What really helped you in labour?

[BunnyFace]

I've seen quite a few Mummys pop over from the pregnancy threads so i thought this would be quite a useful thread for them to read!

For me, breathing techniques helped me so so much. Concentrating on my breathing pattern really relaxed me and when i got really "into it" helped take the edge of some of the contractions.


So girls, what helped you in labour?

 

[llsarahll]

Breathing through the contractions with the gas then at 7cm I had
An epidural which gave me time to sleep till I was fully dilated

 

[charlotte-xo]

great thread idea =)

things that helped me were:
lucazade sport energy frink (oh fetched me one after mw suggested it) gave me a real energy boost.
biting down on a wet flannel lol. it was supposed to be for cooling my head down but i found a better use for it haha.
having a supportive oh, he was great there for me all the way, he knew i didnt want to be rubbed or patted so he just held my hand and was really encouraging. my mum on the other hand was sat reading pick me up
taking pictures of my 3d scan in with me it really made me want to meet my little man more and more looking at it.
sleeping in between contractions again this made me have little bursts of energy.

i think you find little ways to cope with the pain, half of the time i was lying on my side one leg up in the air i mustve looked so strange lol but it really helped me.

the big one that helped me is to tell the mw's when i wasnt comfortable i didnt like it on the birthing stool or on all 4's so i just moved they werent happy but its not them whos got to push a baby out at the end of the day!!

good luck

 

[chubbin]

Gas and air was lovely, helped me stay relaxed and 'zone out' a bit. The epidural was a great relief xx

 

[Torz]

Concerntrating on breathing using the G&A. when i heard mums talk about going into their selfs, i didnt understand what they were on about but now i tottaly do. concerntrating on breathing made me go in to a medative state so i could concerntrate on getting the baby out.

I found the best position on all 4's with my OH rubbing my back, i had him rub that hard my back was sore for days after.

the pathadin defo helped as did asking to be checked every now & again so i knew i was progressing, it made me feel like i was achieving something.

 

[bloodbinds]

Nothing, i was in the worst pain of my life and felt like someone was torturing me and nothing helped Hehe.

Seriously though, i had a water birth and thought that was great and really helped the process! Also concentrating on the fact that my baby was going to be here soon!

 

[Khloeee]

The massive bottle of frozen water I took to the hospital with me was hands down the best aid for my labour. It stayed part frozen for the whole 12 hours, OH kept refilling it and the frozen bit acted like a giant ice cube. Really helped cool me down as I was so hot during my labour and the ward was kept at tropical temperatures.

 

[Sazzoire]

epijural!!

 

[Celesse]

A female birthing partner. MIL lives close by so was with us from the start and my mum joined us half way through. Having someone there who knows what you are going through and who can also support your OH makes for a much better experience.

 

[scaredmum2be]

I found that the diamorphine helped no end when they decided to give me it.
rubbing never helped/yeah helped make it worse me thinks lol.
on my birth plan i wanted water birth if gas n air dint work, i never got that chance but i do feel it might of helped.
biting so hard on the gas n air thimg really helped me i remember. just not my mouth lol. x

 

[Lightworker]

Gas and air really took the edge off for me. Before getting to hospital I tried concentrating on breathing and I was also singing to focus on something else. But you know what really worked, it was alternating between screaming like a banshee and mooing like a cow- that helped release the pain lol

 

[Bec L]

2nd time round I found staying at home as long as possible, bouncing on the birthing ball and walking around the garden, plus breathing helped. Oh and a TENS.

 

[amym]

I hated gas and air, and although the birthing pool was very relaxing it wasn't enough without the gas...

I had a mobile epidural so I could still walk around, which was good stuff, and also meant I could use the birthing stool. That stool really helped when I was so exhausted...the position it makes you sit in was so helpful!

 

[lozzy21]

Not knowing i was in labour

Keep moving, you dont concentrate on the pain as much and it helps time go quicker.

 

[bathbabe]

Gas and air. I didnt want anybody touching me! I just went into myself and did the job lol x

 

[Windmills]

A female birthing partner. MIL lives close by so was with us from the start and my mum joined us half way through. Having someone there who knows what you are going through and who can also support your OH makes for a much better experience.

Definitely this! My mum was amazing!

 

[scaredmum2be]

i asked them not to touch me or faff bout with me an they still did that lol.
they lie when mw's say that is ur labour do it how you like they said that to me an i never got the chance lol. x

 

[hayley x]

Breathing was a big part. I got a long way before having gas and air, then finally delievered with no other pain relief x

 

[kc1980]

I was in the bath for several hours before I got my epidural. That was the best thing. I was lying there listening to music.
And epidural was a lifesaver. I wanted to have a waterbirth but that went right out the
Window when I discovered how long I was in labor before 4 cm (36 hrs) dilated. Then I realized " hell no"

 

[sarahchops86]

Not being touched or bothered with helped me the most. Went into my own wee world with the gas and air for a good 6 hours lol! poor OH though everytime he touched me i told him to f*ck off and if he asked me a question I growled at him lol!