What really helped you in labour?

[SKATERBUN]

Gas and Air, it was like getting drunk, I think thats why I view my very traumatic labour with rose tinted glasses , wasnt even phased by the epiostimy ! D

 

[Sam9kids]

Relaxing and breathing.....a total must!

 

[Lyndz]

Morphine and G&A!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I had 2 very relaxed labours, I didn't have pain relief, I was not against it- I just didn't need it. I concentrated on my breathing, took my crystals and my cd of nature sounds. I also had my mum with me. I think that was the key LOL.

 

[bambino156]

Gas and air and just focussing and being really quiet, I hardly spoke to dh throughout the whole labour!

 

[Sarah10]

Epidural, i'm definitley having one of those again i hope!

 

[Sarah10]

Gas and air and just focussing and being really quiet, I hardly spoke to dh throughout the whole labour!

I barely spoke to anybody! Only the food lady who bought me some pie when i was 5cm dilated on a ward full of pregnant women you can guess what my words where

 

[rainbows_x]

My OH and his amazing back rubbing skills!

 

[babyfromgod]

I laboured at home and got to the hospital fully dilated much to my suprise but what helped me at home was squeezing the couch cushion when i had a contraction. Also when i got to hospital there was still a tiny rim of cervix in the way so had to wait a bit to push and i found gas and air helped me through that time. Also not been touched or talked to!!!

 

[xdaniellexpx]

mymum
birthing stool
and diamorphine i loveeee that feeling

 

[A3my]

staying calm and inwardly focussed and going with what my body was telling me x

 

[aliss]

Sweet f all, sorry!

 

[tu123]

Sweet f all, sorry!

That was exactly what i was going to say!

 

[wishuwerehere]

I know some people don't like it or think it's a waste of time but I really did find that moaning, groaning and sometimes shouting genuinely helped me lol

 

[Kitten-B]

Gas & air was great - was cut off for about 10 mins at 10cms as had to move rooms and it was torture!

Couldn't have done it without DH there either - didn't expect to say that!

And as above - the odd shout/cry/moan through the pain helped and I hated feeling that it was frowned upon by the midwives.

Staying at home for as long as possible as well. Had got to agony stage when we left for hospital and only in hospital then for about 4 hours before started pushing.

But no other tips - nothing I could have brought with me or did before helped. Didn't want flannels or food or drinks (with packed straws!) or pre-prepared music on my ipod and doing yoga etc made no difference.

 

[daisii]

staying calm and focused. doing everything the mw told me to and gas and air. OMG that stuff is fab!!!! i also had a water birth which was fab. and stay upright gravity really is amazing

 

[RinnaRoo]

Sitting up in the bed and swaying back and forth. The nurse thought I was nuts, but it helped. A lot.

 

[Nic1107]

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.

I second that! My DH wasn't there so my mom was my birthing partner. She's had two kids and she knows me better than anyone else does, so she knew what I needed and what to tell the medical staff when I was too out of it to communicate well.

I also got lucky in that the doctor who delivered Carmen was a perfect 'match' for me- he was like a cheerleader, telling me how great I was doing and how I'd have her out in just one more push (which he said like 12 times, lol) which was exactly what I needed to hear. I might have given up if I'd had a doctor who told me I needed to try harder or that it wasn't going well or something.

 

[Sarah10]

Gas & air was great - was cut off for about 10 mins at 10cms as had to move rooms and it was torture!

Couldn't have done it without DH there either - didn't expect to say that!

And as above - the odd shout/cry/moan through the pain helped and I hated feeling that it was frowned upon by the midwives.

Staying at home for as long as possible as well. Had got to agony stage when we left for hospital and only in hospital then for about 4 hours before started pushing.

But no other tips - nothing I could have brought with me or did before helped. Didn't want flannels or food or drinks (with packed straws!) or pre-prepared music on my ipod and doing yoga etc made no difference.

What is it with the wet cold flannel? My mum tried to wipe my face with one and i told her to stop! I couldn't bear anybody touching me!

 

[Seity]

Drugs. The drugs were brilliant. Before that it hurt like hell.