No pain relief labour - how did you do it?

[stardust599]

Hello ladies

For those of you who have been through a no pain relief labour, as in, no TENS, gas and air, morphine, epi etc...

What do you think helped you to achieve this? What put you in the right frame of mind to focus and cope and do what you body is naturally designed to do?

My first labour was a planned active natural labour which ended up being a pitocin induction at 37-38weeks but I think I focused on the pain relief too much. I had a TENS machine, was focusing on positions etc. but I think I put too much emphasis on the pain rather than just managing and coping. Gas and air made me lose control of my focus and mind too and I panicked and lost myself quickly I think and then diamorphine made me relax and get my control back slightly but my LO had trouble feeding afterwards, I can't remember most of my labour and I had huge difficulty pushing because I'd had two doses and no longer had the strength or care to hold my own head up - my eyes were literally rolling!

This time, I just want to do it naturally the way I know my body can. I don't want to focus on relieving the pain even with aromatherapy etc. I am scared of a water birth so wouldn't be able to relax in the pool. I just want to do it as nature intended, focus my mind somewhere within and get through it. I don't believe in hypnobirthing as the only hypnobirthing CDs I have found focus on labour being pain free which I don't believe in. I do have a relaxation hypnosis I use though which I'm sure will help if I feel myself beginning to panic in the early stages.

So, what I want to know is how do you get your mind in that natural state, accept labour and focus your way through it? What do you think helped you?

 

[RaspberryK]

The shower, being on all fours, staying home till an hour before he was born. I only felt I needed pain relief right at the end but the Midwife had said I was still only 4cm after 22 hours. Next time id possibly avoid internals.
X

 

[Heather M]

I was lucky with a quick labour (although I had no pain until active labour and than transitioned within the hour to 10)...I was at home so my options were limited and my MW told me when they got there that it wasn't worth having the G&A (in the moment I wasn't impressed lol) What I found helped was being able to move around in whatever way I needed...the position that helped me focus in by myself was standing and leaning against the wall with my forehead pressed against it. What helped for relief when supported by others was pressure applied to the back by one person (MW) and being able to lean on my dh or sister during this time. That 2 person support was key for me in getting through the hardest part. When it came to pushing I found that was a huge relief and much preferred that...this time I'm opting to try the water in a birth pool but found a tub to intense the first time so not sure i'll be up for it! Good luck!

 

[calliebaby]

I was lucky to have a fast labor...about 4.5 hours or so. I think the main thing I did was meditate into space (sort of stared at a focal point and moaned when I had a contraction). I didn't speak or scream, I just moaned. The last hour was the hardest, but I made it.

 

[Blah11]

it was a lot easier than i expected. staying upright and active helped. i walked about until about 7cm then i started to lean on my knees on a stack of cushions on my sofa and wiggling my hips. i ended up giving birth in that position. was lovely as i brought him up myself and helped catch him. he was out in 3 pushes which was amazing as he was facing up and had a nuchal hand! no tears either. good old gravity

 

[stardust599]

Thanks girls. I've been looking at links on primal/primitive/instinctive/spiritual birth. I think this is what I'm looking for! I'm actually really excited and relaxed about the birth rather than fearful. I get to meet my little boy at the end of it! I was very scared for my daughters health etc. in my last labour which I don't think helped. xx

 

[Poshie]

I really surprised myself when it came to my son's birth. Like many ladies, I had planned for a natural birth but would get pain relief if I decided I wanted it. I honestly thought I'd be a bit of a wimp and want pain relief immediately. However, something amazing happened and my body took over and I had nothing at all. I had my son at the birthing centre, using a lovely big birthing pool, but gave birth on a bed. I didn't do any research on technique and went in quite 'cold'. I just went with the flow and quietly got on with it (again, hadn't expected that) and said barely a word to anyone until it was over (8 hours later). I guess my mind was just so focussed on the job in hand I was in my own world. The sense of achievement afterwards was immense and my first words were 'I did it!'

 

[Jodie.82]

I had no pain relief at all and honestly the only way I managed that was because I had a home birth and so there was no choice! I had made the decision that I didnt want any drugs and so I had to get on with it! my labour was 19 hours from when I started timing the regular contractions and honestly the pain was really bad but I coped because I had to! I was meant to have a water birth but we had a water cut so I couldnt even have a shower.
walking and moaning a lot helped and my midwife got me to do squats and held my weight while I pulled back which kind of helped. I wanted to do hypnobirthing but I just dont get how labour isnt painful, I wish I could!

 

[madasa]

I found water very helpful during labour - would you be happy to labour in water (bath/shower/pool?) and get out before the end?

I did use gas and air right at the end, but with hindsight, if I'd known how close I was, I don't think I would have bothered!

I think the lines blur a little, between "relief" and "coping". I'd say, don't dismiss things that you think are "relief", because they might still be very useful in terms of helping you cope, if that makes sense. For ex. I used some hypnobirthing techniques to help me focus - I didn't buy into the whole theory completely, but it was still extremely helpful to me!

There are some great tips here, too Don't be put off by the fact that it SEEMS to focus on "eliminating" the pain. It's all about A) changing your perspective of it and B) relaxing INTO IT, to let your body do the work.

 

[amore]

Hi, sorry that your first labour didn't go as planned.

With ds1 I stayed at home as long as possible (8cm), kept active, listened to relaxing music, and became very internalised (like another poster said I went into my own world).

The last few hours of my labour where I felt like I wanted to give up and have some form of pain relief, I closed my eyes, asked everyone to remain quiet, focused on the music, and kept thinking about things that I would soon know; the sex, name , hair colour of my child etc. This helped immensely as I found that while I felt the pain it was not a dominent thought in my mind anymore.

I think the main thing is to try not to focus on the pain. Fear is really the enemy for those that want a drug free birth, as I have noticed that many women get pain relief when they start to panic. If you start to flag or feel scared try to remember that pain is a temporary state, and focus on the end result as opposed to the number of hours you may have left.

I hope this helps and I really hope you get the birth you want this time x

 

[CatandKitten]

I stayed at home as long as I could stand it so I felt free to shower, wander, scream, cry, throw things, etc. I knew I might cave in under pressure if I was at the hospital too early. I arrived to the labor ward in transition and about ready to push and after that the pain wasnt that bad. The pain at home was intense and sometimes frightening but having a natural birth was something I was VERY committed to because I wanted to experience every sensation of her birth even though I knew it might hurt a lot and for a long time. Underneath it all I had faith in my strength and my bodies abilities to take us through the process of labor. I have no regrets about my experience and am looking forward to doing it again one day.

 

[Pielette]

Honestly, the reason I did it drug free was because I had complete faith in my body's ability to do it without help. I was positive and didn't believe that it had to be painful, so therefore it wasn't - don't get me wrong it was an intense challenge but I wouldn't use the word painful. Plus I laboured and gave birth in a pool which soothed me.

 

[Lizzie K]

I had no choice. I got to the hospital about an hour before my youngest was born, I had had pain meds with the other two and planned on getting something this time around, too. By the time I got checked in and moved to the delivery room, I was already feeling the urge to push. Of course, now that I know I can do it, that is what I am going to focus on with this one. "I can do this, I've done it before, I can do this..."

 

[moomin_troll]

Corey's labour was a mad rush really. I had a Homebirth and the midwife didn't even get to me till he was crowning anyway so couldn't get my hands on drugs, not that I wanted any anyways.

I don't no how dilated I was at what stage because I wasn't checked over. I rocked n my birthing ball a lot which was nice and then when it got really intense I was sat on the ball and I'd push down with my hands.

I only got in the water fast enough to push and that was about 5 mins and there wasn't enough water in the pool lol

Labour was just under 4 hours start to finish. I did it because I had to and I really didn't want to go hospital

 

[Sovereign]

Got to hospital and was fully dilated so I had no choice lol. But staying at home for as long as possible was the reason in this case x

 

[EarthBorn]

Movement, water and AROMATHERAPY!!!!

Check out Iris Oils...used them in all my deliveries and use them on my patients all the time (I am a Labor & Delivery nurse). So helpful!

 

[tuesday]

One simple thing kept me sane; this is normal, it should hurt. I accepted the pain and didn't fight it and can now look back and see how calm I was and what a joy my (second) labour was

 

[NaturalMomma]

1. Knowing that no drugs in my system and/or babies was best (we don't have G&A where I live and TENS machines are scarce)

2. Having previously had a medicated birth with epidural and hated it

3. Staying on my feet

4. Squating and swaying a lot

5. Having the support of my MW, her assistant, my DH and my mom

6. Knowing that women's bodies were designed to have babies vaginally

 

[Rebaby]

I'm not sure if i count as i used a tens machine for some of my labour with Rudy When you compare that to my labour with Toby though (during which i had tens, gas and air AND an epidural!) you can see why i consider it to be "no pain relief"

Here are some things i found helpful anyway:

*Using the Natal Hypnotherapy Home Birth Preparation CD. I can totally appreciate what you're saying about the focus being on "labour and birth being pain free" which can be a hard concept to get behind when you've actually experienced it! But i found that just listening to it towards the end of my pregnancy relaxed me and made me excited about the impending birth and i listened to the Relaxing Birth Music CD during labour too which i think helped as it reminded me of the birth prep cd. There was one part of it which talks about "Everything happening exactly as it should" and the sensations of labour being normal and natural and not something to be scared of, and that really struck a chord with me as i was very tense/anxious and frightened during Toby's labour (that something terrible might happen to either him or me or both) but during Rudy's labour those thoughts never even entered my head and i'm sure the natal hypnotherapy helped with that.

*Reading Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth over and over and over during my pregnancy. One thing which i found SO helpful and used as a sort of mantra was when she talks about "Letting your monkey do it". I have a real tendency to over-think things and i am a neonatal nurse so obviously see the worst-case scenario in a lot of cases. I really worked hard during the latter stage of my pregnancy to totally get my head out of that place and into my "pregnant mama" space!

*Making low moo-ing noises and just getting into whatever position felt comfortable. I spent much of my labour on my hands and knees, initially leaning over the side of the bed and then later on my hands and knees on the sofa leaning over the back of it (which is how i was when i gave birth). I intended to use the pool for pain relief too but didn't make it in there!

*Having someone familiar around. I had a caseholding student midwife who i'd seen lots during my pregnancy and she was able to be there for the birth so even though i'd never met my midwife before i still had a familiar face there i knew i could trust. I know that's not always possible but is there a possibility you could have a doula or close friend or relative who you know could stay calm and be a positive influence?

*I think the biggest contributing factor for me by far was having a homebirth tbh, as i was in my own space and i could do as i pleased and just get on with it. I think not having lots of people 'spectating' meant things moved quicker too. I called the MWs out around midnight ish (not because i thought i needed them but to let them know i was in labour) they came out and i was examined and told i was a good 2cms and to get some sleep. The contractions ramped up almost as soon as the MWs left and eventually i told OH to call them back out. They arrived at the house at 3.05am and he was born at 3.16am!

HTH and good luck

 

[NDH]

Honestly? I just tried not to over think anything and just trust that my body was capable. A supportive hubby and lovely midwife made all the difference too. My focus was on the baby and what was best for her and i just kept imagining the moment when i'd meet my baby for the first time and find out what team we were on. Lots of prayer too. I didn't do hypnotherapy or really any labour preparation, and i'd be lying if i said I wasn't very nervous and a little bit scared.

I'd wanted to be active, but due to being on synto and having 5 contractions every 10 mins I wasn't really that mobile (had wireless ctg though so could have been, just didn't feel up to it, so I spent most of the time on the floor in a nest of towels propped up on a beanbag and my lovely midwife sat on the floor with me the whole time. I think. My eyes were closed the whole time). I didn't even think about putting on music or doing aromatherapy or anything alse i'd brought to focus on instead, I just focused on my baby and gave myself permission to do what I needed to do (iemake noise and not care if I was naked as im normally a very shy, modest person).

I did have three puffs of g&a but didn't like the noise (didn't even get any) and i had water injections which helped me cope with the back labour I was having. I lost all track of time and like I said above I didn't even open my eyes. I was able to let go so much between contractions that I almost slept, even though it was only a few seconds between.

And that was with a 8 1/2 hour labour, of which 2 hours I had the urge to push way too soon (6cm - I hadn't wanted internals but I kept asking and ended up with 4) and another 2 1/2 were pushing. The not pushing was excruciating and the pushing was a relief but exhausting. I may have caved had it been longer, but i would have been ok with that too.

I would do it all over again tomorrow.