Did you go through transition without pain relief?....

[eggontoast]

Tell me if you begged for an epidural/lost it/screamed/became panic stricken having been perfectly in control seconds before!

By transmission, I mean the transition period just before your body begins to 'push'. For me, the contractions are supremely strong and feel unbearable....

I went from breathing through the pain to screaming and wailing, head back in anguish, just 'going with it' rather than controlling it. It only lasted about 30 mins for me, and pushing was such a relief and not painful by comparison.

What happened to you in transition, how did you 'change' and what did you end up doing?

I said to the midwife, 'I bet this is when lots beg for an epidural but it's too late?' she replied with a knowing smile!

erm, i wasn't aware of this as a separate stage - i pushed all the way through DDS delivery because i wanted it over as fast as possible. by the time the MW turned up baby was already in the u-bend and i just wanted her out.

and with DS i think the only difference was i started to strangle DH (whose neck i was hanging on to) instead of merely hugging him.

fortunately DS was born before he blacked out.

never wanted pain relief (though i heartily wished to be unconscious at one point) - i worry they will 1)slow me down 2)make me feel even more weird.

I said owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww lots but I can't remember that bit seperately for any of mine either.

Have been through childbirth with no pain relief as too quick & didn't need any. Was caught up in the whole process.

Middle of night, staggered into hospital entrance, waters went over doormat & I went into transition, immediately shutting my eyes as couldn't cope with anything distracting, just overwhelmed with agony. Wasn't able to walk either, couldn't move my legs - as if all brain functions shut down utterly.

Only had 2 transition contractions, 1st as waters went & second in wheelchair DH was pushing at some speed - I shouted (sort of Aaaargh, as I remember, & oh god, how I wish I could forget), & in lift opened my eyes enough to see an arm on wheelchair beside me- just about to sink my teeth into it when registered it was DH

(Note to self: next time take wooden stick to bite)

Was rushed/wheeled down to delivery saying "god help me, help me", with BLOODY MIDWIFES RUNNING ALONGSIDE SHUSHING ME!!!
Just made it onto bed before DC arrived.

But wot I never understand about labour/transition (& I've done this 4 times now) is how ANYONE 'manages' to retain some rational thought processes? MrsPotatoChip wishes midwife had told her what was going on - how would she have understood? Surely it's not just me? I can't be only one to not know my name during my (awful, violent, preciptious) labours, nor to be able to hear or understand anything being said in the room? I can't recognise that slight pause between end of transition & start of pushing, I can't hear/understand anyone when I'm pushing... To cap it all, I still can't process information AFTER baby arrives - I can just about grasp wot sex it is, but that's it - DH says I asked him over & over what weight DD was, each time saying " 8lbs 10oz, wow" - then asking again after 10 seconds.

And then I go into what I can only think is mild shock as brain trys to reboot; shaking, teeth chattering, breathing goes all shallow & gaspy... and that's when the midwifes start to berate me & tell me to "pull myself together". I hate them.

Why oh why have I chosen to face doing it again? Am dreading it already, my sleepless nights are spend unwillingly reliving all the previous times...

Sorry for asking what might be a really dumb question, but what is happening to your body during transition? I understand how the muscles in your uterus contract until you're fully dilated, and I get (obviously) what's happening when the baby is making it's way down the birth path, and crowning is pretty obvious too, but what is happening physiologically during transition? (Or is transition classed as the birth path bit?)

(This is the way I cope with things btw - to try and understand them from a (bio)logical point of view... Am due to do this in 5 weeks so would like to be as prepared as poss - thanks for raising this point OP and to those who replied saying they wished they were able to identfy transition as it would have been easier to cope with. I already feel forewarned is forearmed!)

I'm another one similar to OmniDroid, had epidural for my first so probably missed it, but not until contractions had ramped up to the point where I'd started to wonder where I was going to put all the pain, "the pain's not going to fit" was my exact thought. I think that must have been getting towards transition.

Second time was the home waterbirth using hypnobirthing techniques and no drugs... Braxton Hixs merged smoothly with first stage contractions which merged smoothly into 2nd stage ones. There were a couple in between that seemed worse than the others, I thought I was going to vomit for one of them, but apart from those there was nothing I could call transition.

I read transition can be one of those dangerous stages where you are likely to end up getting unnecessary intervention - mum loses faith in herself, screams for solutions, husband demands something be done about it, she's is given serious pain relief that leads to a downwards spiral of intervention. Does anyone think that happened for them?

redqueen good point. I'm thinking of this in retrospect. Now I can remember that awful bit where I thought I was going to die and think oh yes transition. Maybe they did tell me what was going on and I didn't absorb it! must ask DP.

First time round I didn't realise I was in transition, or pushing, until DD suddenly appeared. Of course, I was, it hurt etc, I just thought the contractions had got more intense. With hindsight I realise that the moment I said I wanted to go home and felt I couldn't cope was probably transition. Or it could have been a bit later when I went all mooing-lion. I got into a birthing pool, it did help.

Second time round I started to shake and felt pressure, so knew it was transition, but the whole labour was so quick and the breathing worked so well I only used my tens (and only turned up half as high as first time round).

LaTristesse, transition is just the name given for the last part of 1st stage contractions, when your muscles are working at absolute maximum to get the cervix open the last bit - from 7/8cm to the final 10cm. Contractions last longer, bout 60 seconds, & are pretty much continuous, as one dies off you might only get 5/10 secs (?) before another begins. So it's the worst bit, strength & pain of contractions seems to ramp up & you (can) feel it's impossible to cope any longer.

Other possible signs (quoting from book here) are 'feeling hot & cold,feeling sick or vomiting, shaking legs. Most reliable sign is feeling that you have large grapefruit (!) pressing to come out. Plus may start to get urge to push, but must resist'. Hmmm. From my last experience, almost impossible to resist pushing if you happen to be standing up at time of strong transition contractions, so try & make sure you're not totally vertical. My son has a faint line down middle of his forehead, like a birthmark, & I've always assumed I caused that by pushing when I shouldn't have - & felt horribly guilty.

Oh, & transition can be quick - 'just couple of contractions, or unfortunately may last an hour or more, espec if baby in wrong position'.

Feeling queasy already...

I couldn't decide what I wanted, but, having just been told I was 4 cm, I assumed I was no where near transition. So when it happened, a couple of mins after being told 4cm, I assumed I had ages left, as I had ages between 4 cm and transition with first.

I even went for a wee, though, oh I must need a poo (I was bloody pushing in the toilet thinking it was a poo!). Then in the corridor - midwife saw me and luckily I had told her to be forceful with me. I couldn't think straight about what I should/should not do and what I wanted - as the baby's head was coming down, I needed to decide or it would hit floor as I was still standing up!

I dived in pool when told to and baby 2 was born a few pushes later. Baby 1 took 1hr and half pushing. Wow, second baby came quick and easy!

i did. it was fast and furious and a planned HB which was over before the MWs arrived. I think I must have been in transition when the contractions seemed to be rolling into one.

I remember briefly thinking, only once, "I can't do this anymore" and the next thing I knew I 'woke up from a sleep' from what seemed a sleep (was kneeling over the birthing ball) and felt the baby flip and begin to move down. Cue bellowing to dh to get. me. in. the. pool. now!

I only had gas and air when fully dilated and starting to push. It was so painful.

"Most reliable sign is feeling that you have large grapefruit (!) pressing to come out."

Oh, if that's the case, I've been in transition for the last fortnight.

I vomited violently and demanded to go to the hospital NOW. I guess that must have been transition since I started pushing in the car a few minutes later!

Wasn't entirely calm before but I did suddenly feeling that I was on a runaway train and I had better just go with it.

Did I buggery! No sodding way. Waters broke but nothing happened so was induced two days later (had drip in arm not pessary thing and it was fine). Contractions started, had G&A. When I started to get very uncomfortable had Pethidine. Then, a couple of hours later and things were, again, somewhat uncomfortable I was offered an epidural and willingly complied. I had a lovely snooze; woke up at about 1:30am which epidural still effective. Midwife popped in and asked if I could push. I did. Pushed some more. Darling DD born at 2:15am with no pain at all and only one stitch.

I know I was very, very lucky but I had the most magical birth experience. Just me and the midwife and, of course, my beautiful DD at the end of it all.

Midwife did tell me my body was made for having babies though which I assume was a reference to my "child bearing hips"!

Thanks so much redqueen45 - brilliant answer to my digression! I feel much better now knowing what to expect at this point...

Lol Sappholit!

With my most recent labour I arrived at the hospital at midnight, was checked about 12.15am and was 5cm, was transferred straight to delivery suite and baby arrived at 12.55am with five huge pushes and frantic sucking on the gas and air! It was an amazing experience, the pain was really strong but I felt my body took over, there was minimal interference from the midwife (i tore but didn't realise) and the baby shot out.

I was asking for an epidual on the way to delivery and as i was getting on the bed heard the midwife explaining to DP that I wasn't going to get one as there was not going to be time!!

no idea for DD1...was too knackered by that point to remember.

DD2...became convinced that I was in early labour and it was still going to be days...then looked up at DH and my doula giggling and said..'oh, that's transition' then joined in the laughing...

I didn't the first time but the second time, yes. I had staggered upstairs and tried getting in the bath but it didn't help, just felt more out of control.

got out, and needed the toilet, asked everyone to leave the room, they went downstairs, I sat on toilet and screamed just as postman came to the door poor bloke.

I was also kind of being sick, though nothing came up, it was like a mechanical thing, pushing downwards as well as upwards so my stomach was coming up into my mouth iyswim.
I felt like I could do nothing about it at all.
I did start to beg to go to hospital but of course it was way too late and he was born witin half an hour...never made it back downstairs.

The pushing bit, well I wasn't pushing exactly, my body was on my behalf. I was totally powerless which freaked me out a bit. (a lot actually)

LOL at Sappholit

Did the first time - had gas and air. But with DD2 the midwife didn't believe I was in established labour. I was in the assessment room (no point in taking you into the delivery room pet, you might just have to go home) when she finally decided to check me before she went off shift "Oh, I think you're having a baby!" - really??? Wondered why I was there. Moved to delivery room and the finally asked me "So, were you wanting any pain relief?", had DD2 15 minutes later....

really really agree about wishing midwife had said "hang in there - you are in transition!". I knew I was 9cm and was sort of coping then suddenly it was unbearable - I was screaming, begging for help, saying I couldn't do it etc etc - all she said was "it's too late for an epidural" and "I can't examine you again for another 20 mins" (why???). I mainlined G&A until it was time to push ...

oh, I feel much better about my losing control and wailing, very loudly for the few mins before I pushed!

It would have made me feel better if the midwife (if she knew) had said 'you look like your in transition, just go with it, let go.'

Once I figured this out for myself and let go and gave in, things got a lot easier in my mind.

I think 'just go with it, let go' might be the single most important thing you can tell a pregnant woman, actually. It can make all the difference, judging by friends' experiences.