What was your favourite, non-medical pain relief?

[chon]

Nope - definitely not massage LOL - it hurt!! But that's what I needed.
:

I know thats what I was doing, I had bruises on my shins and the top of my feet from kicking the chair.

I remember hearing a midwife say to my DP 'shes going to be sore after this'

Its pain transference.

[Antheia]

The bath helped me the most. Especially because i had a posterior labour. I had all the pain in my back aswell as my whole tummy. So having my belly and back submurged in the warm water really helped a lot.

[Adnil]

Chon - yeah - that's it! Glad I'm not the only one! I remember digging my nails into my legs but realised quickly I'd do too much damage, so switched to the hair.

[Willow]

My absolute fave is the bath - instant relief. I won't ever birth out of one again.

Agree 100% with this one!

[Starfish]

I was hooked up to a drip and a monitor so I wasn't able to walk around or have a shower or a massage or anything. The only thing that helped at all were heatpacks on my lower back. Although even that wasn't enough and I ended up having an epidural after about 3 hours...

[Edensmumma]

different things for different moments... in the stages where pain was becoming unbearable standing and "dancing", with my lovely midwife guiding my hips... and then when the pain was hideous, the warm shower, and being on the fitball in the shower.. i was in the shower for 4/5 hours... it felt like less because i was so in the zone with the water...

[Fi]

Funny cause in early labour and the niggly pains I found holding my breath got me through the pain, but when the going got tough, it was definitly concentration, focussing and breathing that allowed me to ride the wave of each contraction.
Heat was good, but there is not heat that can take the total pain away from a contraction! Deep breaths in and out.

[Fruitloop]

I definitely think the best non medical pain relief I found was a heated wheat pack on my lower back. Alessia was in a posterior position, so the majority of my pain was focussed on my back and it was only towards the end, that my stomach became quite tender. By the time I thought to hop in the shower, my ob was in the room, broke my waters, and out popped Alessia shortly after!

[Liviam]

I couldn't have survived with my back rubs and the shower. I also found sitting on the yoga ball was great as I could rock, bounce, lean forward and rest my head on a bed and my DH had full access to my back.

[Yael]

Number 1 would have to be the bath!! Ooh, it was bliss! My hospital had these incredibly deep baths, so i could really sumerge myself, even on my hands and knees, and it really helped with the pain.

Had a shower before that which was also good, must have got in the bath around 6.5 - 7cm, when the shower just didn't cut it anymore.

Otherwise i found talking to distract myself from the contactions good, and counting the amount of steps i could take while pacing the room during a contraction! And finding all the letters in the alphabet on the back on the ultrasound gel bottle - remember that one Kelly??

[RhiChiChi]

I agree with the Bath and cold facewasher on my forehead

[Rachel]

The shower - i sat in the shower on a fitball, leaning forward on the bars for 2 and a half hours. had one forcet over my head and the other one DH was spraying on my lower back, It was fantastic, relaxing and comfortable. definetly go the water!

[Trish]

I will have to say my birth pool. The beautiful warm water just embraced my whole body and relaxed it. In saying that though I found that having great support from my independant midwife really did help me to relax and focus on the job at hand when things got close. Just to hear her voice took me back to the place I needed to be and I was able to birth m baby happily and safely into that pool.

[Cricket]

I know you asked for just one, Kel, but I can't decide between two. At one point in labour, the warm shower/bath was absolutely the best, especially with the handheld shower head, so I could direct it over my belly, or wherever the pain was worst.
Later, controlled breathing was best, along with carefully thinking about the contraction as a wave. It would wash in, cover me, and wash out again. Remembering that it WAS going to wash out and that I COULD make it through was essential. It kept me calm for my second birth. (with my first, I was pretty much panicking from the pain at that point. Should have had a doula. Didn't know that then. ) Second birth went so much better partly because of that. (also because it simply was a little easier, being a second birth.)

HTH!

[Deltadawn]

I'm reading these and taking notes girls ....! Thanks for all your stories.

[Julie Doula]

Walking around outside helped me through first stage. There was something about being close to nature, the waves and wind and trees and water flowing under a bridge, the swans on the lake ... I think the natural surroundings distracted me on one level and helped me feel relaxed and connected on another level. Keeping on the move both kept the contractions progressing as well as helping me deal with them. Being outside gave me the sense of space and freedom to do that. I came inside for the actual birth (second stage) but being outdoors was a balm for me. I'd definitely take a walk on the wild side if I was ever to give birth again.

[bon]

Water! Warm, relaxing, serene.