a month to go: any top tips for a good labour?

[marymillington]

have been completely unfocussed on this whole giving birth thing. but its getting rather likely to happen soon.

any suggestions for things i can start to do now to help prepare myself? or for a good labour?

[smittenkitten]

start taking raspberry leaf tea capsules (avail holland and barrett - not the same thing as raspberry herbal tea)

strengthens uterus walls apparently to make contractions more effective.

[Charleesunnysunsun]

I stayed mobile and upright all through my second one and it was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO easy! i walked up and down the labour suit, only stopping for contractions, compared to my first baby where is spent the whole 8hrs on my back, still.

[lulumama]

ahem..

will email you later

xxx

[santasbaby]

Raspberry leaf tablets at 37 weeks, have a birth plan but keep an open mind, accept that it's going to hurt and try to stay relaxed. Take nice things to eat (and nice smellies for the bath afterwards)in your hospital bag for before and after birth and take little bottles of energy drinks for the final stages - helped me anyway, and gave dh something to do!

[prettymum]

keeping mobile really does help! both my labours were fairly easy with the help of gas and air!

enjoy these last few weeks before the baby arrives!!!

sex strated off my first labour, dd came 3 days early!

go into hospital once the contractions get too unbearable!!!

and just relax as much as you can!!

[marymillington]

thanks ladies

this is my second - ds is 2 and a bit, but was emergency cs in the end, so mobility likely to be a bit limited as will probably (given the business of hospital and attitudes of midwives there) have to be monitored.

i have forgotten everything from the antenatal classes last time round. maybe i need a refresher course.

[christmasangel]

Have an epidural. I went mad for raspberry leaf and still had a 2nd degree tear. However, I didn't care because the mobile epidural meant that I didn't feel any pain though I could still totally feel my legs - they hadn't gone numb. The epidural meant that I could really enjoy the delivery; the previous 8 hours labour before I had it were so hard. I actually look back on my birthing experience rather fondly!

[MKG]

You could start doing perenial massage, visualizaiton and deep breathing, just pick a spot on the wall and focus on it while breathing slowly and deeply. Practicing now can help you stay calm during labor.

[Scootergirl]

Breathing properly - sounds hippy-dippy but it really helps. Take huge breaths in and then blow out as slowly as you can - the theory being you can't tense up when you're breathing out and it hurts less when you're relaxed... or something like that. And do whatever you feel like doing during your labour - bugger anyone who tries to order you what to do (unless of course there's a good medical reason for it!) Good luck x

[knakered]

keep upright...this is why water births work so well because you are vertical but supported...my favourite saying is prepare for the worst and hope for the best...agree the breathing, focus, calm thing will get you
a long way...my "visualization" at each painful contraction was imagining my daughter skipping up the steps in my garden to come and greet her new baby sister...however finally got the epi in and thought I had died and gone to heaven...dont look at the clock just take each contraction one at a time...good luck...feel quiet envious in a mad sort of way

[averymerrymonkeymooXmastoyou]

Do your pelvic floor excercises and perineal massage, both help to prevent stitches. Raspberry tea, although disgusting, is great for making the contractions more effective.

Move around as much as is possible but most importantly listen to what your body is telling you and do what feels most natural.

[Gemmitygem]

totally agree about perineal massage (it's really unpleasant but worth it) and pelvic floor exs. I think this is why I didn't tear when had DS 12 weeks ago.

Would say breathing slowly is good, you need to do it with someone eg midwife, partner. I also found counting through songs on my iPod helped quite a bit. work out how many counts you have till the contraction is over.

Don't rule out the epidural.

I gave birth lying on my side and felt that was a good position cos I could still push but didn't have to hold myself up (and didn't tear), but I would really refuse to give birth on your back as have heard it's the worst position for tears and just works against gravity.

you will feel a bit like you've been hit by a truck for the first two weeks, just wobbly basically. So try to expect this a bit in advance so you don't feel too hard on yourself or expect too much. It is very overwhelming and you do need to really take it easy after the birth.

my other major tip would be ensure you have sufficient snacks and drinks during labour, or you get exhausted. Ignore hospital rules: you really need a bit of a snack or at least sugar whilst in labour, cos it's so long and exhausting. not a roast dinner, but definitely some energy drinks/energy bars etc (not acidic juice cos might make you sick).

best of luck! Really, the odd thing is that it is so surreal at the time, and does hurt, and you have to accept you're out of control, it has nothing to do with you or your personality ,it's literally your body carrying on with this incredibly weird process and you don't have much of a say. But a few days afterwards it retreats in your mind like a dream, so I would say try not to worry and try to see the humour in it!

[cheritongirl]

i may be beginning to sound like lulumama's one woman fan club but would def recommend listening to her!
yes- stay as upright as possible and wiggle your hips, breathe well and try to spend the early part of your labour occupying yourself, assuming your labour is longish (i made a complicated cake!) coz really getting into your contractions too early can exhaust you. Also try not to resist the pain but flow with it, i found that really hard but think it prob helps not to slow things down. Lastly, have confidence in your body, it totally can give birth! All the best

[estobi1]

Sleep sleep sleep as much as you can - do nothing laze about like you are the queen herself so that you are as rested as you can be. As well as the other points on here I would recommend stocking up the freezer with ready prepared meals (home cooked or ready meals) for afterwards and have lucozade or glucose tablets ready so that if you don't feel like eating whilst in labour you can keep your energy up - it really helped me towards the end. Good luck

[kylah]

Dont worry is the main thing! Enjoy your last few weeks being pregnant, because once the baby comes your body changes will possibly overwhelm you and I found as much as I loved the baby being out I really missed the sleep that you can have when your pregnant!
Just really rest and eat as well as you can. If you havent got your hospital bag ready yet, theres loads of checklists in baby magazines, Boots parenting mag etc that help get you sorted. Few essentials are maternity towels, a couple of packs of cheap, big old granny pants that you'll more than likely throw out afterwards. Primark is ideal for little vest tops, pyjames, t-shirts to wear in hospital that again you can just chuck away once your home. For your toiletries bag, head to Superdrug if there is a good branch near you they should have a great selection of shampoos, cleansers, moisturisers etc so you dont have to cart full size bottles around in your bag. Apart from that things like magazines or books because it can get so boring waiting, little snacky foods to keep your energy up. Little tip if you have a partner who likes that sort of thing, if your both just bored in the hospital and he asks you for the millionth time if your ok-try a Sony PSP for him!!! Kept my husband entertained while I slept! Good luck and try to enjoy it, if it dosnt feel right speak up and dont worry your body will tell you what to do at the right times.

[BigHotMama]

I think you should just go with the flow as no matter how much your prepare for the birth things take you by surprise and dont turn out the way you always expected. The few weeks running up to the birth of my ds I became addicted to the discovery home & health channel watching every possible birth going, I really felt mentally prepared for it but ended up having a 24 hour labour which resulted in a emergency C-sect which was the last thing I ever expected. But as soon as I held my lo in my arms I cried tears of joy and that moment was so special I forgot all about the pain and what I'd been through, and I'd do it all again tomorrow. Good luck with everything x

[mosschops30]

take whatever drugs are offered and enjoy being as spaced out as youre ever gonna be

[BigHotMama]

Ha ha Mosschops brings back memories of me having my double dose of pethidine..wow I was off me rocker for a good few hours but managed to sleep inbetween contractions mad that?