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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

what did you focus on during the pain of labour?

54 replies

finbarr · 09/03/2007 16:16

I have 7 or so weeks to go now, and thinking back to my first 2 births, all I could think every time a contraction hit was ' ow ow that really f hurts' which I'm sure didn't help! Can anyone give me any advice/ tips on more positive things to focus on which will maybe shift my focus from sore bits, and help me get through.
Please guys, I know you are all good at sharing and giving advice, and I would really appreciate something other than 'picture your cervix opening like a flower' which just doesn't do it for me
maybe that first bacardi and coke?
or counting backwards in spanish?
finding out what flavour it is - blue or pink?

what thought kept you going?

thanks guys!!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

margo1974 · 09/03/2007 16:19

With my first, I tried to "gently blow out the line of 10 candles" like they told me to in class
And remembered that each one I had was one closer to having my baby

serenity · 09/03/2007 16:19

The gas and air - not the effect (because, tbh I don't think it did that much) but concentrating on breathing it in at the right time and biting the hell out of the mouthpiece. I suppose it was my version of Lemarrs (or whatever it's called).

DumbledoresGirl · 09/03/2007 16:21

The pain. I stand in awe of anyone who can actually think past the pain.

margo1974 · 09/03/2007 16:21

Oh Serenity, you've made me laugh...I'm now singing Lemarrs song, if there's any justice in the world

hollyandalice · 09/03/2007 16:22

Def g&a! Biting on the mouthpiece stopped me swearing!

monkeymonkeymoomoo · 09/03/2007 16:23

I focussed on a bit of fluff on the floor, didn't have time to clean up before going into labour.

serenity · 09/03/2007 17:25

what is that breathing technique called then?

Eddas · 09/03/2007 17:34

My MIL said with her third she was breathing away on the gas and air and after the birth was told it wasn't actually connected to anything so obviously the breathing and concentrating worked for her!!!

I hated gas and air, one drag and that was it, wnated that feeling gone. Being instantly drunk wasn't for me, didn;t even get to enjoy the vodka first!!! Maybe i'll take a bottle in with me this time, now there's a thought for my labour bag!

Pruni · 09/03/2007 17:37

Message withdrawn

Monkeytrousers · 09/03/2007 17:39

Ditto DG

LadyTophamHatt · 09/03/2007 17:40

my breathing.

Great big lung fulls of air in through the nose and out through the mouth from the first hint of a contraction.

with ds1 I didn't do this and it was hell, I ended up having an epidural and ventouse delivery but with ds2,3 and 4 it made the contractions much more managable and I only had a tens machine with each of them.

LadyTophamHatt · 09/03/2007 17:42

oh...is what I did in labour lamaze/lamarrs/lamas/laamars then??

(lets see how many way we can spell it!!)

bossykate · 09/03/2007 17:43

my breathing.

saltire · 09/03/2007 17:43

I focused on squeezing dh's hand as hard as i possibly could, my reasoning being that it was his fault and his alone that I was in so much pain

myturn · 09/03/2007 17:47

I concentrated on shouting 'I just want to DIIIEEEEE!!!' more and more loudly with each contraction Slow breathing and peaceful thoughts went completely out of the window.

Twinkie1 · 09/03/2007 17:48

Just repeated 'Jesus Christ' over and over again very loudly and think I should have shouted Fucker Fucker Fucker as the midwife was v religeous and I think my tone offended her!!

potoroo · 09/03/2007 17:52

DH counting through the contractions. Its the only thing I can remember.

Nettee · 09/03/2007 18:45

At one point I focused on my hands which I think helped a little bit because they weren't in pain. Mainly breathing on the gas and air and trying to get enough in to have an effect. For the pushing bit I was definately counting to 10 for each push. - Had an epidural by then though so probably doesn't count.

WestCountryLass · 09/03/2007 19:20

Breathing and the gas and air

hillary · 09/03/2007 19:21

The epidural and the georgeous aniethsnatist (pls excuse spelling)

Dottydot · 09/03/2007 19:22

The pain.... And the fact that the anaesthetist was on the way!!

Greensleeves · 09/03/2007 19:22

The pain of labour!!

funnypeculiar · 09/03/2007 19:28

Looked into dh's eyes (which looked slightly, nay completely pettrified) and counted in, two, three - out, two, three.
With dd also did some very odd random 'I am a bird, I am floating...' mad shit whilst watching the crows circling overhead (or were they vultures...)

FirstAtForty · 09/03/2007 19:34

'how can I get her to give me a double top up of pethidine'

that and concentrating on trying to max the effects of G&A by varying breathing style

worth persisting with G&A btw, I hated the first few drags, felt sick and panicked, but the lovely midwife talked me through the breathing and gave an anti nausea injection with the pethidine - before I knew it the pain had become a lot more bearable. She had trouble detaching me from it after that and said I was very brave and quiet (funny that!)

suis · 09/03/2007 23:29

Having seen it suggested somewhere, I took a small cuddly elephant with me tot he hospital. DP had gone out to Mothercare all by himself on his own initiative and came back with the cuddly elephant and a wee outfit for the baby which was very touching. So I associated the elephant very much with our baby and how much it meant to me and DP. During the worst of my contractions I held the elephant very firmly in my hands and focussed on it very intently, reminding myself that I was doing this so I could meet my baby very soon and give him the elephant. I have to say it actually really helped. I held onto the elephant all the way through my 26 hour labour, and it was only taken from me when I went to theatre for my emergency section ! It now has pride of place in my son's cot.

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