That epidural comment annoys me. I went from 3 cm, got an epi, and was at 10cm 3 hours later. Sometimes an epi relaxes an over anxious woman (like myself) and actually speeds up labor. Happened to my best friend, too. Having an epidural doesn’t automatically make your labor slow down, despite what many websites say.

Chatty Cricket – -

Well Said! MOST women can birth naturally. MOST women can have uncomplicated births. BUT, there are women, or situations that arise, that can become very dangerous very quickly. I plan on homebirthhing, but I also plan on having tests before hand to make sure everything is OK, and I may even have a few visits with a physician 2-3 times during the pregnancy to check everything with him, in addition to normal Midwife stuff.

Actually, many hospitals these days are receptive to alternative birthing positions, and drug free labors. It’s all about what you’re comfortable with and what you know to ask for, and frankly what the hospital can provide so it pays to do research and pick the hospital that’s right for you if you want a hospital birth. Melissa has talked about her OB from time to time and it sounds like she has a very sympathetic Doctor (let’s all remember that Melissa’s Doctor never forced her into a C-Section despite her concerns that it may be necessary).

I’ve had epidurals with both of my children, and plan on having one for this third labor and delivery. My first labor was 23 hours, incredibly painful (despite the epidural) and pretty traumatic. My second labor and delivery was a breeze compared with the first. The only difference was that I was induced the first time around because I was diagnosed at 39 weeks with preeclampsia, and went into labor on my own time with the second. So I tend to agree with Nicole R- an induction can make labor so much harder. But sometimes it can’t be avoided (like if the baby or the mother is in danger), and you simply have the weigh the pluses and minuses of your options.

Bottom line is that everyone’s labor is different, and what works for one person may not work for another.

No way. The reason chilbirth is so difficult nowadays is because everything is made convenient for the doctor, not the mother. I’ll still never understand why women have to give birth lying on their backs with gravity working against them—oh I know, so the doctors don’t have to bend over.

If she’d waited for “labor to begin naturally” the fetus might have died. Fetal death rates rise dramatically when gestation goes past forty weeks. No doctor in his/her right mind would let a pregnancy go past forty-two weeks; the placenta has likely badly deteriorated by that point!

she seems like a very sweet young lady, but you have to wonder if her epi contributed to that long hard labor…

Well, Mason was on the big side — 9 pounds — but that’s not dangerously large. I can’t help but wonder if she would have an easier time (and had the epidural-free birth she wanted) if she’d waited for labor to begin naturally. When your body isn’t ready, an induction can be bad news.

That’s what you call Monday-morning quarterbacking!

Oh, I feel like I am reading my birth story! My daughter’s head was so big that after almost 4 hours of pushing she still hadn’t come out. When the doctor finally came in (they were incredibly busy when I delivered, with almost 15 women all “going” at once), he got the vacuum and pulled her out. I hate to think how much longer I would have had to keep going without it.

I pushed for 4 hours with my little girl, so I can relate to that! Her head kept going in and out for the whole time. It was really frustrating. Finally a male intern came into the room and said “Amy, you’re just not pushing hard enough. You need to do a better job.” Within 2 pushes after that comment she was out. It sounds like he was being mean, but it was that comment that slightly offended me and gave me the kick in the butt to prove that doctor wrong )

What a great delivery story! I remember what a tough time she had from reading Mason’s intro post from People mag, but to hear the whole story is much different.