Do you need to push baby??

[highheavenn]

I keep seeing stuff about your body will naturally push baby out when it's ready without needing to push?!!

That's absolutely amazing if that's true!!! I've had to push with body babies but is this true? For example if you was in labour at the end where baby is ready to come out, would your body do its thing?

This ^

it’s like an involuntary push. You’re doing it but you have no choice over it. Your body’s like “this is happening and it’s happening now” 😂

I've had one of each.
My first I was told when to start pushing and did all the work myself. No idea if it would have ever kicked in naturally.
My second my body just started pushing like I was vomiting the baby downwards. The midwife told me I could take a break whilst in the ambulance, no chance, it wasn't conscious!

If this is the case then why do they make women push?

Baby 1 - no. Felt no urge to push, body didn't do any of the work and second stage was extremely long (4+ hours)

Baby 2 - actually born by c section for other reasons, but my body was pushing her out without me doing anything.

I've had 3 babies and been close to Episiotomy every time. I don't seem to get the natural urge, if anything I draw my knees together. The threat of being cut does the trick though and I bear down for all I'm worth 😆
I cam honestly say I've never felt the urge naturally and the baby just seems to sit there for me.

I definitely didn’t feel like I was pushing - I agree with the description someone’s given above of more like vomiting. It felt more like the baby was pushing out of me and I just had to not resist it. Super quick birth though, he was out in 25 minutes, so presumably that had an effect.

Interesting. I've never heard anyone else describe not having the urge. I had extremely strong contractions but my instinct was to close my knees, not push.
Did you end up with intervention?

I didn't with my second. He came out like a rocket.

I’ve had two natural births… had to consciously push both times and did because although at horrendously painful ring of fire stage I knew I instinctively would not move along effectively if I did not commit to pushing. A bit like when you have an enormous poo that you are scared to pass but know unless you push it won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

With one of my births I was asked to not push but I needed to, he flew out. It was great!

It's kinda both. My body was pushing and nobody had seen me yet (we had just got there and nobody realised how ready I was!) My husband had to call them as my body was just pushing and I couldn't stop it happening. When they examined me they said, oh yes, you are ready to get this baby out. Then with me pushing with the pushing my body was already doing, he was out in minutes!

I had a 56 hour labour and baby was back to back so couldn't descend properly. Ended up she was getting stressed so the midwives said I either needed to try push her out or go for a c-section, either way she needed to come out there and then. So I ended up having my legs held behind my head and coached pushing, it was like having the biggest poo of my life 😂 literally the complete opposite of the calm 'breathe the baby out' waterbirth I'd planned. I'm hopeful if I have another they'll be in a better position and I have a slightly easier birth! The coached pushing gave me a prolapse and horrendous piles.

It's like vomiting, it just happens but it's kind of a natural instinct to assist in the motion. You don't need to strain or push hard though.

My first my body took over, I had no control - but it was way too early and I started bleeding, and it led me to having an epidural and drip so it progressed safely.

Second my body was doing a lot but I had control and had to push.

Yes!
1st baby was forceps so coached pushing with a spinal

2nd baby natural and I was so surprised at how my body just started to do it. It wasn’t unpleasant or anything just very strange!

like vomiting, it just happens but it's kind of a natural instinct to assist in the motion. You don't need to strain or push hard though

It absolutely wasn’t anything like that for me. With both of my labours there were many many hours of being shouted at to PUSH ! It was really gruelling and exhausting. I have always wondered about this, having heard about women in comas giving birth. It crossed my mind that it’s part of midwife culture to be bossy and shouty. It runs totally counter to the candlelit whale music type of birth. There was no way I could relax and let go. It was like running a marathon with a sadistic coach following me with a megaphone. Why does it have to be like that?

I don't remember the urge to push as such. I just remember that I couldn't control what my body wanted to do so I just tried to 'relax' into it. It was bloody painful though.

Yes it's an overwhelming urge to push the baby out. You can't control it

I had to push yes but dc1 was stuck….
dc2 was a completely different thing and i have no memories of pushing. I know the MW kept asking if I felt like pushing but nope….

@Isolationendurance I think its because they have other women to attend to. The reflex kicks in at different times for different women and health professionals just cant afford to wait. Also if there's been intervention beforehand (sweep, pessary etc) then the baby could actually get distressed so women are encouraged to get baby out asap.

I'm loving all the answers ladies, such encouragement for my first baby due in November :D

If a woman has been induced or had an epidural, the process is being sped along and the body won’t necessarily do the things it’s supposed to do (i.e push the baby out) if the birth hormones/chemicals that move birth along aren’t being released.

With an epidural you’re also usually laying down on your back and your coccyx is making the exit smaller to get through.

Both would probably mean you need to push.

I pushed a lot in my first birth. Was painful and scary and quite traumatic.

i did hypnobirthing the second time. I was very calm and didn’t push at all, except for one push at the very end when DD’s body was taking longer to come out. It was amazing and a wonderful experience

I didn't get that feeling where you need to push with either of mine.
Ds was born by forceps as contractions stopped when I got to fully dilated.
Dd I pushed out, and bloody hell it was hard work. Midwife told me they don't call it labour for nothing, it was exhausting.

When I had my first the midwife told me not to push until I couldn't not. She was dead right; at a certain point my body just... pushed all by itself. I didn't have to consciously augment it at all.

You don't need to push, that's what the contractions are for! Pushing causes all sorts of nasty problems like tears and incontinence and shouldn't be encouraged.