To those who have experienced labour before - How long were you 'pushing'??

[Beanonorder]

I pushed for two hours. I was on my back but completely natural. I had a long labour so was just too exhausted. The doctors were feeding me red bull and Hershey kisses to try and give me energy!

 

[FeistyMom]

With #1 I actively prevented myself from pushing for about 10 minutes because DH wasn't at the hospital yet (I waited a bit too long to go in!), but when I did push it had to be 10 minutes or less. I did tear and had some stitches. With #2, I pushed for 10-15 minutes, trying to be a bit more patient and avoiding tearing... but I still ended up with a minor tear. With #3, I was much more patient, so pushing was probably closer to 20 minutes but no tears at all, so totally worth it.

 

[pinkpolkadot]

I am not sure but it felt like about 5 min, I was standing up so gravity probably helped

 

[xamyrx]

I pushed for 30 mins with my little girl and it only seemed like 5 minutes....but a very painful 5 minutes!!

 

[donnarobinson]

I pushed for about 2 hours just over with my son ! Hoping its a lot less this time x

 

[fxmummyduck]

I pushed for 2 hours! His hand was up by his face so I think it hindered progress. I was lying on my left side, before that I was in the tub...still not sure why I got out?! Had 6 or 7 stitches internally where his hand caught me on the way out. Hope next labour is quicker 2 hours was exhausting.

 

[allforthegirl]

Wow so many faster #1's replying then long ones. I pushed for 3 hrs with my first. Second 5 min, third can't honestly remember, not long though, and my fourth I was exhausted, and the epi made it take longer so about 30 min. I never took RLT with any of mine!

 

[proudparent88]

Honestly when I pushed babies were crowning so it was like two pushes for five min total for each.

 

[sequeena]

I spent 57 minutes pushing after an almost 4 day labour (but active stage was only around 4 hours long. I had a very long early labour that really bloody hurt and I didn't sleep).

 

[LuluSS]

I pushed for about 50 minutes. Never took RLT or anything like that. I felt like he was never going to come out!

 

[AC1987]

Right at the pushing stage I asked for an epidural so I'm sure it slowed the process down a bit hahaha... umm so 40 mins and I tore 3rd degree, she only weight 5 pounds 12 ounces... so it scares me that I'll tear again.

 

[Srrme]

I pushed for 2 minutes, had 3 minor tears and a partial cut.

 

[Waiting4bb]

I pushed for about an hour and ended up with a 3rd degree tear. We had planned for a home birth and ended up at the hospital. Thankfully we were able to have her in the birthing center but the MW who delivered her didn't coach me on my pushing at all.

 

[NDH]

First was 2 1/2 hours pushing (which I attribute to both her starting out posterior and rotating in the birth canal, and to being not allowed to push for two hours before when I had a strong urge so I was physically exhausted from fighting against my body). I tried every position imaginable and ended up pushing her out in an almost vertical bed standing on the stirrups.

My second (breech) was less than 10 minutes on hands and knees.

 

[AJCart]

I pushed for about an hour and a half with little progress. Ended up with an episiotomy and forceps delivery.

 

[RaspberryK]

Ds was not quite the right way around. He was pushed out rather quickly in 3 pushes although the midwife did hook his shoulders out.
He was 10lb3, no tearing.
Xx

 

[MindUtopia]

Nearly 4 hours (3 hours and 51 minutes according to my notes). I had a baby who was slightly back to back though and in a bit of a weird position before labour, so I imagine she was using that time to turn as she came out facing the right way. Plus, it's also the time that the midwives showed up and started unpacking everything and banging around and generally annoying me. I had a home birth and I'd spent the previous 7.5 hours just relaxing on my own with my husband checking on me occasionally. I was really relaxed and comfortable then and went from waters breaking/no contractions to fully dilated in 7.5 hours, but then it took another 4 hours to have my baby. I think if I'd been left alone longer, it would have been much faster. I was really comfortable though and not getting tired or feeling like it was unmanageable. It wasn't like 'lying on your back, turning purple' pushing for 4 hours though. I was just walking around my house and pushing when I felt I needed to. It was just one of those things that needed extra time. Had a totally natural, completely upright birth and she was born with me kneeling on our bedroom floor, no intervention needed. I did drink litres and litres of RLT and took the capsules from 30 weeks, so obviously didn't make much difference in my case! But I think they can probably only do so much when things just need extra time. I'd try them again next time.

 

[Jayneypops]

Right at the pushing stage I asked for an epidural so I'm sure it slowed the process down a bit hahaha... umm so 40 mins and I tore 3rd degree, she only weight 5 pounds 12 ounces... so it scares me that I'll tear again.

I was desperate for an epidural this time at the pushing stage but they said by the time they had sent for the anethestist my baby would be here so there was no point, and she was!

As it turned out im glad I didnt as I was much slower and more careful pushing as I could feel everything, hence no tears or grazes. With dd1 I had an epidural and so got grazes which were painful afterwards.

 

[ClairAye]

My first I pushed for 1 hour 5 mins, ended in forceps and an episiotomy, I was exhausted though, I'd been in labour 37 hours roughly when it came to pushing and started getting ill from infection due to my waters being broken so long, because of this I don't think I actually pushed properly, but he was half back-to-back and only turned just before delivery.

My second I pushed for 8 minutes with just a small first degree tear which only needed one stitch

 

[kaylacrouch93]

I pushed for 11 min. with DS1 Hoping for the same short pushing stage with DS2