*Baby Corner*

[Dr. Obvious 49]

I wanted an epidural, but I don't think they really wanted to give me one, in all honesty. My attending midwife was hippy dippy. This was at an otherwise regular German hospital, btw.

I very, very, very much regret them not giving me an epidual like I asked. It was probably the worst possible blunder of the whole thing. Maybe my birth would have been acceptable in 1743 because I probably would not have died, only my child probably further maimed then the broken collarbone she suffered, but not in 2006 when you expect a higher standard. I realized there how much it really sucked to be my foremothers. I couldn't imagine a life where I was doomed to that fate every 12-18 months until I finally died in childbirth or of post-partum infection or my uterus completely prolapsed. Ugh.

At any rate, be open to any situation. You have less control over your birth than certain factions would lead you to believe.

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

chnst...I agree the epidural was nothing. I had myself soo worked up over it and your right, a little pressure and thats it

[Carolyn 1]

In theory I wanted to have a birth with no (or few) medical interventions, but my body didn't cooperate. My water broke, but I didn't go into labor on my own. I went to the hospital about 8 hours after my water broke, and my cervix was still high and closed up like a pinhole.

So, we started a series of medical interventions--

**cytotec (sp?) to soften the cervix,

**the midwife manually (ouch!) opened my cervix to 3 cm.

**several hours of contractions with no meds (no progress)

**pitocin with no pain meds--after several hours, I had only dilated to 4 cm, so I reluctantly agreed to the

**epidural

With the epidural, they were able to pump up the pitocin and I dilated to 10 cm within an hour! Now don't get me wrong--I really disliked the epidural (it made my whole body shake and I was freezing, my blood pressure dropped), but it did the trick. I think because it helped me relax--the pitocin contractions were INTENSE and unbelievably painful, but I would have continued as long as my cervix was progressively dilating. Snce my cervix was stuck, I think that the epidural was the right choice at the time. I needed to have some energy reserves to push him out!

[Eveline 9]

I had an epidural with Adam and then they broke my waters. Went from 4cm to fully dilated within two hours.

With Allie we ordered the epi and then - once my water was broken - I kinda forgot about it. They told me it might go real fast after they pop the bag but I didn't think it will all happen within a mere couple of hours. If my water had broken and there was no progress for some time, I'd go for the epidural cause a lot of times it allowes the muscles to relax and the cervix to open up. NO sense in suffering through everything. You wouldn't have someone pull your teeth without narcotics, right?

[chri'stina 190]

I have a similar story to many already posted.

I planned to try to go without an epidural, but didn't say absolutely no. My labor turned out being very long, and I got sent home twice for not progressing past 2cm even though I was having horrible back labor. Finally after being up all night in labor at home, I went back to the hospital in the morning and was 7cm. My midwife and nurse were shocked I was that far along and had been at home, and my water had broken but I didn't know it. At first they thought I might have the baby very soon so there wouldn't be time for an epidural, that freaked me out but I knew I could make it if I absolutely had to. But then my dilating stalled at 7cm and I wanted the epidural ASAP because I hadn't slept the night before and hardly the night before that, I couldn't do it anymore. I made it pretty far. I also got pitocin. The epi was heaven for me, thankfully it took away all my back labor pains and I only felt painless tightening of the area during contractions. Unfortunately a few hours later I had to get a c-section, so I got the block which is more numbing than an epidural.

By the way, I didn't feel any pain or anything from the needle of the epi or block. I think I could have gone without the epi if I didn't have the back labor that kept me awake all night in pain. I really didn't even have a choice to get an epi early on since I was sent home those 2 times, but I was wishing I could have one during that night at home.

[chri'stina 190]

Oh wanted to add: What got me through that night at home was lamaze breathing. If I didn't control my breathing very slowly in and out during the contractions, it would have been unbearable. I didn't scream or yell or anything, I had to stay calm to get through it.

[Staashi 371]

An old wife's tale says that "boys bring you beauty, girls take the beauty", meaning that with a girl, you are miserable during pregnancy. Having had a boy and a girl I must say, I was more nauseous with Allie but not very much and only for two weeks just like with Adam. My skin however was BEAUTIFUL. I didn't have any issues with pimples or blemishes while pregnant with Allie. So...from my point of view that myth is BUSTED and so not true.

I've heard that if you're sick it's with a boy and not you're having a girl.

[Chrissy25 0]

i have a question ladies, i am the uk citizen, hubby American, our son Dylan was born here, we are seriously considering moving back to the UK, i feel i need the support system of my family and John really wants to move, ayone know where i can find information about moving back?

[chnst 6]

I wanted an epidural, but I don't think they really wanted to give me one, in all honesty. My attending midwife was hippy dippy. This was at an otherwise regular German hospital, btw.

I very, very, very much regret them not giving me an epidual like I asked. It was probably the worst possible blunder of the whole thing. Maybe my birth would have been acceptable in 1743 because I probably would not have died, only my child probably further maimed then the broken collarbone she suffered, but not in 2006 when you expect a higher standard. I realized there how much it really sucked to be my foremothers. I couldn't imagine a life where I was doomed to that fate every 12-18 months until I finally died in childbirth or of post-partum infection or my uterus completely prolapsed. Ugh.

At any rate, be open to any situation. You have less control over your birth than certain factions would lead you to believe.

I absolutely agree. I'm sorry that your delivery went that way. I think doctors/midwifes should respect a womans wishes either way and stop trying to talk them into their own beliefs.

My blood pressure dropped to 70/40 at one point but they gave me something through my i.v. and it went back to normal. It's a common side effect to shake and have lower b/p with an epidural, but hey, I think it's totally worth it!

I will try to avoid it with the second baby, if the delivery goes fast, but I don't have a problem asking for it. Like Wacken said, you should go in there with an open mind.

[pixiegunn 0]

Chrissy:

These might help.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ukreside...lity/relatives/

http://britishexpats.com/ <--this one has forums, mostly about how to leave the UK for other countries, but there is a forum called 'Moving to the UK' or 'Returning to the UK' or something similar.

[nane1104 146]

THanks so much for sharing all your stories with me. I do have an open mind and if the situation requires it, I will for sure ask for an epidural, but I still want to try without and ask them to not offer it to me unless I ask for it.

Doing a lot of reading, I think there are very good reasons for getting one as well as for not getting one, so I will see what will happen and what will be best for me when the time comes.

Hubby is supportive whatever I decide to do, but I know he'd rather not have me get one because he hates any procedures that you can avoid. He just doesn't trust doctors and he is afraid that something could go wrong. (A friend of mine delivered in the same hospital, got her epi and now can't feel her left leg/foot- and she delivered 5 months ago!)

Well, I'll let you all know what happened!

[Staashi 371]

i have a question ladies, i am the uk citizen, hubby American, our son Dylan was born here, we are seriously considering moving back to the UK, i feel i need the support system of my family and John really wants to move, ayone know where i can find information about moving back?

Chrissy, do you think you could hold out until citizenship? You're not that far from applying for that. I would hold out until you have that which could be less than a year from now. Just a thought. You don't want to have gone through the whole process only to lose everything do you?

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

zaid said "mamamama" i cant stop smiling. I hope it wasnt a fluke

[churipu 4]

i have a question ladies, i am the uk citizen, hubby American, our son Dylan was born here, we are seriously considering moving back to the UK, i feel i need the support system of my family and John really wants to move, ayone know where i can find information about moving back?

I remember an old member who moved back to the UK with her USC husband, her screename is Rubywine. She posted many times about the whole process of going back there and mentioned several time to contact her if anyone had any questions about it. I just checked her profile, it says she hasn't been active since january but there are her contacts there. Also englishsammy recently moved back to England with her baby and hubby, she posted here a few times not sure you remember her. I do believe they both said it was fairly quick and simple to do the whole visa thing. I hope they can help you. Good luck with everything.

As always congrats to all the new moms/expecting moms...and all the babies are absolutely adorable!

[Nessa 23]

zaid said "mamamama" i cant stop smiling. I hope it wasnt a fluke

aww that's amazing. congrats!!