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3rd Trimester
Stefaniepr
member
What helped you through labour?
Stefaniepr
member
I know many FTM's are very worried about labour and i was too when I went through it the first time. A friend told me that during her contractions, her husband timed the contractions and let her know when she was half way through. I remember trying this with DH and it really did help significantly. This way, I knew the worst was over and it seemed to help me get through it.
Anyone else have any other tips to share that helped with labour?
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Re: What helped you through labour?
An epidural!
Breathing thru the contractions rather than holding my breath and counting helped also.
But the epidural helped the most.
med-free birth x2, breastfeeding, baby wearing SAHM
My BFP Chart
Yep - an epidural! All was alright in the world after I got my epidural. Before that I was miserable and puking. Yuck!
Make a pregnancy ticker
Ugh, I puked for about 10 hours in labor too. Then I got the epidural and my nausea went away.
Yep - I never knew I could be physically in so much pain that it would make me throw up.
me neither! My anesthesiologist said that that's how some people's bodies react to pain. After that experience I notice how when I have a really awful headache I get nauseated. I thought that meant it was a migraine, but found out it's just a really bad tension headache and my body reacts with nausea. Lovely!
My husband used this one method we were taught were he would tell me to relax various parts of my body. Focusing on relaxing really helped. Also, calm music, removing the clock, and thinking of non-labor related things helped.
To be honest, though, I think the anticipation of pain makes the contractions worse than they really are. If you don't think about pain and focus on the joy of delivery, it helps. Oh, and laughter really is the best medicine. Keep things light and smile as much as you can!
Warm whirlpool helped for the 20 minutes or whatever that they let me stay in it.
Supportive husband helped so much.
Pitocin definitely did NOT help.
Epidural helped after pitocin.
But the #1 thing that helped me (especially before but also during) labor was thinking that every single person on this entire earth for the last X thousand years has been born through labor. I am not the toughest person on earth, but I am very far from the wimpiest. If every other person has a mother that went through this, then surely I can handle it.
That and the epidural that I didn't want before I went into labor but became my best friend.
For me at the start of labor walking really helped I felt like I was doing something to help labor along, with my 1st I was able to use the tub and that was great, my second I ended up on pit since my water broke at home and so no tub that wasnt fun. But for me the epidural was amazing just when I thought I was too tired and in too much pain the pain went away.
For all of you ftm don't worry giving birth is hard and painful BUT it isn't that bad or anything you can't do! If it was I wouldnt be having my third
Honestly I think making it though the nine months leading up to labor is much harder than labor it's self.
lol the epidural is my answer as well.
Acceptance that your body is not attacking you or fighting you or something is wrong. Your uterus is a big muscle that is working to bring your baby out. When you don't have an epidural your baby will help push their way out too. Walk as much as possible in the beginning and then when it gets worse try using what ever let you drift and relax at home. Music helps me do this. Try no to lay on your back! This can slow down your labor.
BFP: March 22, 2011 M/C: April 8, 2011 @ 7 weeks
BFP: June 29, 2011!!! Crossing my fingers for a sticky baby
LO Born early March 2012 We are so blessed
Stadol. Twice. Then finally the epidural. But I couldn't get the epi until I had already been in labor for 48 hours. But those last 3 hours and 35 minutes were amazingly pain free (yeah, that's 51 hours and 35 minutes) and I took a nap.
Back labor on pitocin sucks enormous hairy ballz.
http://pandce.****/index.cgi#general
1. DH putting pressure on my lower back during contractions
2. Breathing techniques
3. Quiet
4. Sheer stubbornness about not getting an epidural
I felt empowered that I was facing my worst fear- even if I didn't have a choice! For me I just kept telling myself- You're really doing it! It hurts but not as bad as I thought it would. It's easier to be scared of the unknown and I'm not really scared this time around. I know it hurts, I'm not looking forward to that part, but I know it's manageable.
Also, my epidural made me a happy person again!
Telling yourself:
'this too shall pass...'
It'll be a mantra you'll swear by from here on.
Counting.
I knew that contractions lasted 30-60 seconds, so when I felt one coming on, I counted through them. It helped a lot.
thinking of geting my little gurl out .. but yeah every one says their epidural but my did not work at all i felt it all and it was so horrible and im pregnant again and super scared..