What are the things that helped you during labour and childbirth

[Coffeemadness]

I may have to go alone for natural labour/induction due to child care issues (for my elder one)

What are the best things that help you manage the pain(and with other things in general) during induction/labour - so will make sure i have everything ready if i have to do it alone.

Being well prepared - knowing about the different stages of labour, what to expect.

I'm not the type of person who can imagine I'm a flower opening with each contraction 🤣 but the hypnobirthing breathing techniques really helped me stay calm and focussed.

Combs to hold and squeeze in each hand - pain distraction (didn't have any other pain relief)

I'm considering doing it alone with the next baby since all my husband did was pass me my water bottle now and again (I didn't want him to do anything else, didn't want to be touched, and if he'd started cheering me on I'd have hit him)

For me - epidural was pretty great for the pain 🤣

Waterbirth was amazing.

I stayed upright and moved around as much as possible. I had late stage contractions leaning against the kitchen counter, over the back of the sofa, on the stairs, everywhere and anywhere I could be upright and Leaning forwards, focussing on my breathing as if my life depended on it. In through nose, out through mouth.
Oh, and then kneeling in the pool leaning over the edge.

An epidural.

An epidural and plenty of sleep

I have had four natural births and I am yet to receive my medal in the post for bravery
When my daughter has a baby, I will be strongly encouraging with the most encouragement I can possibly convey without overstepping the mark
Take the drugs, No man would do childbirth without fucking drugs

Refusing induction without any medical reason (I’ve been offered an induction because of my advanced age alone), staying home and having home birth. I also had no childcare for the day so everyone just stayed home and the midwives came to us.

Waking around, squatting, basically being allowed to roam freely!😅

Having tried the staying active/upright, hynobirthing techniques, breathing, gas and air etc.

I’d go straight to an elective C-section another time!

The epidural I eventually got was fantastic, but I had no idea in advance epidural might not work. When the first epidural failed is not a moment I ever want to repeat, so I’d go straight for Csection another time and not take the risk.

Another vote for an epidural.

Like a free range chicken!

TENS, hynobirthing, and the birthing pool were all amazing. Honestly, DH was just in the way. I could have done it more easily without him both times. I just needed to go into my head and focus and do it.

Epidural as early as possible and certainly as a ci dictionary of them starting the syntocynon drip.

I had relatively easy and straightforward births. I'm offering my DIL and DD the option of a section in a private hospital.

Tens machine.

Tens machine!

Get the drugs as soon as you can. Honestly, I had a birth with drugs and one without and the difference was staggering. If you go decide to go natural make sure you have some sort of back up plan in case you cannot take the pain. I ended up panicking and couldn’t do my breathing or hypnobirthing which made the whole situation worse. Calmness is key.

Being at home.

My first was in hospital, mismanaged delivery which left a number of problems. I was a bad candidate for an epidural due to back issues but eventually was pushed into having one which only worked on one side and was frankly worse than not having it. I can’t take pethidine so that was never an option (but didn’t stop them trying to persuade me to take it).

At home I was much more relaxed, was free to move around (I hadn’t been in hospital), had a TENs machine for the early stages which worked surprisingly well and then a few whiffs of gas and air when the midwife came. I wasn’t setting out to be an earth mother or anything - simply at home and free to move around was able to manage with much less despite awkwardly placed babies.

This isn’t your first so what was most helpful to you last time (other than a birth companion)? A good midwife and a relaxed atmosphere can help a great deal.

Pethadine and entonox.
I had an epidural with my first it was a long labour. It was such a relief.

General anasethic.
Recovery was horrible though.

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads was that your choice or medically advised? Just out of interest!

I kept active right until the end of pregnancy. I didn’t go to hospital until labour was advancing . The breathing excercises we were taught at ante natal classes were a great help . I still use them for any sort of pain. I was lucky to have easy births in a few hours. Also we didn’t know the sex of our babies so we spent a lot of time guessing what we were going to have . I love a surprise 😀

Avoid induction- most are not necessary. Be aware that all interventions have potential downsides so it’s a case of deciding. For me being at home and having a water birth.

• Plan for homebirth
• Go back home if you go to hospital thinking you’re in full blown labour, and they say you’re only 2 or 3cm dilated. Don’t be admitted to hospital at this point
• Avoid induction. Look at the actual evidence behind their recommendation and make your own choice
• TENS, birthing comb, water (shower, bath, birthing pool)
• Epidurals are sent from heaven for very long labours or if malposition of the baby is causing intense pain, feel no guilt, but at a population level all the data shows that they cause more trouble in the process of birth. Be aware that 10% aren’t fully effective
• Read stories on threads like these cautiously. Many women have had traumatic births due to lack of appropriate support or compassion, and not because their bodies failed or they needed lots of medical intervention. Birth is a hormone-driven psychological and mechanical process.