Any useful tips for natural birth?

[mom2rhysnruby]

Hi, im due in 19 days, with my 1st baby i was induced by drip and stuck in a bed all labour.
Just wondering if anyone has any tips for a spontaneous natural birth? (hoping it goes ok this time!)
Such as:
Pain relief tips
Taking your mind off the pain
Positions that helped
Etc

Thanks

[LoisLame]

I would say my labour with dd was quite manageable - not over-the-top painful at all. I can tell you what I did but know that everyone is different, and what worked for me won't be everyone's cup of tea.

I had a tens machine which got me through the latent phase at home which was about 18 hours before I went to the hospital. It even allowed me to get little bits of sleep through the night. Was 3cm and apparently not in active labour when I got to the hospital, at which point I swapped the tens for the pool and breathing techniques (breathing in for count of 4 and out for 8). That kept me going for the next 2 hours, then I asked for gas and air only to be examined and told I was fully dilated so had the gas and air for pushing only, which took 45 mins.

The best thing about the pool is it allows you to try a lot of different positions more easily than on dry land. If it's something you think you might like, contact your hospital and find out if they do water birth classes or tours, and they should be able to tell you the best positions for in the pool.

For taking your mind off the pain, maybe read a hypnobirthing book if you can get hold of one. I really believe in mind over matter and that if you go in thinking it will hurt, then it will. I found looking out the window and focusing on something in the distance quite helpful.

HTH and above all, relax :-)

[mameulah]

LoisLame, I appreciate your advice, especially the mind over matter thing. Thanks.

[ICompletelyKnowAboutGuineaPigs]

I was told when pg with dc1 that keeping your eyes open alters the pain signalsto the brain. Absolutely no idea if this is true but in the absence of any other pain relief (the mws told me I wasn't in labour) I tried it and found it helped. When I felt a contraction building I would find something to read and focus on the letters - at one point I spent a good 45 mins in the toilet reading the 'Caution hot water' sign .

Counting also helped and I got to know that a contraction would only last to number # and when I was getting there it was a relief to know it would be easing soon. This was also helpful when I was on a monitor and could watch the numbers rise and fall.

[ICompletelyKnowAboutGuineaPigs]

Oh and position wise,: squatting, bending over a bed/ball on my knees was more helpful - basically anything that helped my pelvis open and had gravity on my side. Also leaning forward takes the pressure off your back so you might find this a relief. Oh and rocking side to side and backwards and forwards seem to help with the pain too.

[mummysmellsofsick]

I used natal hypnotherapy, tens and water. Also clary sage in the week before I went into labour.

I expect you know all the stuff about adrenalin/ oxytocin, making sure you feel safe, relaxed, private and pref in semi darkness for the first part as the contractions get established.

midwifethinking.com/2012/09/22/early-labour-and-mixed-messages/

[mummysmellsofsick]

Oh and breathing! Loooong breaths through the contractions I can't really remember what my midwife told me to do I think it was in through the nose out through the mouth, really long breaths... It was prob the main thing that helped, the pain/ intensity was never overwhelming as long as I stayed silent, no one touched me (you can refuse examinations- my midwife said they aren't all that useful anyway) and I kept breathing.

[cupcake78]

Every contraction I got I told myself in my head I could do it and it would not last forever. Took gas and air, dh made me laugh lots which really helped and he rubbed my lower back during a contraction . Birthing balls are a godsend and use the bed to your benefit, to lean on climb on etc anything to ease it!

[whatsoever]

mummysmellsofsick thanks for that link, what a great article.

[mom2rhysnruby]

Tyvm for the comments!
I had a rough birth and ventouse delivery so hoping to try anythin to make my next experience an enjoyable one! If poss lol.
I have the maggie mongan hypnobirthing book :)
I wanted a water birth but am not
Classed low risk enough :(

[LoisLame]

Can I ask what risk factors you have that exclude you from water birth? Depend what it is, you may be able to fight their decision on that one.

[mom2rhysnruby]

My son was born 39+6 at 6lb8oz
Under the hospital im at, he was classed as small birthweight for gestational age :S anything under 7lb is small and over 8lb is big!
Had to have growth scans and consultant care, this baby is perfect weight and estimated 7.5-8lb at birth. So for this reason i cant have a water birth as im not classed as low risk :( even though id think it would help me as i love a bath & find it really comforting when im
In pain :( x

[Shagmundfreud]

Either:

hypnobirthing

or

this book: here

Love the Juju Sundin book - has so many ideas for things you can do with your voice, body, breath to get you through contractions.

I found moaning VERY loudly through contractions helpful!

Is your dp coming in with you? What about having a second birth partner? Are you at a teaching hospital? If so, maybe consider having a student, as they can be fantastic at providing support.

[GodisaDJ]

I also did Natal Hypnotherapy. It's not late to read the book and/or get the CDs.

The main thing for me was concentrating on a special place during each contraction

Picture yourself somewhere really relaxing, special to you, perhaps a beach or holiday you had. Ill explain mine and perhaps it'll make more sense:

We holiday in Devon every year, lots of happy memories. I take a walk out of our apartment, walk up to a bridge and look over a railway line and the sea. The waves are thrashing against the sea wall. A train is coming, it's getting closer. The sea getting rougher. The train is coming now, and it goes under the bridge and it's gone. I walk down to the sea wall and the sea is now calm. I sit with DP and we watch the sun glittering on the water. We see a seal and her young

The intense pain of a contraction was the memory of the train and the rough sea; I focused on the train passing underneath me - that I would very soon, be sitting on the sea wall and all would be calm. Basically I 'rode' each contraction. This memory was repeated in my head during my 10 hours of hard labour which in fact felt like only 3 hours.

Hope I'm making sense. Definitley recommend relaxation cd's- have a look on eBay for Natal Hynotherapy.

[UmBongo]

Don't know if they worked, but both my labours were quick (apart from retained placenta, but thats after you've met your baby so it doesn't count) I drank raspberry leaf tea for 2 weeks (with a spoon of honey in it to make it drinkable), rubbed clary sage (diluted in oil) and when ds was overdue, had reflexology to make him hurry up so I wasn't induced in hospital. Had tens machine with ds too.

Dd was only 5 days late so didn't make it to the reflexologist, and didn't have time to fix on tens machine.

Congratulations and good luck

[pmTea]

Good luck with the birth

Some really good advice already been said - I would just add that although you are wishing for a NB this time around, maybe be prepared in case things change on the day...so you are not too disappointed.

Fingers crossed you get the birth you want this time

[MoonHare]

Just wanted to second shagmund's suggestion to read JuJu Sundin's book 'Birth Skills'. It's written clearly and is easy to read so still have time.

The techniques in that book got me through 2 labours with just TENS, not even g&a. Loads of really useful, practical ideas mostly around distraction type techniques and lots of positive birth stories to inspire you too.

[AmethystMoon]

Natal hypnotherapy and birthing pool are fab! I didn't even have to push so no tears
I focused on the moment and my breathing and just bobbed around upright in the pool. I actually enjoyed my labour
Margaret Howell was the book and CD I used. Also as my contractions started at home I got in a warm bath which helped a lot with pain relief which I really believe is connected to relaxing as much as possible. I also took cartons of drinks with me as I got thirsty which was nice.
Good luck

[mom2rhysnruby]

Im prepared for the worst lol
Had ventouse, cut and a back to back baby also induced by drip which was awful so im thinking positive that it cant be much worse!
Also, finding since ive been reading hypnobirthing that im a lot more excited than nervous about the birth!
Ill use that 'happy place' thats a good idea, i found last time my contractions were so intense i couldnt focus on anything but.. But i think it was mainly fear as during my pregnancy a family member lost her baby at 8 months pregnant due to preeclamsia and thats what i was induced for!
Thank you everyone! X

[LoisLame]

I would speak to the supervisor of midwives as your previous risk factor of small for dates does not mean the same will happen this time, especially given the estimates from you scan saying 7.5 - 8lb. Just because a woman is classed as low risk at booking in does not mean she will still be low risk at term - things can and do change. Argue your case with them - you have nothing to lose and the worst they will say is no...