Anyone around with technical know-how on second stage of labour?

[alittleteapot]

Just wanted to chat about my birth plan really. Last time my second stage was three hours and the idea of pushing went right over my head - I didn't know what they were talking about. Eventually she came out with help of a ventouse. This time, for bladder reasons, I'm not allowed to push (if only i knew how) for more than an hour, but they are saying I can wait for the first hour after fully dilated and not try and force pushing if I don't feel the urge, and then after that push for an hour max. I've heard stories about the uterus doing all the work on its own. I'm hoping this hour will help me gather energy to push when I have to. Maybe the fact that my first stage was long last time made me too worn out - certainly my contractions dried up a bit. Anyway, pleased with the plan and trying to finalise detail, e.g. what positions to go for at each point etc. Any guidance on what my body will be up to at this point?

My first was much the same as yours but for 2nd and 3rd DC's the second sage was a whole lot quicker. DC2 took half hour max and DC3 was 16mins.

For me the minute I was due to push I felt a huge sense of relief. My body did all of the work and I am not sure I could have stopped pushing if I tried. I didnt muster the energy, it just came from nowhere.

For my 2nd I gave a big push from 9cm to 10cm and for 3rd baby I pushed from 7cm to 10cm. The babies were in a great position for this and so thats how I did it.

Start thinking about getting your baby into a good position now by not slouching on sofas etc and the baby should progress well.

I wouldn't worry about how you will want to be positioned just yet as you wont know until the day but if you want to try squatting etc, it might be useful to sta building muscle tone now. LOL

some good info here for you

www.transitiontoparenthood.com/ttp/parented/laborbirth/second.htm

I don't have technical knowhow, but with my first dc, the second stage took 1 1/2 hours. With my second dc it took 7 mins. Lots of my friends had similar second stages with their second child.

Good luck.

Thanks all. Yes, kind of hoping no 2 will just pop out, but reckoning I shouldn't bank on it. Will check out that link now whocares.

Can I just point out something quite and maybe really obvious but I didn't realise it.
When they say "it'a like having a poo" they don't mean similar, similar technique, similar sensation, they just mean - it's exactly the same thing as having a poo. Try to do that and that's pushing - no different muscles involved, nothing different at all. Once I figured that out pushing went a lot better last time

I agree like pushing a poo out

Second and third I dod not push, especially the third who was just expelled we joke she crawled out, it was like when you do a poo and you know theres a pooint of no return and whatever you do you are going to poo, like it's being forced out your body. IME seconds a lot easier.

With my third the baby was still very high even though I was fully dilated. I was advised not to push for an hour to allow the contractions to force baby further down so I didn't have so far to push her.

I sat on a birthing stool (kind of looks liek a toilet seat with a stand) for an hour and it was fab. She almost just about got to the point of crowning without me actively pushing within that hour during which I was delaying pushing.

Thanks everyone

Whocares - that link really useful, thanks.

CrapInTheBedroom that's really useful too.

Anyway, here's to an easier time!