confused about what happened at the pushing stage

[Mummagumma]

DS was born just over two years ago, but I still don't get this aspect of the birth:

Pushing away, having had pethidine. Not getting anywhere. Midwife then decided that we had missed the boat with this pushing session, and she let me get up and stand. As the contractions kept coming, my body was taking over and I was involuntary pushing; the midwife kept telling/hollering at me to control it and not let my body push. As far as I recall, this went on for almost an hour. When an hour had passed she said something about enough time having elapsed since the pethidine injection, and it would be alright to have another go. Things resumed in the manner I had expected (stuck head, unstretchy perineum and episiotomy excepted...)

I don't really understand the 'missing the boat' bit with the pushing. To be pushing your baby out, then be told not to push any more and leave it for an hour. DH says the above it pretty much what he recalls too, but parts of it are rather blurred. Can anyone enlighten me?

Sorry I'm not experienced enough to know what happened, but I know that for many people, ringing the hospital and asking to have a debrief can really help. I didn't find out much of what happened with my first birth until going over the notes with a consultant during my second pregnancy, and that really helped.

I've got an idea that they don't like babies to be delivered if you've just had a shot of pethadine as it can affect babies breathing - maybe she was giving it time to wear off

You can request your birth notes if you want to look over them, it should make things clearer for you.