What helped you the most in labour?

[RosieMcHue391]

My daughter, husband and an amazing midwife! And a brilliant water birth.

 

[Lewa]

TENS machine! Really helped in the early stages, which gave me strength for the more intense labour pains. Also deep controlled breathing through each contraction. I mostly sat on my exercise ball, or knelt and leaned on it. Being able to move and rock was really helpful. When the TENS machine wasn't effective any more, having my husband massage, or even just put pressure on my lower back really helped. A warm water bottle on my lower back was helpful as well.

One thing I did that I think might have helped speed up labour/dilation was that when my contractions were really strong and painful (no clue how dilated I was as I was at home after being sent back from hospital cause I was only 2cm, but when I came back less than 2 hours later I was 8-9) was to really focus on relaxing my lower abdomen. I was on "all fours" leaning my arms and upper body on my exercise ball, and I noticed that I would often tighten my abs and "hold" my belly during contractions, so instead I tried to relax it completely and let it really be loose and "hang down". It didn't hurt more, but for me it required a lot of concentration. It was good to have something to focus on though, and I do think it was helpful, it felt more effective. I have no idea if it actually is more effective though... For me not having drugs at all and just letting my body take the lead was probably also what made it quite quick. (4 hours from they sent me home from the hospital when I was 1,5-2cm until the baby was born, this was my first baby)

 

[Sleepy sue]

I thought gas and air was awesome, I just didn't take the thing out my mouth lol I was as high as a kite
Having a water birth really relaxed me too def recommend xx

 

[l_maclean]

The tens machine in early bit, it was amazing!!

The pool definitely helped lots, I needed to push before I was properly dilated so ended up getting out for morphine, but that def helped relax things. Xxx

 

[poppypd]

Natal hypnotherapy got me through to pushing stage then gas and air took the edge off the contractions.. If you can have water birth I think it must be nice as when they poured water over my 'bits' during the pushing stage it felt lovely.

Deep breathing and using some visualisations really helped me through and cold flannels, oh and sipping water.

oh and the tens machine worked wonders for me, I used it til i was 8 cm,

 

[smokey08]

Gas and air was fantastic, I nearly ate the tube...I would live to have a canister of that at home lol.
My OH was fantastic, epidural was amazing, although I'm denying myself an epi on my next labour.
So drugs and OH helped me most during labour. Xx

 

[Baguette]

Someone advised me to 'blow away the pain' during the contractions - a controlled breath in then a controlled breath out, as forceful as needed. This was awesome advice up until about 7cm when the epidural was really wonderful!

 

[cosmicgirl]

One word is all you need - EPIDURAL!!!! x

 

[ZMD]

Waterbirth, it helped so much with the pain and was so relaxing, xx

Sent from my GT-S5830 using Tapatalk

 

[Lulabell]

My husband, my birthing ball and blackcurrent lucozade!xx

 

[x_PlaceboDanii]

I have all this joyeous pain to come ..So i think ill be reading this thread often lol!