Controversial Subject!

Tanz, you can ask that they turn the epidural down for the pushing part, or you do not have to, so you do not feel the pushing at all. But I have heard that alot of ladies needs help then, like forceps or the vacuum, because they do not know when to push so it makes it a little bit more difficult.
If I am not mistaken, Kimika had a walking epidural, it takes the pain away but you are still mobile, and you can help push because you can still feel the sensation of pushing

They must correct me if I am wrong, as I do not really know

It might help you to know that there is no physical need to actually push your baby out. The muscles of the body are perfectly designed to do it.
There have been cases of pregnant women in comas where the body has gone into labour and birthed their baby without being conscious at all.
I had huge hang ups about pushing because in my first birth I was screamed at for over 2 hours to push and was near breaking point, baby was distressed and there was talk of an emergency caesar. It was only because they did an episiotomy that she actually came out.
In order for the body to function as it was made to do you need to be completely relaxed and have no fear - which is easy said than done.
My 'pushing phase' of my hypnobirth was recorded as less than 2 minutes - there was no pushing, he just came out.

I know many women choose to have an epidural, my only advice would be to do your research thoroughly and make sure you understand the potential side effects for both you and your baby.
xx

Oh OK, I asked because there are practitioners both in Durban and JHB

Ankia - Thanks! To tell you the truth: I am a bit "kleinseerig". I am very afraid that in the middle of the pushing part, I might give up. My husband says I am much stronger than I think I am. It is so important for me that this goes as smoothly as possible for the baby.

How exactly does an epidural work when giving birth naturally? Does it wear off before the actual birth? Does it just take away the contractions?

Tanz, I will tell you my experience
I am very pro natural, and went to see my gynie at 12 weeks, after I asked him if he would consider being my back up docter if I go to a midwife and he sort of asked me if I wanted a dead baby, that was his reaction to me wanting a natural birth with a midwife - i never went back to him.

I finally found a back up gynie, and after seeing him, he told me I will not birth natural and will need a cs as baby will be big, he estimated that my lb will be over 4 kg's.
So here is my story.

I found a great midwife and they looked after me so well.
Went into labour on the 27th, went to the clininc at about 9 pm and was 2 cm, I was horrified, I thought that I was much further than that.
My tummy went naturaly and my midwife suggest to bring with glyserien suppositories (spelling), they do not do enemas routinely an if you want you can use the suppositories - I did not need it.
Midwife came to check me again at 12 pm and said I was 5 cm, from there everything went very fast, they prepared the bath and I was in it from about 1:15 am, she brok my water at about 2 am and W was born at 2:30 am on the 28th, so a total of 5 & 1/2 hours
He came very fast, so I did tore but on the inside, and had to get stitches (had to go to teather, because I could not lie still - got a spinal and everyting after I had a natural birht), was not sore, I just had to do salt baths.
W weighed 3.35kg, not big at all, head was 35 cm, and that is not big at all - so I do not get where the docter got it from that I had a big baby.

This is my experience, and planning a natural birth again with the same midwifes but a different back up doctor.

But you have to make the decision, I am not going to tell you it was not sore, because it was, but the pain is over when baby is out and you can get up and walk around and meet with the family. If the midwife did not convince me to stay a night, I would have been hom on the 28th already, but came home on the 29th.

Good luck

Thanks everyone! I guess it's about personal preference... I just don't think I can quite understand the kind of pain that goes with normal labor! Maybe that is what scares me. Fear of that which I don't know... Stupid I know!

Laliek - No, die klein "rakker"! We went for our 20 week scan on Monday, and now he/she is crossing their legs. We can't see anything... Doctor now thinks it's a girl again! So confusing! I think she is only saying that because apparently girls are usually shy.

Joli and Rakker - I know that doctors have seen it so many times, but I don't think I would survive a pooing episode! I would die of shame! I don't even like passing gas in front of my husband. Do you always get an enima before natural birth or do they only give it to you if they think you need it? And then do they stand with you in the toilet until you have "finished" Even asking about it makes my face go warm! haha!

Tanasha and Laliek - you guys have stood by my through so much! I cant believe we will see your little ones so soon! So excited for you!

Julz - I also have 2 friends that were very pro natural but ended up with emergency CS in the end. I guess no one knows what tricks your baby will pull on you...

I totally understand that you are scared to birth a big baby - that was my fear as well with my 3rd child. I was told that he would be close to 4kg at birth and I was petrified to say the least. And then at the end, the decision was made for me anyways.

To answer your question re poo - yes it is true - but really nobody will even notice! The midwife will just cover it with a pad if it does happen and it does not always happen either!

1st child - I was in labour for 8 hours. Had a natural, drug free birth - no gas, no pain relieve, no nothing - she was born into the water after 8 hours of labour. I arrived at hospital at 04h30, she was born at 07h00. At 08h45 my work colleagues came to visit and I walked outside to have coffee with them. It was the proudest moment of my life <3. I kept telling myself afterwards - if I could do this, I can do anything! Only the pushing part was really bad for me - up to there I could handle the pain. I did had a bit of pain afterwards and I couldn't hold my wee for a couple of days. I went back to the midwife to ask her to make sure that I did not tear as it was painful and she checked again and said nope - no tears but that I must remember that I pushed a baby out there a couple of days ago.

2nd child - Arrived at hospital at 00h30 and baby arrived at 02h35. Natural, totally drug free birth. Got out of the birth bath just before she was born. Went home that same morning at around 10h30. I had the whole birth planned - scented candles, dimmed lights, soft music, snacks - you name it. In the end, I forgot about the music, the candles made me nauseous so DH took them out, was not in the mood for any snacks and didn't want to stay in the water either. Didn't have pain afterwards and did not tear. When I got home, everyone came to visit and I made them coffee.

3rd child - Emergency c-section after my water broke at 32 weeks. I didn't dilate and baby went into distress - gynae refused to wait any longer. It was the most horrible experience I've ever been through. I felt so totally out of control. I only saw baby the following day. I had severe pain. My tummy was bruised right up to my bellybutton. I vomited that same night with a severe headache. I had no milk - for over a week my milk didn't want to come in - even with expressing every 3 hours. I was swollen for weeks afterwards. Was eventually put onto meds. I still sometimes think that I've made the wrong decision and that I might have been able to give normal birth if we waited a bit longer, but then again, what if that was the wrong decision?

Re your tummy after a c-section. I don't think that is true. If you exercise you will get your tummy flat again. I've got a bit (or a lot actually) of tummy fat, but I am sure my tummy will be flat again if I can just find the time to exercise.

For each horrible c-section story you hear, you will also hear a great one and the same for natural. We can all say go for natural and your body is designed for it and everything else you want to hear and then it does not work for you.

Good luck with your decision. One just never know.