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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Nice little tips - please add and share!

210 replies

PixieCake · 30/09/2012 15:05

I heard a nice little tip the other day that I am going to try to do:

  • sleep with your newborn's blanket in the last few weeks of pregnancy, so that it smells of you when you wrap the baby in it at the hospital

I wish I had done this last time as I found it hard to cuddle my newborn for a number of different reasons so she was in a cot in a hospital blanket.

Anyone got any other easy little things to add that don't take much effort but are a nice idea?

Another one I heard was to ask for the room to be silent when the baby comes out so that the first thing it hears is its mothers voice. Not for everybody I know, but please share any other suggestions x

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
wannabedomesticgoddess · 01/10/2012 19:13

Yes kellestar, everytime I hear Alicia Dixons Breathe Slow Im right back there :o

Music can really break up the time.

kellestar · 01/10/2012 19:31

Dearest by Buddy Holly, it makes me get all teary as it just came on as she arrived.

18wksplus · 01/10/2012 19:32

Take food! I wasn't allowed to eat for over 40 hours. Was hell - ended up necking the best part of a family size bottle of apple juice whilst the MW wasn't watching to try to get some energy.

cerealqueen · 01/10/2012 19:40

Have a mantra which you say to youself when contractions are peaking, can be anything inspiring, easy to remember and say and something witha beat, or rhythm, maybe even a line of poetry or a lyric from a song.

Good luck!

BoffinMum · 01/10/2012 19:53
  1. Lip salve, as if you are puffing and panting your lips will dry out.
  2. Carton of apple juice (jolly nice during transition).
  3. Nighties for the newborn rather than babygros. They are so floppy, nighties are so much easier to get on them.
halloweeneyqueeney · 01/10/2012 19:54

be careful with lip balms/vaseline etc unless everything is going text book, generally not recommended in hospitals because if you end up on oxygen for whatever reason your lips can burn (the parafin is flamable)

missorinoco · 01/10/2012 20:16

Tea tree oil drops in the bath are good for sore stitches post partum.

kateemo · 01/10/2012 21:07

Ask for the room to be darkened. The silence is a fantastic idea--wished I'd thought of it. Both of my girls were born in the wee hours and I asked the midwives to turn off the overhead lights both times. The glaring fluorescence is bad enough for us, just imagine how baby feels seeing that crap light for the first time!

And feel free to say no to any visitors and have some 'coccoon time' with your new family. Your family and friends will be excited to see baby, but this is your family and it's the best feeling to settle in together. No phones, no bells. And when you are ready, have someone you really love (my best friend in my case) come for a visit. Be selfish. You'll never have this time again.

DownyEmerald · 01/10/2012 21:27

I had a great birth, but had to have an epidural for stitching much much later. DP looked like death warmed up so I sent him home before I went up to the ward.

So my main tip is - make sure your partner comes up onto the ward with you to check you can reach things - like the baby!

I eventually managed to reach her out of the crib thing despite my semi-paralysed legs, but there was a bit when I was really holding the blanket not her, and I could have dropped her.

And, on a related note, be prepared to be proactive about what you need, even if they are busy, even if it is the middle of the night.

That is what I would do different.
And lots of other good tips on here.

MahnaMahna · 01/10/2012 22:19

Be prepared to lose all of your dignity (and clothes).

I lost massive amounts of blood during labour because my placenta started coming away. Then due to exhaustion and shock I projectile vomited all over the place.

I also had a lot of liquid (my waters) around the baby which gushed out with every contraction.

In the end I got the midwives to cut my nightie off (I was full of drips and things so couldn't take it off normally) and gave birth completely naked. It was the best decision I made. I felt much more comfortable :)

sillymummy11 · 01/10/2012 22:27

I'd got for a sports bottle of water to direct at your bits as you can...um...direct it rather than slosh it everywhere in panic.

DEXTROSE SWEETS!!!! You can get them from Boots (or other pharmacies I guess) with the diabetic stuff. I always end up throwing up in labour (sorry) and can' eat. These helped with the nausea, gave me energy and as they dissolve really fast you don't have to spit it out when you have a contraction. And they taste nice.

Wear two maternity pads at a time to start with after the birth (though I like the incontinence pads idea- sounds better TBH!

stargirl1701 · 01/10/2012 22:33

If you've had stitches then aloe vera durex lube is really soothing - made all the difference.

Tena lady disposable pants are much more comfortable than maternity pants.

Ask for Lactulose post birth - the first poo is scary!!!

Make sure the person stitching has plenty of local -mine ran out half way through! Ow! Ow! Ow!

Be aware that mastitis can begin through a cracked nipple. I thought is was just blocked ducts. Practise good nipple hygiene.

There are circular wound shields that are anti bacterial - keep in the fridge and use instead of nipple pads. Ask midwife for some.

twolittlebundles · 02/10/2012 01:03

great tips here already, I only add
-keep moving/upright as long as you possibly can, and let gravity help you move the baby down.

  • if things seem slow, go sit on the toilet of get into a (supported) squat- often helps to speed things a bit
  • jasmine oil is good for strengthening contractions
  • google 'accupressure points for labour' for more detail on the pressure points that others on here have referred to- they're wonderful.
  • labour is often slowed by noise and light, so don't be afraid to turn the lights off and tell everyone to be quiet!
  • rescue remedy is great if you have a tendency to panic or are very nervous, and it's very handy to have when you're in transition
Lavenderhoney · 02/10/2012 06:34

Gosh I love this thread! Mine would be to wear the hospital gown after birth the wrong way round. It is easy to bf and is long. Alo second flip flops for shower- they are filthy! Well mine was.. And food- we were given free range of a fridge with horrible garage sandwiches. Get your dh to bring soup in a flask and pasta/ lasagna in tubs. It will help get your milk down.

I engaged the bloke doing my epidural in conversation about school- he told me he bunked off a lot to which I accused him of getting his degree on the Internet and he was an imposter- cue me screaming for security.

Oh, and think through what options you want - you don't have to agree to be induced if your baby isn't ready at dead on 40 weeks. Be informed:)

Rosebud05 · 02/10/2012 07:54

Women labour better in the dark, so yes drop the lights if at all possible.

Food and drink for you and birth partners - I messed this up with dc2 and nearly fainted when carrying baby to the car having not eaten for 24 hours.

Cheap cotton nightie to labour and give birth in.

Keep your phone charged up and don't forget it nor the camera.

I couldn't pee in labour, despite knowing that I needed to. Midwife kindly did a catheter thing, which cleared the way for the baby to come.

Even if you have a free range, organic intervention free birth, it still HURTS. I didn't have any pain relief until afterwards when the midwife recommended a pain relief suppository, which was fantastic.

Shutupanddrive · 02/10/2012 09:01

If your waters have broken but nothing much is happening, the best thing to do is to walk around. I was up and down the hospital corridors stopping occasionally to hang off a windowsill/Dp when the pains started. Got things moving quite quickly

cerealqueen · 02/10/2012 10:46

Really try and clear your bowels as much as possible, as being constipated can make the whole birth a lot harder, plus it has to come out somehow! I had an enema, did the trick but had to make sure DP stayed away....

MoreBeta · 02/10/2012 10:54

Make sure your DH/DP is well catered for in the delivery suite. Our midwife brought me a nice comfy matress to lay on and an occassional cup of tea and a biscuit in the quite periods.

Well it was 12 hours after all!

Brockle · 02/10/2012 11:16

Having the lights low with DS2 was lovely and I found music wasn't helpful at all. It was nice to be quiet with the lights down low in the small hours.

I laboured on a birthing ball with DH on a rocking chair so we rocked in unison. Sounds strange but the rocking was a good thing to focus on. It did lull my DH to sleep though!

Big cotton pants are much better than the horrible disposable ones. Not tried the tena lady ones.

That first cup of tea is the best ever. Savour it as it never tastes that good again (until the next baby) Smile

LordyLady · 02/10/2012 11:57

Oh my god, this thread is making me broody!!! And DS is only 4 months old!!!

beyoglu · 02/10/2012 12:18

The scary first poo is a lot less painful if you ask them for movicol. It, um, acts as a softener.

fiventhree · 02/10/2012 13:23

To give birth in a kneeling posiion but with arms supported on something, like a sofa. Gravity is then helping.

JamesAndTheGiantBanana · 02/10/2012 13:44

Definitely take lactulose after the birth to soften your poo so you just don't have to worry about pooing. That stands whether you have a tear or not. Also try to let some air get to your bits whenever possible, and don't turn over or scoot your bum about on the bed too fast if you have stitches, I somehow managed to do this, tugged my stitches really sharply and it was agony!

Just to reiterate, fgs DON'T look at your bits ever again afterwards. It will look sad, knackered, saggy and may have new strange bits which you don't recognise and will scare you. (It gets better eventually!) Wink

Hospital has the best maternity pads. Obviously take your own good quality ones, and plenty of them, but if they offer theirs, do accept! they are way bigger, softer, wider, and they don't leak. Don't try to make do with sanitary towels, they won't be able to handle the volume of fluid lost. Think "barbie mattresses".

When you get up to use the loo after birth for the first day or so, you will leak a lot, on the floor if you aren't careful. Black leggings/tracksuit bottoms and a fleece dressing gown are your friends. Don't bother with beautiful pastel pyjamas, they will get blood on. And you will have to walk through the ward like that, potentially mopping up blood drips as you go (sorry)

Pack a biggish plastic bag or two in your hospital bag to carry all the presents/flowers and extra food you'll accumulate when you leave. And if you have older dc coming into the ward to see you and the baby, make sure the baby is in the cot and you spend time cuddling the older dc before making the introductions. A present "from the baby" doesn't go amiss either. Choose something predictably crowd pleasing and not too noisy as they will want to play with it immediately in the ward, baby forgotten. :-)

Goldrill · 02/10/2012 14:40

Don't have a bath in early labour stages unless you are sure you can get out of it. Especially don't use anything that makes the bath slidy Blush. Not a good start!

noblegiraffe · 02/10/2012 15:08

From another thread:

Remove nail varnish well before going into labour. If you need an EMCS it might need whipping off at the last minute as they monitor blood oxygen circulation through your nails in operations.

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