How did you cope with contractions?

[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

[Lulu]

I was singing a weird little ditty called "I can do this - yes, I caaaaaan ow, yes I caaaaaaan. I can do this, I AM doooooooooiiinnng thiiiiiis, I can do it"

Worked a treat!

[Arcadia]

I had my sister rub a HOT heat pack on the small of my back in between contractions, and then when they started ramping up a bit, I walked up and down the hallway and stomped my feet and moaned.

The only ones I felt were really challenging were the early ones before I had slipped into that labor haze iykim...after that I can't really remember them.

[mbear]

I had a old blue t-shirt in my maternity bag with DD#3 labour, i dont know how i got hold of it, but every time a contraction came, i would bury my face in this t-shirt....it worked.

[Lisa]

I stomped my feet a lot... it seemed to take the focus away from the contraction and to me it felt like the pain would disappear down my legs each time I stomped.

[Inertia]

I was singing a weird little ditty called "I can do this - yes, I caaaaaan ow, yes I caaaaaaan. I can do this, I AM doooooooooiiinnng thiiiiiis, I can do it"

Worked a treat!

LMFAO! I have to try this! At the very least it will amuse the kids! If they are home that is.

Personally I just bent over, breathed a lot and kept telling myself that it will be over soon. I was exceptionally proud at how much of Harrys labour I coped with at home. I arrived at the hospy in transition and he was born 15mins later.

Oh, and I bit down on the handle of my hairbrush, haha. DH bought me a new one after I had baby because it had big gouge marks in it.

[Fleur]

I had gas and I bit on the mouthpiece a lot towards the end, I didn't care about the gas, something to bite on was great. Heat packs, shower, and vocalising...not that I planned that , just that I remember moaning etc & the midwife saying things like, 'that's great, go with it, you're labouring very intuitively' etc (really? clever me! I had no idea!) FWIW I agree with Alibaby re the supportive partner/ midwives etc BIG help it made me feel like 'I can do this'.

[Julie Doula]

Check out how this mama coped with contractions! Whew! Most of it is in French, but the few English sentences are so powerful and beautiful:

Dailymotion - Naitre_enchantee - a Vie pratique video

The things that are going to enhance the release of your endorphins are going to help the contractions be more manageable. Such as:
* dark, quiet room
* relaxation
* rhythmical movement, rocking, swaying, stepping, breathing
* warmth
* no disturbance or interuptions
* allowing yourself to drift away with the surging hormones
* massage
* water
* staying well hydrated and fed with nourishing food

I remember one birth i supported, when I arrived the mama was kneeling on her bedroom floor and she was already having a hard time with the pain and feeling gah I can't do this, get me to hospital! I knew if we went so soon it would set her up for intervention and I knew she did not really want that. So ... what could we do to help her get through?

I talked to her and suggested she try getting up and moving, I said, it won't hurt *more* if you move. She ended up pacing up and down her house like a caged tiger, holding a wheat pack one in front and one behind. That rhythmical pacing seemed to help her much more than being stuck still in one position. When that stopped helping, she went in the shower with her dh, and that worked for her for about half an hour (until the water ran out!) I was amazed how she went from really being stuck and 'over it', to ebing able to labour at home nearly another 4 hours before we left for the hospital. She was 10 cm when she arrived at the hospital!!

One more tip, I think Labour Ade is worth a try, because the calcium in it is supposed to help with pain management, and also when you're dehydrated you cope less well - when your fluid & electrolyte balance is good seems like you cope better.

If you plan to labour at home, I think a birth pool or deep spa or bath is a huge help.