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.

Epidural. I told them straight away that I wanted one.

Keep calm with lots of long slow breaths - It really does relax the muscles and lessens tension and pain.

Being knocked out and delivered by C section!!

Basically avoiding it!

Have an elective C-section. They’re great. No labour, in and out of hospital within 24 hours and no complications. They are ridiculously straightforward. Having my tonsils out was a bigger event than giving birth from a pain and recovery point of view.

For anyone who is considering an elective for whatever reason, my elective for DC2 was a dream compared to my EMCS for DC1.

Drugs. There are no prizes for more pain.

Home birth, water, not tensing up during contractions, staying mobile and walking around up until transition, and not being afraid of pain because I knew it was only temporary.

The book ‘Birth Skills’ by Juju Sundin was a godsend. Very practical advice and techniques, not ‘your yoni is a flower’ stuff that I couldn’t stand.

Exactly - why take the risk of being in pain!

I had 2 inductions. The first was extremely painful and relatively quick (5 hrs). What got me through a lot of it was listening to music on headphones - I found this really grounded me and stopped me feeling like a “patient” in a hospital.
The second birth I had an epidural for which was absolutely incredible to feel the pain go away as the contractions were ramping up quickly (3 hour labour). However, as soon as the epidural kicked in things started slowing down and before long it was the “cascade of intervention” happening and I ended up needing a forceps delivery. To be honest he shot out with them saying they barely needed the forceps. I’ve had no issues post delivery and am fully healed.
Just be prepared that although epidurals are amazing pain reduction tools, they can lead to further intervention.

Honestly?
Just being left alone 😂🤷🏻‍♀️

My first was a hospital induction. I was poked and prodded, and I swear everyone on the hospital payroll came and stuck a hand up there 🫣🫣

Second and third were planned home births, and I was adamant with my wonderful midwives that as long as everything was progressing as normal and there were no medical concerns, please just leave me alone to get on with it 🤷🏻‍♀️ Which they did!
Nobody asked to check my cervix, nobody touched me at all except for one of them discreetly using a Doppler every 20 mins or so to keep an eye on baby’s heart rate which I was fine with.
I bounced on a yoga ball, listened to music, wandered around the house - just went to my happy place in my own head and pretty much ignored everyone 😂

Epidural, I tried natural for my first one big mistake! He got stuck and i ended up being so hysterical I couldn't breathe gas and air anymore with the pain.
When they gave me the epidural (to lower my blood pressure) a sudden calm washed over me like I was myself again, no pain but I could still push, it was like a switch flipped.
I will definitely be straight in for an epi with my second.