Natural Birth in a Hospital Setting?

I am a month away from my due date but am already 2-3 cm. dilated. I was informed that baby may not wait until the official due date, so I am mentally preparing myself for labor. I feel very passionately about natural birth (in my native country, a majority of women do not even have access to pain-relief or labor inducing drugs, so I see this as the norm.), so much so that if I were not on public aid and could afford a midwife, I would have chosen a home birth. However, with limited resources I really do not have much of a choice in the matter. My OB does not induce nearly as much as most practitioners in the area, which I know is a blessing, however I am still concerned about having an unmedicated, natural, non-invasive and empowering birth experience in a hospital setting. If any of you out there had the opportunity to give birth in such circumstances, please share your story + advice!! This is very important to me. Thanks :)

I would write up a birth plan and take it to your next appointment. Make it clear to your dr that you do not want intervention. Ask for a walking IV (I think that is what it's called.) Basically, you get an IV but they block it so you can walk around and stuff. It's only there IF necessary. And when you get to the hospital, very politely make it clear to the nurse that you want a natural birth and you don't want to be offered anything to help with pain or to augment the labor. If you will have your husband there, have him step up and speak for you. I also wouldn't be afraid to share with your assigned nurse that your background in your native country is to see women birth without meds and that you consider that normal. You aren't afraid of it and would prefer it that way. If you nurse isn't friendly toward you, ask for another nurse. Finally, I wouldn't go to the hospital right off the bat. Allow yourself to get into a good labor pattern at home and then go. If they want to put the fetal monitors on you, ask to be checked once an hour but then request they be taken off in the meantime. Nothing sends panic through that L&D floor than a typically normal small spike in the heart rate. Of course, it's typically all the meds and intervention that start the heart rate issues.

I have never given birth naturally in the hospital. But I have home birthed. This is what I write up in my birth plan if I have to transport. You are the patient when you walk in there. You should have control over what happens to you. I am sure that there are others out there who have successfully birthed naturally in the hospital and could probably help you better. I had a c-section with my first so that one silly birth sends warning signals off to the drs (forget that I have delivered 4 other babies naturally after that- my largest was 10.3 lbs. So much for that small pelvis that caused my c-section.) That is why I won't go near a hospital unless my midwife says something is wrong and we must go. And I have had to do that with my first attempted home birth. :(

God Bless.

mom of 5 w/ #6 due Nov 08

My last delivery was a natural birth in a hospital setting it was comfortable. To be honest it wasn't my choice to be a natural birth, but it was so fast, I didn't have a choice. I enjoed the adrenaline rush that I had while doing it the natural way, it was wonderful! Good luck!

i had 3 epidurals (becuase checking the cervix hurts like heck) they didnt work... i still felt the pain, and i had a c-section. i felt them cut me so they had to put me to sleep. i hate meds. its not too much pain, I wish i didnt have to get a c-section because i woulda had a natural birth seems beautiful

if you are sure that's how you wanna go about it explain it to your Dr. and make it clear to them you want no drugs at all. i did and i dnt have a single drug at all. also you can't refuse your IV it is for safety so you gotta have it in case of an emergency. so go for it have fun !

When I went into labor with my second child, it was completely natural. I seemed so much more in tuned with my body the second time around. I was able to do cleansing breaths the whole time at the hospital. I will admit that I was screaming on the drive there. lol

they won't force you to have an epidural or pain medication, they only give it when you ask for it.

With my first daughter I had her in a hospital. My doctor had offered to induce me to fit my daughter's birth around his vacation. I declined and she was born while he was out of town. (Thank god) I labored at home for a long time and when I got to the hospital I was 5 cm dilated. I got on the fetal monitor long enough so that they could get 3 contractions on the monitor. Then I got in the tub. The warm water felt great. I labored in there for a couple hours and got out when I was almost dilated. I should have stayed in until I was complete. I stalled st 9.5 cm for awhile and was in a lot more pain. But the doctor didn't interfere too much and she was born after 11 hours of labor. I really didn't like them counting at me while I was pushing. I wasn't getting enough oxygen and took a breath when I needed to. I got yelled at because of that. Big surprise that her heart rate dropped. I wasn't getting enough oxygen and neither was she. If I'd been permitted to breathe when I needed to it wouldn't have been a problem. No drugs the entire time. We took the Bradley method classes before she was born.

My second baby was born at home. No one told me to hold my breath or anything and it was much more peaceful. No heart rate dropping. She was born in the water, I didn't have to get out.

i was so adamant about not having drugs during labor. the first 2 i didn't understand my body, but the last one, i prayed everyday that i didn't have to use the epidural, so the night of my labor (started 12 am) i just walked around and didn't started yelling until 6 am (i went to the hospital) i walked around while i was there and i was already about 6-7 cms dilated. about 1hr 45 mins later i was 10 cm and it was too late to administer the epidural. my water had not broken until the doctor came and did it and then i was ready to push


so things to remember:
-don't go to the hospital until you feel like you can't take it anymore,
-make sure your water is broken so you can push
-walk around and grabbing someone's arm could relieve some pressure (for me it did)
-don't let the nurses/pediatricians force you to vaccinate your precious newly born baby. i have not vaccinated my last one, didn't get the vitamin k in the eyes either.
-don't be afraid to give your baby formula if you want to go to sleep, you will develop your own rythyms when you arrive home