Successful labor and delivery suggestions and advice...

MyLove2

I'm getting nervous about the labor and i'm only a week away....also meaning I could have her at any moment.
Any advice that can help me with having a successful birth.
Thanks in advance.. 8->

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SaraS

I think knowing your choices and what you want-epidural, natural, breastfeeding-important. Also being willing to be flexible is helpful. You may change your mind during labor or medical complications might come up.

Good luck!

Babyluv

Yes^^^ agreed labor at home as long as you can! I wish I would've waited even longer...actually everything homebirthadvocate said was awesome. Also just relax...breathe! It was helpful to me to think a ton of woman have done this before me and a ton will do it after! Just relax and stay focused on the end...a beautiful baby girl! You're gonna do great!!

Fate

Listen to your body. Connect with baby spiritually. Control your breathing. Laboring on your back stalls labor so avoid that position if you can. Groan, moan, scream if you want. Push with your bottom! Not your tummy!

MyLove2

@fate Not to sound stupid but how can you push without using your tummy??

Fate

Like you're taking the biggest poop of your life.

victoriarenee

What's the best indicator that I should go to the hospital? If I want to labor at home as much as possible, when should I go in to the hospital? I obviously wouldn't want to have baby in my car lol
@HomeBirthAdvocate
@BabyLuv

MyLove2

@fate Perfect example thanks :-D

MyLove2

@victoriarenee My SIL that has two kids now told me I should wait until the contractions are like 2-5 minutes apart before I head off to the hospital....i'm not sure if that's accurate though..

Fate

You're welcome!

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Babyluv

@victoriarenee All I know is with your 1st labor is long...I went in when I was 4min apart for a few hours and I was only at a 4 when I got there. Baby didn't come till the next day lol. Then they stuck me on pitocin which just seemed to slow it down even more. Like homebirthadvocate said you will definitely know! I would say just stay for as long as you can handle the pain.

LittleFae

I also say labor at home as long as possible. I waited until I felt pushy, went in and had my lo 45 minutes later. (Of course our hospital is only five minutes away).
I knew to go in when I could feel myself pushing, my body was doing it not me. Its just a feeling that comes over you, its hard to explain but you can't miss it.
I also labored at home for five hours after my water broke. I could feel my lo moving between contractions, and my water wasn't discolored or smelly so I knew it was safe for me just to stay home and relax.
My labor was 9 hours start to finish and I know it was because I stayed home, in my own environment, able to eat, sleep, use the bathroom, get into the shower, use the birthing ball, lay in what ever position I wanted too without a bunch of nurses bother me.

Good luck and congrats!

MyLove2

Thanks!! My SIL said the same thing @LittleFae

0utlaw_Sphinx

Listen to your body, it knows what to do. Do what feels best to you. My midwife was big on individuality. I ate, walked around, joked, played on Fb.. lol, a night and day difference from my first birth. The student nurse couldn't believe how calm I was through everything especially without any form of pain med. I will say that for me..when the contractions were moving my son into the birth canal I would start to panic when the contractions didn't seem to end where I thought they were supposed to. Try to remember that time is perceived differently during labor and use whatever you can to calm yourself. Lol, I was the special brand of crazy that talked herself out of her panic mode. My husband joked that I didn't need him at all for the second birth.

sehra4177

I waited all day to go bc with the previous son they told me to go home. Only to go back two hours later with his head pretty much popping put. So I waited til they were five min apart. Got there at 8cm. Just make sure if you want an epidural not to wait too long bc I couldn't with my two year old. I liked natural so with the recent pregnancy I decided to go natural. The contractions were so bad towards the end I almost gave in. Luckily I had a great nurse who reminded me to breathe which helped so much. So don't forget the breathing, you wouldn't think it helps that much but it does. So make sure whoever is coaching knows that. My fiancee kinda was just holding my legs and forgot lol. But all in all just make sure you don't forget to breathe drink water if you can or chew ice, if you're allowed to. Don't worry if you poo on the table bc majority of women do...its normal. Good luck:) its all worth it once you get to hold that beautiful gift:)

Wilsomom

Once I hit 8cm/transition it's over in 15 minutes. My last baby the doc barely made it in the room & they didn't have time to set up my bed with the stirrups or anything. I usually go to the hospital too early bc I'm afraid I'll hit transition on the way there lol. And I definitely agree with the breathing...it makes a HUGE difference. Idk why, but it does!

LeviLuv8

Get the epidural. Lol. Actually I had contractions 3-4 min apart went to the hospital at 3am got a shotin my arm for pain can't remember what it was called, but it slowed my labor down to contractions to 8 min apart. So I got sent home at 8am. Had my 40 week check up that same day at 2pm and got sent back to the hospital at 3... Got my epidural at 630, was 10cm at 1020, but with complications of him facing face up I didn't delivery until 146. I just recommend epidural it barely hurts. However it sucks to feel paralyzed.

MyLove2

@sehra1477 I always wondered about that, pooing while delivering lol...

stephforever89

Drink lots of water before u go in. I remember being so thirsty. Not being able to dink anything. I didnt so epi which i wish i woukd have but at the same time i glad i didnt.

stephforever89

Dont be afraid to ask for pain med or stool soffners. I sure did i was scared to use the bathroom after giving birth

trixiesmom8

I'm with @babyluv8 I'm all for the epi but I don't handle pain well and didnt want to feel every little thing like done women. I went in because my water started to leak. I was still 5cm when I got there, after an hour of waiting to see if my contractions would get more intense, they didn't so they put me on pitocin for an hour. Then I got my epi and then the doc broke the rest of my water. By the time she broke my water to the time I started pushing it was only 2hrs and fifteen minutes. My whole labor was 5hrs from the time I got to the hospital to the time she was born so not all ftm's have long labors.