Want to help myth-bust childbirth for first-time mums? We need YOU. NOW CLOSED

[MichelleMumsnet]

Hello folks,

For many of us, having a child of our own will represent our first adult contact with a real-life baby - and as you'll no doubt remember, the learning curve can, at times, feel vertiginously steep. One of the brilliant things about Mumsnet is that you can come on at any time of the day - or night - and have access to a vast group of people who've been through it all before. So we thought it would be a nifty idea to turn the virtual support group into a real-world one - which is why, come September, we'll be hosting our very first BumpFest, a one-stop-shop for parents-to-be.

For first-timers, the idea of birth itself can be terrifying. So we're planning to kick off with a panel discussion on the myths around childbirth - and in preparation for it, we wanted to ask you about your own experiences in the field.

• We’d love to hear from you what your biggest misconceptions were, and how they affected you, during and after?

• What were the things that you thought would be important, but turned out not to be?

• And, if you could go back and tell yourself something the day before your first birth, what would you say?

Thanks in advance for your input - everyone who posts will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win £100 Love2Shop vouchers.

MNHQ

That the only really important thing is that you have a healthy baby and mother afterwards. Everything else is a bonus.

• Misconception: That I would feel that rush of love straight away, or, when I didn't, that those closest to me would know, and be able to help somehow. No, it took 11 months of me 'faking it' before finally admitting how I felt, and being diagnosed with PND.

• Not important: Snacks! I'd convinced myself that labour would be a long drawn out process, and packed plenty of snacks for DP and I. It wasn't like that at all, only in hospital for an hr before DS arrived, and my frozen isotonic drinks were still undrinkable blocks of ice by the time he made an appearance!

• What I would tell myself: That labour isn't necessarily the hardest bit for everyone, and if you're struggling after, it's ok to say. You haven't made the biggest mistake ever, there is help, and down the line you will love DS in a way you never thought possible!

Biggest misconception - with my 1st birth I had the impression that as I was in labour, I was in hospital and there was a bed therefore I must lie down throughout birthing.

What wasn't important - the massive playlist I had created this time around with my second child. Baby arrived an hour after we got to Hospital so we never heard a bit if the playlist.

What I'd advise myself - with my second child after experiencing a fairly horrific experience with my first I invested a lot of time and effort in ensuring I stayed in control this time. I prepared by taking Hypnobirthing and breathing classes and also used Reflexology and Acupuncture to ensure optimal positioning of baby. I spent the last three months of my pregnancy listening to my CD of hypnobirthing everyday and the last 4 weeks of my pregnancy doing perineal massage. I had a dream birth thanks to my preparation leading up to D Day. So I would tell myself Prepare, take the Hypnobirthing class and don't lie down during labour....stay on your feet/ knees for as long as possible!!!! You can have a beautiful experience in labour but invest the time in learning how

Thank you everyone who has posted on this thread. Congratulations to PenguinSalute who won the prize draw for a £100 Love2Shop voucher! We'll be in touch soon.