Drug Free Births
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Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
Forum Description: Want help? Need support? Want tips? Men and women share advice and tips in this supportive community
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=27552
Printed Date: 06 September 2025 at 8:21am
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Topic: Drug Free Births
Posted By: _Deb_
Subject: Drug Free Births
Date Posted: 17 July 2009 at 6:49pm
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Those of you that have had drug free births what did you do to help you through the pain? I had a horrible birth with my son and want to go drug free this time. ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: rachelsea
Date Posted: 17 July 2009 at 7:19pm
Hi  I rocked on a Medicine Ball while watching the rain hehe, was very relaxing. As the contractions got stronger I preferred to be on my feet, so walked between contractions and would stop and lean against the wall and bury my head in my arm when a contraction hit and thinking how I was much closer to meeting my little girl then about an hour before I started pushing, when the contractions were the worst, I was standing up by the bed, then would lean over the bed (they put it up to maximum height) during contractions with my hubby rubbing my back. The hospital midwives were great with telling me I was doing really well and that I could do it without drugs. Then when they told me I was 9cm it didn't seem to hurt anymore (adrenaline I guess?) and I pushed her out in 17mins. I really recommend giving birth standing up if you can, I found the gravity really helped hehe.
Good luck, hope you can get your drug free birth this time  ------------- DD 4yrs DS 2yrs http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 17 July 2009 at 7:39pm
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I had a really, really (really!) intense labour as it was an hour and 45 mins total and transition was less than 10 mins, so I didn't have a lot of time where I needed to manage the pain (altho it felt like hours at the time!).
I had been reading up on active birthing techniques so when things started getting really intense I thought I'd get up and walk around but when I tried that it just made the pain worse. I tried sitting on the toilet too (coz I needed to pee, and I'd read that it can help!) but that was even worse, I could hardly get up! In the end, what worked really well for me was sitting semi-reclined on the bed, pushing against the board at the foot of the bed with my feet as hard as I could during each contraction. It sounds crazy, but I also found wailing during contractions helped (altho it was probably involuntary!) as it gave me something to focus on lol. -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: monster
Date Posted: 17 July 2009 at 7:48pm
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I got a few ideas from the book "Birth Skills" by Juju Sundin and Sarah Murdoch - even though I only managed to read the intro and first chapter before I went into labour, it gave me the right mind set and a few practical skills (will read the whole book next time!).
In the earlier parts I also alternated with standing in the shower, using a wheat pack, my mw did some acupuncture and DH worked the pressure points on my lower back. Later on I used an exercise ball and I spent a fair amount of time in the birth pool, though I gave birth out of the water. Good luck. -------------   
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Posted By: JoJames
Date Posted: 17 July 2009 at 7:57pm
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I didn't have a drug free birth, but one thing I thought would have made it a bit easier would be being reminded of the end goal(baby), because I think I forgot it at times when the pain got too much. Also I agree about being told how well you are doing, especially by midwives.
I found the birth skills book good too and managed to do 12hrs drug free using those skills ------------- http://www.alterna-tickers.com"> 
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Posted By: scribe
Date Posted: 17 July 2009 at 8:00pm
| Acupressure! The MW showed DH where the pressure points on the lower back were and wow, it relieved the pain so much! Poor DH though - if he wasn't applying pressure when a contraction came through I'd scream at him! |
Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 17 July 2009 at 8:13pm
i second both of these - i had a super fast birth and i found wailing very helpful!!! and screaming "HELP ME" worked wonders!!!  
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Maya wrote:Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 17 July 2009 at 8:17pm
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Must ask midwife about acupressure it sounds awesome!
I spent a bit of time in the bath/shower and on hands and knees at home then at the hospital stayed on the toilet backwards, leaning on the cistern with my arms folded , head on arms. I found it so comfy. I had my midwife right beside me the whole time encouraging me and reminding me to breathe, also dh spent a lot of time leaning really hard onto my lower back. |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 17 July 2009 at 8:19pm
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Oh I also found knowing how close I was getting to the end was helpful too, I knew I could cope with it for just that little bit longer whereas with Maya when I was in absolute agony and only 3cm I knew I didn't have the energy to manage without some pain relief. I made my midwife do an internal with lil miss coz I felt like we were getting close even tho she thought it would be hours.
------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: monster
Date Posted: 17 July 2009 at 8:23pm
Yes, definitely! Towards the end of the pushing stage we used a mirror so I could see it all progressing - that was motivating. My mw was super enthusiastic throughout it all too which always gave me an extra boost of energy. -------------
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Posted By: Andriea
Date Posted: 17 July 2009 at 8:28pm
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I was gonna have another water birth but the pool didnt fill up in time so for me the pain was only hidious for the last half hour during that I knelt in the shower with my arms on a stool thing the water going on my back and DH rubbin it. I kept doing that untl samirah was born, pushed for 5 mins, didnt really expect to give birth in that position but it was MINT!!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 17 July 2009 at 8:47pm
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I watched Maya crowning in the mirror and Sienna actually being born in it but with lil miss there was no time. One of my pit crew went to find one but got told off by one of the charge midwives and my midwife was too scared to leave in case she missed the birth lol.
I didn't even see her being born onto the bed as I was flat on my back for an internal staring up at the ceiling when I said "call me crazy, but I need to push!" and then bang, there she was! ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: whitewave
Date Posted: 17 July 2009 at 9:21pm
Oh yeah, I agree with the screaming helping, especially near the end! I'm sure they heard me at the other end of the building! 
Wheatbags are awesome during the first stage, and your support person using hard massage or acupressure on your lower back. |
Posted By: arohanui
Date Posted: 17 July 2009 at 10:55pm
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Acupressure is AMAZING... there's a good thread on here all about it.
Also I have to say it helped me not to scream - I just focused on my contractions and when I had to push I just kinda held my breath and pushed, and relaxed in between. ------------- Mama to DS1 (5 years), DS2 (3 years) and... http://alterna-tickers.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: WRXnKids
Date Posted: 17 July 2009 at 11:01pm
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I got in the pool as soon as i got to the hospital which i think helped a bit and although i had the gas i really dont think it did anything it just gave me something to bite on and made me concentrate on breathing deeply. Screaming for the damn drugs helped a bit too. I didnt get a chance for drugs really my waters broke labour started 30 min later i was at hospital and 4 cm under an hour later i was 10cm and and hour after that josh was born (was only about 10 min of pushing they just held me up cos he presented his feet not his head)
While i wasnt allowed to push and it was too intense to scream (and this will sound strange) i focused on a point on the ceiling and tried to almost burn it with my eyes which helped me almost remove myself from the pain - very hard to explain but i was trying everything i could think of at the time to get out of it -------------   
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Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 17 July 2009 at 11:13pm
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Liz I think Emma was meaning before you get to the pushing bit. I agree it helped.
I had a deathgrip on a vomit bag...while I was hanging over the back of the head of the bed. I think I went through at least 10
Gravity is definitely a huge help. You might find your second birth will go a heap faster. Your body is so much more efficient. For most of the second one I sat on the edge of the bed leaning over holding the chair arm, better a solid thing that a human limb. The MW suggested I get up on the bed as she thought that I might have been blocking his progress. Like Liz, I held in all noise & focused it all downward when I could push. Obviously worked as Alia came out in 22 mins & Cooper just 5mins. Also like Terri, I focused on one thing, chair arm, back of bed, vomit bag, baby's head (yip had the hand in there) Mum & DH were there for wheat bags & massage. I did focus on the massage & the harder the better which I had a contraction. I think it help shift the focus of the pain & shared it with other parts of my body. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com"> 
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: Flutterby
Date Posted: 18 July 2009 at 9:36am
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To tell the truth I didn't really find anything that helped with the pain, just got through each contraction begging anyone who would listen to 'just make it stop' . And if I had the option I would have gone for an epi. But as it was I gave birth is a small country hospital and the only drugs avaiable were pethidine and gas. The gas didn't work and we left it to long for the pethidine.
DP wasn't any help, he just sat there, and passed me my ice bucket when I had misplaced it. One thing I would suggest is to not fight the pain. I think that is what I was doing and why I was in labour for 25hrs and pushing for 4. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: coldfish
Date Posted: 18 July 2009 at 9:44am
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I too had read "Birth Skills" by Juju Sundin and Sarah Murdoch and also read up a little on accupressure. So I went to the hospital with a bag packed with sudoku books, stress balls, a comb to squeeze, and imagined myself walking up and down the corridors counting, plus a bag full of goodies to eat... lol
Nothing turned out like I'd planned, I didn't use a single technique I'd read nor any food either. My labour progressed quickly (this was my first pregnancy), from very start to end was 8 hrs. I had a bath for 2 hrs and when I got out I was fully dilated. Then I pushed for a couple of hours and then it was over. I didn't feel the need for pain relief at any stage. Lying in the bath waiting to fully dilate wasn't that pleasant, but to be honest (and I'm sure there will be people that won't like me saying it but) I didn't find labour anywhere near as painful as I had imagined. When doctors for various (non-labour related stuff) ask you to rate pain from 1-10, well I'd put labour and delivery at around 4 - 5, maybe one or two contractions reached a 6. But then I have experienced back pain a lot in the past which may have conditioned me to accepting pain, and labour pain for me didn't even come close to my past experiences with back pain when drugs like morpheine barely touched it. I'm sure reading Birth Skills and being fully informed about what happens during labour prepared my psycologically though and so I went into it with little fear. So I'd definitely recommend that book to anyone. Everyone you speak to has such a different story to tell and some so easy and some so difficult. Just because it was easy for me I realise that some people have it really tough and complications don't help either, so I'm not against pain relief in the slightest, just that I didn't need any. Also I think that that male MW on the news last week talked absolute bollocks re needing to feel pain to bond. So many people who have had cesareans bond with babies immediately, and even people who adopt form strong bonds quickly. ------------- 
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Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 18 July 2009 at 9:56am
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Wow Debbie!! You lucky thing!
I think that I'd rate Alia's labour pains around a 6 but with Cooper they were definitely up there at about 9. I know I screamed for drugs at one point with Cooper but DH said no you don't want them. I wanted to punch him....all I wanted some gas. But with both kids I wanted the drugs right when I was about to transition which is wear it got "easier" and it was kinda too late anyway. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com">
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: Henna79
Date Posted: 18 July 2009 at 10:11am
| I stood up the whole time leaning on the bed and I think pushing my legs down with each contraction. Mum was holding my hands and talking to me the whole time (which was wonderful) and I used her hands a bit to squeeze and DH rubbed my back. I was pretty lucky though in that I was 7cm dilated before I even knew I was in labor and the pain only intensified when MW had a look up there. |
Posted By: _Deb_
Date Posted: 18 July 2009 at 12:06pm
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Thanks for all the info/advice.
I wanted a drug free birth last time but it sure didn't turn out that way. I ended up being induced with the drip as labour didn't progress after my waters broke, then they attached a monitor to baby's head when i was only 2cm dilated, BEFORE they put the bloody epidural in, so that wasn't very nice, they struggled to get it attached. I really didn't want the epidural but gave in in the end. So i had the epidural in, monitor on baby's head, the catheter in, the hormone drip/drip for fluids. Then when he was born i tore twice, the worst being internal & then hemorrhaged & lost 2 litres of blood, then had really bad vomiting for ages. I was so exhausted by the end i was falling asleep while i was trying to feed my son. One thing i really HATED was when they were putting the antibiotics straight into the lure in my hand before they had set the whole drip up. That was bloody painful, i needed the AB's since it had been hours since my waters broke. Sorry for the novel. lol. I just wanted to show why I'm so determined for things to be different this time. I think things could have been completely different if my labour had progressed naturally. I was so sore and tired by the time i even went to hospital. I had my show 5 days before my son was born & as soon as i had that i got really horrible back pain & irregular contractions which did NOTHING. -------------
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 18 July 2009 at 8:30pm
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I didn't vomit in transition with lil miss, I felt like vomiting and was all shivery and had the cold sweats but I'd been eating chocolate muffins while we were waiting around and I was determined not to throw them up lol. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 18 July 2009 at 9:08pm
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I love this book and totally recommend it! I bashed stress balls together and constantly repeated the "hail mary". I also used wheat bags and the bath and my DH 'coached' me. -------------  
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Posted By: angel4
Date Posted: 18 July 2009 at 10:52pm
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i had a drug free birth with henry. I found being upright helped. I had to lay down twice during my labour for two internals and that was hell. I walked around in between contractions and lent of anything when a contraction hit. When they started getting real close together that i couldnt walk around i leaned over the bed (which they raised to a good height for leaning) and then towards the end when my legs got tired my midwife got me a beanbag for me to kneel on (still leaning over the bed) and thats the position i used for pushing. My birthplan was for a waterbirth but since henry was early i had to wear a ctg (is that the right name - monitor thing strapped around tummy) through all of the labour - i found this very intrusive. I had two showers and they were bliss - would have spent the whole time in there had i been allowed. Mum kept hot towels on my lower back , which wasnt as good as the shower but still helped alot. For some reason saying ouch and grunting helped me lol - apparently i was really quiet though and hardly made any noise at all. Through the whole labour i was very focused - didnt talk much or do much kinda like in a trance, im not sure how this happened but it helped somehow.
One thing that is encouraging - as soon as he was out there was no pain, none and i felt on top of the world lol. I loved giving birth and cant wait to do it again. Bring on december!! |
Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 19 July 2009 at 12:21am
lol Jess! ------------- |
Posted By: caitlynsmygirl
Date Posted: 19 July 2009 at 12:29am
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I had 2 drug free births, C i didn't cope well at all (didn't help that I was convinced it was a big joke and I wasn't really in labour ) I was in the spa bath for most of it, which certainly helped quicken contractions .
This time , the mw told me to lie on my left side in the bath (not sure why , but seemed to work for making contractions consistent ) Then I would breathe through my nose and out my mouth , when the contractions got worse I pictured the labour being over and holding the baby , and I looked at a pic of C , and my late grandma , who i was very close to. Looking at the pic of C , reminded me what I was working towards, that it would hurt ,but the reward was great . It did get to a point where it didn't matter, the pain was too intense, and I just wanted to die , and felt I couldn't go on ,but those techniques worked for some of it . And also I clenched my friends hand, and had DH rub my back during contractions . ------------- 
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Posted By: HoneybunsMa
Date Posted: 19 July 2009 at 10:59am
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I had a majority drug free birth, a shot of pethidine to let me rest as labour had been so long, ended up making me dilate quicker lol. Contractions were thick and fast after that. Found that having DP rub my back helped in the early stages the pressure was great. I didn't feel the contractions in my stomach only my back INTENSE is the only thing I can describe it. I tried walking did NOTHING! Hurting dp and hurling abuse at him was great lol. Having a good support person is highly recommended my DP was so great that he even changed my pad for me in early labour lol. He used a cold damp face cloth to cool me down during the pushing and heaps of encouragement. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: EmDee
Date Posted: 19 July 2009 at 12:45pm
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Acupressure was fantastic (thank you Liz!). I got through most of my labour with Lilia drug free (only use gas at the very end) because of DH applying pressure to points on my back, gripping on to a comb and also being upright through most of it too (until it felt like my legs were going to give way!). ------------- DS 8 DD 6 DS 4 DD 2 |
Posted By: ajmmum
Date Posted: 20 July 2009 at 2:12pm
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I had a kinda drug free birth (gas only near the end)
I was induced, so hooked up to monitors and unable to do much. I lay on my side & used the monitor to focus (and for my support team to focus) - we could see when a contraction was coming & when it was easing off so I could be well prepared, just breathed through each contraction and kept focussed in my mind telling myself that each pain was one step closer to never feeling that pain again! Read juju sundins book & the hypnobirthing book by monagan(?) & although I didnt practice or use any of the techniques I found they left me with the right mindset to get through. Didnt yell out or make too much noise - didnt want to waste the energy... Also, something a friend said to me helped - you're not going to die from the pain. It's finite. It will end. It's one day out of your life. With that going round in my head I managed to keep it together despite being bed bound! ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">  |
Posted By: crafty1
Date Posted: 20 July 2009 at 5:49pm
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I had a drug free birth with my first baby. What worked for me was that i was really determined to have a natural labour and so really psyched myself up for it i think.
To be fair things went pretty smoothly but i did get to a stage where i thought damn if this is going to be another few hours i don't think i can do it without drugs - but turns out that was transition talking and it was time to push. I walked throughout and spent most of the contractions leaning on the bed with DH rubbing my back. I had some affirmations i collected from the internet and used those when i had doubts. I'd been reading them every day in the last few weeks and had convinced myself i could do it! Having been so firm about this my midwife also really backed me up and said you can do this just how you planned. I also had a friend there who had had kids and she was a great support for me and hubby. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: kriss
Date Posted: 21 July 2009 at 10:02am
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I had planned to use acupressure, studied the booklet during pregnancy and taught DH all the points, but forgot all about it during labour!!
I had a pretty textbook drug free labour and birth at Birthcare. The thought of drugs didn't even cross my mind, I was determined to go without (one of the reasons I went to Birthcare). I recommend stretching during pregnancy to help tone your pelvic muscles, and all your muscles in genereal. I got mine from 'Active Birth' by Janet Balaskas ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
Little Angel, April 10
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Posted By: busyissy
Date Posted: 21 July 2009 at 1:33pm
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I've had two drug free births now and basically just because they went so fast. Dom was 3hrs and Issy 1.5hrs. It still the worse pain I've ever been in but I think they way I talked to myself before the labor and births and during made all the difference to me. You have to be positive and encourage yourself and shoot down that voice that says you can't.
I gave birth standing the first time and squating the second, I think that helped a lot as I wasn't fighting gravity. I had DH to hold me up so I just focused all my energy on the baby and what my body was doing. I was very quiet as yelling etc takes a lot of energy and distracts you from your interior dialogue with yourself. The only problem was I was so focused on giving birth I couldn't answer the midwife's questions and when she tried to check the baby's progress I slapped her! Of course, I don't know what I would have done if the labors were longer but I will always try to do it without the drugs because I don't like the thought of the side effects for me and the baby. I hope you have an easier birth this time round and everything goes well. Best wishes! |
Posted By: Stogglebox
Date Posted: 21 July 2009 at 3:10pm
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Go for a water birth! And also variety is good - changing positions, walking around, sitting on a swiss ball - gives you something different to focus on.... ------------- Mother of Natsumi Sarah born on 23 January 2009 |
Posted By: RoSee
Date Posted: 22 July 2009 at 11:41pm
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I only used gas during my labour. At my antenatal class, we were played a relaxation tape by Deepak Chopla, it taught you to concentrate on every single breath, and that if you feel your mind wandering to anything other than breathing to focus. I swear it got me through labour! I lay on the bed with the gas and my midwife would tell me when to start using it (as my contractions were about to begin). I had to have the room totally silent and just focused on my every breath. Also when the pain got so bad I would just think about 'the more pain, the more I am dilating and the sooner my baby will be here!'
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Posted By: maysie
Date Posted: 23 July 2009 at 3:40pm
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Mine was relatively quick due to an induction but I concentrated on the fact that it only hurt during a contraction/whilst pushing (except for the very end which didn't matter cause you're about to get your baby!) and that wouldn't last forever :) Inbetween contractions I probably whimpered a bit about the pain and got ready to cry as I felt them coming on but yeah, concentrating really hard on them helped. I made DH hug me tight and rub my back too. I think the pressure from his hug was a good distraction. But I will definitely use drugs next time if I feel like I really need them! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: _Deb_
Date Posted: 26 July 2009 at 8:12pm
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Thanks ladies.
I'll try to think positively and maybe get a couple of the books suggested to have a read of. -------------
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Posted By: Tastic
Date Posted: 26 July 2009 at 9:45pm
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I only had the gas for the last 20 minutes with bailey - his labour was 3 1/2 start to finish
I also found standing up at the end of the bed with your head/shoulders/chest kinda flopped or resting in a beanbag really helpful! I couldnt have anything touching me especially my back. I just kinda rocked side to side through the contractions and moaning - lots and lots of moaning I hope you get the drug free birth you wanted this time around
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Posted By: ButterflyMum
Date Posted: 27 July 2009 at 9:11pm
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Shower is all i used for Emily till it was pretty much time to push it was great!. Mikey I found really hard had no pain relief not even water, but he ended up coming really quick which was really nice got rewlief pretty quick once he was ready to come. -------------  
 
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