Pushing for First Time Mothers

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Julie this article was so valuable, thank you so much for sharing.

I love the section about art and the shaping of the head. I'm printing it out and taking it to my next birth.
It describes so much of what i was unsure of when i was in labour. In fact it now makes me realise that I knew exactly what my body was doing, and that i was in complete control.
It also makes me realise how damn thankful I am for who was such a wonderful midwife.
I barely let her ever come near me, and i never once listened to her telling me to pant, etc because it didn't feel as though I was pushing to birth the baby.
It turns out that I did my labour myself. In the end there was no directed pushing, it was just me, me birthing my baby.
Obviously musn't happen too often as they seemed all too surprised that I had no injuries from my quick and "undirected" second stage (eighteen minutes - so they 'estimated' - i say no more than ten).


Ahhhh...

Typically, the midwife does a pelvic exam at this point to see if the woman is fully dilated and can get on with the pushing now. It is common to find the woman eight centimeters with this scenario. The mood of the room then turns to disappointment.

That's when I asked for my epidural (10pm)... the anaesthetist didn't get there until 11pm and DS was born at 11:08. Next time i at least know what my body is doing when i "need to push".
Because she did a pelvic exam and guess what, only 8 cm (only dilated 1cm in 3hrs at hospital). "First, because it is excruciating for the mother." Certainly is.

The rectum will tell you a good deal about where the baby's forehead is located and how the dilation is going. If there is no rectal flaring or distention with the grunting, there is still more dilating to do.

That's when the an. left the room. About 2 minutes after he walked in. It's also how my mid realised i was about to have the baby. 2 contractions on all fours, 2 on my back. Woohoo.


ETA - Ren I didn't think to check out hospital policy. Is that something you knew beforehand or not until it was happening?