Cactus
This is true. Just heard fr my ex-colleague y'day who delivered 2nd child in Jan. She had Natural w/o Epi. So i was asking her hw is the pain, etc. And so describe to me her drama.
When she had #1, she went to hospital cos sign of little bleed. She tot she delivering soon, but ended up false alarm. Nt sure if she stayed or ask to go home. But even if she stayed, the labour was long n she had epidural. So did nt experience wat is contraction.
So for her 2nd, her same gynae told her tis time dun go hospital so early. So this time when she bleed again as sign of delivery, she had scan n showed that the baby nt engaged yet. So stay at home and observe. Next day, she starts to feel the cramp, but becos gynae told her its ok n she can rest, she continue to endue the cramp. Until at abt evening, she sense the baby is coming out and told her husband she needs to go hospital. Was dinner time n hubby also said to have dinner then go hospital, but she said she cant tahan cos each time she get the cramp interval, she stop n cant walk, but when the contraction over, she can walk n talk still. So they had dinner, send the #1 to SIL house then head to hospital at abt 8:30pm. So actually throughout, she was going thru the contraction n baby is getting engaged.
So when she called arrive and the nurse check her, she was abt 3-4cm dilated. She was asking the nurse if she needs epidural n the nurse say since she can still talk and have gone thru half the contraction, looks like she can endure w/o epidural. So then gynae make her way to TMC n just when the gynae arrive, just nice 10cm dilated for delivery.
So the morale of the story is the earlier we admit ourselves on first sign of contraction, the gan cheong we will be and may delay our contraction. Also, when in hospital, we are more tense wif the tots n likely to opt for epidural. But if u r at home n take your time going thru the 1st n 2nd stage contraction, the higher chance that it will be natural w/o epi. So mommies who hope for natural w/o epi, do consider this tip. Of course, remember safety for mum n baby come 1st.
I tot a gd one to share