Birth stories!

[highheavenn]

I have a few questions 😊

1. how long was your labour?

2. did a sweep help at all?

3. can you refuse a sweep if you have no medical reason for it?

4. does induction actually hurt more then a spontaneous birth?

5. what helped you cope in labour?

6. does a labour comb help with pain?

I've had 5 baby and 4 of them full term and one at 27 weeks I found the sweep worked only had it done as he was due on Xmas eve and didn't want to be in over Xmas u do not have to have one if u don't want to it's ur choice I found standing up was best for pain until u need to push and all my baby's have been born with in 4 hours of getting pains I found going in to hospital on my own was best for me x

DD1 - went into labour at 39+6, labour was pretty much bang on 24 hours from first twinge to birth. Contractions were weird at the start - everyone said that you just know when you're in labour but I didn't. I had very close together (like, 30 second gaps) but really mild contractions for about 9 hours. Then they spread out, then got more painful and closer together. Born at home in water without pain relief - I coped with this, but really it was because I have a crippling fear of vomiting that made me refuse any pain relief because I read it can cause nausea. 2nd degree tear, and blue lighted to hospital with a post partum haemorrhage

DD2 - waters broke at 34 weeks but didn't go into labour so was induced at 37 weeks. Contractions started immediately after they applied the gel, and she was born 11 hours later. Again, wasn't in pain for a good chunk at the start, just discomfort. Had to be in hospital and on the labour ward due to the waters breaking early. I did not find this more painful that my first, I was terrified of the induction but it was fine. Again, no pain relief. One thing that really helped, particularly when contractions started ramping up, was DH rubbing my lower back but with huge pressure as I pushed back against his hand.

What's a labour comb?

2 inductions at 37 weeks.
2 hour labour and 1 hour labour. Preferred second labour with the drip to the first with pessarys.

1. how long was your labour? 18 hours in active labour (when you're over 4cn dilated) for dc1 and 1 hour for dc2

2. did a sweep help at all? V hard to tell. Evidence seems to suggest that a sweep only works when your body is already gearing up for labour but may bring things forward by 24 hours in some cases. There are risks though eg with inefectivo so look into what you're comfortable with.

3. can you refuse a sweep if you have no medical reason for it? YES it's your body. You can refuse anything you're not comfortable with.

4. does induction actually hurt more then a spontaneous birth? There are lots of different forms of induction, but if you end up on the drip then Yes because syntocinin (sp?) is synthetic whereas natural oxytocin also has a pain killer effect. Widely agreed that induction if put on the drip causes more intense contractions. I was recommended epidural alongside the drip with my first. But with my second also ended up on the drip but managed with just Gas and air.

5. what helped you cope in labour? Feeling in control. Knowing what was happening. A supportive midwife and birth partner. Gas and air.

6. does a labour comb help with pain? Yes I used this with my second and found it helpful in the earlier stages. Tens machine also helpful early on.

You can refuse anything Including sweeps, internal examinations, inductions, artificial breaking of water etc.

1. how long was your labour?
   About 36 hours if you count early labour. If you only count established labour (4cm+) then I have no idea! I was assessed to be 1-2cm at 7am and the next time they checked at 9:30am I was 10cm and ready to push. It was an intense couple of hours and as I wasn't assessed during it, I wasn't able to have any pain relief (including gas and air - I don't think they believed I was in labour!)

2. did a sweep help at all?
   I didn't have one. I went into spontaneous labour and delivered at 37+4

3. can you refuse a sweep if you have no medical reason for it?
   You can refuse any medical procedure, especially if you don't think there is a medical need for it

4. does induction actually hurt more then a spontaneous birth?
   I don't know. When I arrived at the hospital they offered to put me on a hormone drip to "encourage labour" as my waters had broken. I refused and told them I was pretty sure I was already in it 😂

5. what helped you cope in labour?
   I took a tens machine in with me and found it really useful at home when in early labour. Once the contractions got super painful I turned it off as I couldn't concentrate on the boost settings and found it generally quite annoying!

Honestly in early labour I found lots of things helpful - a bath, hot water bottle, being on the ball, breathing through contractions, reminding myself that every contraction brought baby closer, listening to music etc

Once it got very painful, I found it hard to do anything other than wait for the contraction to end so I could have some momentary relief!

6. does a labour comb help with pain? I took a comb and didn't even think to reach for it

DD was a natural birth, DS a c section (breach). We had 2 instances of premature labour that the hospital managed to stop (32 and 34 weeks). We ended up having her at 35.5 weeks. Listen to your body is my advice, if something doesn't feel right tell someone. I had not a clue how true labour cramps would feel. My mum and sister both had very quick birthing expriences, I should have said that when I rolled up at 2am to the hospital. My water broke at noon (ish), and I really didn't feel anything until around 11pm, then it was very mild cramping. At 2am it started to feel like bad period cramps, and when I got to the hospital at 230am they said I was 2cm, and basically to go to sleep and they would eventually get an epidural. Within an hour I was unable to stand up or sit down, or get comfortable, and was truly sore (and dreading if this was still at 2cm), and by the time the night nurse came to check (my husband went and got her) she asked me to stop pushing as I was +5 which apparently means head about to come out. My doctor arrived with seconds to go. Because I didn't want to annoy people, and didn't know what I should be feeling, I didn't speak up, but really should have. On the way to the recovery area one of the nurses nicely asked me to come in a bit earlier next time haha.

Oh one thing I do suggest is after your waters break, take a long shower as I wasn't able to do that for a day or so post birth, and it was all I really wanted. Looking back, I am so glad I took that time to freshen up before the hospital. Things I don't suggest include what I did: taking the dog to the park after I thought my waters were done breaking and I was killing time/distracting myself. They weren't and I was at the park looking like I had lightly peed myself. Babies are great. If you do go through the stages, trully naturally, the water breaking isn't usually as it is experienced in films where it is instant and all over over the floor.

With my first baby my waters broke a tiny bit... just the once!

With my second baby it was none stop for hours I must've had a dry labour as the fluids had gone lol plus they were green because he 💩 inside me 🙄

Deffo don't have a dog so I won't be doing that haha