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?

In my dining room, after I'd just got off the phone to the hospital. I remember saying to myself "Can't do this, I've changed my mind", then crying in the car on the way to hospital because I was scared.

Had my ds1 about four weeks ago so it is still pretty fresh in my mind! I didn't realise until afterwards that I went through pretty classic transition.
I got out of the car to go into the delivery suite hoping they wouldn't send me home as contractions were still irregular but had been going on for about 15 hours.

I felt a strange sense of calm settle over me and also noticed my contractions had stopped, so tried to mentally prepare for being sent home. When I arrived I went for a wee, waters broke, then as I got on bed to be examined, I had an almighty painful contraction which was shocking and I lost it big time. Leaned over grabbed husband by collar and roared that I couldn't do it and that I needed pain relief. Sobbed/swore etc Then suddenly started grunting and that was when I started to push!
That was transition!

Midwife had no idea what was happening. Just kept telling me I needed to be examined. I had to shout that I was pushing fgs!

Still ended up being a section though after all that.

Don't do what I did and sit on the toilet for a very long time thinking I really needed a poo until there was a massive downward movement of baby at which point I panicked and DH drove me to the hospital (thankfully only 15 minutes away) with me on all fours in the back. I made it with half an hour before DS1 was actually born, but it was too late for any pain relief, even gas and air, apparently!

Hee hee, so many funny anecdotes here.

bigbutton's ambulance man story reminded me of when I was having DC1 and had been sent away from the hospital as they thought I wasn't in proper labour. In the car park, it was a struggle to bend enough to get in the car and OH was trying to help me. At the same time, I spotted another couple across the car park in a similar situation: man trying to assist his wife/girlfriend into the car, and clearly having some difficulty. Days later, I remember this sight and asked OH if he had seen them and if that woman had been in labour too. 'No, she was pissed' he replied.

And like bigbuttons, I also performed some impressive, leaning-against-the-wall contractions in front of loads of drunks with bloody heads in A&E. 'Twas 5am on a Sunday morning, you see.

water mine was 4am on a sunday morning! You story is very funny!

With my two I wasn't aware of the whole of first stage! It was when my waters broke in the bath that I felt the contractions and they were two minutes and closing - mad dash to hospital with dinner left uneaten! All done within a couple of hours and even quicker second time - contractions were not painful ust very powerful ripples across the tummy. I have since met a quite a few mums who had this experience but don't like to mention it in case others take it as a criticism (they seem to assume that they must be doing something wrong but we do not know why it was like this for us!) We are the ones who don't say anything at all; when others are talking about the pain we keep quiet and occasionally our eyes meet and we recognise one another... I have a daughter and want some research done to see why our experiences vary so much and how they can be improved - but as it won't involve drugs no one is interested!

When I reached transition I was beside myself, leaning over the bath crying "help me" to poor DH. When he asked what I wanted him to do I howled "I don't knooooooooooow". Poor man! Luckily it only lasted for about 10 minutes before I pulled myself together!

I cried for my Mummy, all 3 times

"I can't do this....." Mw grabbed my feet and said too late...three pushes and ds1 born after 3 hr labour. We'd only been in hospital 20 minutes. Nearly didn't make it as NOBODY tells you first babies can be that quick. For all you mothers to be - it can!!

OhGood not sure if transition is something you can plan for, except to recognise that when you start to fell that way it really does mean the end is in sight. That helps enormously for subsequent labours.

I don't remember it either time tbh!

PFB was pre 30wks, so I don't know if that's relevant.

PSB-didn't feel anything until 8cms.

Used gas & air & seemed to drift away for about half an hour.

Then it was time to push!

I started denying the fact I was having a baby with DC2. I just repeated again and again 'give me pethidine or no baby'.

That exchange went for for what felt like an hour but was possibly only 20 minutes, they took XH outside the room and asked him to have a word with me

They then stopped being all nice and told me to think of someone I detested, really hated and push, that worked.

It was an intense 20 mins! Childbirth is the most painful and most awesome thing I've ever done and this thread is making me want to do it again. Dd2 is only 6 1/2 weeks old, so that shows you how quickly you forget the pain.

Wish I was one of you lucky sods who get to have short, painless births though!

Poosnu

Accupressure on the points at the base of my back. DH pressed as hard as he could through every contraction.

I'm glad you said this. THis was exactly what my slightly hippie midwife did. I wondered why she was doing it as the only effect was to make it all hurt a fecking lot more. I could have hit her at that point!

BFG Haha - sorry it didn't work for you. Shame your midwife didn't explain it to you though...

I suppose this thread shows just how different everyone is when it comes to labour!

I didn't know I was in transition. They'd checked me an hour earlier and I was only 4 cm so I just thought the pain was too much and asked for drugs. Had just had gas and air up to that point. Midwife checked me and said no I couldn't have anything as would be pushing soon. Was so relieved as thought it would be over soon. 2 and a half hours later when there was still no sign of the little bugger...