this is.. stupid. who cares?

Hi Melissa! My name is Shanice and I was pregnant and I had my baby girl natural with the epidural!I REGRET not taking the drugs also!She is my first alsoShe was lbs and 4oz.Her name is Zaniyah Da'Rae'.She is very beautiful!!!!!!The thing that killed me da most was those contractions because they was coming back 2 back! Then, I really wanted to cry for the IV because I was not admitted into the hospital before and it was a nightmare on elm street to put that IV in my hand!But really and truly I felt funny holding my baby and knowing that Im a mother and I have respondsibilities !

Why do people put so much emphasis on what movie stars do? Like they make better parents or mothers than the rest of us? Lots of women go without epidurals, I'm sure many of them regret it. Birth is a personal experience .

epidural was the best thing I ever did at the time. I have 2 kids and had an epidural with both of them. The first one I couldn't walk for a day and a half. The 2nd one I was up walking that night. But on the downside, I can still feel the spot on my back where I had it. It still is sore when I lay down on my back. I had my 2nd child July 2nd. and am still sore on my back. So the epidural has its down faults.

Yes i have to agree, the epidural was a life saver!!
I had a hard labor also, i had a level 4.2 of amniotic fluid around my baby, and a normal level is anywhere from 8 to 11. So it was dangerous for me and the baby, well when i got admitted i was told they were going to enduce my labor the next morning, so they got me straight and at the time i was only having the braxton hicks contractions, so i mean they were hurting a little it was just more uncomfortable than anything! but I was only dialated 1 centimeter, and i was 39 weeks. But they had to put a cathider in me, (now for you that don't know, the cathider hurts and it's like a baloon that expands your cervix, so you could dialate) and the iv's so they got me situated and at a quarter till six that morning they came in to start the patosum, which they started it on a high level..And what i didn't know was that my body was very sensitive to the patosum and i was having contractions seconds after seconds and i couldn't even get a breath! Which is supposed to happen but i wasn't dialating, well they would stop it and wait 30 mins to see if i had dialated, well i may have dialated 1 cent. So they would start it back, well so on and so forth i finally got to like 4 or 5 cent. and they broke my water, and that doubled the pain!! excrusiating!!!  And well they went on again with the patosum and by this time i was screaming at the top of my llungs, and the couldn't get the anestesiologist in there at the time because she was doing another patient, so i had to sit there in pain for at least another hour, Well she finally came in and it was around 10 something that morning and she did the usual amount, and afterwards, i could still feel the contractions, but they didn't hurt. And They followed up with the patosum, and around 3 they stopped it and checked to see how much i dialated, well i had only made it to 5 cent. and i wouldn't go any further, (and need i mention, the patosum was so strong, it was dropping mine and the baby's heart rate!!) So the doc finally came in and told me they were going to do a c section, and i busted out crying!! I was soo scared, cause this was my first birth, i didn't know what to expect. Well they got me preped, and she put in double the amount of the epidural and i couldn't even think about wiggaling my toes!! lol but they cut me open and i could feel everything they done, no i couldn't feel the pain nor could i feel them cut me open, i could jus feel them messing with my stomach, and i felt them pull the baby out, and that was the weirdest feeling!!! And i had my baby girl finally at 4:08 pm. But the epidural finally wore out about 4 or 5 hours after i had the baby, and everything was fine afterwards, but honestly, they only way the epidural has it's down faults is if you are fidgity or moving during the procedure. that's why they tell you to be VERY still! and, ask most women, the epidural is HEVEN SENT!!!!
^_^
Thanks for listening!
<3 Bethany

But after reading these comments... Who had really a natural birth? Who can speak about having a baby without drugs, without epidural? Well that was my case, and believe me it was pain but bearable, and the baby came out easily. The recovery was not so fine, after episiothomy (and that was the biggest pain by far in all the process).

I don't usually comment on these, but . . . I had my son without any drugs whatsoever (he came too fast for me to get anything!) and the labor was extremely painful. With my second, I had an epidural and absolutely loved it! I couldn't believe the contrast--how much more comfortable and relaxed I was. I also healed much faster from the second (with the epidural) than I had with the first--I had a lot of tearing the first time around. Just my two cents!

Two all natural births, no drugs, whole lotta pain...NO Regrets (or whining!!!)

I had an epidural and it was amazing, why go through all this pain when you dont have to. I am a postpartum nurse and it is my experience that more women opt for the epidural than dont, and it can actually help your recovery time!

Why no epidural? They are not researched for the longterm effects on the child - they do know the drugs get to the baby and there are well researched side effects--  longer labor, increased risk of c-section, malpresentation of the baby's head, more risk of forcep/vacuum use, headache, seizures, back pain, PARALYSIS, and on and on. Epidural use is increasing- so is autism, asthma, ADD and learning disabilities in children.  Coincidence?  Who knows? But I did not want to take the risk with my baby. Experiment all you want with yours...Research these things and they can scare the heck out of you- women have been bearing the pain for millenia- we don't die from the pain. I had my baby in a hospital and no epidural. Nine hours of pain, no episiotomy and 3 stitches. He was my first and almost 9 pounds and I am a 40 year old, non exercising wimp. If you choose an epidural, that is your option, but do it knowing the risks.

Well I am the mother of six beautiful children, And I always, and still is against an epidural. However, there is one exception. That is that, use it when it is needed, such as my sitution. Like I had to have two c-sections. That is the only time that I will support a mother using an epidural. Other then than that, you all did not have any problems making the baby , you should not have  any problems having them natural either. God designed child birth so that we can have pain, and appreciate the gift of life. By the way I had four of my children naturally, and  two c-section which I had to have an epidural with both c-section. If you can't stand the heat stay out of the kitchen.

This is stupid!  Who cares?  With my firs daughter, I had it.  I couldn't move, felt helpless!  I hated it!  With my second I was induced contractions would have 2 to 4 peaks before getting a two sec break I gave in and got the epidural the last hour, no big deal that time!  But I want a third child, there will be NO being induced and NO epidural!  Having this interview is just a waste of space, if she wanted the world to know she did it naturally and regretted it they she should have blogged like everyone else!

Well, seems like the comments go both ways here.  The fact is there is nothing wrong with getting an epidural.  I mean they say vaccinations can cause autism but are u going to run the risk of your child getting a virus/disease that can kill them?  I don't think so (although i know a few that do....not very intelligent).  Fact is a lot of things can go wrong with labor and I'm thankful there are meds out there that can help save mothers and their babies.  It's all about choice but don't judge anyone who chooses to have one...doesn't make them any less a mother.  I have had to have three csections with spinals and i didn't have to have any pain meds after the surgery and never had any problems or side effects nor did my babies.
And FYI, a catheter doesn't expand your cervix.  There's no such animal.  It's a tube that goes directly into your bladder, with a bulb on the end that is inflated to allow urine to continually run out to keep your bladder from expanding..keeps it out of the way.

Very intelligent mom (Doctor) who doesn't vaccinate and had 2 natural, home, waterbirths. Before going on and saying that these choices are not intelligent I advise you to get the facts on how vaccinations alter the immune system and can have dire consequences of their own.

I just had an unmedicated homebirth a week ago.
While the epidural is a perfectly fine option, it is not always neccessary for all women and it the FACT is it does directly increase the number of interventions needed (forceps, sometimes cesareans..)
If you are induced with synthetic OXYTOCIN (the natural hormone that creates your contractions), such as PITOCIN, then you will most likely NEED an epidural, because the contractions are stronger because they are basically not your natural contractions.

I honestly had a hard labor, and I don't know if next time I will opt for an unmedicated homebirth. But it had so many advantages. My baby was never taken from my side, no immediate immunizations, the birth was natural and my baby was very alert and fed immediately following birth. I didn't have an episiotomy and tore very little (two stiches), which is so minor compared to the layers of flesh the doctors cut. I was free to do as I pleased and give birth in the position I chose. I've heard so many stories of women whose births were progressing well and the epidural just through them off course and they ended up with more interventions, and so the cycle begins.. But as I said there is nothing wrong with opting for one if you feel it is neccessary for you and you are aware of the increase in possible interventions tha come with it. Making an educated choice is what matters.
Although I had a hard labor, with sooo much back pain, I don't regret not getting an epidural -it was a matter of getting through the contractions and my desire to birth naturally.

i have 4 children.  3 of them i had no drugs. totally natural.  the 4th i had to have a c-section. go figure!  i would have rather gone all natural the 4th time as well but he was breeched and my water had already broke.  i hated the recovery time for a c-section. it was the worst experience ever.  not being able to hold your baby for hours until you get out of recovery.  i would never want to go through that again.

And FYI Anna,
There is such a thing as a catheter to expand your cervix.  I was a VBAC and was overdue.  One of the ways the Dr was going to induce me was with such a catheter.  It is a mechanical method to open up the cervix rather than chemical (ie. pitocin).  Luckily, I went into labour on my own and didn't have to have this procedure.

I had a natural childbirth with my second after a C-section for a breech presentation with my first.  I did it without an epidural, only 2 hits of gas, and I've never regretted it.  I'm extremely happy that I did it naturally without any interventions.

Excuse me Tonya.....but if you were next to me right now I would slap you!  How dare YOU tell someone else what to do.....you don't have that right.  Lots of things are different now then in the old days......OBVIOUSLY!!.   We didn't have the technology that we have today so lots of people suffered.......things were invented so we wouldn't have to suffer.  People like you make me so angry because you think you are so perfect......when you are really just a judgemental snot!  There just my two cents.