Birth skills by Juju Sundin -amazing!

[qumquat]

I just wanted to recommend this book so highly. I saw it recommended on mumsnet and I'm so grateful to the mner who recommended it.

The book teaches lots of pain management techniques. They're not the hypno birthing type 'relax' 'it's not really pain' type techniques, they acknowledge birth is bloody painful and teach and teach what are basically distraction techniques to cope; my favourite turned out to be wiggling my fingers in different orders as instructed by my dp! Thanks to this book I gave birth without a single bit of pain relief, and found it a positive experience.Tthe book covers epidurals and instrumental deliveries and back to back deliveries. It doesn't pursue a particular ideology, just gives you tools to cope and remain in control whatever happens and however you choose/have to give birth.

In many ways my birth wasn't ideal. I was refused entry to the mlu then left alone in active labour in a corridor for half an hour... But I really think it was having read this book that got me through and able to say I enjoyed giving birth. I hope this helps someone else like the recommendation helped me.

[scrufhead]

I think I may have to get this! I've read the Ina May Gaskin and Marie Mongan books but I'm starting to think that breathing techniques won't cut it for me!

[Mmolly2013]

I've read the juju book (35+4), I'll be using these techniques in birth as I know I'm not the quiet breathing type, and distraction techniques will be my best option not imaging beaches etc

[WiggleGinger]

Thanks for sharing I'm off to look for it! Xxx {34+6}

[AnythingNotEverything]

I'm really glad this worked for you. Congratulations on your baby.

You may get responses here from women who disagree and feel that no amount of techniques and books could've helped them. And who think you might sound a teensy bit smug about not having pain relief. That's what often happens on threads like this. Birth is a sensitive topic and any attempt to generalise tends to cause a bun fight.

Anyway - I'm glad yours went well and hope this thread doesn't explode. Don't take it personally if it does. It's clear to me that you mean well.

[qumquat]

I really didn't mean to sound smug- I'd have been all over the gas and air if I'd been admitted to the labour ward before the pushing stage! The book also covers epidurals etc, thats why I liked it, it's not anti pain relief at all. I liked it's pragmatic approach.

[qumquat]

I was also treated very badly: the mlu thought I was too high risk for them, whereas the labour ward thought I should be admitted to the mlu as they were full, so I was kept in waiting rooms and corridors while in active labour (was 10 cms by the time I was examined and admitted). My point was that the book enabled me to cope with all that. I don't think just breathing and relaxing would have done. I know I was lucky I had a straightforward birth, and no book can guarantee you that, but I can only see this book helping people, however their birth pans out.

[AnythingNotEverything]

Brill

[Dancealot]

I used this book for my second birth and found it really useful too OP. I used a tens machine and gas and air as well, but found the techniques really helpful. It also helped me go into my second labour feeling really positive and in control, after a very traumatic first labour where i felt pain relief was withheld from me when i really needed it.

I would definitely recommend too.

[Greenstone]

OP you don't sound smug at all - congratulations on everything!

I had a good birth with my first and had an epidural which, although wasn't the plan, was a completely positive experience. I've heard quite a few people on MN recommend this Juju book for precisely the reasons you give - it's practical, covers all bases, and doesn't pursue any particular ideology. So I'm definitely going to look into it for my second birth this autumn; I think it would suit me better than the imagining beaches stuff which I find myself getting a bit impatient with on the re-read.

[moggle]

I have started reading this too (I'm 23 weeks with DC1). Interestingly I already seem to use some of the techniques she describes, so I'm hoping it'll help with early stages of labour and maybe later too if I'm lucky. (When I used to have awful painful periods or any other strong pain I would sit there jiggling my legs up and down, kind of a mini version of the leg movements she recommends for distraction in the first chapter)

I also agree that she is not anti pain meds at all and I'm not getting the message from this book that I'm failing in any way if I need an epidural. Who knows what'll happen on the day... Hope I don't end up between a rock and a hard place like you OP, sounds really rubbish!

[squizita]

Thanks so much for sharing this. t's so reassuring to hear this worked - that's the thing with preparing for birth, knowing what works v what might work in the ideal world! :)

I am currently reading this book (33 weeks) and have done NCT and Yoga which seem quite compatible with the ideas (especially Yoga where we do a lot of repetitive movements and loud OHMing!).

I am wary of books which have a 'natural good/medical bad' approach as I am 'high risk' so realistically may well be in a labour ward. I've found this book comforting because it seems to me to say just try your best- there's no 'failure' whatever happens, just use the techniques and ask for drugs/agree to interventions if you need them.

[lighteningmcmama]

Thanks for the tip I've ordered it. I did hypnobirth classes and am doing hypnobirth ing again but would like to see how this book can complement it.

[Fresh01]

Another one who agrees it is a good book. Written to encourage you to go as far as you can through labour without intervention but accepting that a lot of people will have drugs/intervention.

I used it for all 4 DC and managed to have 3 with only y

[Fresh01]

Sorry posted too soon!

3 with only gas and air using the books techniques.

My DC4's labour was harder as I myself was physically tired going into it. So a lot of rest/sleep in the last couple of weeks does help.

[MsInterpret]

Also found this book incredibly helpful for my second birth and am always recommending it to everyone!

[NoMontagues]

OP you don't sound remotely smug.

Thanks for the recommendation- I'm 38 weeks today so need to get my hands on this book ASAP!

[squizita]

Written to encourage you to go as far as you can through labour without intervention but accepting that a lot of people will have drugs/intervention.

I don't even read it that way - it accepts many women will need intervention and when used appropriately this is a great thing (as opposed to the pain relief side, where she does suggest it helps you go longer without) and 'encouragement' is neither here nor there (some books act like positive mental attitude can work miracles and everyone wants to hoodwink you into intervention, you're a fool to say yes- which can be psychologically damaging of fate hands you a bad card, this happened to a friend of mine).
What the book does is suggest to me is a variety of ways of staying alert and in the zone in spite of extreme pain and worry: so that whatever you choose you don't feel unduly frightened or passive.
So if a woman had to go to a c section immediately (say if she was ill or reduced movement(, she could use the techniques to avoid panic and not feel she 'should' have done it a certain way likewise another woman with a straightforward birth might use them all and not even need Gas and Air.

[OhGood]

I liked Juju Sundin, too. Used for my 2nd birth - 1st birth tried to go the hypno, slow breathing, retreat into self approach (see Nicole Croft's book - she was my yoga teacher and very good.)

Both worked - ie gave me techniques that worked to get me through labour - but Juju edged it for me. This is maybe because it was 2nd birth so I couldn't just zone out - I had to work out when to call in the sitters for the toddler, cancel a Tesco order and organise myself more.

Juju's approach is more about 'Don't worry if you can't zone out' and acknowledges that we are not used to being instinctive / led by instinct but are used to using our heads, thinking, planning - not switching off.

I used a couple of stress balls to great effect (one was a globe and at one stage I was staring at it shouting 'Where the FUCK is Russia?').

The irony for me was that the Juju way was actually more effective at getting me into a proper 'transition' headspace - where I had to just let go of everything and focus on labour for those last few cms. Was amazing experience, almost out of body.

Horses, courses hey.

[CulturalBear]

I agree - this is a brilliant book. I was put straight on a drip after 40 hours of waters gone but only inconsistent contractions. I used TENS and later gas and air and would have gone the whole way on just that and pethidine when I was being offered an epidural - but ended up needing intervention.

This book helped me understand the physical mechanics, that it's not a bad pain, it's a useful muscle-working-hard pain and wasn't at all sneery about accepting further pain relief if needed. It's also not as woo as Ina-May Gaskin's book (I totally agree with many of her philosophies but found her writing style too out there).

I always recommend this book now. I think I was recommended it on MN too.

[MoonHare]

I agree qumquat it is an excellent book. I have recommended it on here lots of times and it's great to see someone else who felt the techniques worked for them. You don't sound smug at all.

I stumbled across Ju Ju when pg with my first and her suggestions struck a chord with me. My first birth was a positive experience and I believe that was in no small way thanks to the coping strategies I learned about by reading the book.

I re-read it in preparation for each of my subsequent births and was able to manage the pain through the same techniques again.

I think it's very practical and I liked the acknowledgement that labour is excruciatingly painful - but that it is possible to cope while making no judgement about pain relief choices and being very realistic about interventions.

[AndIFeedEmGunpowder]

PMSL at 'where the FUCK is Russia?'

Stress balls did nothing for me personally but I had a 'healthy pain' mantra and made really loud ghost noises. I thought I was singing through my contractions like the opera singer in Juju's book... Nope.

Didn't think it was a smug post either.