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Childbirth

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

Original poster

Did anyone else not push when giving birth?

89 replies

jenny74 · 13/10/2007 21:50

I could not and would not push, all i could do was deal with the pain, I only managed to push once DD was crowning, and my body took over. HV called it gentle birthing, or baby does its own pot holeing!!!!

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chankins · 13/10/2007 21:51

Yes I did not push dd2 out and it was so weird because I kept thinking hang about, I should be pushing shouldn't I ? She just pushed herself out, very odd sensation. dd1 and ds1 were buggers to push out, perhaps because they were not lovely water births like dd2!

ja9 · 13/10/2007 21:52

wow!

you'll not have the piles that i did then!

paolosgirl · 13/10/2007 21:53

First one was ventouse (nipped a wee bit!) and pushed with the other 2. I couldn't have not NOT pushed - my body just sort of took over.

Sparkletastic · 13/10/2007 21:54

Didn't have to with DD2 - she shot out like a seal pup. Bit of a shock actually...

controlfreaky2 · 13/10/2007 21:54

interesting thread.
ds1 i pushed and pushed for 2 hours (!) and ended up with ventouse delivery (ouch for me and pointy head for ds)
ds2 water birth. no active / deliberate pushing. bliss by comparison.

Original poster
jenny74 · 13/10/2007 21:54

somethings you cant escape from

OP posts:
Notquitegrownup · 13/10/2007 21:56

ds1 I pushed completely ineffectively - lots of going red in the face and crushing dh's hand, but not using the right muscles.

Ds2 did lots of pushing, which felt really good. He too shot out like a bar of soap, but I was on the firing end, and fortunately the midwife could catch!

Original poster
jenny74 · 13/10/2007 22:01

The worst thing about not pushing was that DD come out very slowly and i felt everything, including her turning round, At this point i shouted get it out!!! DS shoot out like peaches from a tin much better!!

OP posts:
Habbibu · 14/10/2007 10:20

Reminds me of a story from a midwife friend. When she was having her baby, she had an epidural, and was told she'd still have to push. For some reason, she got very bloodyminded about this, and thought "stuff that" - proceeded to pretend to push - all the noise and facial contortions and nothing going on below! And she was already a midwife at that time...

draculasmummy · 14/10/2007 10:24

Didn't push dc4. Contractions did it for me. Quite embarrasing admitting she just fell out.Doesn't say much for my fanjo

HotLove · 14/10/2007 11:03

no but i had the sun roof job

Loopymumsy · 14/10/2007 14:27

This reply has been deleted

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Klaw · 14/10/2007 14:27

IF birth is entirely natural and like it ought to be then you won't do any pushing. There's a thing called the Foetal Ejection Reflex which is mentioned in this article. It starts off about Posterior positions and the Foetal Ejection Reflex bit is mentioned about half way down but it's a very useful read and helps you to understand the mechanics if birth.

Far too many things about the birth of today interfer with normal birth and then we wonder why it is so difficult!

Pruners · 14/10/2007 14:31

Message withdrawn

Lulumama · 14/10/2007 14:34

the uterus can expel the baby without any maternal effort, but many women get that overwhelming urge and go with it

i certainly had it, and i could not have not pushed either

i really enjoyed it !

pipsi100 · 14/10/2007 15:18

DS1 lots of pushing for hours and bloody hours till they threatened me with an episiotimy. DS2 no pushing atall! labour very quick, midwife told me to pant through the pain and out he popped!

Klaw · 14/10/2007 15:20

My body was just doing it with my VBAC! Unfortunately I begged mw to do internal and check if I was ready, instead of going with the flow... She said I was 8/9 so to NOT push. That took all my concentration and effort and meant that I ended up with forceps

If there's a next time there will be no internals and I shall listen to my body! also following what I have learned on my Doula journey!

Mungarra · 14/10/2007 22:40

DS1 was an induction due to pre-eclamsia. I had an epidural and he was delivered by ventouse. I didn't really feel the pushing urge due to the epidural.

DS2 was born 8 minutes after my waters broke and I got the first urge to push (I only had gas & air). The midwife was telling me to push, but to be honest, I wasn't really pushing. I really couldn't have stopped him if I'd wanted to.

beansontoast · 14/10/2007 22:41

i think i had that 'no maternal effort' thing...VERY WEIRD...i can only describe it as less effort than a cough...but it was nt so fast that i had no control...it was actually amazing...i was in awe of my body...complete awe.still am.

weepotion · 14/10/2007 22:46

i suddenly felt the need to push at home, when not having a homebirth. tried to resist for 1/2 hour with dp telling me that all i needed was a poo. had to work against this uncontrollable urge til we arrived in assessment room at hospital - 7 mons, 2 gentle pushes and she was out. i actually didnt push her - my body did pretty much it all.

expatinscotland · 14/10/2007 22:48

i didn't push dd2.

i did with dd1, forceps delivery, but didn't feel it as had full on epidural.

the midwife would just tell me when i was having a contraction and i pushed.

gigglewitch · 14/10/2007 22:48

a wonderful midwife with me for birth of DC3 (wish it had been sooner) said don't push, your body will do everything for you.....she was so right, no scratches or stitches

ja9 · 15/10/2007 09:11

i'm totally intrigued by this thread.. almost an excuse to have another lo? wonder if dh will buy it?!

katz · 15/10/2007 09:14

first time yes, second time nope no real pushing since i didn't belive i was in established/last stage of labour! midwife examined me said oh hello baby and i then felt the head and she kinda just glided out!

milward · 15/10/2007 09:24

no effort here for the last three!! - they were coming & I didn't have to push. Made loads of noise though - sort of a ahhh sound!!