I want to show you in pictures how it all went:
Baby 1 - long labor (22 hours) but I had an epidural and I hot rolled my hair and put on make up after:
Baby 2 - also an epidural, shorter labor at 12 hours and I was still able to put on make up and fix my hair after:
Baby 3 - natural - I look like I had been robbed and beat up and I was unable to do much of anything afterwards - but the labor was only 7 hours:
The moral of this story - I'm getting an epidural. Don't judge me. I like not feeling my legs and various other body parts that may actually be on fire for hours at a time.
I should add that the moral of this story is not that I wanted to look nice after birth just that I felt really good after the epidural births and I felt like I had honestly been run over by a truck after the natural birth. I had virtually no problems and felt great after those two births and I had horrible headaches and was kind of a mess after the natural birth so that is honestly why I am going back to the epidural. BUT everyone is different. People recover differently. I have had friends that say the opposite.
To each his own. I just thought the pictures were a funny representation of how I felt after giving birth.
You cracked me up. I've had them all ways. Epidurals are pret-ty nice:)
ReplyDeleteit seems to me your goal is a nice-hair, make-up-ed picture right after birth? lol. :)
ReplyDelete@Katy
ReplyDeleteNot really, my point was how much better I felt after the epidural births than I did after the natural births. I just had a horrible two weeks after the natural birth with bad headaches and such that I never experienced with the epidural births. Those were a piece of cake.
After my epidural (hospital) births, I was up walking around within hours feeling pretty much okay.
ReplyDeleteMy two homebirths, although wonderful in their own way, did give me that "robbed and beat up (and left for dead)" feeling.
This had me cracking up! :) Hmmm...you've definitely got me thinking. Perhaps I'm missing something and should try it another way this time around. :)
ReplyDeleteWell, you know, I can't say I know what an epidural is like...and I'm thankful that the "labor pain" is a distant memory at the moment. It's too bad your natural experience wasn't better, but praise the Lord for technology!
ReplyDeleteI say: good for you! You've done it both ways and you know what works for you. My theory is go for what allows YOU to feel more in control and READY to be a mom of 4! I personally had nightmare of issues WITH my epidurals not working (we're talking 10+ spine injections JUST to get it in)and I vowed I'd never have another one. Then with baby #3, I gave in and amazingly it worked PERFECTLY first try and I finally found out just how well an epidural is designed to work. I feel like my recovery WAS easier and I was out of the hospital in 24 hours and back home with no need for any pain meds, etc. Those other babies had me feeling like I had been hit by a truck for weeks!
ReplyDeleteThis is great! You are right! Everyone is different and everyone needs to make this decision for themselves. My patter has been, epidural, epidural, epidural, natural, epidural, and hoping for natural this time.
ReplyDeleteI felt so much better after my natural birth than the epidural births. I had an epidural whenever I was induced (pitocin is brutal).
You have to do what works for you!
Blessings!
@Sarah Avila
ReplyDeleteI have never been induced (and I hope I don't have to this time) but I have heard that Pitocin is harder on you.
@Tracye
ReplyDeleteYes, with the epidurals I never needed pain meds. With the natural birth I was popping pain pills as long as they would let me.
@Lindsey
ReplyDeleteI would not tell anyone to get an epidural if they are against it. I am all for natural if that is the way you want to go. I just enjoyed my birthing experience so much more with the epidurals.
Gretchen - How far along are you?
ReplyDeleteI'd love for you to link up to my pregnancy link up whenever you post anything pregnancy related!
I'm enjoying checking out your blog!
http://myjoy-filledlife.blogspot.com/search/label/My%20Pregnancy%20Journal%20Link-Up
Blessings,
Sarah