Preparing for a second birth

[biggest]

I am 28 weeks and I am sure that at this point in my first pg I had everything ready! Little did I know......!
It all ended with monitoring, induction, epi, another epi, failed ventouse, forceps, etc etc and this time round I am desperate for something more natural.
Is there anything I can do to prepare for this one? Any books to read? I feel I need some positive thinking type stuff as every now and again I wobble and think elcs is the best option

Hi - I'm sure someone with more knowledge than me will be along soon to give you some good advice. I too had a 'cascade of intervetion' with first labour, monitoring, epidural, forceps.... and am due tmw with 2nd DD. I have being doing a lot of research in how to prevent interventions (namely staying away from hospital for longer!!) and done some reading for techniques on how to cope with the pain. I've just read stand and deliver by Emma Mahony and also Birth Skills by Juju Sundin both of which have offered some practical advice and helpful info on what is actually happening and I am hoping for much less intervention. Last time I did a lot of preparing for the baby but never really considered the birth and certainly had no idea about the methods used to encourage labour so I'm hoping knowledge is power. At best I will have the labour I hope for, at worst I will be well enough informed to ensure I make choices with the medical staff instead of letting everyone make them for me. I believe being involved is part of making the birth your own. I would also recommend the homebirth.org website as even if you don't want a HB, they have a lot of good advice and information on how to avoid interventions. Finally, good luck!!

I'll let you know if my labour goes as hoped!

Hi there, agree with madcatsazz when I was preparing for first baby I read 'Stand and Deliver' over and over again, there is a great chapter about pain for a purpose and I vividly remember having this going around in my head whilst I was labouring, I felt in a really good positive place throughout my labour and managed on gas and air whilst bouncing on a ball! Unfortunately DS had other ideas and was brow presentation so I ended up with a emcs but I had gone as far as I could go, pushed for 2 hours before I gave in, but I can honestly say up to that point I was in a good place!
I am now, like you and many others, worrying about birth no 2 (august) and am desperately looking for any good VBAC stories!
Good luck!

Hi biggest, Here's some suggestions of books:
Childbirth Without Fear by Grantly Dick-Read and Michel Odent. Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin, Birthing from Within by Pam England. OR take a look at naturalbirth.freeservers.com to see some positive natural birth stories. Good luck with everything.

Thanks everyone, fingers crossed (dreamed I gave birth to triplets naturally last night !

You could think about a Doula.
More info here
www.doula.org.uk/
and here www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRc36qMxNak
I've supported quite a few women after difficult first births.
Happy to answer any questions.
Selina

Corr, well done biggest! Giving birth to one will be a breeze!!

I definitely would recommend hypnobirthing - try just reading a book (Maggie Howell's Effective Birth Preparation or Marie Mongan's HypnoBirthing), practise the techniques suggested religiously and get hold of the Natal Hypnotherapy CDs and listen to them at least once a day from 32 weeks onwards... that's more-or-less what I and two of my friends did for our number two babies, and we all had much nicer, calmer, natural births.
If you can afford it easily, go on a hypnobirthing course with your partner - that would be even better I reckon.

Being more clued up about natural birth and how easy it is to be sidetracked into medicalised birth can help, so do loads of reading...

Having baby in a really good position helps birth go easier, try googling "spinning babies".

I'd also like to point out that having a homebirth can drastically improve your chances of having a natural birth (studies have shown that the overall chance of having CS is halved for homebirthers), and it tends to make the pain more managable for most women. See the homebirth reference site and in particular the Why home birth section, and check out the research section also.

HTH... Set your mind to what you want and do everything you can to get there...

It is odd too that I have no idea what starting labour is like as I was induced (when SO not ready) at 39 weeks last time. How on earth will I know when to go to hospital!

You will know when your contractions are coming regularly and you have to use different breathing patterns to get you through them after every contraction. Don't bee too worried about going into hospital too early, they can always send you home again if you're way too early. It sounds like you know what you want with this pregnancy and you'll be more aware and stronger to deal with any suggested intervention. Trust your instinct.

I had a natural birth at home. I think the following things helped me achieve this:

Reading as much as possible all the books already suggested on here.
-- If you don't want to give birth at home, try to labour at home for as long as possible.
-- Ante natal yoga - got the baby in a good position.
-- Active birthing yoga "workshop" with your partner - helped us bond over what the labour might be like and gave us some great positions to try during labour and right before the second stage to help the baby descend.
-- Lots of walking - I walked our loopy dog for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening every day for 40 weeks... again I think the exercise and movement helped manoeuvre the baby into a good position. Contractions started on the local common at 39+6.
-- Have faith! I had a 4 day and night latent labour before I go to the magical 4cm... (and no sleep in all that time!) and nearly through in the towel at the end... but I kept telling myself I could do it, and in the end, I did.

Good luck!

threw, not through. Doh.