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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Childbirth

Anyone given birth without really "pushing"?

46 replies

MiniMarmite · 30/10/2010 20:50

Just wondering as I hear it is possible! And, if so, would you describe yourself as a particularly relaxed person?

A few weeks away from having my second child. I was induced last time and had very strong and early urges to push. I like the idea of taking things slowly and gently if at all possible!

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DiscoDaisy · 30/10/2010 20:53

I didn't push with my 5th. I was upright and I sort of rotated my hips and out he came. Like I say he was my 5th though anbd he was 9lb 2oz.

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ChasingSquirrels · 30/10/2010 20:56

I didn't push with my 2nd, but it was a v v quick labour and he just kind of fell out.
Had to push the placenta out though.

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reallytired · 30/10/2010 20:57

I gave birth to dd with no voluntary pushing, My body just decided when it wanted to push. It felt like a piston inside me.

I used natal hynotheraphy CDs and did their course.

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MiniMarmite · 30/10/2010 20:57

My first was 9lb and I think this one will be at least that but probably more. I'm thinking the more relaxed I am the less likely I am to tear.

When you say rotated your hips you mean sort of hula hooping style?

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localmum · 30/10/2010 20:58

Mine were all jet propelled. No time to even think about pushing!!

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Bloodberrybatbait · 30/10/2010 21:00

I didn't push with DD2 I had an urge to push and when the MW asked if I was feeling the urge to push I said no I was waiting for the epidural, I curled over to pull myself up the bed and DD2 was born.

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MiniMarmite · 30/10/2010 21:00

Thanks

Is the course possible in 4 weeks reallytired or is it something you have to practice for a while for it to really work?

ChasingSquirrels was your second labour considerably quicker/different from you first or do you tend to labour quickly anyway?

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horMOANSnomore · 30/10/2010 21:00

I was encouraged by my midwife to 'breathe' my DC3 out to avoid tearing.

I still pushed because the urge was irresistible, but I only needed one stitch.

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ByThePowerOfGreyskull · 30/10/2010 21:01

I had no choice about pushing or not, I was not consciously pushing although I could feel DS1 being pushed with each contraction.

I was at home, very relaxed,never told to push or not to push.

DS2 it was the same he just arrived quicker

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DiscoDaisy · 30/10/2010 21:01

It was a hula hoop style but vertical rather than horizontal iyswim. I tried to show my OH the movement afterwards but I couldn't do it again! It was one of those natural at the moment feelings.

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rubyslippers · 30/10/2010 21:01

I pushed DD out in 2 pushes

It was so quick and very little effort so whilst I had an urge to push (and it was urgent) My body seemed to do a lot of the work - The mw had to try to calm me down as it happened so fast (3 mins)

Placenta came out very easily too ...

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MumInBeds · 30/10/2010 21:04

I get a strong urge to push and when I followed it first time I tore quite badly. For the others I have used gas and air to relax myself so I didn't push. It always confuses the midwives that I don't use it for most of the labour but need it for the second stage.

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Loopymumsy · 30/10/2010 21:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MumNWLondon · 30/10/2010 21:18

DS2 (3rd DC) is 6 months old. I didn't voluntary push. I was standing and my body just did it. No brusing and only tiny tear that didn't need stitches.

Was lying on back afterwards so had to push (quite hard) to get placenta out.

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reallytired · 30/10/2010 21:27

"Is the course possible in 4 weeks reallytired or is it something you have to practice for a while for it to really work?"

4 weeks is plenty of time. I would get the natal hypnotheraphy CDs off ebay. You need to listen to the CDs as much as possible. It does get boring which is why the CDs instruct you to wait until 32 weeks.

You would have to look at the natal hypnotheraphy website to see if a course is running in your area. The courses are quite pricy although there were only two couples on my course, including us. We got a lot of attention.

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MiniMarmite · 30/10/2010 21:59

Thanks for your replies everyone - it is making me feel quite hopeful and I will definitely consider the hypnotherpay reallytired - I'm not a very naturally relaxed person so I think that might help me.

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pippylongstockings · 30/10/2010 22:14

I don't remember pushing at all 2nd time around - my body did it all - but I had a very quick labour 45min from start to finish.

I was very worried about it as 1st time round I had a 2 hour 2nd stage and had to be taken to hospital after trying for a HB. So 2nd time around I was all for help and coaching with the pushing stage. However after a 999 call into hospital when I got there the MW said I had to pant as she could see the baby's head put hadn't put her glove on yet - he was born 2 min later...

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Marylou242 · 30/10/2010 22:17

I agree with reallytired. I felt no urge to push, it felt like my body was taking control, almost like retching when you're sick, completely uncontrollable. I remember saying to the midwife "it's making its way out".

Unfortunately, the cord was round DS's neck and his heart rate kept dropping when I was upright. I had to lie on my back and get him out as fast as possible so was told I had to push. I wish I could have had longer to do it naturally at my own pace, but there was no choice. Maybe next time...

By the way, I did hypnobirthing, similar to natal hypnotherapy and was relaxed and calm the whole way through.

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sweetkitty · 30/10/2010 22:19

No 3 and 4 I didn't push out. No 3 I felt her descend and just come out one contraction for her head the next her body. More like she was ejected than pushed. I had no control over it and will never forget the feeling. DS was the same, my waters were still intact and I told the MW to break them as I was fed up!! About 2 mins later he was born, think the waters were holding him back, line someone else said took ages to push the placenta out ( no injection)

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Rosebud05 · 31/10/2010 20:33

I had a similar experience to sweetkitty with my ds. My waters stayed in tact throughout a very short, intense stage one and I asked the midwife to break them because I knew it would speed things up. DS practically surfed out. I was kneeling on the bed and the midwife asked me to turn round - I wondered what on earth for then realised that he'd been born.

This was a couple of years after a 2 hour, non-stop-pushing, cord-round-her-neck, minutes-from-assisted-delivery, born-very-blue second stage with dd.

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BollocksToThis · 31/10/2010 20:45

Oh I remember thinking how utterly ridiculous it was when the midwife suddenly realised DD was on her way out and started exhorting me to push - there's no way on earth I could have not pushed, it was totally involuntary and incredibly powerful. A few minutes later her whole head and body came flying out at once, leaving me with a tear and completely mystified ... Thought there was supposed to be an hour or two of conscious effort and then I breathed the head and body out separately - not so!

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PacificWerewolf · 31/10/2010 20:54

I did not push - my body did however [hgrin]! With amazing strength and efficiency. There was no way I could have 'not pushed' and I totally understand now why babies get born in the back of cars or on the bath mat .
This was my experience for DSs3 and 4 - I had an epidural for DS1 and had to be told when to push and emCS for DS2.

The concept of 'breathing out' simply means no additional volunatry pushing - it is often encouraged in women who have other medical problems and who should not put additional strain on their bodies. There is no need for active pushing, let alone yelling at the labouring woman to 'push, push, PUUUUSH!' if the labour is going well.

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RhinestoneCowgirl · 31/10/2010 21:02

With second birth I was determined not to push until I was ready as first time I 'pushed' for 90 mins before DS was born. Could have decked the mw who said 'just one more' at least 50 times!

So second time I kept thinking that no-one was going to make me push, then went through transition and was kneeling over the sofa making a v odd noise. The mws were in the kitchen making a cuppa and came back in. One had a quick look and said she could see the head, 2 involuntary pushes later and DD was born. It was definitely not something I was in control of (and felt much better than first time). Had to make a bit more effort for the placenta.

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ChasingSquirrels · 31/10/2010 21:04

umm, 2nd labour was quicker (15 mins) than 1st (2 hours), I definitely pushed (alot) with ds1. ds2 just fell out. Not sure I like what that says about me!

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lilianfox · 31/10/2010 23:14

It is interesting to hear that so many of you had the experience of your body just involuntarily pushing the baby out etc. I am interested in this as I am pregnant with baby no. 2 and last time I did not push as midwife told me not to until fully dilated etc. I was having very strong urges to push from when I was about 5-6 cm dilated and found it really hard not to push and had to use gas and air as a result. Can anyone share experience of whether they felt involuntary urge to push before they were fully dilated and whether or not they let midwife examine them to see how dilated they were? I'm just trying to figure out the best approach next time. Whether I should just go ahead and push if I get the urge even if I am not fully dilated.