Poor pushing technique???

[america]

I just had a VBAC that nearly went pear-shaped in the end and when I later read my notes, midwife had commented on pushing stage "good maternal effort but poor technique". Is the machine broken or how in earth can I have a poor pushing technique??? I thought that a female body should know how to do this by instinct.

[DoNotAnnoy]

because you weren't appropriately coached by teh MW I would say is a resaonble explaination...

[snickersnack]

Lol at "poor technique". Makes it sound like synchronised swimming.
WTF was she doing noting it down when she should have been telling you what to do differently? If indeed, something different was required...
I have to say it wasn't something I found easy. But it did get easier towards the end. I suspect this is probably because I was encouraged to push too early - as soon as I got to 10cm. I didn't have an urge to push at that point, so it was a bit counter-intuitive.

[LesAnimaux]

I would be incadencent with rage if I read that on my notes!! I'm so for you. Poor possitioning, maybe, poor support form MW.The female bocy, in theory should push the baby out without you putting in extra effort.

[Mamulik]

midwife should tell what to do - it looks like she wasn't very good

[dinkystinky]

America - what a useless midwife, particularly as you were VBAC-ing!! Probably means that as a second timer she assumed you she didnt have to encourage you in the pushing...

[sobloodystupid]

mine said "poor maternal effort" . I would've been delighted if it was someone else's fault!

[fannybanjo]

To be honest I an absolute shite at the olde pushing technique, just ask my DH and all 3 midwives who helped me through 3 births!

I wouldn't worry too much as I did find that they weren't particularly fantastic themselves at helping me along. DH was far better at getting me to get the babies out.

[abedelia]

Dozy question, but I have this problem - my body is very efficient at getting itself dialated, but then seems to think its job is done and gives up. I am now in early pg with No3 and i can safely say I have never, ever experienced anything that could be termed an urge to push in either labour!

So, how do I get copies of my notes, just in case it can shed any light on what goes wrong and how I can overcome this?

First time round I had to have an emergency episiotomy without anaesthetic as ds was basically trapped halfway out and was dying. Second time I had a fab Jamaican midwife who pushed on my stomach and shot no2 out like toothpaste. Possibly not a normal occurrence though my sister had the same issue (and a midwife with the same solution).

[TamTam29]

Sounds like MW didnt do her job properly! She should of given you the technique you needed!

I had super MW first time who kept shouting at me & poking me saying things like "your just making noise, your putting your energy in your mouth, you need to push here, no not there, here,"

At the time wanted to smack her her in the mouth! However My 2nd stage was just 20 mins!

Hopefully (if this one EVER makes an apperance 40+6) i will have another good MW.

[Queenoftheharpies]

There's a technique??? Sheesh, another thing I didn't know about childbirth.

Presumably they will tell me what the technique is in antenatal class? So far the hospital have assumed I'm psychic about a lot of things...

[ILikeToMoveItMoveIt]

Congratulations on your VBAC

I would furious if I saw that comment. Like others have said, it's a reflection on your MW, not on you.

Some woman do need guidance when it comes to pushing, however that's one of the reasons why a MW is in attendance. If she felt you needed guidance she should have given it, not written it in your notes.

abedelia - have a look on your hospitals website, there should be a link to a pdf which will enable you to obtain your birth notes, there is a fee though.

[merryberry]

i had to have the mw with ds1 push hard with her fingers on my perineum to know where to aim! there was so much going on i couldn't concenrtate otherwise. she'd get bored and leave off, and i'd say 'show me where to push show me where to push'

because i was induced i kind of pushed him out without feeling any urge, i just wanted him out to stop them rattling the cutlery at the end of the bed at me, menacingly.

ds2, who was absolutely sodding enormous, was not induced and didn't really need pushing as such, the contractions did it for me, and besides i was upright in water, totally different experience.