mother2B wants 2 know what helped U most during labour?

[mother2B]

any tips or ideas you can share about what worked for you (or what you'd try next time instead) to get through pain/anxiety/exhaustion during the first and second stages of labour?

i'd like to have the most natural sort of birth possible at the mater hospital in brisbane and am pretty open-minded.

7 weeks to go and i'd love to know! :)

[FourAngelKisses]

My best labour was my third one. The midwife I had during my labour taught me relaxation breathing. Used in a hot bath with the gas it makes for a great labour.

Move around lots if you can too, staying still slows things down.

[nemosmum]

The best thing that helped me was my dh, just having him with me for support was fantastic:kiss: oh and the gas gotta love the gas:laughing: hahahaha no im serious:D

Next time round Im getting myself a doula lol the midwives I had were not very helpful, I had to keep asking them questions and it was tiring.
Next time I will have a very supportive doula :smiliedance:

[misskittyfantastico]

I'm with Nemosmum....my DH and the gas:thumbsup:

[wa mum of 4]

Focusing.
Find something you can focus on, mine was the ball sound in the gas.
I also had a fantastic husband who rubbed my pressure points (inside ankle and bellow little toe joint either foot).
My labours were also really quick from 9 hrs first, 2 1/2 second, 1 third and 2 fourth.
Hate me later O.K.:rolleyes:

[SJE]

A nice quiet midwife and also a tolerant husband

You need both really....


The midwife was calm and told my husband what to do.

When the pain was too much there was my husband available to punch squeeze and bite - Yes I bit him:eek: . A combo of vomitting, drugs, contractions can do that sometimes. Plus it's not okay to bite the nurses:D
No seriously I was induced and the pain was really intense it just happened.

[Bessie]

Try to use different things and save the gas for later. I used tens at the beginning, and a hot pack later as I had back ache, I then used the gas when those two didn't help anymore. Maybe if you go to gas too early it's not so helpful. I will try and get a shower this time but they didn't have that option last time. It's funny though coz once the contractions were really strong, the pain didn't get any worse. I expected it to be really bad in the 2nd stage but I don't remember it being so bad, it stung and burnt when the head crowned and I tore, but the pain only lasted a short time. I guess once the pain is over you pretty much forget.

BTW I've been inducted and the pain is much worse than when nature takes its course. Induction contractions tend to run into each other and they feel stronger. Induction by breaking your waters isn't so bad though.
Also try to stay calm, if you freak out, the pain gets worse. If you can chill out then it's not so bad.

[veve]

Try to avoid all induction stuff (e.g. they will probably offer you a drip to speed up contractions... avoid it.. it intensifies everything .. I'm going to insist I DONT have this next time)

I took stress balls to squeeze... much better for relationship than using DH;s fingers!!! - it meant he could do other things.. like rub my hair.. or press a heat pack into my back (INSIST on a heat pack... it is truly wonderful!!)

xxx

[hayleylea]

Yep i agree with everyone your partner is a biggy, and them being calm makes things alont easier. I had my sister and my mum with me too for most of my labor which was good because I had a 36 hour labor so it gave the support people a rest being able to swap people lol. I found standing up and moving around was alot easier during contractions, the GAS is your best friend when your in that delivery room lol...i wish i had it earlier and not after 30 hours :laughing: Ill have to disagree with Veve on the induction thing..I had the drip and it was welcomed by me with open arms. I was having contractions for 30 hours (strong contractions) ranging from 3-10 minutes but not regular, once i had the drip it did intensify things of course, but after 6 hours i got to meet my DS finally. I was happy to have things sped up a bit because 30 hours of continual contractions and not getting anywhere is not only very tiring but very frustrating. I suppose the key to labor is to do what feels right for you at the time, the thing is you can have it all planned out but when it actually happens your plan might change completley!! lol.

[MrsTwith3]

I had inductions with both my DD and my DS. I lived on the gas but also I find that I just concentrate really hard on what the contractions are doing to my cervix and tend to not say anything at all. I tune out so much that Im not aware of the time that is passing or whats going on in the room around me.
My DH was to have there as well even if just to get him to hold the shower hose on my back...lol


Mel

[Mum&bubs]

HOT WATER!!! It was the only thing that took the edge off things for me :thumbsup:

[cheezelkat]

Breathing. It sounds so old-skool, but if you close your eyes and breathe deeply and slowly, those contractions are so much more bearable.

[Kaileysmum]

Really hot shower. I found this eased the pain a lot. I spent 4 hours straight in the shower. Would have stayed in longer but (stupid) midwife wanted me to lie on the bed and get monitored.

[mum2littleman]

for sure the thing that helped was the drugs nothing else did anything for me the music didnt help the shower didnt sitting on that ball lol nothing i know it works for sum but did nothing for me lol... lol but im sure u will do great

________
The Mummy- Louise 20 {Lou}
The Baby-Lucas 5 1/2 months {Lukey}

[Kat =^.^=]

I was willing to try everything but in the end when I got to the hospital I didn't want a shower or bath or gas or pethidine.

What got me through was a TENS machine. (Transcutanous Electro Nerve Stimulation)

I hired one for a few weeks (in case the bub comes early or late).

It has little electro gel pads you stick on your back or belly or wherever you want and the machine sends electronic pulses to those spots. A little like electro shock but it can be totally controlled by you and feels like tiny little tingling or full on electro pulses!

You can adjust it from little butterfly flutters to hard core spikes.

I adjusted mine all through labour and birth and only used it during contractions. It kind of tricks your brain.

As well as distracting you from contractions the nerve stimulation produces natural endorphins and these pain releivers travel your body.

I found it to be really excellent. TOTALLY RECOMMEND:thumbsup:

[elissas]

A warm bath, hypnotherapy/meditation, good breathing, and in the early stages the fitball - oh and DH :)

The other thing is to focus on the relief just after a contraction. Let that be your focus, not the contraction itself. Why put all your energy into thinking about the less enjoyable bits? Doing the that the contractions paled into almost insignificance a lot of the time. Didn't even think to ask for pain relief, and I was on syntocinon drip (which intensifies labour)!

[EskimoMumma]

what helped me was gas (Even tho they ended up just giving me air becuase i was sucking on it like a crazy women!) and a wet flannel on my forehead with my darling partner next to me holding my hand :D that helped me in DDs case and what helped me in DS's case it was just knowing his father was there, it defiantly didnt make me feel alone


and honestly, having a shower really only works (in my experience) in the very beginnings of your contractions, before you are 4 cms dilated! after that it made it worse :eek:

[Jenko]

When i got into the big warm bath at the birth centre it was absolute bliss. I felt like i'd been given a new burst of energy as it allowed me to relax.

[FourAngelKisses]

When i got into the big warm bath at the birth centre it was absolute bliss. I felt like i'd been given a new burst of energy as it allowed me to relax.

DH and the midwife actually had to lift me out of the bath when it was time to push as I wouldn't get out, I was nice and relaxed in there. :D It didn't help that I had no energy to get out either.

[NZMama]

I actually found that the gas did nothing for me, everyones different. I tried it with both of my daughters and found it made me light headed and nausea set in, not to mention I was really thirsty. I used it more with my first daughter and at the end of the day it was really just a distraction and something to bite on while pushing.
I tried and then spat it out after 20mins with my second daughter.
But I do know alot of people who say it was magic for them.
Moving around def helps, I did alot of walking and pacing while in labor with my second.
I had my second DD standing leaning into a beanbag and the position worked a treat not to mention the hot pack was wonderful!!!
Breathing through the contractions helped until it was time to push as well.
I had a spa in the later stages, I was placed into one when I was in labor with DD1 however it did nothing for me as I progressed alot faster than they expected (1 hour for DD1 and 3 hours for DD2). I had no sooner been placed in the spa then forklifted out of there sopping wet and in full on labor.
I also tried homeopathy, aromatherapy, dimmed lights and music (my midwife uses these techniques and I was not against them if they were going to help) It was soothing through the beginning but did nothing when it came time to push...worth a shot lol.

[FourAngelKisses]

I didn't push with Matthew, I was soooooo tired that he had to deliver himself, lmao. It took less than 10 seconds for him to be born, I wish my other two labours had been like it was with him.

[runningmum]

Yes, TENS, TENS, TENS!

I was at home for the majority of my labour and went to hospital just for the second stage. The TENS got me through first stage. I hired one for a few weeks, like Kat, and mine had a BOOST button - so I had TENS running the whole time and then could 'boost' during the contractions. That boost button was a lifesaver!
I would also say I had a bit of a mantra that I kept repeating through contractions, and sort of had myself in a meditation even though this sounds a bit odd. I didn't plan for that it's just what seemed to happen naturally. A line from a CD I'd listened to the night before kept repeating over and over through my head and concentrating on that one line had me very focussed.

I had a waterbirth, so I found water helped in second stage but to be honest I didn't really feel I needed anything because second stage was so much more rewarding - I could feel the baby's head which was much better than the silly contraction pain in first stage where you can't feel anything happening.

Transition was the hardest for me. If I had been in hospital I would have asked for gas, but because I didn't have any at home I just had to ride it.... Yelling at my partner, getting in the bath, getting out of the bath, vommiting, yelling at my partner some more. I'm glad I wasn't in hospital though, because I'd wanted as natural a birth as possible and got it by staying at home.

Best of luck with the birth of your baby.

DD - 8 mnths.

[FourAngelKisses]

What did your neighbours think of you having a home birth? We live in a timber clad house and sound travels REALLY well, I'd be terrified of my neighbours having to listen to me giving birth.

[~Danni~]

Hey! Good luck with the birth of your bub!!
My DF was the thing that got me through I think, we stayed home as long as I possibly could and played board games and the X-box (cant say I was much competition though) It helped me relax a lot. We went to the hospital once contractions were less than a minute apart (we only live like 4 minutes away) once we were their I found walking a little helped and having DF there to talk me through everything. When all else fails, yell for the gas!!:p

[cheezelkat]

I also recommend staying at home as much as you can. I spent 7 hours of a 9 hour labour at home and only went to hospital because I panicked when I ha a show.

I spent in on the floor of the loo vomiting, shower and bath. I didn't actually think I was in labour though (I had back labour) and just thought I was sick :rolleyes:

[BJelly]

Read as many books as you can about active birth techniques.

During labour I loved the shower with warm water - I spent several hours at home in the shower - I'd turn on the water during contractions to save the hot water. And when I got to the delivery suite I got back in the shower. The only thing I'd do differently is to get a plastic chair so I could sit down between contractions while I was at home - labour is very much like a marathon - it's a very physical and mentally exhausting journiey.

Try to keep your neck and shoulders relaxed - this helps you relax the rest of your body - this helps your body labour - if you get scared, your body tenses and this makes labour more painful.

I leant forwards during contractions and braced myself against the wall. I also found a low vocalisation kind of like a long "Haaaa" which helped me deep breathe, focus and keep my jaw relaxed.

Having someone with you that you trust who can tell you what a great job you are doing, and that each contraction is bringing your baby closer is a great boost - you need to keep thinking positive to keep you calm and focused during labour.

Write out some affirmations that mean something to you that you can think about during labour, like "my body was made to do this", "my pelvis will gently open", "my baby is coming to meet me" - these all help keep you centred and calm.

Wishing you all the best and I hope you have a great labour and birth experience.