Anyone care to share any good tips for labour?

[Oldermummy78]

Hi ladies, this will be my last baby and I want to have some info, I never had the antenatal or the breathing classes etc, and just wondered for those that managed labour with little or no pain relief what helps you through the stages and kept you going?would really like to go in with some info on my head this time and try to be in control of the situation more

I saw obem and they were saying with each contraction as you breathe though them imagine dressing your baby, feeding and taking them for a walk ...hope I remember this and more so that it helps!

 

[SpringCrane]

I did a terrible job at staying relaxed during my first son's birth. I tensed every muscle, didn't breathe, and refused to do much other than be in the fetal position. It lead to a really long labor and a very sore momma after the fact. I did still manage without any intervention, but it definitely didn't go as I had hoped. I think I was shocked by how much it hurt. I had surrounded myself with only really positive birth stories and went into it a little naive.

Take two, I knew it was going to hurt. I knew moving/walking would shorten the process. I knew relaxing my muscles and breathing would help. I was much more successful at having the birth I wanted this time. I did think a lot about the baby and made sure my husband was watching for tensed muscles. I had him put his hands on any areas he saw me tensing and explicitly helping me relax. I walked nearly the whole time. It made contractions more frequent and intense, but I told myself it was progress that mattered.

I also made sure I ate and drank a lot this time. My first was 28 hours of labor and I refused just about all foods and liquids and was really depleted by the end. This time I used gel energy packets (for endurance sports) as I knew I wouldn't want to eat but needed the energy. Helped a lot. Though, some policies don't allow eating, so that might not apply.

Not sure if any of that is helpful or not, sorry! I just made it a priority to stay relaxed and it worked for me. I felt MUCH better postpartum second time than first, but both labors were natural and drug-free.

 

[Oldermummy78]

That's great Hun , every bit of info helps glad the second time was a better birth for you xox

 

[NDH]

I made a bunch of affirmation flags (some were made for me) which I hung up around my house in the weeks before the birth. I had a homebirth, but would have taken them with me for a hospital birth and hung them in the room. I would frequently read them throughout the day and get them imprinted in my mind, and during labour I would focus on a different affirmation while I was having contractions.


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Movement too is so important. I don't know how anyone has a drug free birth bed bound to be honest. Even just being on the bed on hands and knees swaying your hips makes such a difference in the pain levels.

Understanding the mechanics of physiological birth I found extremely helpful as well. Michel Odent has a lot of excellent information on the hormones involved in birth, https://www.wombecology.com/?pg=physiological and for me knowing HOW hormones work best to facilitate an easy birth cemented with me why I wanted a natural birth.

Water is wonderful if its an option for you too, as is aromatherapy.

 

[medic76097]

Just don't fight it. Let your body do its thing. I thought for sure I wouldnt be able to do it and actually surprised myself during my labours. I just got really quiet and sort of checked out for a while. Totally let my body take over. My hubby told me it was like watching an animal. Lol. No real noise. I just found a darker quiet place and shit out everyone who tried to talk to me. I shut out all the outside world and sort of had an out of body kind of thing going. I moved the way my body told me to and breathed the way that felt natural. It sounds cheesy to write it but I just shut off my brain and let go. My labours were 5 hours and 3 hours.

 

[BabyBlondex]

Just try and keep calm I've only ever had gas and air on both children and that helped me a lot! Screaming the place down don't help as I've learnt first hand! As a lady up there said it's important to eat and drink but I found I I eat before my labours it makes my sickness worse as in prone to it as I go into shock easy, I found just to sip something cold and fizzy to help keep sugar levels up and it's refreshing a bit more than water!you will be fine 💜

 

[keepinitreal1]

Medic I did the same thing - shut out the world so it was just me and the baby. Scared the shit out of midwife.

Also agree on breathing the way you feel - I was told off for breathing g&a quickly so I just gave it away - it felt more important to do what my body wanted than what is deemed "correct". This was at 8cm.

As for shouting.... I got very vocal at 9 cm but not yelling - more of a grunting noise, according to hubby. And I awarded myself a very loud M******F***** when the head was coming out. Whoops

Anyway to summarize my advice would be to listen to your body since only you know what will work for you. And trust me, you will know!

Good luck!

 

[BabyBlondex]

One more thing, don't you ever feel like a failure of you can't 100% do it naturally, some women have something to prove by doing it this way and I believe if you need some drugs to help you through it then do it! If it makes you as comftable as you can possibly get what's so bad? 💜

 

[Wannabe Mommy]

I was very lucky as my labour only lasted 4.5 hrs. Movement was the key for me, I was only on the bad for a few minutes at the time when they did checks other than that I packed, bent over the bed and tried the birthing ball (didn't like it).

I ignored everything and everyone around me, and went with what my body was telling me to do.

I used a little gas n air right at the end but that was it.

 

[Oldermummy78]

Thanks lady's some really good feedback here

Unfortunately I won't be able to put any into use because I have been poorly today in hospital and they scheduled a c section for next week xx

 

[medic76097]

Good luck

 

[Oldermummy78]

Thanks you
My Baby was born Thursday by section after they decided the 5th to give steroid injections for baby's lungs, so even earlier than expected he was born
Natural labourers good luck and totally I agree movement during labour definiy helps with it, laying back on a bed just kept my natural deliverys 'stuck' even though I was monitored throughout and canulered up I always got on all fours and delivered best with gravity xx