Gas and air?

On May 11, 4:43 am, "Lucy-lu" wrote:
I just wondered if any of you have managed to labour and deliver
without anything?

I did.

I will say, though, that I had exactly the experience that was
described in my natural childbirth class: things were getting really
painful, and there was one contraction in particular where I
*seriously* considered asking for meds. The very next contraction I
was "pushy," and way too busy to think about drugs anymore. IOW,
transition was the worst part. Not everybody is going to be textbook
that way; but that's how it worked for me.

Liz
mom to Emily (5/25/2004)

On May 11, 7:29 am, "Welches"
wrote:

I think Sue says it all here. My 2nd birth was much much easier (and less
medicated and no stitches either) all round. I'm hoping the third is even
easier.
Debbie- Hide quoted text -

I also agree with Sure. I didn't think my first birth was that hard,
but the second was by far easier -- easier and shorter! You can't
underestimate the positive effects of a shorter labour.

Not sure about the stitches -- I had very minimal tearing both times.
I think it's mostly due to the position of both the mom and baby
first, plus your skin's natural elasticity. Not sure how much the
whole massage thing helps if you don't have the other factors on your
side.

Elle

Gas and Air is very rarely (if ever) available in the US, so many people
deliver without it.

In antenatal classes, we were told that gas and air disrupts a good
breathing pattern as they were saying getting a really deep out breath was
helpful, I would kind of agree, but gas and air helps more imho!

I didn't use it with my first, though I did get an epidural, I did go a long
way without it.

With my 2nd, I was glued to the stuff, again, epidural, planned in advance
due to severe musculoskeletal issues, whilst waiting for it, because of
those issues and back labour, I wasn't coping anyway, though I was trying
very hard, I'd get through about 2/3 of the contaction on gas and air, then
scream. As my delivery was very painful in my joints I ended up using the
gas and air again towards the end, I couldn't push with it, but would breath
it between contractions.

I do wonder if there would be less epidural use in the US if this was
available, not everyone used it in "natural" childbirth in the UK, but it's
a moderate proportion.

Anne

I also agree with Sure. I didn't think my first birth was that hard,
but the second was by far easier -- easier and shorter! You can't
underestimate the positive effects of a shorter labour.

I think that very much depends on whether it's a build up, or hit with a run
away train, I can definitely see that if it builds up and you are dealing
with each one, but it's hard work, that shorter over all is a significant
advantage, but some short labours can be incredibly intense and with no
warning have contractions like transition - I know mine was worse as it was
back labour, but I literally started at transition, I honestly don't recall
coping with a single contraction, so it wasn't really a case of being able
to get through it if it was short enough, I never had time to work out how
to cope and I know other precipitate labour mums who have had the same
experience, that you never have chance to cope, and that if you make it
through without pain relief, is not a positive experience, just that it
wasn't available.

Anne

"Lucy-lu" wrote in message
...
I just wondered if any of you have managed to labour and deliver
without anything?

Yes. I did it without anything at all the second and third time. With my
first labor I had a little bit of stadol.

Just wondered how you got through it. I'm not planning a water birth or
anything like that as pain relief, Last time, I spent the weeks before
trying to imagine my body, and where the baby would be going and how it
would happen, and I think that helped a lot - did anyone do this kinda
thing?

Yes I did that too. I found the tub to be immensely helpful with pain
management. I focused inwardly like you describe. I did a lot of
meditating on the fact that my body was doing what it was suppose to do.
There wasn't anything wrong, all was going perfectly. I envisioned my body
contracting and the baby descending like out of a turtle neck sweater I
had a nurse the second time that was fabulous. When I got a little panicky
she was able to help me calm down and regain my focus. It made a big
difference. That was for my second. My third labor and delivery was really
fast - no time for all that jazz .

I hear ya on the stitching - absolutely horrid. I had stitches all three
times but it was less each time and each time the recovery was
better/easier.


--
Nikki, mama to
Hunter 4/99
Luke 4/01
Brock 4/06
Ben 4/06

That was for my second. My third labor and delivery was really fast - no
time for all that jazz .

so what did you do, did you do nothing, yet not find yourself screaming? or
was there something that you did or thought about, I'm not expressing myself
well, I mean you must still have had to do something, unless you were
freakishly lucky to just be able to say, oh, that's another contraction, how
lovely. Are you meaning that is was fast, but not more intense, so you were
able to do the same things, but it never got to the point where you needed
lots of help and encouragement to do those things, or find those things hard
work. Or was it still hard work, but it was obvious things were imminent so
excitement came first.

I recently read a 5th birth story and she says something like, I got to a
point where in previous labours it had marked 2hrs to go and it was when the
real hard work began, but too my surprise I then had the urge to push,
something like that, as if transition had shrunk to a couple of contractions
rather than a couple of hours. I've had short labours, but they were
entirely transition none of the early bit, I'm not just saying that because
they were tough, I had all the physical symptoms, the vomitting, the
shaking, the yelling that I can't do it etc.

Cheers

Anne

On May 11, 10:43 am, "Lucy-lu" wrote:
Hi all

Just a little opinion poll really...

When I had Jessie, I only had gas and air, but apart from the very last bit
of delivery, I wasn't really in that much pain. I wanted the gas and air
purely to help me to remember to breathe - my problem being that I kept
seeming to forget, and having a breathing thing in my hand and mouth seemed
to help!

Next time, I'd really like to be as gas free as possible.TBH, I found it
most useful for calming during the stitching (which I hated every minute
of!). I just wondered if any of you have managed to labour and deliver
without anything? Between me & DH now, I think we've got the breathing etc
sorted. Obviously, I'd like it there for back up, but if I can do without
then that would be great. Just wondered how you got through it. I'm not
planning a water birth or anything like that as pain relief, Last time, I
spent the weeks before trying to imagine my body, and where the baby would
be going and how it would happen, and I think that helped a lot - did anyone
do this kinda thing?

Thanks

Lucy x

With my first, I had something that they gave to me, but it just made
me woozy and had probably worn off by the time I was ready to push.
The pda didn't work because I have scoliosis. I did manage to keep
from screaming by gritting my teeth (which made it harder to breath,
but I accomplished that, too). I did get up and try to get some relief
that way, but they made me lay down after that last contraction
because apparently I was ready to push. That was the worse part - the
first push, like my body being ripped apart. But I guess that it
wasn't that bad, because the midwife was telling me to push, that I
only had one more push to go. I just had to breath very badly, so I
stopped to do so before the one last push. I don't know if that was
painful or not. I only remember the baby being put on my chest and me
being afraid to let him go because I didn't want him to fall on the
floor. I really felt that weak. But the needle of the episotomy
brought me back enough to scold the doctor for not anesthetizing that
area (it was a real relief to be done, and then comes another stinging
pain? That was uncalled for IMO). I was happy about the baby, but I
was just so tired, that I was glad they put it in the "baby room"
until some really early hour in the morning. I was supposed to walk up
to my room from the Entbindungsstation (birthing station?), but I
suppose I was too tired or unresponsive, because they gave me a wheel
chair, instead.

I'm looking forward to a better experience, this time. I'm going to go
give them my list and make sure I can use the tub. or at least a
squatting chair. I'd be really happy if I didn't have to have an
episiotomy this time.

"Anne Rogers" wrote in message
. ..
That was for my second. My third labor and delivery was really fast - no
time for all that jazz .

so what did you do, did you do nothing, yet not find yourself screaming?
or was there something that you did or thought about, I'm not expressing
myself well, I mean you must still have had to do something, unless you
were freakishly lucky to just be able to say, oh, that's another
contraction, how lovely.

Hee Basically there was just no time to give it much thought. I managed
to go from start (water breaking - no contractions) to end and deliver two
babies in under two hours.

My water broke at 1:30am. I dawdled around until 2am trying to figure out
if that is what happened. I started to get things in order to go to the
hospital then and contractions started. They were not bad, I was still
questioning it even. By 2:30 they hurt and I was rushing my dh and aunt to
get it in gear. We got to the hospital at around 2:50am. I had to wait in
the car for a contraction to end before I could go in but I could talk
through it. By 3:10 I was already in the hospital gown and doing the stupid
intake questions with the nurse. It hurt pretty decent then and I could not
talk through them. I said I had to go to the bathroom (ding ding - this
should have been a clue!!) She let me go and I was in the bathroom and I
remember telling Steve that there is no way I could endure 3-4 more hours of
this and I wanted some STADOL, lol. A contraction hit, I reached down and
felt a head and said - this baby is coming NOW. He nearly fainted, nurses
started screaming in the hall, and finally Ms Save the Day Nurse arrived and
so did Brock. Got up, went back to bed and Ben arrived 8 minutes later at
3:25.

Fun times. No meds, twins born on the bathroom floor!, they were big too
(7lbs 10oz and 8lbs7oz), nursed them, went home the next day. I saw the
original nurse a couple months ago and I think we are still the talk of the
hospital. It is a small hospital though She was a very young and new
nurse. I'm sure she'll never let someone go use the bathroom again without
checking them first, lol.

--
Nikki, mama to
Hunter 4/99
Luke 4/01
Brock 4/06
Ben 4/06

My water broke at 1:30am. I dawdled around until 2am trying to figure out
if that is what happened. I started to get things in order to go to the
hospital then and contractions started. They were not bad, I was still
questioning it even. By 2:30 they hurt and I was rushing my dh and aunt
to get it in gear. We got to the hospital at around 2:50am. I had to
wait in the car for a contraction to end before I could go in but I could
talk through it. By 3:10 I was already in the hospital gown and doing the
stupid intake questions with the nurse. It hurt pretty decent then and I
could not talk through them. I said I had to go to the bathroom (ding
ding - this should have been a clue!!) She let me go and I was in the
bathroom and I remember telling Steve that there is no way I could endure
3-4 more hours of this and I wanted some STADOL, lol. A contraction hit,
I reached down and felt a head and said - this baby is coming NOW. He
nearly fainted, nurses started screaming in the hall, and finally Ms Save
the Day Nurse arrived and so did Brock. Got up, went back to bed and Ben
arrived 8 minutes later at 3:25.

I get it, sounds like you mostly got the early phases of how the usual
progression is, which if you're going to have a short labour is by far the
better way than if you jump right in at transition. I think that may be a
more common with 3rd or more, I doubt it's something I'll get to experience
personally - that's a slight regret for me, I've had an induced labour and a
back labour, I'd like to experience normal!

Anne

"Anne Rogers" wrote in message
I get it, sounds like you mostly got the early phases of how the usual
progression is, which if you're going to have a short labour is by far the
better way than if you jump right in at transition. I think that may be a
more common with 3rd or more, I doubt it's something I'll get to
experience personally - that's a slight regret for me, I've had an induced
labour and a back labour, I'd like to experience normal!

I was 5cm for a few days before my water broke so I was half way there
without a twinge . I think *that* is the way to go...and I'm sure being
the 3rd time makes a big difference. I think the last 10minutes was
transition (I just didn't know it) and the first half was no big deal at
all. I hope things work out for you! I always think "I'll get it right
next time" and while each experience has been better I still don't feel like
I got it right! I think I'm all done practicing though


--
Nikki, mama to
Hunter 4/99
Luke 4/01
Brock 4/06
Ben 4/06