Is being told to push when you're not having a contraction odd?

[Bartusmaeus]

I've always thought I had a fairly straight-forward birth, with a few difficult bits, but now I'm thinking about it more clearly I'm wondering if some things that happened were "normal".

For example, the midwife pushed down very hard on my stomach whilst I was pushing. I've read on mumsnet that this isn't normal?

Also, the machines weren't reading my contractions (they knew this but didn't bother moving the straps for some unknown reason) so when I was pushing I was told to push, even though the contraction had finished. I couldn't get breath to say that the contraction was over and just did as I was being yelled at to do.

I've since said to DH that I didn't think I should have been made to do that but he said that maybe the baby was having trouble as his heartrate did keep dropping throughout labour and they also gave me an episiotomy which made DH think that they really needed to get DS out as quick as possible (I only pushed about 6 times and less than 10 minutes - don't know exact timings!)

I'm not in the UK and don't have my notes so can't see why they made me push etc. It's not a huge problem, it's just been niggling at me. Also reading that midwives shouldn't push on your stomach and the consequences has explained some of the after effects of birth!

As far as I know (but I'm no expert) pushing on your stomach, called "fundal pressure" isn't recommended. My MW did it to get my placenta out but I think it's ok in that situation, although it did nearly make me puke I found it so horrible. Pushing when there's no contraction is just pointless and tires you out unnecessarily. It sounds to me like they were panicking a bit.

They did seem to be panicking slightly, but I thought it was because the birth was unexpected (!). A random midwife came in in order to let her student examine me and then it was all panic stations as DS was coming out! (he was born less than 15 minutes after they walked in the room, less than 20 minutes after the other midwife had told me I had another hour to go )

I had to push without contractions for DS2 it was very difficult but he was distressed and drs wanted to use forceps but midwife insisted I would deliver him and I am glad she did. He was delivered in 10 mins back to back with cord around neck, we both escaped relatively unscathed!

39 weeks pregnant with DC3 and hoping not to repeat experience