Natural vs Epidural

Here is a layout I did 2 1/2 years ago right after Bentley was born. I pulled it out (I'm totally in the waiting game right now) and read about my 2 birth experiences all over again. People keep asking me how I want to do it this time. Well.... Besides the fact that you can't ever REALLY plan how you want labor and delivery to go- Here's my soapbox about it all- 

Everett was delivered at The Birth and Family Place in Holladay Utah with my Midwife - completely natural (and standing up for that matter) . I was so pro-natural birth for the entire 9 months leading up to Everett's birth - I read 12 books on the matter and here were my major "promo" points about it all: 

1- Dr.'s don't care about you as much- they are "in and out" and they want your birth to be convenient for THEM. Midwifes are there for you throughout the entire process- never leave your side, give you the freedom to walk around, let you eat when you are hungry, and let you explore positions.

2- Having an epidural means that you are "drugged" up and can't enjoy the birth as much.

3- Our bodies were meant to have babies naturally 

4- Pitocin can stall the labor and result in a c-section

5- Being able to feel the entire process makes you closer with your baby because he is also going through a traumatic transition. 

So......- that night was seriously the hardest, most painful, exhausting night of my life. I actually "un-dilated" from a 9 back down to an 8- It was so long!!! I was so determined that I would do it naturally that I never felt like giving in and getting meds- (I didn't have that option at the birth center anyways) After about 24 hours of labor total-( 10 transition and 3 hours pushing alone)- He FINALLY came- and I was completely empowered. It was a total adrenaline rush. I will always be proud that I did  it naturally, and I always say that I became a woman that night. I SWORE that was the only way to do it, and that I was going to deliver my next one just the same. 

BUT BUT BUT .... then I had Bentley. 

We were in St. George when Bentley was born. I didn't have the option of a midwife in a birth center- I could  have a home birth or a hospital birth- NOTHING in between- Although I wasn't thrilled about it- I got a Dr. and just told myself that I would go natural against everyone there and everything they would be telling me to do. After back labor became unbearable I screamed  for an epidural. The staff told me that it wouldn't be effective because I was already an 8 and it wouldn't even kick in in time to offer relief. I knew better (IT was still 5 hours after they gave me the epidural that he was born) I LOVED it. I relaxed,  I took a freakin nap!  And I was  MORE aware and felt MORE connected to my baby because I wasn't so completely in pain. I barely tore, I didn't hemorrhage like with Everett, and I recovered way faster. 

CONCLUSION:

1--Dr.'s ARE indeed more "routine" "in and out" and aren't there for you the entire time like Midwifes are- (I had really horrible nurses with Bentley, so in that way, I really prefer the Midwife.)

2- An epidural does NOT make you all "drugged up" preventing you from bonding with your baby- it in fact gives you more attention to baby and less (none) on the pain! 

3- An epidural helps you to relax and LET the baby come- the pain with Everett made it longer because I was so tense and stressed and my body was naturally trying to resist the pain-

4-I am still against inducing (let me clarify.... PLANNING to induce for convenience reasons. I know that some women have complications when they are weeks over due, and at that point I think it's okay to induce) but not from the get go- give your body a chance to do it on it's own FIRST! 

So, after all that I WILL say that if I have short labors like some women I know, I would TOTALLY have them natural. Pain can be tolerated for a certain amount of time, but my labors are so stinkin long, I am going to plan for an epidural this time. 

With all that being said- You can come any day now!!!