Anyone done spontaneous pushing (or rather not done directed pushing)?

[TallulahBetty]

Not sure I've worded that right TBH but oh well..

What I mean is, it seems in most cases (on TV anyway )that as soon as you're 10cm dilated, you have to push push push as directed by the midwife.

I've read about spontaneous pushing where you let gravity and contractions do the pushing which is less likely to result in tearing etc - has anyone got any experience of this? Would love to know if it's better than the directed pushing which seems to be standard.

I always thought the 'push push push' shouting was more encouragement for the woman to sustain the push for as long as possible - not telling her to start pushing when she wasn't expecting it.

Perhaps I did it all wrong - twice?

I didn't get the urge to push with my first 3, with DS1 I had had enough and just decided I was going to start pushing.
However with DS2 things were starting to go a bit pear shaped and I had to push, i had no choice, I even asked the midwife if it was ok to push and she said 'no you're not fully dilated yet' but I couldn't stop it and DS2 was out in about 3 pushes.

Dd was back to back. I was in the birthing pool and just had an absolutely unstoppable, overwhelming urge to push.

I only did two pushes before dd's head was out.

However, I had quite a nasty tear .

With first baby, was encouraged to push when all I wanted to do was rest. Ended up pushing for nearly 90 mins, waters broke just before DS was born, normal delivery and tiny graze. It felt like really hard work.

With second birth MWs were out in the kitchen making a cup of tea when I started making that odd noise that you make just as you give birth. I can remember thinking 'I'm not going to push, no one can make me do it!'. MW came back in sharpish, crouched down and said she could see the head. Then I think my body took over, 2 pushes and DD was out. No tears, crowning didn;t feel too bad and I felt pretty good afterwards.

I spent an hour spontaneously pushing, during which the baby apparently did not move at all (doula told me this after the birth)even though gravity should have been helping as I was kneeling upright against the back of the bed. To be fair I was mainly shouting rather than pushing,although it felt like I was doing my best. Then it was suggested the midwife direct me, and I spent another 1.5 hours pushing before she came out. Again I did shout/scream a lot so perhaps if I hadn't been doing that it would have been quicker but I found it impossible not to. Unfortunately I ended up with a 3rd degree tear, DD came out with her hand by her neck and the midwife pulled her out with my next contraction.

I think I did this for DD2. I had no pain relief at all and even though I was 10cms I didn't really feel like pushing. The worst of the contractions had finished and I was in transition I think. This was in Germany and midwife said not to push if I didn't feel the urge. I lay on my side for a while and was breathing and trying hard to be relaxed. Within five mins or so I felt my body doing it 'itself' if that makes sense. I wasn't pushing or holding breath or bearing down at all. It just happened. I did still tear though but not as badly as DD1 (when I had episiotomy as well as tear).

gave birth to first dc in the US and was harangued into purple pushing while on my back - had fast 2nd stage but also big tear.
This time around, I'm considering breathing the baby out cos if it doesn't work, then I can just push.
Good to hear that MWs in the UK are much more relaxed about pushing etc.

I had to be directed for Ds1 - I'd been in forced labour for 20 hours by that point, and had had an epidural for 16 of those.

Ds2 popped out all on his own. the midwife tried to slow me down, but I could no more 'stop pushing' than I could have stopped falling halfway down a mountain!

Ohh and halfway through pushing ds2 out, i had a 3 or 4 minute rest. midwife didn't tell me to push, and I gathered my strength and pushed his shoulders out afterwards.

It was all a bit frantic and painful, but only had gas and air for that labout and I don't think I used it for the pushing

I had to be directed to push as I wasn't really getting it by myself. I was only having really short contractions too which didn't really help.

Actually, at one point as I was actively NOT pushing because it hurt. Think I'd forgotten the whole point of labour by then.

I honestly believe DS was pushing himself out. Felt his feet on my ribs. Not sure it's possible but that's how I remember it. Felt him pushing and decided to help. Remember midwife telling me what to do but thinking "that's bloody obvious, I know what I'm at". DD, my first labour was more pushing the ear off my head as someone described it.

I started pushing at home before I was properly dilated. Midwife said I'd pushed the cervix away and the baby out. I had absolutely no choice over the early pushing, I kept being told not to but as I wasn't consciously pushing I had no idea how to stop. When it came to delivery I concentrated on the pushing more, but to start with my body was just doing it.

I was never told to push, I don't think. I just pushed. The urge to push can't really be ignored - with me it was just overwhelming. I think the TV cases are probably mostly epidurals.