Do you need to push in 2nd stage and why?

[ellideb]

Now I was just wondering, I've heard lots of stories where women have said that they didn't need to push at all and the contractions did all the work, and I've heard women saying that they pushed with all of their might, for hours on end and nothing happened.

If women can give birth when they are in a coma, then they won't be pushing will they? So how does it all work? Is pushing something that we shouldn't be doing until we feel the urge in order for it to be effective? Do our bodies have the ability to push the baby out without any physical help from us?

Any comments/advice appreciated as it all confuses me a little bit

I've had 4 VBs and only ever got the urge to push with one of them (IIRC it was the 3rd one). When I did get the urge and needed to push it didn't hurt. The other 3 deliveries were the MW yelling push, and really struggling in a lot of pain.

Like you Starlight I'm going to put it in my birth plan, and just to be extra safe, I will print out these links and make sure my midwife knows where I stand. I'm hoping it will help with the support of my partner and doula too. It's been a real eye opener.

starlight I am that your birth preferences were ignored. Grounds for complaint, I'd say!

definitely ensure that it's well documented in your notes, make numerous copies of your birth preferences and even post them on the wall of your birthing space, ensure dh has a copy..... etc

Thanks for all this information - I'm a first-timer due in 10 weeks and this is going in my birth plan. I didn't even know this kind of thing could go in a birth plan - all the usual guides say to include things like who you want to be there, what music (?) you want and what you want to wear, but give no guidance about this. Very, very interesting! I'll also be looking up Sheila Kitzinger and Michael Odent as well as briefing DH - it's like helping him revise for his driving test at the moment.