What really helped you in labour?

[FayDanielle]

Gas & air and breathing like the other girls said.
Also, a cold flannel on my head, and my OH's cold hands on my back.

and when pushing, feeling my babies head, all her hair, it just gave me that last inch of energy to push her all the way out into the world x

 

[ouchwithNo.2]

my first was a bad experience so nothing good there but my second was so much better (albeit still not the best!).
I had a waterbirth planned and managed the contractions really well just on gas and air, I paced round and round the pool, pausing occasionally with a strong contraction and actually squatting up and down, that really helped (probably looked stupid).
The water was good - bit too good as it stalled my contractions for 4hrs...
Going 'natural' was so much better for me as I could feel everything and after having an epi, pethidine, induction, wired up all the time, ventouse and forceps I wanted to be in control and able to move.
Moving was a saver.
I also used one and a half cylinders of gas...haha

 

[louandivy]

Walking! I just paced around my flat for probably 2 hours straight. When I got to the hospital it was much worse when I was lying down.

Oh, and the epidural

 

[2016]

Breathing exercises I learned in yoga class.
Eating chocolate.
Walking around.
Watching LO crown with a birthing hand mirror.
OH encouraging me (and I seriously wasn't expecting me to)
Sipping iced water between pushes.
Having cool water trickled over my bits as LOs head was halfway through.
Having a fantastic mw.
Having no drugs so I felt more in control (control freak!)

 

[Sugarmuppet]

I had a pretty pain free labour and managed without drugs, was the only advantage to having a little baby!

What really helped when the pain got uncomfortable though was to relax and let my shoulders drop. Midwife said I kept hunching my shoulders up and if I relaxed the pain would lessen - she was right!

 

[BunnyFace]

Liking all the ideas ladies! Wish i'd thought of the birthing mirror!

 

[mystika802]

Ice cubes and cold water cloth on my head. I didnt want anyone to touch me and I had no pain relief so I just breathed and ate ice

 

[loverguts]

I found crawling on my hands and knees during contractions really helped me! That sounds a bit weird. And persevering with G&A... it made me really sick at first but after a while my body got used to it so im glad the MW encouraged me to carry on with it for a little while longer cos it was a godsend!

 

[newmommy23]

well I had my then OH and my Mom with me, and my FOB was soooo helpful during labor, he helped me pull my legs back to push and after a labor that long, it was neccesary.
I lived off of ice chips. No idea why, but my mouth got SOOO dry

 

[fluffpuffin]

the epidural - hands down best invention ever

 

[blue.bird]

I found gas and air helped in taking the edge off the peak of a contraction. Mum told me when to breathe it in and out because I was distracted by the pain and just bit on the thing.

My epidural wasn't planned but it was a long labour and I was getting exhausted. I didn't sleep after I'd had it but I was able to relax (even have a joke and a chat with my partner, Mum and the midwife) and build some energy back up before it was pushing time.

Sipping cold lucozade. I got through bottles of it.

Clean teeth and hair I had a shower and brushed my teeth and being fresh and clean helped me feel more awake and prepared for the actual birth somehow!

 

[Lara310809]

* Breathing deeply through contractions, and someone reminding me to do that when I started panicking

* Labouring in the bath - I arrived at the hospital and I got straight in. The warm water really helped with the pain, and I had my MIL scooping a jug and pouring it on my belly. Heaven...

* Someone holding my hand

* Oh, and gas and air! There wasn't time for me to have any other pain relief, so G&A was my trusty friend throughout

 

[SophiasMummy]

concentrating on breathin in and out with the gas and air during contractions and trying not to tense up at the same time made contractions seem alot shorter than they were then in between i was happily chatting away to everyone xx

 

[scaredmum2be]

Walking! I just paced around my flat for probably 2 hours straight. When I got to the hospital it was much worse when I was lying down.

Oh, and the epidural

They wudnt let me walk round due to be stook the baby monitor but it could of helped me lol. x

 

[clarsair]

The midwives. I started off having a homebirth so they were there constantly to massage my neck and back and to be someone to hang on to! Also singing through the contractions in my head - although why I latched onto the theme tune from 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' I'll never know!

 

[carly_mummy2b]

My labour was back to back until the very end and i had a hot water bottle which was an absolute life saver!

Any ladies who are yet to have their babies take a hot water bottle!!!

 

[vaniilla]

water helped for the first stages of labour, however it became counter productive as I spent half of active labour in freezing cold water as in too much pain to move let alone re heat the water I honestly thought I would drown at one point don't get in the bath on your own!!!!!!!!

an epidural would have been lovely, my advice to anyone that wants one harass/shout if your mw's are as useless as mine were and completely ignore you

 

[MrsNovBaby]

Not worrying about sticking to the birth plan - LOL - it went out the window xx

 

[xnmd1]

walking , walking, walking! i walked the hospital halls unless about 20 minutes before i started pushing

 

[Wriggley]

epidual !!!