Who had a straightforward, birth? and how did yu manage it?

[JTN]

Last time i did yoga swimming etc etc and ended up with ds in wrong postiiton after 2 days of trying and an emergency cs. this time round what should i do to increase my chances of a straightforward dilate, pop it out type of birth, did you eat / do anything that you thought helped? that you would reccomend trying?

Think a lot of it was down to luck, some to a good midwife and quite a bit, in fact quite a lot to do with me being very calm and relaxed, throughout pregnancy and in the labour.
I wanted to try and not have any pain relief, no gas & air, but maybe some water and that's what happened. Had no 2 at home and called my DD1 in to witness her sister enter the world at the last stage.

I did active birth classes, prepared myself mentally and just never felt tense or nervous.
I took raspberry leaf te tablets and drank the tea and took a homeopathic tablet that also does a similar job to raspberry leaf, can't remember what it was called.
It hurt like hell but it never panicked me and both babies born without pain relief, one took 6 hours and the other 4 hours. One in an active birth unit one at home and I'd do it again at home if I get the opportunity.

ok, sorry to labour the point here but could SOME ONE PLEASE tell me what raspberry leaf tea does? or should I just bog off and google it??!!!???

NANNM, Its a while since I drank the stuff (4 yrs to be precise) but I seem to remember that it is purported to have properties that aid muscular contractions in the particular type of muscle that the uterus is made of.
I drank gallons of it for both births, both were completely different - so I have no idea whether it works or not. Not sure if any scientific trials have been conducted either, or whether it is herbal heresay!

Raspberry leaf tea/tablets are herbal remedies which are meant to help to bring on labour, as I understand it.

Overall I tend to agree with TuttiFrutti, that it's a matter of luck how the baby is positioned, how the birth goes. Maybe some genetics too? My labour had similarities with both my mum's and MIL's.

THANKS to you both!!!
So not something that should be drunk throughout the pregnancy then, just towards the end? Cheers!

Yes, towards the end of pregnancy. As I remember it, my midwife suggested drinking 3 cups from 34 (or was it 36?) weeks. Though I suspect there are lots of differing thoughts on timing and amounts.

my last dd wqs born in just 3 hours after waters broke . i had some gas and air but that was it . i also drank raspberry leaf tea and i believe that it helps prepare your uterus for labour and birth . when it comes to pushing i make no effort but my body does it on its own. it was lovely barr dd being posterior so it did hrt a bloody lot but was calm and easy and i loved every minute of it

top tip from me would be -
go in hospital knowing there is sod all you can do to stop the labour progressing. lay dowm/squat/kneel whatever and relax. your baby has to come out some bloody way so getting up tight and tense will make it a horrible experience. the calmer and relaxed you are the easier it will be ime
get on with it and it will be over quicker

ps. i know that this doesnt aplly to all mothers and some arent able to have the experiences i did and im sorry x

Didn't do anything special. Both overdue. Both very straightforward, quick (and painful!) births.

second one v straightforward after first one totally awful. Did bog-all apart from occasionally tipping forward a bit when I thought she'd be OP. Didn't even do breathing exercises, and couldn't do yoga as had SPD.

nowanearlyNicemum - Raspberry leaf tea is a uterine tonic. Drinking it near the end of pregnancy makes the contractions more efficient so (hopefully) making labour shorter and birthing easier.
However, I must admit that it didn't make much difference to the one pregnancy that I drank it.
What it did make a difference to is post-partum when I believe it helped my womb to contract down and reduced bleeding (I bf aswell, so that would also have helped). It also contains some calcium that helps to ease cramping pains. Very handy if you have strong afterpains.

I did absolutely nothing to help an easy labour!! (lazy me) Although both of my children were very late, both of my labours were very easy. 3 hrs for the first one & 1 hr 40 mins for the second (start to cup of tea ) No problems & no stitches either time.

I think I'm just lucky, although I never had any particular worries about labour so maybe being relaxed helps?

Think the main thing to have the best chance of an easy birth is to believe that you can do it, and to be relaxed. Would recommend breathing exercised beforehand to help with this so you have a way of relaxing during labour (also help with sleeping in late stages of pregnancy) would recommend you read 'Ina Mays guide to childbirth' for positive birth stories. I also like 'it is going to hurt, its going to be hard work, and you can do it!' The less relaxed you are the more you are fighting your own body. I am 5ft 2in and had a 6 hour labour with my 8lb 3oz baby. Also spent a lot of time grouting the floor beforehand for baby positioning. Having said all of this, it isn't a competition and as long as you and the baby are fine at the end of it. I had a CD called 'tranceforming childbith' which is a bit hippy, hypnobirthing but anytime anyone said something negative to me about childbirth (seemingly most days) I would come home and listen to it and it made me feel better.

I had a reasonably straight forward first birth - if you count episiotomy/stitches/drip straightforward but counter that with 9hr labour and no ventouse/forceps, only g&a and a 9lb 10 baby. The only thing I really did was to be reasonably confident and not to go to hospital until well into labour.

I had a totally straightforward second birth. At home, 6 hours from first twinge to birth, eating breakfast at table with DH and DS 45 mins before delivery, no stitches. I think I learned from my experiences and kept moving including up and down stairs, insisted on standing leaning over the bed to deliver (so went from 2 hour 2nd stage first time, to 2 minute 2nd stage second time) and it was literally, first push, waters broke, second push, head delivered. So think this was partially from improved position and partially because my body laboured better anyway. Also how difficult is it to get something that is 8 lb 12 oz through a space that a 9lb 10 oz object has previously been through?

hi! Raspberry leaf tea contains various minerals such as calcium which helps with the expansion/contraction of muscles. It also has iron which is good as a blood builder. I used it during both pregnancies, having an occasional weak cup from 3rd to 6th months, then had it stronger and more regularly. near the end i drank loads of it, very strong. A bit yuck tasting, but if you let it cool then bolt it down its not so bad! I did not tear and hardly had any stretchmarks. I got my info from a hebalist who really knew his stuff so i feel comfy with taking it. Some drs and mws seem a bit worried about it, but i think if you are interested in herbal things, talk to someone who knows about herbs! Most drs don't!

Anyone who is interested in a straightforward uncomplicated labour (who wouldn't be ?) needs to read a book called 'The Gentle Birth Method' by Dr Gowri Motha. It's a comprehensive preparation programme that involves diet, exercise and regular reflexology to maintain health during pregnancy, plus relaxation and something called 'birth rehearsal' that prepares your mind so you go into labour without fear, confident that your body knows how to give birth. The idea is to make yourself 'birth fit' for the marathon of labour with a conditioned body and mind. It worked a treat for me (home water birth with first baby, four hour labour, not even gas and air needed) and for countless others - whether in hospital or at home. I can't recommend it highly enough xxxxxxx

I think what other people have said about it being partly luck is probably true.

Also though, raspberry leaf tea was highly recommended by one of the midwives I saw as she said that in general women who took it had shorter and more manageable labours than ones that didn't.

Positive attitude seems to help - it also helps if things don't go as you expected as you're already approaching it with optimism and it feels like you can cope more.

I recently had my first baby - she was 8lb 7 oz, I had very short and straightforward labour, only needed gas and air at the end, walked to the hospital, arrived 9cm dilated and had to have a few stitches afterwards. I was sick ALL through pregnancy so did no exercise, no antenatal classes and had lost 2 stone. Please don't think I'm being smug because I'm not: I was so ill for 9 months that I think quite possibly my body had had enough and wanted to get her out quick!

A good midwife really makes a difference. I am a complete wuss - have been known to cry on country walks because my ears are cold - but in the end, my midwife made me feel i could do it and i managed with gas and air and no stitches. But I hope i'd have felt exactly the same sense of achievement had I had the full monty of interventions - it's just luck, and you've done an incredible thing by getting the baby out, whatever way you do get it out. Your pelvic floor is history thanks to pregnancy anyway...

Hi

I just wanted to put in a plug for raspberry leaf tea. Its hard to say if it was the only thing that made a difference, but my first labour was 17 hours long (plus 2 days of "false labour") and my second was 3 hours start to finish, my body did all the pushing itself! Since I was expecting maybe 8 hours or so second time, and both babies were 39 weeks and 7lb 5 oz, I credit the raspberry leaf tea that I took second time, three times a day for the last 3/4 weeks, but not the first time, for making the difference - the contractions sure were faster and more efficient!

Needless to say I am on the raspberry leaf tea again this time in hopes that it will help my twin birth soon, too!

Hi all,

I just listen to my body and go with it. All my 3 births have been quick, 2hrs 20mins, 1hr 5mins, and the last one 35mins, so I had no time for any pain relief or anything. My first was planned birth in hospital had to have a vontuse(soz for spelling) delivery, my second was a unexpected home birth, no time to get to hospital, bit panicky but got on all fours, bum in air and just rocked back and forth waiting for paramedics and midwife to arrive, hubby was great as was my 10yr old, baby arrived just as paramedics knocked on door, still had 15mins waiting for midwife though, my 3rd was easy as well, same thing on all fours, had to get on the bed at the last minute, funny thing is all 3 children weighed roughly the same 7lbs 10oz, just the 3rd was a 1/8th of an oz heavier.

Its certainly true that having a great midwife who you trust with you makes an enormous difference, but until we have 'one woman one midwife', it surely helps to prepare your body and mind for the endurance test that is labour. Some luck comes into it but I believe you make your own luck. The Gentle Birth Method features raspberry leaf tea of course but also other lesser known uterine toners. Plus the diet is designed to help with morning sickness and stop water retention, reducing the likelihood of the baby getting stuck in bloated water logged pelvic tissues. The exercise programme builds stamina in the mum and helps the baby lie in the optimum position for labour. The vaginal stretches reduce the chance of tearing and protect the pelvic floor while reflexology keeps your hormone system in balance and keeps it working efficiently - essential for a feeling of well being and an uncomplicated childbirth. Plus the birth rehearsal brings a sense that you've been through this before, removing the fear of the unknown that we are all told we should be feeling. And fear equals adrenaline which counteracts the birthing hormones and starves the uterus of oxygen which in turn equals pain. Instead of talking about 'luck', we need to recognise our capabilty to give birth ourselves and see labour as a straightforward process that we can prepare for, rather than an illness or an experience to be feared.

mmmm, sorry montana, sounds somewhat utopic to me.

And whats wrong with that ?!?!?!?!? I know what I'd rather have. Give me utopia over stress and trauma any day.

haven't read posts, but for the first birth i was very active. i didn't do any yoga or perinal (sp) massage (bit squimich). second time i was as lazy as could be. dd1 didn't even notice i was pregnant till the last week which she was over due. with dd2 i felt old and pregnant from the beginning. however, dd2 was quicker, the pushing came way too soon (not complaining) and i tore. dd1 took longer, however, i had an episiotomy. it all depends. not much you can do imo.

sorry, didn't mean to sound so pessimistic.
I suppose it's just that I considered myself pretty well prepared both mentally and physically for dd's birth and it really didn't go very well. (Although when you consider the result it went fabulously! :) )
I'm expecting no.2 in October and am feeling pretty synical about the preparation I'm doing now and evisage doing later on.
again, sorry, you got me on a 'is any of this going to be worth it?' day.