At the end of your pregnancy, you’re tired and you’re ready to meet your babe. You want her OUT already and you know that you’ll likely go past your due date and have to wait even longer. It all gets pretty old and exhausting.
But there are ways that you can help things along. There are some natural things you can do that will help contrary to what you may read online.
Some articles I read when doing research for this post said that you cannot help induce labor naturally. Well, that’s just silly.
If you’ve had a healthy pregnancy and your babe is strong you can try inducing labor yourself at home at around 38 weeks. It’s best to wait to induce labor at 40 weeks though.
Let’s look at how you can get things moving along. Below is THE list of the very best ways to induce labor at home naturally.
Want Freebies For You And Your Baby? Get $330 Worth Of Gear!I have partnered with many companies to give you the best baby freebies online including Nursing Pillow, Pregnancy Pillows, Nursing Covers, Baby Leggings, Baby Clothes and so much more. You can find out how to get your freebies in this post right here.
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6 Best Ways Of Inducing Labor Yourself At Home
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Castor Oil
This will definitely help move EVERYTHING along. Castor oil has been used for centuries to help induce labor naturally at home. It works really well but it does have side effects so you need to be careful and aware of what you’re in for.
Castor oil will affect Special receptors, known as EP3 receptors, that are found primarily in the intestines, uterus, and immune cells. The ricinoleic acid in the castor oil stimulates these EP3 receptors, causing the smooth muscle fibers to contract. This is what causes the contractions when taken while pregnant.
The downside is that it can cause diarrhea. But some think that this is a good thing ( as long as its not too severe obviously ) because it can help prevent bowel movements on the table during birth.
***Taking a prenatal course is the single most proactive thing you can do to prepare your body and mind for what’s to come. There’s a great online course you can take in the comfort of your home that was created by a labor and delivery nurse named Hillary. It’s very popular and the first part of it is totally free. You can sign up for free right here.
It will definitely clean you out and will likely start contractions too. How do I know for sure? Because it worked for me! and lots of other mamas too. Within an hour of talking about a tablespoon and a half, I went to the bathroom and then started having contractions. The next day my sweet girl was born. Tons of mamas who tried this have a similar story to tell. Just Google it and check out some forums.
**Please note that everything has risks and you should do your own research before taking this route. This is not medical advice, only what I and other mothers have experienced when taking this age-old remedy for this purpose.
Acupressure
There are acupressure points on the body that can get your labor going. They are widely used by natural health practitioners and said to work very well.
If you’re wondering what this is, Acupressure is the lesser-known companion to acupuncture. Acupuncture is the traditional Chinese medicinal practice of sticking thin needles into areas of your body that are believed to control a specific organ or body part.
But instead of needles, acupressure requires physical pressure to be applied to points that run along your body’s meridian system — or life-energy path.
You can find out where these magical points are on your body in the video below to get your labor started.
Having sex is a great way to get contractions started and there’s science to back this up.
First of all, semen is a natural source of prostaglandins, And prostaglandins are known to ripen the cervix and get it ready for labor. Prostaglandins can also be used to induce labor medically.
Second, sex, especially with an orgasm, has been found to increase uterine activity, and nipple stimulation is also thought to stimulate the uterus (more about that later ) to induce labor. So get between those sheets.
Have Your Membranes Swept
Stripping the membranes is a way to induce labor. It involves your doctor sweeping their (gloved) finger between the thin membranes of the amniotic sac in your uterus.
If the cervix is soft but still closed, your doc may stretch or massage the cervix to stimulate it to begin to dilate. Stretching the cervix can feel pretty uncomfortable, and many women describe it as a sharp, shooting pain.
After the sweep, you will likely experience cramping and bleeding.
This is definitly not my cup of tea but if you’re are really anxious to give birth it is effective.
Drink Red Raspberry Tea
I Used Red Raspberry Leaf Tea To Induce Labor with all three of my babes. It does seem to help and it certainly cannot hurt.
Midwives claim that red raspberry leaf tea will shorten the length of your labor by softening your cervix, making contractions more intense and helping to make labor way less uncomfortable. Give it a try and see if it helps you!
Getting in some good physical activity stimulates everything including your uterus when you’re pregnant. It’s a great way to induce labor naturally at home.
This sounds strange, doesn’t it? Who wants to sit around and rub their own nipples?
I don’t know if this one actually works but the theory behind nipple stimulation is that it mimics breastfeeding and causes sensory cells in the nipples to signal the brain to release oxytocin. This, in turn, causes contractions.
While it does cause your uterus to contract, most studies show that it does not bring about the onset of actual labor.
Some women who believe that nipple stimulation works pump their breasts in hopes that it will get things moving, but I think some of the stuff I mentioned earlier are much better options. You decide.
Good luck with having your babe and I hope some of these things help! I think Castor Oil is hands down THE BEST way to get labor started naturally at home but it’s a personal choice. Just go into it carefully and do your research.
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Slime is always a fun activity for young kids, and sometimes older ones too. It’s satisfying to make, they enjoy the process and afterward, they get to dive into mess free squishy fun.
It is a great sensory experience and can be made in so many fun different ways.
Today I have an awesome red and glittery Borax free recipe that you and your babes are gonna love!
**By the way, this post contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Red Glitter Cherry Slime For Valentines Or Any Time!
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If this is your first time making slime lets talk about it for a minute. Our slime is non-toxic and it’s made of non-sticky ingredients ( once mixed ). It comes together perfectly to make the best product.
We use Elmer’s liquid glitter glue with baking soda and contact solution. Then we add some pretty things to make it darker in color and sparkly. See The Actual Recipe with amounts at The bottom of the post.
Slime is a lot of fun for kids to play with – however, we recommend adult supervision and that adults should make the slime while the kids assist. Until the product is mixed the glue could possibly get messy.
One more thing, while this cherry slime looks good enough to eat, it is definitely not edible. Make sure the children you are creating with realize that it’s not something they should be eating.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to get started:
Once you have everything together you can begin mixing it up!
Slime Tip: Always use the glue indicated in the recipe. Using a different brand could yield different results. We use good ole Elmers Glue in our recipes. It’s the best for making slime.
You begin by adding your glue, baking soda then you move on to the contact solution.
After mixing the main ingredients together you get to add the fun stuff.
But this step is optional. If you want to make a quick slime recipe you could stop here and leave out the glitter and add-ons. But here we think the more glittery, the better!
We added jumbo silver glitter here but you can go on to add a variety of things including colored sprinkles. When adding sprinkles let it sit for a few minutes then spread it with your fingers to get an amazing rainbow effect ( not shown here ).
We also added little styrofoam balls and mixed those in to add a little more bulk to this sensory experience.
After this step, you can allow your children to help if you’d like. It won’t be sticky anymore and they can help mix up the glitter and balls.
Then if you want to darken your cherry slime you can add some food coloring. This will make the color denser and a little less transparent but this is optional. Put it back in the bowl and do this yourself to avoid any messes.
And this is what you’ll get after it’s all said and done! A really pretty, bright red slime that is soft to the touch and not messy at all.
Have a look at the texture. It doesn’t come apart in little globs so it won’t be left all over the house or get caught in the carpet. It’s good stuff.
Be sure to read the instructions carefully. The type of contact lens solution you need and glue is really important! Substituting these ingredients for other brands may result in your slime not working. We also do not recommend substituting the brands in the recipe for a generic ( as I mentioned before ) because their formula will no doubt be slightly different.
You can find the full recipe below the picture with the exact products we used listed in the links. Have Fun!!
Slime Recipe Ingredients: Click On The Product To See It On Amazon
Add your glue to a bowl then add in baking soda, water, and contact solution. Mix well until slime no longer sticks to the bowl. Add in more contact solution as needed.
Add in glitter to your preferred amount. 2-3 tablespoon normally but you can add more or less. Mix into the slime with your hands.
Add in styrofoam balls. One tablespoon or so more as desired, mix in well with hands.
Store in an airtight container when not in use. Slime will last several weeks.
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Pregnancy is so exciting but It’s also a lot of hard work. Your body changes so quickly from day to day you never know what to expect when you wake up each morning.
Fortunately, there are tons of pregnancy hacks that will make the whole nine months so much easier.
Read on to discover the best pregnancy hacks across the internet that will help make your pregnancy a breeze.
You can make your own belly band so that you can wear your pre-pregnancy clothes for so much longer. It’s simple and you can find out how to do it over at A Beautiful Mess, one of my favorite blogs!!
Use A Pregnancy Planner
Using a Pregnancy Planner is a great way to log the events of your pregnancy as well as make important decisions. You can get a completely free Bohemian style pregnancy planner I created below and print it out and use it to plan everything from your nursery, your budget, your appointments and more. You will also get a weekly sheet to write out your thoughts and feelings that will tell you the size and shape of your babe that week as she grows. It’s all a lot of fun! Grab your’s free below.
Consume Ginger To Fight Nausea
Drinking Ginger Tea or Eating Ginger candy will work WONDERS when you are nauseated. The natural compounds in ginger will soothe your stomach muscles and prevent you from vomiting, at least some of the time.
It’s well known and has been used for this purpose for centuries. Here’s a great ginger candy that many pregnant women use and love and here’s an awesome tea.
These are the go-to drops for pregnant mamas who have a lot of nausea. They work really well and you can find them on Amazon right here.
I used them all the way through my pregnancy all the way up to labor ( because my nausea wouldn’t die ) and they kept me from vomiting so many times.
Want Freebies For You And Your Baby? Get $330 Worth Of Gear!I have partnered with many companies to give you the best baby freebies online including Nursing Pillow, Pregnancy Pillows, Nursing Covers, Baby Leggings, Baby Clothes and so much more. You can find out how to get your freebies in this post right here.
Apple Cider Vinegar For Reflux
Many women who’ve never had reflux before discovering the physical torture it can cause during pregnancy. It can be terrible and it often happens at night when you’re trying to get your precious sleep.
One easy way to remedy acid reflux is with some good old Apple Cider Vinegar. It will help neutralize the acid and calm your system down and it does work wonders. I used it myself and still do.
Plus it’s just good for your health. You need to get Raw Vinegar and Braggs is the best on the market.
Organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar (like Bragg’s) also contains “mother,” strands of proteins, enzymes and friendly bacteria that give the product a murky appearance. That’s the good stuff that makes it so potent.
Use Belly Armor To Protect your Babe
Everyone uses devices these days and we often have a tablet, laptop, or phone in front of us sitting on our bodies. But this has been proven to cause harm. Well, Belly Armor Can Help Protect your babe.
You should be actively working to prevent this kind of electromagnetic radiation exposure for your unborn child ( and after he’s born as well ).
Belly Armor makes products to help minimize the risk. I wholeheartedly support their efforts and products and I think they are a must for every mother and baby.
You can get the belly armor belly wrap, Nursing Wraps, blankets, and even hats for after your babe is born. Really good stuff and there should be more companies like this making awesome products that address this issue. You can find out more about Belly Armor right here or in the banner below.
Using Kinesiology Tape will help support your skin and the weight of your belly. Many pregnant women use it and find it very helpful. You can wear the tape for several days at a time comfortably. I highly recommend it.
TheraBand Kinesiology Tape is your best choice and it comes in pretty designs and colors. It’s also waterproof so you can wear it in the shower if needed.
Eating Dates to shorten labor is an old wive’s tales that’s been passed around for centuries. But now there are studies proving this old myth to be true.
It’s certainly worth a try and with scientific evidence backing it up, it may be a good idea, because you’ll want your labor to be as short as possible. Believe me… Find out more over at Wellness Mama, another blog that I adore and recommend.
Take A Prenatal Course And A Breastfeeding Course Too
Taking a prenatal course is the single most proactive thing you can do to prepare your body and mind for what’s to come. There’s a great online course you can take in the comfort of your home that was created by a labor and delivery nurse named Hillary. It’s very popular and the first part of it is totally free. You can sign up for free right here.
If you plan on breastfeeding there’s another great course called Milkology that teaches you everything you need to know about breastfeeding in a couple hours and it’s only $19.
Many women think breastfeeding is a natural, simple process but actually, it’s pretty hard work. Getting the latch right can be super hard and painful if you don’t get it right in the first hour or so. Taking a course prevents all the guesswork. You can check out Milkology right here.
After the first trimester of pregnancy, you’ll need to sleep on your side and a pregnancy pillow is an absolute must-have for comfort. Sleeping While pregnant is hard enough and without the proper support, you’ll be losing rest you really need.
Here’s a really great one available through Amazon at a good price. It’s the one I had and loved through two of my three pregnancies.
Use These Jeans Extenders to Keepy Wearing Your pre-pregnancy pants
Pregnancy Jean extenders are these little nifty things you attach to the button of your pants so that your pants are looser. They will allow you to wear your regular jeans for a couple more months.
I had a bunch of them and wore them after pregnancy too while I got back into shape. They’re another pregnancy must-have. You can find the one pictured above here on Amazon.
Use Cocoa butter On Your Tummy
Using Cocoa butter on your pregnant belly will help prevent stretch marks, at least from my experience. I have had three babies and it worked every time.
Some say that this doesn’t work but every mama I know who used it didn’t get the dreaded marks and the ones who didn’t bother did! You be the judge.
Many women claim that it helped them and I’m inclined to believe it does as well. You can find a great belly butter right here. It’s my favorite and I used it each time I was pregnant.
Padsicles
If you don’t know much about postpartum yet you’re probably wondering what the heck a padsicle is.
Padsicles are Perineal Cold Packs that you put up against your vagina after birth to help ease the pain and take down the swelling. They are VERY necessary and really help take the pain away. You can buy them here.
I’ve always said here on the blog that so much education and effort is put into learning about what to do during pregnancy and childbirth but we ignore the aftermath, which can and often is very painful.
Getting Educated about how to help yourself during the postpartum period is vital for your comfort so that you can enjoy your little bundle as much as possible. Here’s a great post that will tell you everything you need to know.
Do Prenatal Yoga For Easier Birth
Prenatal yoga is an excellent way to condition your body so that you will be ready for birth. It helps pregnant women to develop proper breathing and relaxation techniques for easier and more comfortable labor.
It also helps stretch you out just right. It’s a really good low impact exercise that will help keep you fit and calm. Look for a local class near you, buy a video or just look up some videos on YouTube.
Buy Bra Extensions
Bra extensions are a good way to keep using the bras you love as your body and breast begin to expand. They will allow extra comfort and can be used over and over.
You can also use them on your nursing bras until you lose the baby weight. You can get them in any color to match your bras. Here are some great ones you should check out. Priced well too.
Get A Pregnancy Box Subscription!
Pregnancy box subscriptions are a fun way to discover products that you can use while pregnant and when the baby comes. It’s exciting to see what comes each month.
Ecocentric Mom sub boxes are the best you can get. They carry all organic products that are safe for both you and your babe. You can get boxes from the very beginning of your pregnancy up until your babe is two or so. Check them out here or in the banner below.
Soak Feet In Tonic Water
Your feet can get really swollen during pregnancy. It’s a real problem.
It happens because your body retains more fluid during pregnancy. Also, your growing uterus puts pressure on your veins, which impairs the return of blood to your heart. Hormonal changes also play a role as well.
Soaking your feet in room temperature – or cold tonic water can help relieve the swelling. The quinine and the bubbles can help reduce inflammation. It works so give it a try!
Oatmeal Bath For Itchy Skin
As your belly and body expand there will be some itching, and An oatmeal bath is very soothing to your stretched out skin.
Use the recipe below to help soothe your skin:
Blend together oats, baking soda, and milk powder in a food processor or mixing bowl. Then scoop 1/2 cup of this mixture into your bath water and soak for 20 minutes.
Do you have any awesome tips you want to share that helped you get through pregnancy? Let us know in the comments below!
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If you’re about to give birth to your babe you’ve probably been thinking of labor a lot. We all do and if it’s your first time you may be downright scared of childbirth.
We’ve all heard plenty of scary birth stories and you’ve been educated on childbirth enough to know that it is, unfortunately, a pretty painful experience.
But did you know that some things can make labor pain much worse? This is not a subject often discussed but these are things every new mama should know so they can avoid them like the plague!
If you plan to have an epidural you’ll still have to go through some labor pain until you become dilated enough to actually have the anesthesia so read on to find out how to minimize the pain.
And if you’re a tough-as-nails mama who’s going to go all natural you’ll definitely want to do anything you can to make things easier. You may be a warrior but you don’t want it any worse than it has to be!
So Let’s get to it, Here are the things that can make labor more painful and there’s some information on how to reduce labor pain as well.
**This post may contain affiliate links at no extra cost to you. This helps keep us up and running providing you with pregnancy and childbirth education. Thanks so very much.
7 Ways You’re Making Your Labor Pain Much Worse And How To Avoid Them
Lying On Your Back
When you are in labor and you lay on your back you are fighting the whole process. Sure it’s comfortable but your uterus contracts forward and when you lay on your back, or even in a reclined position, you’re working against gravity in every way.
Your baby’s blood supply is cut off somewhat too so it’s just no good.
You need to be in an upright position or on your side in an inclined position. This will push things down and give your babe lots of oxygen and blood.
I know it’s scary. But being scared of childbirth will make you tense and this will cause the pain to be SO much worse.
The best way to avoid being scared out of your mind is to be educated. You need to take a birthing class so you know exactly what to expect.
If you’re too exhausted to hustle your way to an on-site course at the hospital then take an online course. Here’s a childbirth course created by a medical professional and the first parts of it are completely free. Just take it in your own home on your computer. It will help tremendously in easing your fears and this particular course has rave reviews from mamas everywhere.
There’s a lot to learn about birth, and knowing what will happen and how to cope will make all the difference in the world. You can check out the course here.
Want Freebies For You And Your Baby? Get $330 Worth Of Gear! I have partnered with many companies to give you the best baby freebies online including Nursing Pillow, Pregnancy Pillows, Nursing Covers, Baby Leggings, Baby Clothes and so much more. You can find out how to get your freebies in this post right here.
Pitocin
Pitocin is what they give you when they are inducing your labor and it does make the pain so much worse.
Sometimes you need an induction and you have no choice. If this is the case an epidural is ideal for easing your pain.
The reason Pitocin makes labor so much more painful is because it gives you really strong contractions super quickly.
When they give you Pitocin you’re just sitting there with no pain and then they hook up that IV and right away you are having full-blown contractions. Your uterus starts squeezing as hard as humanly possible.
It’s really intense and I know from experience. My first labor was induced and I had no idea this would happen. It was a big surprise. I was excited and nervous and then all of a sudden I’m screaming into a pillow. This was not fun AT ALL.
My next two labors came naturally though and they had a lovely, slow progression with very little pain at the beginning.
So if you can avoid Pitocin, it’s a good idea. If you have to be induced ask the doctor if they can start you out with just a little then move it up so it doesn’t hit you like a freight train.
Stressful Surroundings
It’s important that your surroundings are calm, with low lighting and there’s a professional and understanding staff that you feel like you can trust.
You’ll want to feel safe and like you’re in good hands. This will have a huge impact on how you feel during your hardest moments.
Creating a birthing plan so that staff and loved ones know what you expect is a great way to get everyone on the same page. You should definitely have one and here’s a completely free one you can print right now. It’s lovely and it covers everything.
Posterior Baby
A baby that’s in a posterior fetal presentation will give you what’s known as ” back labor “.
When a baby is in this position it means that the back of the baby’s head is up against your back. This is not the ideal position for a baby to be in and it makes things generally more difficult.
Most of the time there’s not much you can do about this except pray your babe finds her way to the best position for both of you.
Your Breathing Matters
Learning how to breathe through your labor pain is crucial to keeping things under control. Again this goes back to educating yourself and taking a really good birthing class.
I cannot stress the need for this enough. It will have a huge positive impact on your childbirth experience, it’s an absolute necessity. You can check out the one I mentioned before right here.
Dehydration
Being dehydrated is never good, especially during pregnancy. You and your babe need water to transport nutrients and keep those cells functioning properly.
But when you’re dehydrated during childbirth your uterus will not contract efficiently. Occasionally this can even stop labor and that’s no good at all.
To keep things running smoothly and not coming to a halt, drink plenty of water before childbirth and during labor. Let’s not make things any harder than they have to be.
Having a baby is hard work. By taking the things we’ve talked about into consideration, hopefully, you’ll be able to ease that load just a little and every little bit counts!
I wish you so much luck and joy Mama to Be!!
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Overnight oats are a delicious and easy way to boost your milk supply. Oats contain good stuff like beta-glucans, protein, fiber, carbohydrates, and B vitamins. These nutrients are responsible for a lusher, fattier supply.
And we all love chocolate, right? Cocoa has its own health benefits that add to the nutrient density of this recipe.
There’s nothing easier than overnight oats, just mix it up real quick and throw it in the fridge. In the morning you have the absolute best breakfast for you and your babe.
It will help free up time for more important things like breastfeeding. I promise this will end up being your favorite Overnight Oats lactation recipe!
Want FREE BABY STUFF? I have partnered with many companies to give you the best baby freebies online including Nursing Pillow, Pregnancy Pillows, Nursing Covers, Baby Leggings, Baby Clothes and so much more. You can find out how to get your freebies in this post right here.
By the way, this post contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
It’s truly like eating dessert for breakfast. And, better yet, there’s no prep time! Just mix them up the night before (this takes 5 minutes) and store them in easy grab-n-go airtight containers for easy breakfasts throughout the week.
You can add in extras like a spoon full of peanut butter and Chia seeds. Coconut is really yummy too!
Adding Some Protein Powder will really boost it up also and make it even more nutritious and filling. I recommend this protein powder that is specially made for breastfeeding mamas to help boost lactation.
That’s my favorite way to make it more filling. Even though you’re burning calories like crazy to heal and make breast milk, this recipe will keep you feeling full for hours.
If you want to try it right away you can always go ahead and cook your oats on the stove and get it done. If you have a toddler underfoot as well, they’ll love these nutritious oats too.
So Let’s See What’s In It! See The Recipe Below to create your Chocolate, Overnight Oats!
Overnight Brownie Batter Oats With Toppings Recipe
1/2 Cup Oats
1 Cup Milk Of Choice ( Almond or Coconut Work Great )
You can also add Peanut butter, Chia, Bananas, and Coconut. The Choices are endless!
I hope you love this treat as much as we do here at my house and I wish you and your babe all the luck in the world.
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I love Epidurals. They make childbirth so much easier in every way and you are able to focus more on what’s actually going on. It allows women to feel present during birth so that they can really enjoy the experience.
Kudos to those women who do it naturally because they are real warriors! I can’t even wrap my head around it….
Anyway, some strange things happen when you have an epidural and you may be totally unaware of them until they happen to you. I have had 3 epidurals so I’ve been there, done that.
Some of my experiences were really strange so read on to find out what can happen when you get this type of Anesthesia during childbirth.
**Have You taken a prenatal birth course yet? Don’t have time? Here’s the best Premium online birthing course and the first part of it’s totally free! You will learn absolutely everything you need to know and it will help tremendously so make sure you sign up. A Class is a must and I think the online ones are the best. Here’s a free Birth Planner Too!
There are some really nice freebies for you near the bottom of this too. Be sure to check that out. I’m giving away 6 versions of my rainbow pregnancy journal as well as milestone cards and more!
5 Things That Happen When You Have An Epidural That N One Tells You About
You May Get The Shakes
Some Women { Including me all three times } Will begin shivering furiously when the epidural starts to take effect. It’s really Bizarre and surprising.
None of the nurses warned me this would happen and I began shaking so violently that I barely had any control over my body. I couldn’t even really speak for a while. Your body also gets a total rush. That’s the only way I can explain it.
I was told that this is caused by your body reacting to the medication causing an adrenaline rush. I have since Googled it to find more information but there’s not a lot online about why this happens.
This can happen at other times during labor as well. Especially right before pushing. Imagine the adrenaline going through your body at that moment! It’s all very intense.
You’ll Have To Have A Catheter
Since you’re numb from the waist down you cannot go to the bathroom on your own. They will need to do a catheter to relieve your bladder.
Some hospitals do a catheter that stays in until you’re ready to push but most do an in-and-out catheter.
This is a catheter they only put in for a few minutes to allow the urine to evacuate and then they remove it. Despite having an epidural and being mostly numb, it’s still an uncomfortable sensation.
One side effect of these catheters is that it seems to stretch out your urethra some. After having one of these, urine just pours out for a while instead of being in a stream.
But it does heal and shrink back to its original size.
Want Freebies For You And Your Baby? Get $330 Worth Of Gear! I have partnered with many companies to give you the best baby freebies online including Nursing Pillow, Pregnancy Pillows, Nursing Covers, Baby Leggings, Baby Clothes and so much more. You can find out how to get your freebies in this post right here.
It May Not Work
I hate to break it to you and I definitely don’t want to scare you but Sometimes Epidurals don’t work. Like, at all..
This can happen when an inexperienced Anesthesiologist is assigned to you. Or sometimes you move too much because it can be slightly painful when they insert the needle.
Or your anatomy is slightly different than others.
Unfortunately, sometimes you’re just super unlucky. I don’t know. All of mine worked but my sister had one with her first child and they missed the right spot and it did nothing.
Let’s hope if you’re counting on an epidural that it works for you.
It May Only Work In Sections
Sometimes your Epidural works great, well mostly…. You may find that you have full pain relief everywhere but in one or two spots.
This is not at all uncommon and it happened to me two out of three times. I had complete numbness everywhere but this one place on the lower left side of my belly.
At first, it was mostly numb but then it sort of wore off everywhere else, and by the time I was pushing I could feel full labor, cramping, and pressure in that one spot only. It was really bizarre.
But the epidural still did a great job and even though I could feel some pain it still worked well so that my labor was generally very comfortable.
This happens pretty often to women who get epidurals and the area can vary. Sometimes the epidural works great on one side of your body but not at all on the other side. It’s just all luck I guess.
You May Need More Than One
Occasionally if you get an epidural early in labor you may need two. They won’t have to stick a needle in your spine twice, of course, because the whole thing is administered via IV, But you may run out of the pain medication and they may have to give you a second bag.
During my first labor, they induced me and the pain went from zero to one hundred in sixty seconds. It was bad.
My mom is a nurse and she said they turned the Pitocin up too high so the contractions were STRONG. I ask for an epidural early ( which pissed my crappy doctor off ) and it was the best relief I’ve ever had.
But it ran out and they had to give me another, then that one started to run out so they gave me this little button to push that delivered medication as needed and I used it. Like I said I was scared ladies. Just so you know my baby came out fine and he was alert and happy, for all of you worried about so much medication.
My other two labors went just fine, and I wasn’t nearly as terrified. Had one epidural for each.
Having an epidural is a great way to relax your body so that you can be present during the birth of your beautiful baby, but they also cause your body to react strangely sometimes.
It’s still well worth it if you’re going the medicine route. I don’t know why there’s not more information online about how epidurals may affect you. I was so surprised by some of it and that’s why I wanted to write this post for those who are thinking of getting one. I hope it helps!
Good luck to you mama!
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Hey, I’m Toni and I’m the mama of 3 Little Birds. I love Writing about all Things Mama. Learn more about me here. Grab a Tea or Coffee and come see what you find.
