Homebirth without gas and air?

[murmur]

I went crazy on the gas and air with my first hb. The midwives each bought a canister with them and had to get another 2. I used them all before I hit transition so when that point came I panicked terribly but then realised that the only way I would get through the last stages was by having complete faith in myself and my ability to birth a baby. I ended up pushing for two hours without the need for anything.

This time round I am listening to hypnobirthing cd's and hope that will be all I need. The midwives will bring gas and air but I will try not to use them if at all possible.

In retrospect I wish the gas and air had been saved until I was delivering the placenta as I found that to be far more 'painful' both physically and mentally than the labour and actual birth of my son!

 

[xsadiex]

I totally agree with you there about the placenta! I didn't need the gas for pushing but found the placenta part a bit traumatic, a really bossy midwife turned up as they changed shifts and forced me to push it out. It was horrid .

X

 

[Guppy051708]

That is horrible The placenta should never be forced out. I feel so sorry for you girls. The placenta shouldn't even be painful in comparison to the baby! Hope you all have a different experience next time. It really shouldn't hurt worse

 

[daisydaisy83]

I couldn't use gas and air as I had planned as it made me sick. I managed using a tens machine and breathing techniques, though obviously you can't use the tens in a pool...

 

[xsadiex]

That is horrible The placenta should never be forced out. I feel so sorry for you girls. The placenta shouldn't even be painful in comparison to the baby! Hope you all have a different experience next time. It really shouldn't hurt worse

I know! Shifts changed so my amazing midwives had to leave and the new one was so unfriendly and forceful. She made me push it out even though I didn't need to yet... Had no contractions or anything. And she was rough with me when checking down below after! I am quite upset as the rest of my birth was brilliant. This time I will make sure the midwives are aware of my wishes, last time I was too naive, tired and confused to say anything.

 

[murmur]

I think with me it was more like a comedy of errors. The placenta wasn't forced. I wanted a natural 3rd stage but when son was born the cord was very short - one of the midwives said it was the shortest she had seen. I couldn't get him to my chest and that made attempting to bf impossible as he wouldn't reach. And getting out of the pool was awful - I was walking with him held by the midwife between my knees! Ended up sitting on the toilet with him perched on my legs and me trying to get my nipple over his mouth so he could try to feed. It was very uncomfortable and they had to cut cord sooner than we hoped they would so they could warm him up and do checks etc. I had the jab after an hour and when I still hadn't expelled the placenta an hour after that I had to have the temporary catheta and that was when I started to have contractions again but midwife had to help get it out. I think with the cord being so short, no skin to skin and me just being so tired after 36 hours of labour and no sleep it just slowed everything down and made it much more uncomfortable. Son ended up being blue lighted to the NICU ward as they were concerned about his oxygen levels, but he was fine in the end.

I think when I discuss my birth plan with the midwives this time I'm going to say that I still want a natural 3rd stage but if the cord is short again then to cut asap so that we can have skin to skin and attempt bf as quickly as possible as there is a big part of me that believes that both son and myself wouldn't have had problems if that had been done in the first place - but if cord is a good length and I can hold baby to my chest comfortably then I would like to try for as natural a 3rd stage as is possible.

 

[MindUtopia]

I just had my baby at home last week without gas and air. Granted, she is my first so I don't have another experience to compare it to, but for me, I think what worked was using natal hypnotherapy (the Maggie Howell method), using a TENS and starting it early before I felt like i actually needed it, and just trying to stay on my own in my own birthing space and unobserved for as long as possible. You can read my birth story in my signature below. But basically, my waters broke at 2am and some contractions started up then. I put on my hypnotherapy music CD and just tried to relax and stay holed up in my bedroom or my lounge by myself with just my husband. The TENS really helped as well as it gave me something to do too, so I didn't focus on the pain (really, it wasn't pain, just intensity) but it kept it from ever getting overwhelming. By the time I called the midwives and they came and checked me, I was already full dilated and starting to push a little, so I think I made it through the 'worst' part (transition) without even realizing I was doing it and without even having G&A available yet. Also, realistically, once I got to the more serious part of labour (pushing), which was the hardest bit for me, I'd kinda forgotten all about the G&A. I put it in my birth plan that I didn't want it offered to me or even mentioned, but that I'd ask for it if I needed it. Well, I totally forgot about this! They didn't offer it, as requested, but I didn't think to ask either because I assumed they'd just give it to me if I needed it. So I just never got it and I was fine without it. I did move around a lot and was walking up and down my stairs and around the house through 2nd stage in between pushes. I'm not sure that helped with the pain, per se, but maybe it did more than I realize. The main thing though for me though I think was just learning some coping techniques through natal hypnotherapy, so I'd highly recommend it. Or just any technique that helps you stay on top of your breathing and remain calm, relaxed and in control.

 

[xsadiex]

Thank you and congratulations I will have a look at your birth story!

It's interesting how everyone finds labour so different, i found the pushing stage completly painless and the contractions really hard to get through but sounds like the opposite for you.

I wonder if this time it will be the same for me!

 

[xsadiex]

what a great story! xxx

 

[belle254]

I had a planned home birth for my 1st (mum is a midwife and I've witnessed her giving birth at home), and it was fantastic. Waters broke at around 11pm, immediately started contracting, midwife arrived at about 2.30am and Evie was born at 4.45am. Used gas and air as soon as the other midwife arrived with it, and they estimated I was around (7-8cm) then. Had a birthing ball, with was fantastic! Was only checked once, by my mum, when I was 4cm at about 1am, to decide whether to ring the second midwife. Didn't really want oh involved in the labour, or anyone near me, just got on with it I think!
3rd stage was natural, although I got annoyed waiting for the placenta and almost pushed it out on the loo after half an hour!
Tried hypnobirthing, but didn't work for me. I'm having a home birth for this one too and everyone's convinced that it will be unassisted because my first labour was so quick, and to be honest, I'm not that worried about going completely natural! xxxx