Hey Sarah,

With Olivia I went into the whole thing thinking "I will take anything they offer me, just as long as I can get her out safely & healthily"!

I laboured a home for a fair while, just pacing round the house, and when I got to the hospital it was a lot more intense and I found that rocking my hips and doing a mini jog on the spot whilst leaning over a bar fridge was helpful.

The shower (very hot) pummeling onto my back as I leaned forward in the bathroom (I felt my contactions totally in my back) was great, and I think I was in there for hours!

I did ask for some pain relief when I saw my OB, but by that stage I was 9cm dilated and he said "Too late for that!"

Once I was in the delivery room I had music which did distract me, & I also rocked on a fit ball: that hip/pelvic rocking movement really helped!

So I did it all naturally with no pain relief, but next time round, again, I shall be happy to take anything they have got, again, as long as I can have a healthy baby in my arms at the end of it!!

Best of luck sweetie............