Last night Lucas and I had our second Prepared Childbirth class. I think the class would be more appropriately named "Scare You To Death About Birth" class.
First let me say this: many woman probably still choose to go through childbirth naturally ~ no drugs. Why? I can't answer that. But to each woman her own.
As for me? I want as much drugs as possible pumped through my epidural. I don't want to feel what is going on down there. Give me as pain-free of an experience as possible. I know it will hurt. I just don't think we need to make it any worse than it has to be.
Sooooooo..... why then are all these videos we watch of women having natural childbirths. Obviously they are having natural childbirths. They are up, walking around, moaning, groaning, crying, screaming, cursing. Get an epidural, ladies!!! All that pain will go away (well, at least a lot of it). There is no need for all the moaning and swaying and position changing. I don't need to see a video of a woman screaming in pain for hours upon end, only to reach an entirely different level of screaming and pain when her son/daughter decides to make his/her grand entrance. And I definitely don't need to see that grand entrance up close and personal.
Before seeing these videos, I was pretty at peace about the whole process. I knew it would hurt. But it is childbirth. It is a beautiful, natural thing (still a natural process ~ even when I'm drugged up). People want to watch? Sure! They are excited about the birth of our child. But now ~ I know birthing may not be so beautiful after all. I'm not so sure about my previously held open viewing policy. I may have to enforce a strict shoulders-up code like my friend, Aida.
Aida, I understand now. And thank you for not letting me view Landon's grand entrance from that angle. At 4 months pregnant, I'm pretty sure I would have passed out cold. You are a good friend.So, what do you think? Open viewing policy? Shoulders-up policy? Get the heck out of my room policy?
10 comments:
I hear ya! Give me the drugs. I had a closed door policy except for my husband. I would have definitely had my mom in there if she were in town but she wasn't so it was my husband ONLY!!!! Unfortunately I ended up with 2 C-sections but I did labor & push for 10 hrs with my first to no avail! I wish you all the best in this pregnancy AND birth!
a) those birthing videos are hilariously overblown if you're going with drugs. I went with drugs and was SHOCKED at the fact that I felt NO pain. It was just plain and simple: boring. Laying in bed doing nothing and feeling nothing and bored to death for 12 hours was not the mental image I had when I heard people say "I was in labor for 12 hours!!"
b) I did have a C-Section, so I don't know if the actual pushing out part gets harder, but the labor was nothing. (except for about 20 min before I got my epidural, but even that wasn't too bad.)
c) we had people coming in and out visiting while in boring labor - I was covered well. I wouldn't have had anyone in the room with me during the actual birthing part, had that happened.
d) C-Sections are awesome. Don't be afraid of them if you have to have one.
:)
My sister had an "open door" for her second baby, and I thought it was pretty interesting. I was a few feet behind the doctor video taping it. *lol* Her boyfriend stayed up near her head most of the time, he's not a fan of all the blood and such, but me and my mom were at the end (she had a massive room!) near the couch/chairs watching.
Now when me and my husband go to have our own we dont like the idea of having people in our room, we might have my mom, but that'd be it - and put the video camera up and have pictures. lol.
I love the idea of having a water birth, I've watched a lot of them on Discovery Health and some of them turn out pretty calm, and then you watch some ladies just scream bloody murder that you want to slap them. My mom had both of us natural and her doctor actually told her that she got one scream when she was having me, and after that he would pop her, he said he had a horrible headache from listening to a lady scream for an hour pushing out a baby before her. lol.
I love DRUGS!!! I never had to have the drugs because we never got that far into labor before the C-section, but I was FULLY PREPARED to pull the trigger at any moment.
As for the video, I opted out. I knew it would be scary and I didn't need a video scaring me more than I already was. My mom sad that regardless of whether or not you took a class, the nurses were going to tell you what to do when it's time to do it so...
I have a strict shoulder up policy. There's a reason that women physically can't see all that "stuff" going on down there.
So not that I have kids or anything...but I know a little about myself and when I feel pain. I am a cranky, cranky girl. That being said, if I am in labor for a long while, family members MIGHT be able to come and see me. Other than that it will be closed with Hubby and I. And I really havent decided about drugs/epidurals and what not. I have heard some scary things about them, but havent done enough research to make an informed decision.
First baby - drugged all the way - no pain at ALL in the birthing processes, but seriously, I felt so OFF for DAYS following.
Second baby - no time for drugs - all natural, big owie. But seriously, I was ready to go home like 2 hours after she was born.
One of the reasons I don't have a #3 - I REALLY couldn't decide which way to go.
I WILL tell you this - once that baby starts coming, you won't care if the janitor at work is down there in your cootchie... you just want that baby OUT>
I was a drug-free mama. I had many reasons for doing it drug free (look into it, they are significant) and even though I had the dreaded back labour which is supposed to be the worst you can get, I would do it all over again. It's only one day in my life.
A lot of the time, drug-free labours are also faster, with fewer pushes required too as you can feel more easily when and where to push.
oh yeah, and my birth was really calm. I used deep breathing to during the contractions and was the most zenned out I have ever been in my life as the endorphins took over. I even fell asleep between contractions when I was 7cm dilated. And I never once screamed, only breathed out saying "haaaaaaaaa" when they told me I should which was right at the end as it's better for your body. Trick is not to fight the contractions and to just go with them.
Well I agree to each her own!!! I had drugs with Emmalyn and is was good!! I did not like having to sit so long before she came and after so I would say put it off as long as you safely can!! But it was great and so easy!!!
And my baby boy well he gave me not time for drugs!!! And I was up and around during and right after labor and that was great!! It was painful (I think) but I quickly forgot it and if I was going to have another I would do not drugs!!! The after was just so much better!! I also think C-sections are good for some people but if not medically necessary why go thought a major surgery. You will do great and do not let anything or anyone scare you!!! Good luck!!
About the natural thing - my thoughts are to all that want this, there are NO AWARDS being handed out at the ending! LOL Get the drugs.
About the viewing, I watched my BFF as Emma crowned and I was just amazed. It blew me away. I knew that I would never experience that and so to be there was just monumental for me. It was a beautiful moment. But, if it were me - shoulders up policy - fo sho! :)
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