Natural vs Managed Labour

Just wondering if you can give your experiences/opinions on the above please? I have only really ever heard 2 birth stories face to face rather than on a website iykwim? First was my sisters, she asked me to come over to her house when she was in labour and I spent the next few hours with her pacing the house and streets until she wasn't able for the contractions any more and we brought her to the hospital. An hour later she delivered her baby with no pain relief or stitches. Now she didn't have any grand plan for it to happen this way, it just happened that she was coping really well with the contractions and had a fast labour once fully dilated. Next was a good friend who woke with contractions and off she went to the hospital where they broke waters, gave her pitocin(I think) and kept increasing this until she was fully dilated. She had an epi and pushed baby out feeling very little and had a small tear. Now she thinks this was a great labour and would be delighted if her next child was born this way. However, I keep reading negative comments about hospitals "managing" births but other that Mums feeling pushed into taking drugs to move things along I can't find anything concrete to say that this is actually bad for Mum or Baby. Now, I'm not saying the research isn't there or discounting Mums feelings at all. I'm just trying to gather as much information as possible. Thanks

sounds like both birth stories are pretty wonderful to me mine unfortunately was very "managed" ... emergency all the way but at the end of the day, my DD was born I've no real advice for you on this but I do know whatever you plan will probably not be the way it happens .... bummer that there was pressure to have certain things, but at all times I was given the choice and the medical opinion to make that choice... which was pretty silly as I was kinda out of it hahaha ... but DH was brilliant Have your birth plan ready ... but be prepared for anything

Thanks Shiny, TBH I'm expecting the worst possible scenario for me as I'm one of those people that always has stuff like that happen It's just that you hear so much about the hospitals pushing things on you. Now I don't mind if there are no negative side effects but if its not in best interests of the baby and more in the interest of getting you out of the labour ward within a certain time frame I would rather be informed enough to make my own decisions, if that makes any sense? Like if I needed an emergency section then I need it, no questions asked but do I really need the pitocin to make me move along at the hospitals turn around time?

I found Tracy Donegans Better Birth Book a really good read and good preparation for birth, and its irish which is great as most pregnancy books are UK or USA. I guess it depends on what you want yourself, I was hoping to do it as naturally as possible but the ante-natal classes I went to were of the attitude take everything going. I changed my mind once I read that book as intervention can lead to more and more intervention and you can end up with a section which may not have been necessary if they had let things go naturally, on my labour I stayed at home as long as possible and went to hospital at 6cm and coped fine with gas and air although had to have a vacumn birth in the end as the cord was wrapped around babys neck and she was making no progress and her heart rate was dropping but it all happened without pain relief and I was fine - although I thought the gas and air brilliant. I suppose read up a bit and see how you go on the day, the pain relief is always there if you need it. I dont really understand people agreeing to induction at only a few days over (seems to happen a lot with private patients to suit their consultants schedule), I did every trick in the book to go naturally and thankfully went into labour myself at 10 days over, induction seems to be a harder route.

[quote="Watermelonbelly":mmjglp0a]TBH I'm expecting the worst possible scenario for me as I'm one of those people that always has stuff like that happen [/quote:mmjglp0a] that great... if you're expecting the worst .. then there is a high possibility of everything going smoothly If you can try not to focus on how your baby is born and try not to compare stories. It will drive you a bit mad me thinketh. I decided that there was no option for me, and while it wasn't the way I wanted, I had my baby and I was happy ... this time around I hoping for the same result I also think everyone's experience at any given hospital is different again ... different staff attending, etc. and more importantly differing life experiences of the mum. but you are absolutely right on getting informed of your rights to consent and refusal. Here are a couple of sites to start reading from... bit out of date, but you can check with your hospital for their current procedure. (1) http://www.cuidiu-ict.ie/fulcrum.html?ep=53 Maternity Unit and Policies & Practices (2) http://www.cuidiu-ict.ie/fulcrum.html?ep=54 2005 Tables comparing maternity units’ statistics for Induction of Labour Spontaneous Vaginal Birth Instrumental Birth (Forceps and Ventouse) Caesarean Birth (Total, Elective and Unplanned / Emergency) Epidural Usage and Initial Breastfeeding Rates you should also research things that do require you to be hospital asap, e.g. merconium spotted, etc., cuz' the vast majority of women can stay at home and just go in when they 5 mins apart (depending on far from hospital you are though eh). PS I loved the gas and air too

Shiny, thanks for all that info. I've bookmarked the links so I'll start having a good read over the next few days Defo think you hit the nail on the head about comparing births, when I get my baby at the end I'll be delighted and baby has to come out somehow Sally, had looked at that book but will defo get it now, thanks a mill