What helped the most with contractions/ what's in your bag?

KAGPowell

I'm only 4.5 months along but I'm one of those people that likes to prepare so I want to know what helped you the most during contractions. What did you have with you, or bring, if you didn't give birth at home, that really helped to either distract you or power through your contractions? I'm considering bringing some CDs/iPod so I can walk around and listen to music, a hard drive full of stuff to watch, some kind of mindless activity. For me, keeping busy helps me deal with discomfort, not to mention, even though its a birthing center, it's still n a hospital and I don't like being in hospitals (it's like a different sort of claustrophobia type anxiety).

Also, what is the best for counter pressure? I have tennis balls, physio massage balls, lomi lomis, and I think me of those roller stick things (I think its the bunheads one but I've used it on my back before). I've heard rolling pins are good, anyone try this?

Also, other than Chapstick and comfy clothes, which I read in another post are absolute necessities, what sort of "stuff" did you pack? Was there something you packed that was comforting to have around? Based on tose checklists, I guess i should be packing for an earthquake. Did you bring something for the nursing staff? Did you bring your own delivery gown?

rooftop

https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12257188/list-your-pain-management-techniques#latest
Every birth is different so what works for one doesn't always help another. The trick is to have manu options available and see what works for you.
My support people just used hands for counterpressure. I delivered naked but planned a water birth so I have a bikini top in case I wanted it and a bath robe for when I got out. having an easy access waterbottle was great. My camelbak helped me stay hydrated without worrying about spills or lids. I brought rice crispy treats that I made during early labor to distract myself. I also brought a laptop for music and a woodwick candle to focus on.

*LrCg*

I read Ina May's birthing book and it had a ton of birth stories. In one if the stories the woman arm wrestled her husband during contractions. Doing so prevents you from cliching your cervix and causes you to dilate faster. So for my first birth I did it. My labor was 4 hours long. My third birth was 2 1/2 hours. Not sure if that caused my fast births but it was a big relief. I also kept repeating I'm going to get huge meaning my cervix, it was another tip in the book. I never took birthing classes and because of my fast births my midwife always got there at the end so it was just DH and I. For me the best advice I ever got was to just surrender yourself during birth go with it. I had NO clue what that meant prior to labor but during labor it was like a light came on and I understood. The more tense or scared you are the longer or harder it may be. Birth can be beautiful! Best wishes!!

I wanted to edit because I didn't want to send the wrong impression. Many factors go into having a long and or hard labor being tense or scared can be one but not all women with hard and or long labors feel that way, the position of the baby and your body's alignment are HUGE factors. I just wanted to clarify myself better.

KAGPowell

I keep hearing that clenching makes things slow down which makes sense. I'm a fairly tense person to begin with so relaxing has been key for me especially since I'm one of those people that gets tense being n new places or in hospitals/dr offices so finding things that help with relaxing has been one of my goals. I live the idea of candles by my hospital doesn't allow it because of fire hazards and everything. That and the mega lists that are in these websites for what to pack are crazy and the pre packed bags you can get on amazon make it look like a camping trip. I'm really considering just swapping some stuff out of my dance bag with stuff I'll need (clean clothes instead of gym clothes, pillow instead of ace bandages and kinesiology tape, ipad, laptop, book, etc) and hoping that anything else I need, my fiancé can get at the drug store.

other women in my family never packed bags but they also can live out of the same sweats for days and days meanwhile my cousin said the only. Thing. She really brought was her phone. M

sschwege

Exercise Ball-Our hospital had some, but they recommended we bring our own because sometimes they don't have enough

Warm Rice Sock- It's really easy to make and you can take it anywhere

Snacks

Music

Tennis Balls

Big Water Jug-Good for when DH would pour water over my stomach in the bath

For after baby is born I loved having my own robe.  For our second we brought a white noise machine, we all slept better, hospitals are just so noisy!  Would be good for L & D too though!  Oh and I also brought the baby book so they could stamp the footprints. 

No, I did not bring anything for the staff.  I did not bring my own gown, I liked having the option of just tossing it if it got wet or dirty and being handed a new one.  I did wear the hospital gown with my first for a couple of hours while in triage.  Once I got in the bath I took it off and never put it back on when I got out to push.  With my second I never wore it, I was just too hot!

sschwege

KAGPowell said:

I keep hearing that clenching makes things slow down which makes sense. I'm a fairly tense person to begin with so relaxing has been key for me especially since I'm one of those people that gets tense being n new places or in hospitals/dr offices so finding things that help with relaxing has been one of my goals. I live the idea of candles by my hospital doesn't allow it because of fire hazards and everything. That and the mega lists that are in these websites for what to pack are crazy and the pre packed bags you can get on amazon make it look like a camping trip. I'm really considering just swapping some stuff out of my dance bag with stuff I'll need (clean clothes instead of gym clothes, pillow instead of ace bandages and kinesiology tape, ipad, laptop, book, etc) and hoping that anything else I need, my fiancé can get at the drug store.

other women in my family never packed bags but they also can live out of the same sweats for days and days meanwhile my cousin said the only. Thing. She really brought was her phone. M

They make flameless candles, just battery operated but they flicker and look like the real thing!

CLLDLL

For labor: A nurse gave DH one of those huge ice packs to apply counter-pressure. Amazing....yoga ball, warm socks you don't care if they get ruined, iPod with soothing and workout inspirational type playlists, picture of DS1, camera.

For post partum: my own clothes for after shower, toiletries, baby book for foot prints, our own clothes and blankets for baby, sign for baby's bassinet asking for no formula and no pacifier, white noise machine, cell phone charger, nipple cream for BF'ing, nursing tanks.

aylafsu88

For me it was the water. I labored in the tub for most of my birth. The warm water took the edge off the contractions and helped me keep my body relaxed. I labored on hands and knees in the tub so my belly was dropping down into the water. LO was OP so I had back labor. I found that my H/doula pouring hot water over my lower back during a contraction helped with the pain. I delivered in the hospital so driving there and getting checked in when I was in transition was tough. I brought an exercise ball with me and I found that putting it on the bed and leaning on it helped. I also swayed with each contraction and the movement helped distract me.

I brought my own gown but never put it on. In the hospital I wore their gown and I was fine with that. I had a second degree internal tear so I did not move around much for the first few days after LO was born. The only thing I really wanted after I delivered was food. I went into labor at 11 am and delivered at 10:30 pm. I did snack during my labor but I had not eaten a solid meal that day. So the food we brought (Gatorade, sandwiches, chips) was the best things and the thing I needed the most.
At home I used nipple cream all the time and I made my own frozen ice pads for my perineum.

MollyHooper

Counter pressure. I had a lot of back labor So I would have my MIL dig her fists in during contractions. It was awesome.

Breathing helped too, I focused on breathing into the pain and relaxing into the contraction. That helped for a bit.

Another thing that helped, and this is going to sound really cheesy, but I would go through each contraction thinking I would be one step closer to meeting my baby. It actually made me excited for them to come on. Like I said  cheesy but effective for me.

We usually bring donuts for the nursing staff. It's a small country hospital so a dozen is usually fine.

katylady09

I replied in the linked thread, but wanted to add. As far as music goes...I don't think I would have even known it was on during my first labor. I was so focused on breathing. We did have the room really dark though, I can't imagine going through labor with bright lights on. (They turned them on when I was pushing--awful!) I had back labor and my husband and doulas hands pushing on my back were the only types of pressure that helped. I ate throughout labor--kind of shocked I got away with that one--juice, cereal bars...and pizza

 

I read all of the threads about how to not bring too much stuff to the hospital and I still brought too much! This time around I will probably bring 1-2 outfits for baby, 2-3 outfits for me (nursing tanks, a hoodie/sweater, and yoga pants. And then all of my getting ready stuff (showering and putting on makeup in the hospital was divine!), and socks. Lots of socks. They have pretty much everything else there--diapers, wipes, swaddling blankets, lanolin, huge panties, pads, everything. And cameras/phones.

 

We brought gifts for the nurses but ran out. I LOVED every single one of my nurses but I have a special place in my heart for the L&D nurse who was there until I delivered. I did the pinterest gift with a starbucks cup stuffed with tissue and a $5 gift card.

KAGPowell

katylady09 said:

I replied in the linked thread, but wanted to add. As far as music goes...I don't think I would have even known it was on during my first labor. I was so focused on breathing. We did have the room really dark though, I can't imagine going through labor with bright lights on. (They turned them on when I was pushing--awful!) I had back labor and my husband and doulas hands pushing on my back were the only types of pressure that helped. I ate throughout labor--kind of shocked I got away with that one--juice, cereal bars...and pizza

 

I read all of the threads about how to not bring too much stuff to the hospital and I still brought too much! This time around I will probably bring 1-2 outfits for baby, 2-3 outfits for me (nursing tanks, a hoodie/sweater, and yoga pants. And then all of my getting ready stuff (showering and putting on makeup in the hospital was divine!), and socks. Lots of socks. They have pretty much everything else there--diapers, wipes, swaddling blankets, lanolin, huge panties, pads, everything. And cameras/phones.

 

We brought gifts for the nurses but ran out. I LOVED every single one of my nurses but I have a special place in my heart for the L&D nurse who was there until I delivered. I did the pinterest gift with a starbucks cup stuffed with tissue and a $5 gift card.

This is what I'm afraid of! My hospital/birthing center will discharge you early if you feel up for it so I'm afraid I'm going to show up with this duffle bag of crap. I'm only bringing 1 outfit and maybe 2-3 plain onsies for baby, blanket, pillow, yoga crops and shirt and a nursing bra for me. I already have my toiletries and a spare change of (clean) clothes in my bag already so I figure I would leave that where it is. I'm hoping this is just right as far as clothes and stuff goes.

gww1313

The tub was a life saver for me during contractions at the hospital. I was in the water for about 2 hours. We also had music on and I did a lot of visualization throughout my labor.

I brought snacks and drinks for myself and DH, We were starving after I gave birth and vending machines were our only option at 4:30a.m.
I also brought tons of clothes that I never wore, I usually love leggings and yoga pants but ended up only wearing oversized pj pants and sweatpants. I didn't want to wear anything that was tight or clingy, especially with the HUGE pad and mesh underwear you have to wear.

mysticl

I packed a nursing bra, nursing pads, some toiletries, hair ties, a going home outfit and blanket for the baby, a spare receiving blanket to get the baby's scent on to give to the dogs before we got home, camera, phone, chargers, a book.  I didn't even bring extra clothes, I just wore the same thing home that I was admitted in.  If I have another child I will pack something to wear after the delivery. I absolutely hated that hospital gown. 

I did not bring anything for the nursing staff.  I am a social worker and at a previous job we were prohibited from accepting gifts, it was considered unethical.  As a result I would never dream of giving a gift to another professional.  

If you have heartburn you should pack some Tums or something.  I have reflux and am on a prescription.  I didn't take my medication to the hospital because I expected them to write an order for it.  When I asked for something because I was in agony I was asked if I had brought tums with me.  Your hospital may not want you to take medication from outside the hospital but it won't hurt to have it with you in case you are expected to bring it like I apparently was.