How to create a calm atmosphere in labour?

[RoseberryTopping]

I really, really want to avoid an epidural with this labour, I had one early in labour last time and have regretted it ever since. I feel like the main reason I wanted one so soon was I was so panicked and not relaxed at all. I was induced and the contractions went from 0 to 60 in 5 seconds!

If you've had a lovely calm, practically drug free labour before - what did you find helps? I was planning on getting some relaxing music this time, getting in the pool as well.

Anything else I should be thinking of?

Anyone?

I know it's a bit 'trendy' but what about hypno-birthing? As far as I can tell, it's a technique that is basically focused on helping you to relax. My friend has had brilliant results with hypnotism to help her with anxiety, although not for birthing, just in general.

There is a massive link between stress/anxiety and heightened pain response, so any relaxation or meditation technique might help. I'm sure there are some CD's/MP3 you could buy to practice with and use during labour.

Well, I had a stressful time with my first so have been focussing on this a lot. Just waiting to have him/her now so I can't tell you what works but here is what I'm trying:

• Practising hypnobirthing so whatever happens I can try and stay calm and feel in control.
• I've hired a doula (she will help protect my space, and has already been invaluable as a source of support and generally knowing she'll be there helps.)

-Written out very clear birth preferences that no unnecessary people are present, lights are low, atmosphere calm.

• Found 'anchors', things that I can have in labour that remind me of being calm (eg. burning essential oils that I will also have in labour, listening to music each night when I'm relaxing which I will play in labour, taking my own pillows with me, using affirmations which are written up in my house and I can repeat to myself in labour.)
• Fought for them to let me use the midwife-led unit as I feel it will be much less stressful for me there than on a labour ward.

I hope something there helps! Good luck. x

In fact, I've just convinced myself to do something like this. Not because I don't want pain relief as such but because I have such an incredibly low pain threshold and every little helps!!!

I did Natal Hypnotherapy with my youngest, using only a bit of gas and air for examinations.

However between waters breaking and her being born was 2 hours 40 minutes so that helped too!

Private midwife.
Gave birth at home.
Hypno birthing.

I will definitely give birth at home again, it felt like I just nipped into my room, gave birth and then just got on with being a Mum.

I was induced with DD1 and felt like a train hit me when the contractions started. I felt completely out of control and quite traumatised by the whole experience. When pregnant with DS1 I had counselling as every time I thought about birth I would dissolve into floods of tears.
I wrote a birth plan letting midwives know that I had struggled first time and how they could help me achieve a better experience this time.

I read a hypnobirthing book - I never thought I would manage no drugs but I wanted help getting to the point where the hospital would let me have drugs!

I would say contractions with DD were 10/10 pain wise after induction. Spontaneous labour with DS only ever got to 5/10. It was totally totally different. With DD there was no let up the pain was constantly 5-10/10. With DS the pain was 0-5/10. The lulls between contractions gave opportunity to regroup.

My tips

• count or get DH to count for each contraction - you know the pain will ease when you get to 30 making it a manageable pain.
• remember that after each contraction you'll never have that one again!
• distraction - I spent 3 hours of my 5 hour labour entertaining DD! Play dough, colouring, jigsaws! A demanding toddler has no idea what anyone else wants lol.
• keep active - birthing ball was great

Oh and there's no need to regret an epidural - take whatever you need and good luck x

Friends who have done hypnobirthing have had very positive experiences even if it's been protracted labour and/ended in an EMCS.

One of them told me she had been told to visualise a climb up a hill on contraction build up then sliding down it as they eased off. Sounds ridiculous but, when I was in labour I remembered it and, as a cyclist, imagined I was on a hill ascent knowing I would whizz down the other side soon. It really helped weirdly...

Ante-natal yoga
Breathing exercises
Visualisations
TENs machine
Darkness
Water
Quiet

Worked for DD's birth.

Another recommendation for hypnobirthing, I used Natal hypnotherapy CDs which really helped. MW unit if possible, minimal attendants or interference. Tens machine.

Both labours I had were pretty drug free. Only had gas and air with DD. Hypnobirthing techniques and tens machine worked for me in that labour. With DS I had a water birth in hospital (my local hospital only has a labour ward no MLU, and only has about 2 or 3 water births a year!). It was the calmest, loveliest experience I could have hoped for, with no other pain relief than the water. Don't get me wrong it was painful, but midwife has set the room up with low level lighting, music on in the background, the pool was so lovely & warm. It was just me, DH and the midwife for the duration. She stayed the whole time. No interventions, no examinations, she just let me get on with it and then talked me through every step of DS's birth, meaning I had no grazes or tears afterwards. It really was spectacular, helped of course by a fantastic midwife.

I had a fantastic, v relaxed first labour - I also practiced some hypno birthing techniques for the weeks leading up to due date, I had a v active labour (walking around and on birthing ball for most of it and used a Tens machine) then in the pushing stage was in the pool - water is amazing and makes a huge difference!

To prep yourself for being relaxed in labour, def recommend doing a pregnancy yoga class - this really helped me too.

And during the birth I had insisted that lights were kept off and I didn't speak to anyone (midwives communicated to DH and I was in my own zone!)

Thanks everyone, some good ideas here. There isn't a MLU here and I'd feel a bit nervous about a home birth in case anything went wrong with me or the baby. All the labour rooms have big baths in them though so I'm going to be straight in there!

I've got the first bit of the natal hypnotherapy cd but can't really relax in to it, it keeps saying to relax but I can't get comfortable enough to. Maybe I need to try and get in to it more.

yoga and hypnobirthing.

with the cd don't worry if you find it hard to relax into it, don't force it just listen to it all and try and bring your focus back to it when your mind wanders. You will find over time you find it easier to relax into it.

Roseberry (love your name btw - makes me think of Suggits ice cream) I know it's only a small thing but I felt soo much better when they opened the window and I could feel a breeze in the room.