy delivery, nothing is wrong, but we can feel pain due to fear, anxiety, overwhelm, stress. By getting in tune with our bodies, feeling confident in our “pain management” plan, and taking care of ourselves, we can have a relatively “pain” free labor. Pressure, cramping, discomfort, overwhelm, sure; but not “pain” (if that makes sense??)
Anyway, I did this in anticipation of my second. My first was induced two weeks early and was a 66 hour long labor - by my choice. I didn’t want a C-section (I had a huge surgery phobia at the time. I still do, but I used to, too). But I was on practically every drug a woman could be on. But with my second I still wanted to avoid a C-section, but I wanted more control and I wanted to do it as drug free as possible.
I still had to be induced, this time nearly two weeks late. It was 18 hours, most of that pain med free. A lot of walking, tried the bath but the monitors wouldn’t stay on and I had to get out, a lot of rocking on the ball. I did choose to do the nitrous about an hour before my transition. Transition hit like a fucking brick and sucked ass. Idk if it was because the pitocin was driving me through it or transition always sucks ass, but that was the only thing I’d say was “painful” during the whole thing, and that’s because I couldn’t keep up with my relaxation techniques between or even think well enough to communicate my needs. I remember taking the mask off a couple of times to say that the gas isn’t working and to give me something stronger, only to be hit with a contraction that proved that the gas was fucking working only now I wasn’t using it and can’t get even breathe to speak.
Delivery was freakin’ awesome and 100% worth it. I could feel my baby move inside me as he was pushing out. The endorphin rush is a freakin’ trip. Immediately after I looked at my husband and said, “WHOOOO! Let’s do that again!!”
I did not, in fact, do that again or even want to. That was the hormones talking, lol. But it was an amazing experience.
Yours will probably be different cuz you’re different! But the Brady Method helped my husband a LOT. He was an absolute champ the whole time and it was a bonding experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. WE delivered a baby, if that makes sense?? We were in it together the whole way.