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Original poster

Transition. My nemesis! Please share.....

45 replies

papiermache · 15/01/2009 10:32

What are others experiences of transition? I find it terrifying and nearing birth number four, it is the one single aspect of labour that worries me.

I know it's experienced differently by everyone and it would be really good to hear how it felt to others and how people have coped with it, how their birth partners may have helped (or not!) etc.

TIA!

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NotADragonOfSoup · 15/01/2009 10:33

I don't recall being in transition at all!!

Clarissimo · 15/01/2009 10:34

I always panic and I am categorically not a panicker: I find it embarassing in fact. I always in memory and feel uncomfy, same with ds4 as ds1.

But it's over in minuts, the Mw will have seen it so many times before and not give a damn.

Warn the MW and your birth partner and they will lagh at your embarassment.

sarah293 · 15/01/2009 10:36

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Clarissimo · 15/01/2009 10:38

I've been known to demand an epidural (I can neither have one not would want to, scar tissue on my spine) and continue doing so until the MW holds baby up and says 'But he's out...' (but I am a non-pusher, body does it all)

electra · 15/01/2009 10:40

oh papiermache - it terrifies me too! I am expecting dc3 soon and I panic around transition. I remember during my last labour I was very calm, all the way to transition and then suddenly I started to cry, wanted to get out of the bath, felt terrified and couldn't get into a position I felt comfortable in. I don't remember much except the midwife saying 'it's ok, you're in transition' and she got me into a position I could cope with for delivery.

I want to learn to just give into the whole thing instead of tensing up....but it is so hard.

funnypeculiar · 15/01/2009 10:42

Might help to remember that not all transitions are the same - ie this one might not be so bad - in my first I was shrieking I was going to die, didn't notice my second.
IS there a way that you could help yourself know you are in transition/that it will only last x minutes?

electra · 15/01/2009 10:42

yes I start yelling for epidural too, even though I do not want one because ever. I want a homebirth, partly so the chances of getting one will be much lower!

ohmeohmy · 15/01/2009 10:50

good to remember that transition is caused by a surge in hormones that are preparing your uterus to expel the baby. Bit like that feeling of panic just before vomiting, sorry for the yuck analogy. Try to view it as a positive sign that labour nearly over and you will see your baby soon. Need birth partners to remind you and reassure you that it is really a good sign though it might not feel like it.

MmeMoufle · 15/01/2009 11:52

I'd just got in the bath at the hospital and magically the coming every minute contractions stopped for about 5 or 6 mins I think. I dozed off exhausted thinking, "Wow, the bath is really helping!" then they started again, bam, bam, bam! Looking back, duh, this was the beginning of my transition but this was my first vaginal birth and so I didn't know what to expect...

I got out of hospital bath and crouched on all floors, shrieking for an epidural. At this point, decided I was going to DIE (hadn't had any pain relief as Gand A made me vomit after two puffs)and roared BOLLOX! at the nice midwife who suggested thing might be progressing here

They tried to preserve my modesty as much as possible as I staggrered screaming back up hall to room to be examined and lo! I was fully dilated. The nice midwife told me that now I was in the 2nd phase of labour it would stop hurting as much - possibly the biggest whopper I've ever been told but she was trying to cheer me up!

ComeWhineWithMe · 15/01/2009 11:55

My mum was with me and while I was in Transition I said Mummy I need some calpol cringe .

But it was over in minutes and my dp and mum forever rip the piss out of me and offer me calpol now and again.

Good luck.

GrimbleTheResourceful · 15/01/2009 12:02

You're a bit like me ComeWhine, I go all pitiful.

I kept saying to DP, in a little girl voice "..I don't like this. I don't like this at all..."

That is so not like me

ComeWhineWithMe · 15/01/2009 12:11

I kept having mad outbursts too and apologisisng after I also get the little girl voice too .

MKG · 15/01/2009 12:52

I was induced with ds1 and during transition I looked at my husband and said,

"I don't think I can do this anymore"
So he turned to the midwife and said, "Can we stop this and go home now?"
To which her reply was, "Uh, no she's going to have a baby in a few minutes, it's probably better if you stay here."

LOL

BabyStarlightsMum · 15/01/2009 12:57

Get some G&A if not already on it!

I don't think I really experienced transition though. To me NOTHING can be worse than my first labour at 2cm. I would have happily shot myself with a gun.

conkertree · 15/01/2009 13:01

ah its good to hear these - apart from the pushing bit, transition is definitely the bit that makes me nervous this time round from memories of ds - but the more you know about it the better i think.

the surge in hormones thing is interesting - will try and remember that.

i was a - i know i've refused an epidural/drugs other than g&a but please give me something/anything.

and then the pushing started and the panic went away.

love cassies - 'i'm not a pusher' - oh how i wish i was you

Astarte · 15/01/2009 13:01

Can't advise sorry, I have gone to sleep for 10 minutes with my last 3 births, then woke up with a need to push.

Clarissimo (still need to get used to the non-fruity name ) I'm thinking I'd like to try 'no pushing' this time around. Do you breathe the baby out? How does it work?

electra · 15/01/2009 13:22

I didn't push the last time - I had two horrendous contractions during which my body pushed the baby out by itself. I had stayed upright throughout.

Lulumama · 15/01/2009 13:26

what you need is caregivers/birth partners to remind you that when you are in teh 'oh my god, i cna;t do it, kill me now !' phase, that you are so nearly there. and support you through it

if you can make sure that they are primed to give you some intense support and that no, you don;t really want an epidural/c setcion, and just help you through it, you should find that helpful

BabyStarlightsMum · 15/01/2009 13:33

I remember shouting 'I can't do this' and my doula facing me and saying 'but you ARE doing it'

By the time I'd formed the sentence in my mind that went 'Silly woman I KNOW I'm doing it, what I mean is that I'd rather not be', I was pushing out the baby and quite enjoying myself.

Belgianchocolates · 15/01/2009 16:19

I missed transition the first time around. I put it down to the pethidine I had 3 hours beforehand.
With no2 I remember thinking: I'll have to push in a minute, but not quite yet, feeling ever so slightly panicky yet in control. Then I was shouting at the midwife: 'give me pethidine. I can't push without it' Of course she told me it was to late and if I thought I needed to push just to go for it. Then I just braced myself, thinking that I I couldn't skip the pushing bit and that I'd better just get on with it and do what my body wanted me to do!

ThePregnantHedgeWitch · 15/01/2009 17:15

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claireybrations · 15/01/2009 17:24

I wouldn't be able to identify transition from the rest of the labour tbh, there isn't one bit that was any different to the rest of it for me.

violethill · 15/01/2009 20:03

Agree with others - it's the point at which you bellow like a demented large mammal and scream for a fucking epidural. You're then told how amazing you are for getting right through first stage without one, and that you really can manage the rest of the birth without pain relief.
And then if you're lucky, second stage won't be hours!

KatB · 15/01/2009 22:35

If that's the case Violet then I was in transition for the whole labour

LOL, seriously, I can't remember transition in any of my 3 births. Last one was so quick by the time I got to hozzie I was fully dilated and too late for epi I was screaming that I wanted to go home... maybe that was it but I felt like that until I pushed her out

Original poster
papiermache · 18/01/2009 20:40

Thanks so much for all replies .

I'm feeling more positive now, thankfully, as the latest arrival's due within a matter of days!

Everything said has helped me rationalise transition and how I might approach it this time.

Watch this space!

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