Positive and Empowering Stories of How You Coped in Labour (no matter how it all ended up)

[thunksheadontable]

Hi

I am 32 weeks pregnant and I've posted a few times here recently about my anxiety and mental health in relation to this birth. However, am totally committed to doing everything possible to releasing my fear and anxiety in the next few weeks and am sort of doing psychological bootcamp on it, doing Hypnobirthing privately with two midwives (and only £187 - bargain!), refreshing my memory on techniques I used in my first labour that worked and open to any and all suggestions however weird and whacky that helped you cope with whatever labour you did.

I realised through discussion that I had totally discounted my skills because I had an epidural from 5cms but actually, looking back, I did use some pretty effective pain control techniques along the way to that and never really felt panicked or out of control. I really want to focus on all of these positives and not the end stage of my last labour this time..

So: things that helped me -

I went on all fours and swayed while breathing. This lasted for on off contractions for a few days.

Early labour - trying to rest, listening to repetitive relaxing music and keeping my mind as free as possible. I listened to Einaudi's Melodie Africana i on repeat for about three hours (!!): .

I had two stress balls, colouredly juggling balls like these. I lay on my left hand side and held one in the hand that had the drop on0 close to my face while I breathed in to a count of 4, focussing on the patterns, and slowly dropped it down away from my face and extended the whole arm, breathing out. I did this for a good few hours and when it got really hard I would count or say "focus like a laser and focus on nothing but this" (this is a Juju Sundin Birth Skills technique)

I added gas and air.

I addedd a TENS.

All of this got me to 5cms and then I got an epidural. It was calm and relaxed for all of this.

Anyone have other things that helped them?

I'm afraid both were sections. I was induced with the first one (she was 10 days late), but after 3 days of different interventions, I failed to progress. I did use the fitball while I could, but the entonox made me quite ill ... 'fraid to say. Probably had something to do with the 10.1 lb baby which emerged after 14 days (which was 62cm long)....

Mine were both water babies - DD born in a water-pool in the hospital, & with DS I was in the bath at home for much of labour then a quick dash to nearby hospital where half hour later he was born.

I've written about them both before but just wanted to share the idea of ^^ water
Think you're quite right OP that women seem to do active birthy and/or hypnoticy things very naturally during birth - I know I was in a different place and not thinking much in words IYKWIM
Also agree that it's really good to think about what went well and share that with one another.
All the best for the birth !

You just get through it and have to know that whatever you "plan" for the birth may be completely re-routed by circumstances. That doesn't matter. What matters, the only thing that matters, is getting the child out safely and keeping you safe in the process. I planned to squat and was told to lie back - and that annoyed me. The annoyance wasn't helpful for getting on with the task in hand. Second time, I got to squat and it was better, but that's just the way it goes.

Really tried not to think about the birth beforehand,did nct classes etc, but just decided that yes, it would hurt, but it would only last a certain amount of time, then ds would be here! Spent as much time at home as possible, knelt on the floor leaning on footstool. tried to last until 9.30am as then dh could take the dogs to the kennels.....made it to 8.30am when enough was enough, off to hospital.
Had planned fake tea lights/music etc. but just wanted to be crouched/knelt down and then ENDURE..... Hated having to lie down for waters to be broken, and lots of massage/hot water bottle support from dh for my back. Got to 9cm on 2 paracetamols, but needed epidural as was knackered (14hrs in). Was v lucky to have straightforward labour, with great midwife & dh was fab.
Just think that you should do whatever feels natural to you, whatever helps must be used! Hope all goes well xx

My labour started on Christmas Day at 5am and I was sent home from the hospital twice as I was not dilated enough both times so I stayed at home walking around, doing breathing exercises with my fiancé and then at around 4:30am the pain was so bad that my fiancé ran me a bath and as soon as I got in my waters broke and I was screaming the place down saying I felt like I needed to push. Well my fiancé rushed me up to the hospital, we arrived at 5am and at 5:30am, with no epidural, no TENS, no gas and air, no anything my lovely son was born. Very proud to show the midwife that had sent me home twice that I made it to 10cm that night (she said it would be a while). Had an amazing midwife who looked after me and gave me a big hug after it was all over. Can't believe how calm my fiancé was especially when I was screaming so loud in his car, was very hoarse the next day haha!

I have had an emcs (undiagnosed breech) and forcpes for my vbac (he turned his head), so my births were not straight forward, but both times I laboured until about 8cm without spinal block / epidural. My techniques for coping with contractions:

• Mantra - I kept saying 'this will pass'
• Visualisation - I imagined every contraction as climbing up a mountain, you know when it peaks and it's a lot easier on the way down.
• Gas and Air - Amazing.
• Stayed upright as long as possible and let gravity lend a hand.
• Remembering that the baby wants to come out and your body is working to getting it out. Sounds simple but it is effective.

Also, keep an open mind. Neither of my births went as planned, but in the end were ok.

Ds (back to back) - spent 6 hours alternating between the bath and walking around the house mooing. Once in delivery suite I sat on the birthing ball and mentally recited the alphabet with each contraction. I knew that each one would be over before I got to z.

Dd - spent for hours in bath, strapped on tens machine, did aat accountancy exam (didn't want to wait six months for retakes), finished exam and straight to hospital. Didn't have time to stress after that and dd was born 25 mins later after 1 push. Distraction & concentrating on anything other than labour worked a treat for me.

33kns "better than a spa day"
I loved my water too

Glad you had such a good experience with dc3 33kns
Funny to hear about your knickers
One pair of knickers in a filter = a good birth in my book

Induced with both, ds1 for pre-eclampsia and ds2 with obstetric cholestasis, but incredibly different experiences. First one I was totally unprepared for the pain and sheer bloody hard work of it, was told not to move and so literally stayed on my back on the bed for the whole 10 hours and thus had a nasty tear. I hated it, and was petrified of repeating the experience second time around. So the second one I was determined to be more in control of and used:

Yoga breathing - golden thread breath (google it) really helped
Sound - mooing or ooing or aaing, albeit quite loudly, through contractions was like pushing the pain out
As others have said, forcing myself to think that each contraction was my baby's way of getting himself out, and bringing him one step closer to me
Gas and air - love love love it
TENS machine - helped me to feel in control, pressing the button at the start of the contraction not only made me feel like I was countering the pain, but also helped dh to know when a contraction was coming on!
Back massage through every contraction - dh was fab at this. Each time I pressed the above TENS button he new to start the back massage. Again, it was about us being in control and doing something to get through it.

Ds2 was born 2 hours after my water were artificially broken, and although of course it was hard work, I loved the experience because I felt in control.

Good luck!