Did anyone go into labour when they were NOT calm, relax and “free” to labour?

[chipperchop]

Everything I’m reading suggests that labour won’t start, or will stall, if you’re not calm and in an environment where it’s “safe” for you to labour. Just wondered how true that is, particularly for people who have demanding older DC and no chance for a rest!

What was your experience?

Total crap, otherwise no one would give birth in a car or a car park or in Tesco’s... Especially if you’ve already had one, it’s unlikely this baby will hang about regardless of the environment!

That’s true! Gives me some hope

My second was born in the corridor as we just got to the hospital. My mum who was meant to be looking after DC1 was diverted due to a crash on route so was very stressful hoping she would arrive in time. Labour carried on regardless.

both my labours started at home.. first was calm and 'normal'

The second was crazy, quick and I nearly gave birth in the car.. only reason I didnt in the end was because of shoulder dystocia and baby got stuck! Certainly no stalling there!

But yeah, was home, relaxing when both kicked off.

Were you home and relaxing before labour started, Bythepath?

Both of those second labour stories sound scary!!

IME, you either go into labour when things are sorted and settled (DC1 off to nursery or asleep in bed, MIL flown back home having come for a two week stay hoping to see the birth, cold finally gone away) OR it goes super fast I.e women giving birth up trees in on a flood.

We very very rarely have multips coming in during school hours in labour (induction different obviously)

Certainly not relaxed. First labour - admitted when waters broke - several hours on a public ward with a curtain between me and the woman next to me who had her dh, bil and two dc present and running around yelling. Hospital was quiet and there was just one other woman in labour the shift just didn't want to move me and one to one me. Had two hours of gas and air and huge vomit behind the curtain, then the midwife came and gave me pethidine and gave me no opportunity to say no. After about 4 hours they transferred me to a labour room and I relaxed and went from 1/2 cm to 8cm in 30 mins. Then they didn't believe I wanted to push. Thankfully there was then a shift change.

Next labours were ok because I put my foot down vis a vis a repeat performance and had consultant led care.

I actually laboured mostly at home but in retrospect it started in hospital in the early hours of the morning with possible waters broken (they said not broken in the end) when I was knackered and fed up and wanted to go home but they wouldn’t let me as I had traces of ketones in my urine (because it was the middle of the bloody night and I hadn’t eaten since 7pm) and I had to eat endless bloody sandwiches to make them go away. I did go home in the end with mild contractions and in a foul mood and a couple of hours later it was clear labour had started

That’s interesting Tunt, do you work in maternity care?

What an awful situation, OhTheRoses. Glad the shift change happened and things then went better for you.

I went into labour with builders in my flat, no kitchen, no toilet, no running water and a toddler! Anything but calm. I ended up having to call ambulance as things moved so quickly I thought I was going to deliver in the car.

So absolutely anything but relaxed, 123bananas! What a nightmare! But you are giving me hope that even with DC1 being a little pickle, I might still go into labour... at some point...

I had an elective booked, dc2 was going to be delivered by my consultant and it was all going to be lovely and calm, i.e the total opposite of the car crash dc1's arrival was.

I went into sodding labour early and despite my panic (at one point I was curled up in bed screaming), labour established really quickly. Luckily the on-call doctor was lovely and there weren't any emergencies so I didn't have to wait as I was 6 cms by the time they delivered dd.

My Grandmother had Uncle1 during a bombing raid. I asked her the same question and she said she did quite a lot of swearing and praying but calm she wasn't.

Dinosauratemydaffodils glad you managed to get your CS!

I went into labour shortly after an acupuncture session where I’d relaxed and talked through my worries, specifically about disruption for DC1. Went home, had a nap, put DC to bed, had baby.

I’m not usually one for that sort of thing but I think the relaxation really contributed to labour onset for me.

Well both my labours conveniently started on Fridays and finished at the weekend when DH and GPs were available to help out...

1st Labour I was getting pissed off putting a wardrobe together when it started but I didn't know it was Labour until a few hours later.
2nd and 3rd I woke up in labour.
Very nearly didn't make it with 2nd but babies will come when they want.

Eyebrows2016 I’ve heard good things about acupuncture and will definitely try it if I go overdue!

I was so terrified during labour that I hyperventilated and had to be given oxygen! Contractions didn’t stop...