Talk to me about labour please..

[MummyToBeAgain1]

Hii

I'm now 37+3 and aware that labour is close!!

Those of you who have been through labour before, what helped you get through each stage?

So for example if it was breathing techniques/visualisation - what did you visualise? .. how did you manage to keep yourself calm and relaxed throughout (if you didn't scream the place down like me when I was in labour with ds1!) :-D

I found it impossible to stay calm and concentrate on my breathing when the contractions were coming strong and frequently! What am i missing? Tips???

Any bit of advice will be helpful really

Tia

I had an epidural, it was a dream, calmly pushed my son out, no screaming. Due to the lack of pain I really enjoyed looking at how my partner reacted to it all. It was funny seeing the panic in him during labour and the love as he held our son after delivery (while they fixed up, which I also could feel ;))

I didn't have any problems bonding with baby, which I know some people worry about with epidural and no negative side effects during or afterward... I would have one again!

Probably not the advice you wanted but that is what helped me :)

I used the Maggie Howell hypnobirthing CD and book. Visualisations didn't help me, but I found a deep breathing rhythm that did. Kept telling myself that each contraction was bringing me closer to holding my little girl. I was very focussed on that, I was also upright a lot of the time until I got into the pool. I had two moments where I said "I can't do this" realised later that this must have been at transition, because within 30 minutes I was ready to push. I'm usually pretty crap with pain, but I was so determined that I could do it, that it helped keep me calm, I'd also read that fear can make pain feel worse and make you feel out of control.

The second time around I just knew I could do it as I’d done it before. That helped me cope!
That and gas and air!!

Deep deep breathing through each contraction. As far as you can breathe in then breathe in a bit more. Then release. Then repeat.

Counting in my head - like i knew by the time i’d counted to 5 the contraction would have peaked and start getting easier again

Absolutely no talking - i found i could go off into my own place where it was manageable but as soon as anyone talked or needed my attention it was like a bus hitting me with the pain

White noise - we listened to rain sounds for 12 hours solid. Husband wanted some music but the tunes and lyrics stopped me from going to my happy place.

I didn’t learn any hypnobirthing but understand the concept which is about finding that little corner of your mind you can live in.

I didn’t scream or anything but my husband found my silence hard. Well too bad i found pushing his 9lb son out hard!

Oh and be prepared for tears and things. It’s normal to tear. Another thread on here comments that most women going into labour the first time aren’t prepared for that.

Hypnobirthing, I focused on my breathing and it helped me stay relaxed. The mongan method is a great book to read, and also look on YouTube for breathing techniques in labour. I am due to give birth again in April, and will be doing this again. There is one technique that you count inward and outward breathes, it really helped me to focus.

Only gas and air, so I am hoping for the same this time.

It doesn't always have to be the horror stories you hear about, you will be fine!

@ninamaniana...you summed it up perfectly, that exactly how my labour was.

With every contraction I would repeat to myself ‘I can do this’ mental preparation through hypno birthing cds really helped me.

Sorry for the late reply. I had a scan this morning and babys measuring only 5lb 7 at 37+4 (ds1 was 6lb 11 at 38 weeks) so im now all panicked about that. And the stomach growth has slowed down so now I'v got another scan in 2 weeks.

Not having a good day.

Anyway back to the topic thankyou so much for your replies! Seriously, every response is so helpful & I am definately taking them all on board.

I'm feeling alot more positive now :-) your all amazing!

1. those scans aren’t accurate. They were out by more than a pound with both my boys

2. there’s nothing wrong with a small baby! The world takes all shapes and sizes.

Please try not to stress. It will all be fine!

Thinking it must end sometime

Trying not to panic. Makes it much worse. Staying calm very helpful.

Dark & absolute quiet like a labouring animal of some kind 😳😳

Deep breaths and counting down in my head.

When it comes to pushing, imagine you're pushing the pain of the contraction away

Good luck!

NinaManiana

Well she asked me to move to my side because she was finding it difficult to get the stomach measurements. And it felt quite rushed and quick compared to other scans.

It's not as much the weight overall thats bothered me, it's the stomach not having grown as much!

Hopefully it will all be fine.. fingers crossed. :-)

Ifyoudon't

This time around i'll be on my own so hopefully it will be quiet!!

Deep breathing. I imagined that the pain was going up a mountain, peaking, coming down the other side. And every single mountain is one that you Never Have To Climb Again...

I've just done a back to back labour with DD2. Knowing it would be over really helped (first time felt never ending). My husband counting through the contractions and telling me when the peak was also helped. But to be honest? I screamed my head off during first labour and did again with this one. I found screaming gave me something else to focus on.

During the contraction stage the following things helped me:

• joking/banter with the midwife
• changing positions frequently (sitting/standing/leaning/walking etc
• counting through the contractions (husband saying the numbers out loud)

I didn't find the gas and air very helpful. Just made my mind foggy and lost the ability to concentrate on the counting etc

During the pushing stage:

• focussing on what the midwife was telling me to do
• try not to hold your breath when pushing

I swear by a hot water bottle for labour! Best pain relief I had 😂 I had an epidural for delivery. And as justtowarm said, I was able to push baby out with no screaming and watch my mum and partners reactions whilst in the room with me! :)

Ive got three babies. By the second i worked out that counting really helped. Tell the midwife if you are struggling to be in control. Ask them to breath with you.

Have millions of frozen capri sun cartons in the freezer and take them to the hospital. Drink them all after youve had your baby. Nothing will ever be more refreshing.

Keep telling yourself that it cannot last forever and it will be over soon.

Picture the empty crib and try to picture the face you think your LO will have in your head. Think about the future and your baby being physically here in your arms.

Make sure you take plenty of fluids full of sugar (sports drinks) - I personally couldn't eat anything so liquid was the only form of energy I had

Breathe in for 7 seconds and out for 5, you need more oxygen going in so it can be passed to your muscles. Visualise the oxygen flowing around your body and going to the uterus and helping you contract.

Remember that with each contraction baby is one step further to being here (and you are one minute closer to labour being over) - also after a contraction there will be a pause that you can savour. Wait for that moment each time. Count the seconds of your contraction (I kept counting and after a few contractions I knew that after I got past 34 seconds my contraction would go, so each time I just told myself 'I just need to count to 34 seconds and it will be over')

Good luck OP and I hope at least one of those helped

Thank you everyone!!! Can't wait to see how it goes :-D I'm.going to write a list of a few things on a notecard so I remember :-)

PinkFluffyBlanket
I'v bought a few bottles of Powerade but I'v got gestational diabetes - controlled by diet and everything is fine so far. If I drink these high in sugar drinks, will the hosp not monitor my sugar levels afterwards? And the drinks might cause my sugar levels to being high!?

OhWifey
Hahaa yeah that's exactly what I found. Screaming the place down sort of helped and the tune of my scream changed as the contraction got stronger/weaker. It's weird but it does distract you doesn't it!

Remifentanil!!! I was hoping for a birth with little intervention etc but things didn't go to plan. When I went in, the student midwife had run me a bath to ease things, but she ran it too hot and I was totally unaware. The next time the senior midwife came to take dds heartrate, it had sky rocketed and she in distress due to the hot bath. Poor thing pooed and then there was risk of her inhaling the meconium. So my birth plans went out the window and I was taken straight to lie on a bed and be hooked up left right and centre monitored. Things got bad from there but remifentanil was a godsend! Worked a treat 😀

I did a lot of marching up and down, and then on the spot. I actually gave birth standing up which really helped me.
I had a TENS on which helped me 95% of the way through.
I did a lot of window breathing (in for 6 out for 4) and through contractions I very specifically looked at a rectangle (my MW notes which were between my feet) and visually marked six or four notches on the side of the folder whilst counting. Actually I made DH count out loud.
And I visualised a very steep hill on my commute that I used to cycle up. Every step I took I imagined I was pedalling up this hill and I always used to go past a cow field and so when I got to this cow field my contractions would subside again.

Good luck!! :)

First time, I ski-ed through the contractions weirdo. Didn't get G+A until pushing stage due to quick dilation. Basically panicked from there on in.

Second time, I tried to visualise colours through contractions and hung off the door handle (I stood up throughout). Bit of G+A after transition and before getting into pool but I reckon the pushing stage was 10 mins max. I'm glad I refused gas and air until I was pushing as it helped with timing.

I had a waterbirth 12 days ago with my s3cond son... it was such a calm experience and much quicker than with my first where I had diamorphine!

I breathed through the contractions with dh rubbing my back and 9nly had gas and air for the last half hour. It did help tho. The midwife was fab... didn't check me just told me to trust in my body! 3 hours after getting to the hospital id pushed my baby out! I could visualise him moving through the birth canal, it was bloody painful when his head was coming out and I did tear but it was amazing