How did you cope with contractions?

[Mummy2Lilly]

Hi Everyone,
Just wondering how you all coped with your contractions? i had really painful contractions through the whole labour but had no drugs ( YAY).. So my whole labour was drug free.. Im just wondering if you all could tell me how to cope for when i have another baby as i want to stay at home longer and not feel as im dying in pain..

Thank you all so much for reading and replying..




Lilly-Jayne Born FEB 2009

[AliBaby]

hmm good thread! I stayed at home for half of my labour and managed by keeping the room quite dark, walking around the house and alot of self- positive talk. WHen I got to hossy and the pain was intense, I said things to myself like, "I can do this", "the pain isnt too bad", "Its okay". I found it helped if I said these things out loud to myself.

Also having a great birth partner and supportive midwives helped. My midwives were saying to me every so often how well I was doing and that they couldnt believe for a first time pregnancy how well I was progressing. Even if I wasnt progressing well I would want them to say this as any negatrive thoughts I think can hinder your labour.

The shower also helpe me alot, hosing my belly and lower back.

I hope that helps and you get the birth that you want

[BekZ]

I usually like to be standing up and when a contraction comes on I close my eyes, breath, and rotate my hips and imagine my cervix opening!! I also liked DH or the midwife applying presure to the small of my back

[Olive]

for me it was breathing through each contraction, nice deep breaths!

[Junglemum]

TENS machine was great. And breathing...

[SweetPea]

Focusing on breathing, thinking of the contraction as a sensation of pressure or tightening not pain, visualising the baby moving down and the cervix opening with each wave. I loved my heat pack and later the shower, the heat of the water on my lower tummy during the contractions was fantastic.

[~Saram~]

I read an article somewhere - probably on here about why labour hurts. It was excellent! By understanding why it was hurting I was able to go with it rather then fight it. In both my labours when things stepped up I wasn't really there if that makes sense. I was focused internally and didn't really have an awareness of what was going on around me. Funnily enough my first labour was atually easier and I think this was because I was alone (DH had to rush home to get things as it was an emergancy induction) whereas in my second labour DH was there and I couldn't get as focused, if that makes sense. I also found vocalising or a rhymic moaning felt really good. Also got to love the warm shower - wow who knew water was so powerful. Good luck, hope you find what works for you

[miss.mestiza]

it's nice to have your partner with you through this. it didn't work 100% effectively, but breath in and out and tell yourself that you can do it. i didn't know what it was like not having contractions, because i didn't have any pain relief until after birth.