Is there anything I can do to slow labour down?

[TwitmonstEr]

lol, more specifically the pushing stage.

[quint]

pant lots - it doesn't completely stop you pushing but it does help - more than you think it will - at least it did for me

[TwitmonstEr]

yes, I've tried that, will do again of course

[lulumama]

all fours, takes pressure off the perineum

as baby is crowning, put your hands on the perineum / head,and instinctively you should go slower

if you are worried about tearing, water birth is good too

[TwitmonstEr]

lol I can't reach. It's not tearing I'm too worried about, its the lack of control, it's quite scary and can't be too nice for the lo either.

[lulumama]

pushing is the one bit where you can have some semblance of control...do you practice any breathing excercises for birth?

[DaisyMOO]

Have you heard of the fetus ejection reflex? Michel Odent talks about it and it's where all the hormones are doing their thing at the right time and the baby is born in 2 or 3 contractions. Does this sound like you?

[lulumama]

DAISY ! that is bizarre..was just wondering where you were..and here you are !

it is to do with adrenalin, no, where the body does all it can to expel the baby quickly...often comes into play, when a woman is being told she will need help to get baby out, and suddenly, baby comes shooting out

[DaisyMOO]

TBH I'm a bit hazy on the details, but yes, adrenalin is involved. Usually I believe it happens when the labour has been unmedicated and undisturbed and then bam, out comes baby, but can also happen when the woman's body senses danger and needs to get the baby out quickly.

In retrospect it definitely happened with my last birth - I had no urge to push at all and then suddenly needed to get on all fours and ds3 was born in about 2 minutes. I have never experienced anything like the overwhemling urge to get that baby out, my whole body was literally throwing him out. NOTHING could have stopped me pushing. The midwives commented afterwards that I'd instinctively put my hand down to slow the head - ha ha, I was actually trying to pull his head out I was so freaked out by what I was feeling!

Have just seen you on the DUK forums - I've only just registered and I'm finding my way around! Hope you're well.

[TwitmonstEr]

yes, sounds like me. ds2 was 3 pushes, although the other two were slightly more. I think I am naturally quick at the pushing stage and want to have some semblance of control. Yes I know how to breathe, but it doesn't do too much for me at the time.

[lulumama]

am good thanks, hope you are doing ok..and getting lots of doulaing !!

monstie..the fact you know that you will have a quick second stage might help..you can get mentally prepared...try strong visualisation of the pushing, even if it is quick, make sure you imagine yourself strong, in control, and not at all freaked out..

[DaisyMOO]

Could you put something in your birth plan about needing extra reassurance when you start pushing? I wouldn't worry too much about the baby - they produce their own endorphins to get through labour and it's usually long second stages that are really stressful for them. have your other babies been in good condition at birth?

[DaisyMOO]

No doulaing doing atm I'm afraid, but my name only went on the database today. I've got a friend who does twins preperation classes to give out some of my leaflets too. Turns out I can count EllieK's birth for my 'numbers' and possibly one other too, which is cool

[flightattendant]

Daisy, that sounds like my last birth - though it took about 30 minutes as he was OP. But you saying that, makes me wonder if there is 'another' type of second stage where you have some control over the pushing? I felt my body took over and was 'throwing the baby out' too - couldn't have controlled it at all, despite having practised breathing etc. Nothing was any use!

Is there another kind of experience?

[TwitmonstEr]

yes I have mentioned it and yes they have all been perfectly well [well they wanted to make sure ds2 wasn't in shock, which he wasn't]
So you recommend concentrating on trying to breathe through them and to stay as calm as possible. No magic advise ? lol

My back and lower stomach is actually very achey this evening, in a [possibly] good way. lol

[lulumama]

great daisy x

[TwitmonstEr]

yes, midwives telling me to breathe/pant seem to not understand that I can't do much to stop the pushing.

[TwitmonstEr]

belated hello to lulu lol.
Thank you everyone for your advise and help, I will keep checking for any updates but am feeling strangely achey and may go for a lie down for a while.

[quint]

midwife with DD1 at the time I thought was great although I never understood her when she told me to stop pushing as there was no way on earth I could

The midwife with DD2 made me realise that although DD1 MW was pretty good, she wasn;t as great as I felt at the time. Although I still had the urge to push with DD2, with the midwife actually showing me how to breathe it really did help and the 2nd stage was a lot faster, I didn;t tear at all (2nd degree with DD1) and I felt a lot more in control

[maman4]

I was annoyed when the midewife asked me to HOLD IT using muscles I didn t know existed!

[TwitmonstEr]

exactly. So quint, can you remember any of it and could you put it into words?

[TwitmonstEr]

bump

[TwitmonstEr]

lol you have points for trying

thank you.

[quint]

Which bit (and birht) do you want me to try and remember and put into words?!

[TwitmonstEr]

the pushing stage please.