If you could time travel, what advice would you give yourself ahead of your labour(s)?

[Goldenvalley]

I think mine would be to try and feel in control rather than at the mercy of midwives/ doctors. Oh, and to be realistic about possible pain relief required, rather than writing 'yoga' in my birth plan pain relief section (cringe).

[TwllBach]

Ask for more diamorphine and fuck the epidural (three failed epidurals)

[daisywhoopsie]

Ignore the midwife and trust your body.

[plimsolls]

Pay more attention to what my body was telling me, rather than what the midwives were telling me, and be more assertive in explaining what my body was telling me.

[Flanderspigeonmurderer]

Ask for more pain relief, firmly.

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

DEFINITELY what Daisy said. Also be firm with the midwives, don't be afraid to be borderline rude if they don't believe whatever you're feeling.
Also yes, don't do a birth plan other than for the purpose of thinking options and possibilities through in your own head. That way when it comes to it you can know your options and make a relatively informed choice which will keep you feeling in control/in the know.
Mainly just go with the flow as you can't really control how it will go.

[FathomsDeep]

Get an epidural.

[Nuttypops]

Relax and don't stress if contractions stop and start, get some rest whilst you can. The baby is coming out one way or another and there is no point going on a 5 mile walk to try and get contractions started again when it means you don't get any sleep for 3 days!

[BlurtonOnKites4eva]

Sleep when you can.

Be much firmer with midwives.

Ask for more pain relief.

Refuse the drip.

[SheepOrWine]

Stop stressing so much about it!

I found breastfeeding and just having a newborn much harder than giving birth.

[Bananasinpyjamas12]

Get a doula! when it's busy midwives don't do anything other than the basic checks and they don't stay in the room even if things are not going to plan.

[Wigeon]

Before DD1: read Juju Sundin's Birth Skills book and really really have a more thorough range of non-drug pain relief options. My birth plan was: tens and breathing, then gas and air then epidural / pethedine if need. But there are so many more non-drug options which would have also helped.

Before DD2: I'd read that book and used lots of the techniques. Much better birth - still bloody painful, but felt I coped better. Might have been a better birth anyway due to being second baby of course....

[rallytog1]

When the junior doctor offers you a c section rather than induction, say yes. That way you might emerge with a functional bladder.

[pinguina16]

Agree with bananasinpyjamas12. Hire a proper birth partner who stays with you all the time and who has an idea of what's going on.

Also cook and freeze batches of food. Enough for 2 months(?).

[babynelly2010]

I had both with no pain releave because I was scared of going to postnatal ward instead if staying in birth centre. So yaeh I would say get the epideral instead of hauling like an crazy animal and traumatizing dh to the rest of his life.

[dinodiva]

Not bother with pethadine and just have an epidural - I had both but I'm sure it was the pethadine that made me feel very spaced out for the next 24 hours.

I would also tell the trainee midwife to fuck off. I know people have to learn, but she was really annoying.

[McNally]

To not believe the message in the ante natal class that medical intervention is highly undesirable and to be avoided as far as possible. Sometimes it is unavoidable and it is better going into that with an open mind rather than fear.

[HonniBee]

Don't be a hero- take the epidural.

[luckiestgirl]

Push for a c section when the induction was taking so long.

[Packergator]

"This is the easy bit."

[tangledg]

Ask for pain relief, I felt too scared to ask for anything except gas and air (which I didn't start using until later because I didn't know if I was 'allowed') both times. The second time I asked for pethidine or something else to help the pain and the midwife said no.

[foxessocks]

Don't let the student midwife do the stitches. Although this time round I still probably would say yes because I'd feel mean. I'm not very assertive!

[booksandchoc]

Go to hospital earlier, I only made it there as I started pushing and DD was born within 15 minutes of arriving. Also be firmer with midwives regarding my choices in birth plan, or make sure my husband can advocate for me

[MrsCaptainWentworth]

Listen to the doctors when they offer you a c-section after 24 hours & do not go another 24 so all you can do is sign the consent form with an 'X'.

Give up breastfeeding earlier so I can take my medication instead of struggling through. Didn't make the same mistake twice.

[skyyequake]

Don't have an induction just because the doctor says "might as well". In Fact avoid induction at all costs!

[Rinceoir]

I would have got an epidural early. I got to 10cm, then got into trouble and needed an EMCS- babies heart rate skyrocketed while I was having spinal placed so had GA. This resulted in me waking up paralysed from chest down which lasted for over 12 hours. If I'd had epidural that would have been more straightforward! On the upside I had absolutely no feeling in my nipples for a few days which I think made those first days breastfeeding much easier!