https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 09 May 2026 22:35:21 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-156558 Sat, 12 May 2012 09:21:30 +0000 erinpye 156558@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What really helped me is the doctor and nurse were massaging the opening and using oil the whole time so my tearing would be minimal. The nurse would tell me to focus on pushing where her fingers were, and yes, you use the same muscles you use when going #2. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-156530 Sat, 12 May 2012 08:56:54 +0000 Weagle 156530@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep. Pretty much like pushing out a giant poop. But if the doctors and nurses are managing your meds at all they will turn down the epidural so you can feel some pressure. I couldn't really feel much in my "area," but I could feel contractions so I knew when to push. And it helped to have the doctor put her fingers where I was supposed to push. Somehow I felt that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-156255 Fri, 11 May 2012 18:21:55 +0000 Mrs. Sunglasses 156255@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh and I had an epidural (that was slowly wearing off) and the monitor wouldn't capture my contractions so I had to "guess" when I felt I was having a contraction.... and you know what it worked.</p> <p>I did push for 2 hours.... no joke, but I had a 9lb baby who wouldn't pass! But he finally did (after a dislocated shoulder though) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-156254 Fri, 11 May 2012 18:20:10 +0000 Mrs. Sunglasses 156254@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You have to push like your going to crap!<br /> Hence why we often crap on the table (but the nurses never tell us) Honestly.... when your pushing you couldn't care less about what else is going on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-156234 Fri, 11 May 2012 17:57:48 +0000 MegWag 156234@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree that it felt really natural and like my body knew what to do. I'd had medication earlier in labor, but was drug free by the time it was time to push. I think it was about 5 pushes and about 15 mins of actually pushing. I don't know that practicing would have helped. The best advice though was when I was crowning, my midwife had me pant and wait to push until things had a chance to stretch out naturally. It was crazy hard in the moment, but I didn't have a single tear. Totally worth it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-156230 Fri, 11 May 2012 17:51:48 +0000 skibobrown 156230@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had an epidural, but I still really strongly felt the urge to push. It felt really natural, and honestly I felt like my body did most of the hard work for me without having to try too hard. That being said, it was definitely kind of like taking a really big poop like others have said. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-156176 Fri, 11 May 2012 16:31:30 +0000 mediagirl 156176@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Stroller: I had never heard that before!! Practices makes perfect! :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-156174 Fri, 11 May 2012 16:29:05 +0000 Shimmer 156174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Stroller: That's a great tidbit to know! I know about kegels to strengthen the pelvic muscles but didn't know how to practice actual pushing! I am afraid to push in fear of preterm labor (though everything is closed up nice and tight) but maybe once I'm at the safe point designated by my midwives, I'll be brave enough to try it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-156161 Fri, 11 May 2012 16:18:22 +0000 archivedbee 156161@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you've ever had bad constipation (either before or during pregnancy) and had to push so hard but didn't think that poop was ever coming out... then you'll know how to push during delivery. Maybe there is a reason for constipation during pregnancy ....trains you how to push. (???) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-156144 Fri, 11 May 2012 16:04:38 +0000 chopsuey 156144@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You have to push like you're going poop. Which is why so many women get hemorrhoids! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-156138 Fri, 11 May 2012 16:03:09 +0000 Mrs. Stroller 156138@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ok, this was TMI to put in detail in my labor story post, but the best thing you can do is to "practice." All the midwives and doulas I spoke with during my pregnancy told me the same thing. Baby S was out in 9 pushes, I had it down!</p> <p>To practice either have sex with your partner and literally use your muscles to push him out. Or if that makes you laugh hysterically and is totally ineffective then use a, ahem, personal pleasure device and just keep using your muscles to push it out. Practice as often as you can.... I swear, it made all the difference. If only my bridesmaids who gave me the thing during my bachelorette party knew how it would be used ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-156136 Fri, 11 May 2012 15:58:05 +0000 holdonforonemoreday 156136@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@duckduckkristen: I laughed out loud at your grandmother's description. That is so funny! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-156132 Fri, 11 May 2012 15:46:19 +0000 stiffaknee 156132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never really felt pressure (i had the best epidural ever) but i felt like i was really pushing with my abs...it felt really natural, like my body just knew what to do! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-156121 Fri, 11 May 2012 15:34:23 +0000 duckduckkristen 156121@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It really is like pushing out the hugest turd of your life. As my grandmother used to say, "it's like sh*tting a football". </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-156113 Fri, 11 May 2012 15:26:43 +0000 heffalump 156113@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had an epidural and there was still so much pressure that you know exactly when to push. Like painful pressure, especially when she was farther down. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-155625 Fri, 11 May 2012 10:12:42 +0000 Rubies 155625@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had an epidural and by the time I was ready to push, it had worn off enough for me to "feel" where to push. And yeah, it's like taking a giant #2...It's the same feeling. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-155607 Fri, 11 May 2012 10:05:51 +0000 KT326 155607@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They told me to push like I was going #2. I had an epidural and I could feel the pressure when I was having a contraction so I pretty much knew when to push. She also told me I could put my hand on my stomach and I would feel my uterus get hard during a contraction. That helped a lot too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-155565 Fri, 11 May 2012 09:53:49 +0000 Honeybee 155565@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With both of my babies, they turned the epidural down/off, before I started pushing. If you've ever done Kegels, it's using the same muscle group, so it's kinda like that, only much stronger. Not exactly like pooping, but pretty close.</p> <p>With DD, I wasn't pushing right at first, so the nurse actually had to show me where to push. With DS, it was a lot easier, since I'd already done it once, and if he didn't have such a big head, he would've been born much sooner, lol! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-155536 Fri, 11 May 2012 09:43:39 +0000 Mrs. Bee 155536@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>it really is like taking the biggest poop of your life. in the beginning i wasn't pushing right. i was putting too much pressure in my head/face, which only tires you out and you don't make any progress. </p> <p>you have to put all the pressure in your pooping muscles. i had an epidural and you feel the contractions and you feel like you want to push! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-155529 Fri, 11 May 2012 09:40:34 +0000 winniebee 155529@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Haha the trying to poo is what I've heard and read! I couldn't do childbirth class b/c I was on bedrest, so this is my official research : ) </p> <p>@betsyboop: GOOD LUCK!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-155490 Fri, 11 May 2012 09:17:14 +0000 betsyboop 155490@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My BFF is an OB, and she told me to push like you're taking the biggest poop of your life :) I'm planning an epidural too, and am due in 5 days so I'll follow up soon and let you know if she was right haha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-155488 Fri, 11 May 2012 09:16:38 +0000 hilsy85 155488@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>From what I've heard, it's a similar feeling to when you're going #2 (sorry if that's TMI!)... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pushing-during-labor#post-155473 Fri, 11 May 2012 09:13:25 +0000 winniebee 155473@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What is it like to push? What muscles did you try to use? I'm planning on an epidural so wondering how this works if you don't have full sensation down there! </p>