[Tracey Nicole]

hi

i am 40+ weeks pregnant and throughout my pregnancy i have been focused on having a drug free natural birth.

however in the last five days since my baby has dropped a notched, i have been in excruciating pelvis pain. the only way i can combat the pain is to remain lie down and horizontal. i now dread having to sit up for dinner or even to go to the bathroom.....

my doctor tested me for urinary tract infections etc but all tests came back normal. he then said to go home and commit to bed rest until labour begins.

my major fear is being able to deliver vaginally. i mean, if i can not handle the pain now, now on earth am i going to handle things when the pressure is really on?
the pain is also wearing me down.....

has anyone had a simiarlar experience and managed it? what are the recommended positions for birthing? are there exercises i could do now? any tips or recommendations would be great.

many thanks in advance and kind regards,

[Tracey Nicole]

ps sorry for the grammar, sytax and typos....

[Tracey Nicole]

that would be syntax.....:-)

[carang]

you may have "decided" on a natural birth with no drugs... but that may not be possible.

in the long run what matters is the safe delivery of your baby and your health. if this means that you need drugs or if this means that you have a c-section, it does NOT make you less of a mother than if you deliver vaginally.

one of the biggest parts of being a mother is being able to roll with the punches.

i'd try to get used to the idea that may not be the birth that you dreamed, but that's the way it goes.

i wish you luck with the birth, i KNOW what being in excruciating pain while pregnant is like, you have my utmost sympathy!

[aussie mum]

i had a drug-free home birth in london for my first. it was a really special experience and I was thinking that I would have liked to be able to do the same in HK for my 2nd.

however the 2nd pregnancy was different from the first and the 2nd labour was VERY different to the first.

I also had severe pelvic pain in the last few weeks of my pregnancy - it doesn't sound like mine was quite as excruciating as yours though! it was still too painful to walk or roll over in bed.

I have no way of knowing if that impacted my labour or not but second time around, boy was I glad i was in hospital.

I was 41 weeks when I went into labour this time.
I tried my best to go drug free again but I simply couldn't do it. The pain was pretty bad from the beginning - all in my back.
At 8cm dilated I had one low dose of epidural and it was the best decision I ever made.
it enabled me to take an hour to relax and refocus.
After the 1 dose i let it wear off completelyand was able to push on my own urges so that I delivered my 9+pounder without a tear or a graze.

It wasn't completely "natural" but it was the best I could do under the cirumstances.

I agree with carang completley - you need to be able to roll with the punches at the time.

I know of no medical reason why you shouldn't still be able to give it a try - but then again I am pretty clueless about these sorts of things!

Good luck!

[Tracey Nicole]

thanks Carang. i had focused on a natural birth but have always remained open to whatever comes.... i guess I just didnt expect the pelvis pain to come (never knew about it) or having to be in pain for over a week whilst waiting hence my question.....

Aussie mum - thanks for sharing your experience. i am in pain when walking, rolling over and other movements i.e. going to the loo. also when i receive a branston hicks...

you mentioned back pain in labour... did you also have pelvic pain as well???? I ask this because one of my major fears is going into labour and at each contraction recieving the shooting pelvis pains (like breaking glass)???? 24 constant hours of it will send me to the lunatic asylum.

thanks in advance. cheers trace

[aussie mum]

hi. not sure if this is good or bad but i know exactly the type of shooting pain in the pelvis that you are talking about
however .... during my labour the back pain was so bad that I couldn't even feel a single contraction or any pain in the pelvis. the back pain over-rode everything!

[aussie mum]

and the epidural saved the day ;-)