OP labours...are they really all as bad as everyone says (please say no!)

[hairycaterpillar]

37wks and baby OP...DS was OP and I had a dreadful labour with him. Any reassuring "mine was a doddle" stories gratefully accepted!

baby could still turn - there are a couple of recent threads with top tips

2nd labour is supposed to be shorter anyway

DS was OP and it was long but I didn't end up with an epidural or any intervention

dd1 op horrific.

dd2 op fantastic. Kept on my feet/ball until pushing time I am positive it made the diff. Irregular contractions for one day not worth fussing over. Bit more next morning steady you could say. Called midwife at 5pm dd2 born 7.15pm. a veritable doddle. I did use the homeopathic birth kit from neals yard and it was really good.

don;t lie on your back !

and read this thread ....OP labour thread, with a link to another excellent thread!

Thanks

DS1 was OP - had him in the water, no other pain relief, just needed back rubbed a lot. He was my first, so didn't know it could be easier - DS2 was easier, but that was partly because he was my second, I think. Still hurt, but was quicker - no pain relief that time either.

Now, either I'm ball-breakingly brave, or it wasn't that bad. You decide

Good luck!

My 4th was OP and I thought I was dying. I'd had a normal hospital delivery, home birth, cs and then my OP VBAC. I had to have an epidural and it was bloody lovely once they did it. Actually I think I screamed more when they did that, as they kept hitting a nerve. I did find it hard going, but you have a much bigger sense of relief when it's all over.

My 3rd baby was op and like the previous poster I thought I was dying, it was awful and much more painful than the other 2. He's almost 3 weeks old now and was obviously well worth all the pain. It was a fast labour, like the first 2, under 3 hours by my timing but on my notes it has me down as first stage 25 mins and second stage 48 mins but they took it from 5 cms and I've done it from when I was 3 cms and having very painful contractions.

I started off on birthing ball but then moved to the bed and ended up on my back because that was the best position for the baby as is heartrate kept dippng and he was happiest with me on my back. I think it all hurt more because it was so fast and also I had a lot of internals as they tried about 5 times to get a clip on his head to get his heartrate better but failed.

I didn't have any intervention though and only used gas and air from when they did the internals to try to get the clip on and then for about 15 mins afterwards as I had it taken away for the pushing stage.

It wasn't easy and I felt quite out of control but that's probably due to the speed. This was the only labour where I actually made noise so I know it was bad for me. I didn't tear either though and went home the same day. It was all worth it and worth every second.

Hopfully you'll be able to get the baby to turn before you go into labour. I have to say that I never want to do it again though!