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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

Did anyone else not have the urge to push during labour?

28 replies

Lemonfizzypop · 11/12/2015 18:51

I could manage the contractions whilst dilating but HATED pushing, I felt no urge and didn't even really feel the contractions, I kept having to ask them to confirm I was having one! Dd was sideways and took 2 hours to push out . Luckily she was never in distress so I didn't have any intervention (apart from episiotomy)

I'm a bit traumatised from the pushing part (okay it was only 5 weeks ago but still), anyone had the same experience? Did you have the urge during subsequent labours? Oh I was induced if that makes a difference!

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Yankeetarts19 · 11/12/2015 18:52

I've had 2 dc and never felt the need to push

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ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 11/12/2015 18:53

I never pushed (as in bearing down like doing a massive poo). The contractions pushed her out.

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unimaginativename13 · 11/12/2015 18:57

Was induced (which I believe can cause more issues with the pushing/ and more likely for intervention.

I wasnt having contractions and my knees were stiff and I had cramp.

The consultant came in and said you have 30 mins before we do a CS.

That made me push- I wasn't doing all that and having a 4 day induction and being rushed the theatre at that point!!

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Lemonfizzypop · 11/12/2015 18:59

Yankee did it make it harder for you to push the right way? I kept pushing wrong because I couldn't really feel what I was meant to be pushing if you see what I mean...I could only tell I was pushing right when it felt HORRIBLE. And hurt.

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TheOldestCat · 11/12/2015 18:59

2 DCs here and didn't feel the urge to push with either. Had to be told to do so by the midwives. I do wonder if that's why I've had issues (prolapse) since.

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ADogCalledLamb · 11/12/2015 18:59

Congratulations!

Did you have an epidural OP?
I didn't want to push as it intensified the pain. No two labours are the same!

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5madthings · 11/12/2015 19:00

With my labour with ds1 I had no urge to push and ended up.pushing for three hours. Had episiotomy in the end.

He four babies since and had the urge to push with them. And they were out in mins just a few pushes even my back to back dd.

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annandale · 11/12/2015 19:01

Urge wasn't exactly the word. Basically (TMI warning) it was like having an enormous poo when I have piles (which I usually do). I.e. I knew it was going to hurt, I wanted to prevent it happening, but ds was moving down and it was going to happen anyway. I didn't feel any urge but the movement took place without anything but resistance from me. I spent a chunk of time with my legs crossed trying to prevent it but oddly enough that didn't work.

Birth is weird, there's no doubt about it. Thank God it's over. Congratulations

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Lemonfizzypop · 11/12/2015 19:01

Haha unimaginative that's what made me push! They said the next steps would be forceps or CS. That and a very bossy but and amazing midwife who took over from the night shift staff.

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Gunpowder · 11/12/2015 19:01

Sideways wowzers! Sounds like you did brilliantly. I think if positioning is off (as it sounds like it may have been in your case) there isn't always an urge to push. But even when the baby's position is perfect there can be a rest and be thankful phase before pushing needs to start.

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Yankeetarts19 · 11/12/2015 19:01

Yes I couldn't push right,they had to tell me to push

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Lemonfizzypop · 11/12/2015 19:02

Thanks adog! No just gas and air. I thought pushing would be the quick bit after a lengthy dilating process, so naive!

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Lemonfizzypop · 11/12/2015 19:04

Gunpowder- sideways AND hand on head, I shudder just thinking about it now tbh!!

Ah it's interesting so many of you had had the same then, my sister felt the urge to push so much she couldn't NOT push!

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Gunpowder · 11/12/2015 19:04

Oh and DD1 I pushed for ages without really feeling the urge, I knew when the contractions were but my pushes didn't feel very effective, DD2 was about 3 pushes in 10 minutes and she was out. SO much easier, so don't let this first one put you off. congratulations btw.

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Fugghetaboutit · 11/12/2015 19:06

I think in hospitals they make you push before you need to. As soon as I hit 10cm - 'right start pushing!' took me over two hours ffs.

With this baby im doing the rest and thankful stage as posted above^

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TeamFinn · 11/12/2015 19:07

I had no urge to push with my DS and stopped being able to feel contractions as well. He was born by ventouse and (massive) episiotomy in the end. I did know when to push with DD but still needed a small episiotomy as she was born back-to-back and had a huge head.

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Fugghetaboutit · 11/12/2015 19:07

And ds was back to back with hand on head haha, god help us

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Gunpowder · 11/12/2015 19:07

Just saw your update- Ouch! I had hand on head with DD1 (although thankfully not sideways) and apparently that often lead to a much slower second stage too, so unsurprising yours was full on.

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Gunpowder · 11/12/2015 19:08

*leads

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ayria · 11/12/2015 19:30

I felt the contractions, the urges to push that I couldn't hold back on, but as my son was coming out I couldn't feel anything! I never understood why. They were telling me to push, and to breath and count to ten, but I just couldn't feel anything. Got cut in the end. Ugh.

Why couldn't I push or feel anything when he was just there??

And to think that as soon as I got the first urge I pushed with all my might so they didn't cut me or anything. What a waste of time! My biggest fear was intervention so wanted him out ASAP.

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DontBuyANewMumCashmere · 11/12/2015 19:43

Gosh I'm so glad I've read some similar stories on here, I've been made to feel a bit thick irl for my story... (understandably)
(All at home, planning a water home birth) I was checked at 8pm and MW said not to expect baby till the morning. As it was my first I was gullible naive and took her word for it.
At about 10.30 I felt like I needed a poo so went to the toilet. As PP described, it was as though I was about to do an ENORMOUS poo and I had read about women prolapsing or giving themselves piles so I was sitting on the toilet yelling trying not to do a shit give birth I actually shouted at DH "DO NOT COME IN I'M DOING A SHIT" Ha! At the birth of my pfb!!!

Then at about 11 my waters went and all the time I kept popping to the loo thinking I was doing a poo then it suddenly dawned on me that maybe, just maybe, the baby was coming sooner than I was told!!!!
Then when MW came back at 0003 (DD born at 0016) she got into position and said to me You are pushing aren't you? I hadn't been, as no one had told me to! And I realise now that I had no urge to either. At least I didn't poo myself or give myself piles! [Proud!]
I'm so going to be better prepared next time!!!

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unimaginativename13 · 11/12/2015 19:55

I pooed myself! At the beginning the midwife said you might aswell poo because that means you'd pushing from the right place. I gave myself huge piles too.

At one point I had a had up me and midwives hand in my tummy. All waiting for a contraction it started getting awkward as we were waiting so long so she took her hand out.

Glamorous.

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unimaginativename13 · 11/12/2015 19:58

I was going to say I got to 10cms and the head wasn't engaged so they said I had to wait an hour to see what happened.

So 3 days in hospital 12 hours on the drip and you get to 10cms and they say you have to wait and hour FML

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blushingmare · 13/12/2015 19:34

With DC1 I never felt that urge to push at all and actual once once I was 10cm, I lost the feeling of the contractions and just had to rely on the midwife telling me to push. It was unbelievably hard work.

With DC2, I was using the gas and air and the midwife said to me "you have to breathe out as well as in" , which I did, then suddenly got the amazingly overwhelming urge to push. From then on in the breathing out gave me that urge and it made the whole pushing bit soooo much easier.

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Solongtoshort · 14/12/2015 00:23

With my ds who is 3yo I didnt I was 10cm and they were like lets get this baby out and the said we are going to start pushing in 10 minutes, to be honest that's what I thought would happen the next time.

With my dd who is 4 1/2 weeks, omg I thought I was going to die, I was 4 cm and I said I am not coping can we talk about an epidural, she gave me some paracetamol to see how I coped before we discussed the epidural as I had written on my birth plan that I didn't want one unless the pain got too bad. I had previously had pethadine about 2 hours before (I found out later a very small amount). We discussed the epidural with my husband so he could ask questions (we had 3 previous misscarriages so we were both anxious and the midwife said this is possibly adding to my pain) so in came the bloke with the needle (I can not spell it) and as he was peeping me and asking me to calm down I said wait I just need to pooh the midwife said lets just check and as I lay down she said it's too late the babies head is there, don't push stay still and I could help it I had to, she was shouting wait, I was crying and the baby was out in 7 minutes, my lovely little girl. Who is snuggling up with me now. Congratulations on your baby.