How did you get through transition?

[OhGood]

I was fine most of the way through labour with DC1 swaying and counting and breathing and all that malarkey. Then when things hotted up at 9ish cms I really started to get scared of the pain, didn't want to have next contraction and felt like I had nowhere to go next - needed to do something different but didn't know what it was, gas and air wasn't working for me, started to panic, and it all rather fell apart.

How did you get through transition / the 9+ cms bit? Did you have a plan or did you just do what worked next?

Dd1 I didn't get beyond 6cms after 71hours of labour, so was taken off for emcs.

Dd2 they told me to try not to push as I was only 7cms, but I couldn't not push (weirdest feeling ever!) so each contraction I pushed with all my might, then apologised profusely for "ruining everything". Went from 7 - 10cms within 20 mins then pushed her out really quickly. Not sure which part of that was officially transition though...

notafood awww 'ruining everything'! That must have been a pretty intense 20 mins...

Why do we have an instinct to get all our clothes off, out of interest?

Don't know about you, BoffinMum, but I was so hot in transition with DC2 that I felt like I had had to get my clothes off as I couldn't breathe.

I took my cardi off. That was all I had time for

Oh, and my trousers/pants. It wasn't a Daphne from Neighbours, by any means!

I dunno. I didn't get that urge but perhaps it is something to do with getting back to your primal self. i.e. your were born yourself with no clothes on.

I dont know about it being primal I just couldn't stand anyone or anything touching me in labour and that included clothes so I stripped off.

With ds3 I was in the bath for a bit and near the end wanted to get out, only the bath was not in the delivery room so I marched down the corridor dragging gas and air canister with me, midwife frantically trying to cover me with a sheet, which I did not want, nor care about!

With DC2 I had just been examined and told I was only 4cm still and therefore had to get out of the pool and go for a long walk. I think my subconcious must have thought "Bugger that". As I hopped off the bed, I immediately opened my bowels and transition hit. I was utterly paralysed, half with transition but half with the shame that I needed someone to wipe my bum but couldnt bring myself to ask for it. I was frozen to the spot. Luckily my MW realised what was happening and literally pushed me into the pool and DS was born 15min and 3 pushes later!

I had an epidural. But I think it was turned down because I did feel the overhwhelming urge to push, then burst into tears when they told me this was because I would be having a baby soon. Then I felt huge relief and started pointing out 'hilarious' things to DH and the midwife. Does that sound like transition? It was definitely different from the previous bit, where I was frozen stiff with fear. Maybe it was just relief that it was actually getting somewhere.

When it came to pushing, I totally assumed it would be a matter of seconds, as per Daphne on Neighbours! (It took a bit longer than that).

With DD I arrived at the MW unit at 8.5cm, which was a huge boost. It was still 3-4 hours until DD was born, though I have no idea where the time went!

Not sure I remember transition - I do remember thinking, ok, I'm a bit tired now, had enough really... Hardly dramatic!

I was using hypnobirthing techniques and TENS and had to fight off the MW telling me to use the G&A. And then I had a crazy blood pressure spike and they hit the panic button and wheeled me off somewhere. I recall the exam by the Dr being appallingly painful (that was the only time I was on my back and it was bloody awful - respect to people who deliver in that position ), and then my waters went - so maybe it was all happening then.

Most of the waters were stuck behind DD's head, so her body flew out and the bed was like a scene from a slasher movie - lots of diluted blood!

When I was giving birth to dd in a MLU, a midwife came in for a brief second to show my mw the fact that she was covered head to toe in blood

Can't have been too worried about cross-contamination then

Hmm you know I don't really remember transition, is that weird? Instinct did tell me to get onto my hands and knees at some point quite near the end so maybe that was it. (Took ages as had terrible SPD and needed a wheelchair, so had to move a little bit over between each contraction.) The main thing I remember is that I stopped wanting the gas and air at all and shoved DH's hand away when he tried to offer it to me. And also the midwife asking me "do you find it helpful to vocalise?" I hardly spoke a word from the beginning of labour to the end but I was definitely making quite a lot of inarticulate noise, a bit like a cow, in the last part of the first phase (i.e. just before the pushing). I thought it was such a stupid question that I didn't even attempt to answer!

I screamed like a banshee.

The MW injected me with morphine around that point. I may have screamed at her "THAT'S NOT MORPHINE, THAT'S JUST WATER!!!!". Had it been the olden days I think she may have slapped me.

*I dont know about it being primal I just couldn't stand anyone or anything touching me in labour and that included clothes so I stripped off.

With ds3 I was in the bath for a bit and near the end wanted to get out, only the bath was not in the delivery room so I marched down the corridor dragging gas and air canister with me, midwife frantically trying to cover me with a sheet, which I did not want, nor care about!
*
That sounds like me - I had to move from the pool room to the room with a bed, OH dragging the canister, MW trying to wrap two tiny (why are they so bloody tiny?) towels. I just wanted to lie down on the bed. After my first VE, the midwife said 'you can put your knickers back on', I said 'why?'. I was fully naked within about 20 minutes of arriving there.

I don't really remember a transition but I guess it happened around the same time I was given the G&A so that might have helped! It might not take the pain away but it certainly stopped me from thinking about it so much. I basically needed to push as soon as we got into the delivery room though it took a while to convince the midwife and DD was born about half an hour later.

Didn't really have transition with DD1, with DD2 I remember thinking 'this is getting a bit intense, hmm, probably transition', then my waters broke and I started involuntary pushing (or backwards vomiting for a more accurate description of how it felt).

With DS I went from 5cm to birth in 10 minutes so transition presumably happened when I was lying on a trolley being pushed through to theatre for an emergency CS (he came before they had time to prep me). My main concern at that point was not making too much noise during each contraction, I remember being next door to a very noisy woman when in labour with DD1 and being very freaked out by that so didn't want to make anyone else think 'oh my God, what is happening out there'. Not easy when you are having contractions on top of each other with no pain relief while being pushed through a corridor.

I think it helps to recognise it as transition.

With DS1 I didn't have it as I had an epidural and transition either didn't happen or was spent chatting to the MW

With DS2 I realised I was beginning to panic and have a bit of a cry as it was all getting a bit much. At that point I realised somewhere in the tiny bit of logical, sensible brain I had left that it had to be transition which was a bit unexpected as I hadn't been in labour that long. It does help to recognise what is happening and then you realise that you are near the end and it helps the panic subside - it did for me and was able to concentrate on what was about to happen.

A few minutes later my waters went and 20 minutes later DS2 was born with the aid of a paramedic. It all happened rather quickly so I didn't make it out of our bedroom to the hospital.

I got very nasty , refused to "do it" and clamped my legs shut. I said i wouldn't open them until I got my epidural Lots of swearing, and shouting out of the door for help. then a very long loud primeval "FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!"

A MW said calmly right into my ear "I promise you are not dying, and you will not split into two" bless her for that. 2 pushes and it was all over.

I then sat up in bed all polite and very and apologised lots to everyone while I had my skin to skin time.

I remember Transition all too fondly with DS. I was in the water and it was all serene and calm and wonderful - painful, but i was alright.

Then i had 3 super contractions, shortly followed by me stepping out of the birthing pool telling everyone in the room that i had changed my mind, that i didn't "want this labor thing anymore" and that i was off home.

Very strange the old transition phase.

Transition - 12 hours into hypnobirth 1st stage trance standing up/waking up abruptly saying 'this tens machine is rubbish' and ripping off the pads. Got in pool, floated around for 10 mins feeling fab (no contractions). Sudden onslaught of four pushes, mooed like a cow, baby out. Felt fantastic!!

i advise ask for as much medication,gas /air as possible
none of that hippy shit,breathe baby out

I honestly think that by the time transition comes in, it's pointless trying to regain controll. It's so near the end then it's over and your have the best present ever. With both mine I remember the stage of being where I was acting like a lunatic then told to push then finished. If I have a third I think il take solace that when I start going nuts I'm practically finished so just go with it.

I loved my epidural first time round. This thread is not making me want to try without for DC2in September...

Five natural births, with gas and air. Transition was hell each time, you just have to ride it as best you can and it doesn't last forever.

The worst was with the twins,

(a) I refused the IV oxytocin drip they usually give you to bring them out close together, due to a needle phobia. In retrospect...

(a) my friend (a midwife) was on shift nearby and dropped by for smalltalk when I was in transition with the first twin. She told the supervising mw "She's done it loads before, she's fine, don't worry if she screams a bit". Oh my ...

(b) then after the first twin was born I had about 30 mins of relatively calm transactions and could feel it all building up to transition again. I don't think I've ever been so terrified.

Still, I can face anything now...!

I always wonder if animals go through transition. Does a sheep suddenly think 'fuck, I can't do this' and clamps her legs shut?