What should we know during labour?

Question

Hello, can anyone pls share tips what to do during labor. I kind of forget of what to do.
With my first pregnancy, i only prepare for the baby stuffs and all . I dont know how to breathe properly. I used epidural too early at 3cm and by the time i was 10cm the epidural doensg work and i still feel during labor. Should i do exercise to make the delivery better. Any tips would be appreciated thank you!!

Answer

With my first, my platelets were too low so I couldn’t have an epidural. I had an awesome labor nurse who told me to find a spot on the wall and only focus on that until the contraction was over. It really helped me focus and breathe. I found an outlet and stared at that thing all night 🤣 That method got me through giving birth to an almost 10 lbs baby with no epidural so that’s my plan for this one too 😂 My doula also got a rocking chair and yoga ball for me to sit on so I could change things up and that helped. Ice chips helped a lot too.

Answer

My first was a c-section so I did nothing. 😂 (At 40 weeks I was not dilated or effaced and my cervix was high and rock hard)
With my second I tried to prepare myself more and ended up having a successful VBAC. From about 25weeks on (before that I was deathly sick) I would exercise at least 30 min a day doing mostly squats and walking. Then whenever I was sitting it was on a yoga ball (there are a lot of great stretches you can do on there). The last 5 weeks of pregnancy I had 5 dates a day to help soften my cervix. We also lived on a pretty steep hill so I would walk up and down that for about 30 mins. I really think all the prep I did before helped me to have a successful VBAC.
I went into labor naturally at 40w2d. Got to the hospital and I was at a 3 and didn’t get an epidural until I was a 7. The best thing that helped me was holding on to the bar at the end of the bed and breathing through the contractions with my hubs squeezing/rubbing my lower back. Sitting on the ball in between contractions. 
I liked the comment about finding a spot on the wall and focusing on just that - I’m totally using that this time around. 
Good luck Mama!

Answer

Unless you absolutely have to, don’t stay in the bed!! Get up, stand, walk around, bounce on the birth ball, get on all fours, anything but just laying in the bed! Instead of tensing at the pain, try to relax all the muscles you can. Breathe slowly and think of the pain physically leaving your body. Breathe out the pain. Imagine with every contraction, you are closer to meeting your baby.

Answer

With my first my water broke and I was only a 1 at the hospital. One of the things they wanted me to do was walk the halls for 20 minutes, then I was back in bed to be monitored for 20 minutes. Did that until I couldn’t. Asked for the epidural around 4 cm (they wanted to do pitocin since I wasn’t progressing at a speed they wanted), and I ended up being an 8 by the time I got it an hour and a half later. 
I plan to try to labor until at least 5 cm before getting the epidural again as I don’t want to stall labor or require additional interventions. 
Besides walking I liked a heated corn pillow applied to my back with ample pressure by my husband since I was having back labor.

What should we know during labour?

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