I'm due in 3 days and looking for labour advice.

I am planning a home water birth, with tens machine early on and gas and air/water pool for later on but I'm also reserving the right to change my mind and move to hospital for every drug availble, once I actually understand how painful labour is going to be !!!

Anything a first time mum should know or buy !?!

Im wondering if any first time mums ever had a short labour..the shortest I know of was 12 hours..
You might be opting for the hospital move!

The most important thing i did was put total trust and faith in my midwife, listened to what she was saying etc and i managed to give birth to my son without tearing or grazing and he was 8lb 15oz!

Good Luck and make sure you come back to post pictures of your little bundle!!

Just breathe, you will know how to do it when the time comes, and go with what your body decides to do, don't be scared or fight against it.

I had a home birth with my daughter and was in the bath right until her point of exit! I had gas and air on hand but didn't use it in the end.

Also, when the baby's head is "crowning" hold it for a few seconds and let your body adjust, that way you won't tear, unless of course you are advised otherwise.

i had just gas and air with my second and would do that again yes it hurts there is no point saying it dosent but id do that all over again IF i have another i would love a water birth but with gas and air good luck what would you like to have? i didnt mind as long as it is healthy.

Dont have pethadine it makes you and your baby groggy not good, good luck im looking forward to my 4th labour in about 12 weeks, am having it in hospital as i dont want to have to get up in the middle of it and make my husbands tea or wash the dishes. i want peace and quiet for a few hours.

Arghhhh all these stories! I am due with my second in three weeks!!! What tips could I give? If you do go to hospital - take your own pillows and if you have a little fan - one of those too! With my daughter, I was jokingly advised by my local midwife to take pillows in which we did, not really believing her, but just "in case". When I got to the labour suite, it's a good job because there was nothing in there...As far as the fan goes, I was so hot (height of summer) that it was a fight to get a fan on the ward so if you have a little one (or some of that magicool spray) use that...oh and also - Robinsons juice...after all that work, the last thing I wanted was fizzy pop (which is all the machines sell), or plain boring water - which was all that was available so the diluted juice was a godsend (parents had to make special trip just for that!!!).

Finally...I was started to be induced on a wednesday night and finally gave birth on Friday morning. I thought I was being brave not having any drugs and I was sick and delirious with pain...the lesson I learned? I am not going to be brave this time!!!

I'm definitley recomending the gas and air, it's fantastic (in fact it's worth having a baby just to get some).

LOL, my friend with 2 year old daughter told me about 'lovely gas and air'

I am added a pillow and bottle water to my labour bag, I have some magic cool spray stuff already packed.

tinkabel, of course I'll post pictures of our baby...you might have to ask me to stop posting pictures ;)

UpTheBlades, we are just hoping for a healthy baby, we are not bothered if we get a boy or girl. We'll find out soon enough :)

Do you think I should add a bath towel to my labour bag (assuming I go to hospital) or does Jessops provide them, just worried they won't if they don't provide pillows ?

LOL, my friend with 2 year old daughter told me about 'lovely gas and air'

I am added a pillow and bottle water to my labour bag, I have some magic cool spray stuff already packed.

tinkabel, of course I'll post pictures of our baby...you might have to ask me to stop posting pictures ;)

UpTheBlades, we are just hoping for a healthy baby, we are not bothered if we get a boy or girl. We'll find out soon enough :)

Do you think I should add a bath towel to my labour bag (assuming I go to hospital) or does Jessops provide them, just worried they won't if they don't provide pillows ?


They do ask you to take a towel, but will provide you with one if necassary.

Right, I'll add a towel to my pile.

I took a towel, but preferred to bleed on theirs. Sorry, gross, but true. Still, I then had my own, which smelled like home, for wiping my face/snuffling into.

good luck:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

This time last year I was expecting a home water birth but it didn't happen that way - once I was in severe pain, I went into a panic and ended up going in Jessops for an epidural. You sound like you're prepared for anything though ....just try and keep calm. Easier said than done!

Doesnt there get to be a point where its too late to have the Epidural? You have to decide early on in labour weather to have it or not?

Yes, that's right, I think they let you have an epidural if you're not past 6cm dilation. I got to 4cm after only 1.5 hrs in labour (I think it was the speed that made it sooooo painful!) and by the time I got to Jessops I was 6cm, so I only just make it, thank goodness. I still kind of regret it though, as the epidural led onto a spiral of other medical interventions and extended my labour to 11.5 hours.

i was to late for mine was walking round sainsburys geting my partners tea to make shure he ate while i was in hospital.then went to mcdonalds for my brekie was there 10 mins got my jeans off waters broke and there she was

Definately towel and your own toiletries...also - flip flops! I.e. if you want to get in the shower afterwards (which I did within a couple of hours...) I hate walking on public shower floors so take a pair of flip flops to have your shower in!

I know it may sound silly suggesting you take all this stuff, but at the end of the day, it's all packed in a bag, you can leave a lot of it in the car until after the birth (which we did...and other half fetched bags as and when we needed them)...and I am so glad I took the stuff...

I also had a massive birthing gown which doubled up as a sheet for the labour bed...as I found the hospital sheets too rough (although this sort of sounds I am becoming too silly but (with special consideration!) I was induced because of a full body pregnancy rash so my skin was hyper sensitive and to have my own soft cotton "sheet" rather than the hospital stiff whites was better for me!

I'm due in 3 days and looking for labour advice.

I am planning a home water birth, with tens machine early on and gas and air/water pool for later on but I'm also reserving the right to change my mind and move to hospital for every drug availble, once I actually understand how painful labour is going to be !!!
Anything a first time mum should know or buy !?!
----------------------------------------------------
Hi PIF_Tails
I had a planned home confinement and was in labour 23 hours, i did not have any waters to break [nearly 21 years ago]. At the end of it all i had a lovely little baby boy. I only used gas & air for my first and only baby. It is pitty i can not have any more tho'. as i love all babies.
I do not know what advice i could possably give you as the other forum users have all given you good advice, only let your midwife be your guide, listen closely to her and do as she instructs and you will be fine, and do not suck to hard on the gas and air or you will be might feel sick.

GOOD LUCK with the birth PIF_Tails.

Hi Pif - I had exactly the birth you're planning 5 months ago, although I had my baby in the birthing pool at the Jessop (other half too worried about me having first baby at home!) My labour was only 5 hours (which is very quick for a first baby) - the only thing I would point out that wasn't made clear to me is that if you do have a quick labour and a water birth, there can be a fair amount of damage done on the way through and because you're underwater, the midwife can't always see what's going on. Hence you may end up with a worse tear or more stitches than if you delivered out of water. As was the case with me. :)

Heartily agree with Liose's recommendation for flip flops if you do end up at the Jessop - it is SO HOT that you won't want anything else - and that goes for dressing gowns too, anything thick or warm is far too hot in there.

Heartily agree with Liose's recommendation for flip flops if you do end up at the Jessop - it is SO HOT that you won't want anything else - and that goes for dressing gowns too, anything thick or warm is far too hot in there.

I agree it is very hot at Jessops, my baby was born in December, but I was still sweating like a pig. My mum bought me some spagetti strap nighties from Primark for about £3 each, they were really cool, easy to flip the straps down for feeding, and the worst bloodstained ones were disposed of.

Glad I have found this thread. I'm due in 3 weeks time (same as Liose :-) )

I've packed my hospital bag, but I'm sure there are things that I'm missing from it. Anyone have a list that want to share - including the tips like the fan (must find mine little fan out and pack it).

If you'regoing to take any electrical items, you'll have to have it checked for safety bby the hospital works department before you can plug it in. Give em a ring, they should be able to arrange to do it in advance if you can get someone to take it up there.

Hi there, I am logged on as my partners log in at the moment. I gave birth to my first baby two and a half weeks ago. It was incredible... I had a home birth and I was in labour for only 5 and a half hours! I had gas and air but I was already 9 cm dilated by the time it arrived so only had it for half an hour or so before pushing. We had planned to have the birthing pool but labour was so quick that by the time we realised I would need it soon, it was already too late! Yes it hurts but you get a respite inbetween each contraction. Also when you start pushing it doesn't hurt as much and is actually satisfying to be doing something at that stage. You go into a worl of your own when you're in labour, and you deal with the pain because you have to, you can feel strong and in control in labour - it is possible! My biggest tip is that humming during early contractions helps you focus. I don't mean humming tunes, I just mean one long note - you can focus on the sound you are making and before you know it the contraction is over. Later on, the humming becomes louder and more forceful (possibly with some growling!) but it feels really great to express yourself in that way as you go through the contractions. Importantly, stay calm. Oxytocin is the hormone needed for most of labour and if you get worked up and produce adrenalin, the adrenalin actually works against oxytocin and makes labour longer. As you go through the transition phase, your body produces adrenalin. This is when it is easy to get worked up / panic etc, but don't. Just remember that each contraction you do is one under the belt that you do not have to do again. In the days when I was waiting for labour to begin I kept repeating positive affirmations to myself like 'I love my body, my body is calm, I love my mind, my mind is calm'. And kept telling myself that the process is a beautiful and natural one and that I will be so proud of myself afterwards. Yep, so anyway best of luck - sorry about the essay!

Im wondering if any first time mums ever had a short labour..the shortest I know of was 12 hours..
You might be opting for the hospital move!

Stab my eyes out with a sharp pencil... My first labour took 2.5 hours. I was 7cm's dilated when we got to the hospital so no drugs allowed for me.

Take music to listen to when in labour. And take biccies to munch when up in the early hours breast feeding little one.

My only advice to anybody expecting a baby is DO NOT HAVE AN EPIDURAL!!! its the most horrible experience ive ever had, being stuck to the bed for 30 hours and not being able to move (BLOODY AWFULL!!) :mad:

Gas and Air is great though! :D

I had a c -section. It was planned as such (two breech babies) but I went into labour before the date I was meant to go in and I'm glad. It was pretty laid back but I was terrified and I mean absolutely petrified.
After the pain had died down afterwards and I'd had some morphine eventually it became easier to deal with, I was just scared of coughing etc but, to cut a long story short, waters broke 6.30ish, babies arrived 10.13 and 10.15, job done. Scar is tidy, I don't think about it at all anymore and am considering more kids.
So, even if it all goes against your ideal birth, c'sections, even when classed as emergency (as mine technically was as unplanned for that time) are not the end of the world :)

I had morphine and an epidural, slept for about 4 hours of my 5 hour labour after being induced and never felt a thing. Everyone can share there their experiences and individual feelings on things but thats all they are, so you should keep an open mind about everything and just do what is right for you and your baby which only you will know when the big time finally arrives!!

babychickens's 12 steps to a good labour;

1. sack tony blair.

only joking.

1. don't worry, concentrate on relaxing your insides (tense shoulders don't affect how relaxed the bits are that need to be relaxed), and concentrate on breathing - it really helps - no pauses in between breaths, and do them faster than you'd normally breathe.
2. water birth! sounds a wee bit hippy, or so i thought, but just getting in to the pool at the jessop took so much of the pain away it was amazing - i had been on the verge of demanding an epidural, but then didn't need one, so i'm glad i gave the birthing pool a try. i didn't even notice some of the contractions. i found it useful too that as i was sat in a warm pool full of gory bits of my own debris, the larger bits of debris proved useful focal points during contractions. gross, but true. also, for a water birth, i think they have to have a midwife with you the whole time, so you're going to get plenty of attention if you need it. while the one to one midwife teams try to encourage water births as they can usually provide at least one midwife to stay with you, the other non one to one midwives tend to discourage it due to staffing issues, but you should have the birth that you want irrespective of that.
3. if you were sick lots all the way through your pregnancy, chances are gas and air will make you hurl.
4. if you're getting tired towards the end, ask the midwife to tell you when to push and when to breathe. they won't necessarily do so unless you ask them to - something to do with policy.
5. the pain is bearable, you don't need an epidural if you don't want one. paracetamol and codeine together make quite a difference but will leave you falling asleep between contractions. this is no bad thing! codeine will also leave you unable to poo for several days, which is not exactly comfortable.
6. the policy is to stitch second degree tears up, but ask your midwife if she'd have stitches for a tear like yours - often they wouldn't, and i figure they know best, so you can turn the stitches down so it's one less thing to look after.
7. have someone bring you a decent lunch afterwards, the food at the jessop sucks. oh, and lollipops for during - just something for a bit of extra sugar to keep you going.
8. you don't need to scream and shout about pushing a baby out, you're wasting your energy. use that energy to push or breathe instead. unless you really want to shout about it, obviously.
9. have the camera ready for the look on the father's face about 10 minutes after the baby is born! assuming he's still awake, that is.
10. give your fabulous midwife a hug, but don't bleed on her!
11. don't expect to love you baby straight away. apparently some women do, but instead concentrate of feeling proud of yourself that you've just gone through one of the most important events in your life, and succeeded. wallow in your partner's attention a bit, too, that's quite nice!
12. don't worry, it'll be reet! and especially don't worry about losing all dignity, the midwives really don't care, and neither will you once you're heavily into business.

It'll probably be one of the hardest days work you will ever do. No point denying the fact that it is very painful.
I gave birth to my son 9 months ago and im so glad I was in hospital. Ive only ever had a headache or a toothache before so it was a bit of a shock.

The epidural was good. Couldnt have managed without it.

Only thing I wish I had mastered a little more was my breathing.

All the best
x

I had three and half days of slow labour with my first (and ONLY!). The thing that got me through was being able to move around - for the first day I walked through the contractions using deep breathing and pacing round the living room! Then it was warm baths, my sister kept pouring warm water on my bump whenever the contractions came and I tried to visualise the pain as red and concentrate on turning it pink or lilac in my head! Daft as it sounds it worked! My midwife, a young man called Jamie, came up with that and I was that busy trying to change these imaginary colours I forgot how much pain I was in!

All the best to you mums to be. :clap: There's no one perfect way to have a baby - only the way that suits you and feels right for you. Asking for drugs isn't going to make you less of a woman or take anything away from your experience of becoming a mum. Who cares how you get there so long as you and baby are well ?

my wife was due on tues and still no signs she is so uncomfortable now she is looking for any tips to try start her off

A nice chicken bhuna with garlic naan following by a romantic ;) cuddle.. you know what I mean :D

Fox is right.

The only polite way to put it is, think about what put the baby there in the first place, and do that. An old wives tale I know but it does really work! It worked for me anyway!

i chased mine out with a curry, having lost all interest in 'romantic cuddles' by that point.

the midwife said hot bath, hot curry, hot sex.


(semen contains prostaglandin, helps the cervix soften and dilate, and dilating cervix helps the onset of labour).

Yes I remember now babychickens, that there was some scientific reason why it worked. Better than one of those pessaries that are supposed to do the same thing.

These things only work if the baby is ready to come out,
My midwife told me to take a brisk long walk, also have sex but your wife does need to have a big O as it helps the womb contract starting things going,
:thumbsup:


Good luck

A brisk long walk helped me with the last one - walked around Bradway woods/ golf course then the next day had the baby:D

Big O not strictly necessary, but I would imagine would be most welcome!

Hot food, hot bath, hot sex.

Failing all the above, try a "cervial sweep". It worked for me within 12 hours. Not very comfortable to have done but certainly works.

Edit: I was 16 days overdue at the time though.

After driving a tractor my mother went into immediate labour and popped one out in a short labour time of 1 hr.

So the answer to your problem is to get your wife joy-riding at your nearest farm yard.

wonder if any of our suggestions worked :P

people mentioned before good session in the bedroom worked for me and the ex with our last child she`d had acouple of mothers ruins (gins) as well it was new years eve the midwife said they`d helped along with the spicy food only took a hour or so bang came out number 3

It can be dangerous to induce your own labour. Trying to induce yourself could lead to severe complications that result in a very difficult delivery, c-section or even damage to you or the baby. Your body will know when it is time. You can do light walking, drink raspberry tea, have intercourse and eat spicy food but if still nothing just let mother nature decide when the time is right!

:)

Raspberry leaf Tea/Tablets worked for me! Labour was pain free also!

personally i found raspberry leaf tea/tablets were just too scary - i started taking them at 36.5 weeks, and stopped after 3 or 4 days as the contractions i started getting were incapacitatingly strong. turns out they were more painful than the contractions i had during labour...maybe they did their job and helped my muscles get really effective, but i doubt it as i was taking them for such a short time.

Raspberry leaf Tea/Tablets worked for me! Labour was pain free also!
:gag: :gag: minging! I tried a sip and binned the lot

Fox is right.

The only polite way to put it is, think about what put the baby there in the first place, and do that. An old wives tale I know but it does really work! It worked for me anyway!


Yep that got me started too, 100% sure that it will work.

Raspberry Leaf tea does NOT induce labour. It is for use in later pregnancy to help prepare the body for labour, and is meant to help provide a less painful, shorter labour. But only through regular use (is it 3 cups a day? something like that) over several weeks. It can give you more Braxton Hicks contractions, and that is why it shouldn't be used until the later stages of pregnancy.

sorry not got back to you but been busy only tried the curry and nothing happened but at 03.13 saturday morn out he popped
thanks for all the advise

OOOOh- congratulations daz1976, wife and baby son. Welcome to the world little one.

Congratulations, welcome to the world little 'un!

Same old same old, in my day they recommended everything hot then too!

1st one she was a ride down a bumby road - thought would have the adverse effect and just jolt her back up there but no. (she was 5 days late)
2nd one although 3 days late he just started naturally.
3rd one He was only a day late but my pains started and then just stopped but then a good hot curry and an early night as by then the other two were with grandparents seemed to do the trick and he was born the afternoon of the following day!

Nice one daz. What's his name, weight etc etc. Hope both are doing well.

Jim:thumbsup:

his name is Jake and he was 7.6 both are doing fine

I go with what Angiej and Sheesh have said. Tried EVERYTHING, and Felix wasn't going anywhere.

Ended up with a c-section and PND :(

oh and congrats! Welcome to world Jake!

Well, here I am, crying hormonally through the third trimester, as uncomfortable as if I had a large hippo stuck inside of me, everything swollen, heartburn ahoy...and I know I'm not the only one.
Digging about in the recesses of the group, i found this thread. It's got some useful info in it, it gives me a place to complain, and hopefully will bring some of the other preggers women i know are here out into the open for a good old whinge with me. :)

My top tip for birthing is stay upright and mobile as long as possible during the first stage! And upright for the second stage is best too. :)

.

Thanks Henrietta, got a few weeks to go yet myself, though. And staying upright and mobile is already an issue :hihi:

Oh dear :) These last few weeks are the most uncomfortable. Not to mention lack of bladder space, lack of stomach space and being pinned down with the weight when you try and turn over in bed! You'll get there, try and cherish this time being one unit with your little one :D

.

Oh dear :) These last few weeks are the most uncomfortable. Not to mention lack of bladder space, lack of stomach space and being pinned down with the weight when you try and turn over in bed! You'll get there, try and cherish this time being one unit with your little one :D

.

Thanks Henrietta :). I have no intentions of doing this again, so i know I need to relax and appreciate it, take it all in and try to enjoy it - but some days are harder than others :P
Besides, my first one is so soooo incredibly gorgeous, I can't wait to get my arms around this one, too, and have my two boys side by side. :D
(I will never, ever look back on their childhood and miss cbeebies, though:gag:)

Gah!! Uncomfortable :lol: Cosy, uncomfortable is an understatement. When I was in Jessops the other day and we saw each other but didn't know who each other were, you should be happy I didn't stand up. And start going 'Ooooh I can't walk it huuurts'. It just does, really does hurt :lol: Fifteen days to go!! Yippeeeeee!

Yes, that's right, I think they let you have an epidural if you're not past 6cm dilation. I got to 4cm after only 1.5 hrs in labour (I think it was the speed that made it sooooo painful!) and by the time I got to Jessops I was 6cm, so I only just make it, thank goodness. I still kind of regret it though, as the epidural led onto a spiral of other medical interventions and extended my labour to 11.5 hours.

I had my epidural at 9cm but I got stuck at that stage for ages

over 3 hours yesterday we were in jessops for and it was roasting! hopefully that will be the last time until the big day!

Hope nobody minds me bringing this thread back into use but i saw the 1st & 2nd trimester threads and felt left out. :sad:

Im just coming upto 37 weeks now. I feeling so tired all the time (iron not good), feeling fed up of the extra belly, feeling a little lonley and getting little worried (and excited) about the birth(even though this is the 3rd time :loopy:).

Anyway Im due 25th June ad just wanted to know who else is due around this time and how are you all doing/feeling.

Kerry

im due 7th june and feeling excited and erm....excited lol a little nervous as its the first time and fed up cus I can't sleep and can't wait to meet my LO!

im hoping to have a home birth too...am all prepared now!