College in my 30’s

After 10 years of secondary infertility and several months under the care of a reproductive endocrinolgist, our family excitedly welcomed our third baby on July 27, 2003.  Immediately after I found out I was expecting, I began the lengthy research of how I would deliver her -with or without pain medications, more specifically, an epidural.

During the birth of my first baby, my water broke and I was dialated too much to receive an epidural.  I was given only small amounts of some other medication (that I don’t remember what they were - or if they even told me, I was so out of it.) through my I.V. but I remember still feeling ALOT of pain.

When I started my research on the pros and cons of receiving an epidural, I felt great anxiety as I read the list of complications it could present:  continual headaches and backpain, nerve damage, accidental dural puncture, catheter misplacement…paralyzation!!!  I mean come on!!!  I felt like a nervous wreck.  We waited for this baby for so long (my 2nd was adopted) I wanted to make sure her arrival was the safest possible.  As my other alternative, I studied a childbirth method called “The Bradley Method” in which  obstetrician Robert Bradley’s belief is that childbirth is a natural process, and women can prepare themselves mentally, physically, and emotionally to avoid routine medical interventions and pain medication during labor and delivery.  It also provided instruction for partners to be effective labor coaches and Greg and I needed all the help we could get!

Eventually, we used some principles from the Bradley Method and the use of pitocin (to induce labor) and minimal amounts of I.V. medication (again, I forgot what it was…I was a little busy).   The bitter ending produced a beautiful, healthy baby girl, 6 pounds, 7 ounces and 21″ long.  A true miracle in our lives.