https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 15 May 2026 05:24:16 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2805277 Tue, 20 Feb 2018 19:15:03 +0000 oskarsmommy 2805277@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>TENS unit and counter pressure! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2805273 Tue, 20 Feb 2018 18:47:26 +0000 MrsSRS 2805273@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn't do a Bradley class, but we read the book and practiced at home and the ability to relax on command when my husband reminded me was super helpful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2805246 Tue, 20 Feb 2018 16:19:42 +0000 Iced Tea 2805246@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Deep water in tub.<br /> Self-hypnosis, meditation, relaxation (did hypnobabies)<br /> Shower spray on lower back.<br /> Hip squeeze. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2805219 Tue, 20 Feb 2018 14:53:19 +0000 misolee 2805219@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My second came really fast and no time for an epidural (first was Csec) so I was terrified. This godsend nurse came in and asked me one question which really helped.</p> <p>"Do you want me to be a coach or a cheerleader? A coach will push you hard but a cheerleader will cheer you on" It made me stop and think and I answered, "coach" That helped visualize a lot of things for me... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797866 Thu, 18 Jan 2018 07:55:45 +0000 PawPrints 2797866@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Focused relaxation exercises/ meditation. Having practiced them a lot while pregnant, these exercises kept me in the zone tolerating nonstop contractions during a precipitous labor. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797852 Wed, 17 Jan 2018 23:30:59 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2797852@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: The thing that kept me going in my first labor (where I did get an epi but not til 2 days into laboring at home, 2-4 mins apart contractions most of the time, not sure why it took so long) and my third (shorter but failed epidural that didn't come until half an hour before delivery anyway) was thinking I just had to get through a bit more and I would get an epidural!! Lol. </p> <p>My last birth a few weeks ago I REALLY didn't think I would be able to push her out. They first said they were calling the anesthesiologist to come back and say why it wasn't working (suspecting it was the pump) but then they said nope, it was too late and it's not happening. But I was in so much pain I pushed her out in basically one push in a little over ten seconds. Yeah I was done, done, done. One way or another that baby will come out. But if you're really close to the end..you might just wanna push anyway because the worst part was that all that labor had to be done in a bed (required to call nurse to get up because I planned an epidural, even though I didn't have it yet.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797846 Wed, 17 Jan 2018 22:13:57 +0000 DesertDreams88 2797846@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, no tubs at my hospital :( I plan to take a bath at home in early labor as long as my water hasn't broken. The hospital has peanut balls but I think I'm going to bring my own birth ball too, if not for me, for my husband ( so he can apply counter pressure while I am on the birth ball. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797737 Wed, 17 Jan 2018 15:41:55 +0000 Alba4 2797737@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I’ve had both an unmedicated birth (DS1) and an Epi @ 8cm (DS2).</p> <p>If you can labor in a tub, that will help tremendously. I delivered my second at a hospital where they only had showers and I definitely wished I had a tub for most of my labor (pre epi). I found a good firm yoga ball is essential to help you to get through the contractions. With my second labor, my ball was deflating and it just wasn’t helping and I was so frustrated with it. </p> <p>Although my first son’s birth was awesome and unmedicated, the epidural I had for DS2 was amazing. The birth was so mellow and peaceful once I had those drugs! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797632 Wed, 17 Jan 2018 10:36:39 +0000 avivoca 2797632@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The bathtub. Oh my goodness. The hot water felt heavenly on me and I felt so relaxed. Contractions were still a b**** but it helped me get through transition. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797553 Tue, 16 Jan 2018 20:47:13 +0000 808love 2797553@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>a super long shower </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797418 Tue, 16 Jan 2018 12:12:54 +0000 codeitall 2797418@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll be honest. I was constantly comparing my second birth to my first. I had times for when what happened and was just telling myself how much more efficient I was in one category than last time!</p> <p>My first labor, I was stuck in a car for 2 hours on the way to the hospital. So I did a lot of talking with my husband and gripping the door handle HARD while I looked forward to my epidural ;)</p> <p>My second, for some reason, I thought I could last till 8am when DH could take DS to daycare. So I watched the Great British Bakeoff for a few hours. Towards the end, I would get up, lean over and dig my hands into the wood trim on my couch. I'm surprised I didn't get bruises on my hands, but I focused on squeezing different fingers in patterns and such while breathing slowly and carefully.</p> <p>Eventually I decided that the baby was going to come before DH could take DS to daycare and we headed to the hospital where I discovered I was already in transition! :shocked: I mentally was preparing myself to only be at a 4 or something haha! I found it super helpful to suddenly be further along than I thought. Baby came an hour after that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797396 Tue, 16 Jan 2018 10:55:45 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 2797396@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Putting in my headphones, listening to a podcast, and just zoning out and breathing during contractions. I got an epidural around 6cm so that was during active labor contractions, but not transition. That probably wouldn’t have cut it during transition. 😂 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797395 Tue, 16 Jan 2018 10:53:22 +0000 snowjewelz 2797395@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With my first, I pushed for two hours and chomping on ice chips in between contractions kept me sane :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797316 Tue, 16 Jan 2018 06:02:02 +0000 Becky 2797316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>While still at home: the jet tub (the only time I’ve taken a bath in it unfortunately!). I was home through a lot of the time I think you’d normally be at the hospital so that would translate to the birth tub too. It helped so much with pain and while it slowed things down I still had a really quick labor. </p> <p>In the car: heated seats. I think I only had 3 contractions during the 16 minute drive, so again it slowed it down. </p> <p>At the hospital: hot compresses. I went from over 30 stitches with DD1 to 0 tearing with DD2 and that made such a huge difference in my recovery which was mentally helpful too. </p> <p>And of course the nurses! They make all the difference. I don’t know what I would have done without theincredible nurse I had with DD1 (DD2s labor was lightening fast). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797310 Tue, 16 Jan 2018 04:41:38 +0000 LCTBQE 2797310@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had an epi at 7cm but before that (advice from my mom) I tried to embrace each contration and imagine that it was as productive as possible, like every time I felt one coming I'd try to frame it as good pain that I wanted to work into, instead of fighting it or just being subjected to it. Kind of like a horrible jane Fonda feel the burn ;) it really helped, though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797305 Tue, 16 Jan 2018 00:24:02 +0000 QBbride 2797305@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>TENS machine, hot shower, DH squeezing my hips. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797241 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 21:11:32 +0000 cake2017 2797241@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Water, praying and birthing ball... walking around too. DH rubbed my lower back. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797145 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 16:45:21 +0000 IRunForFun 2797145@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My doula had a rebozo that she wrapped under my belly with the ends tied around my back, and I was standing up and pulling on the ends to lift my belly and sway during contractions. That really helped me for a while when I was around 6ish cm. </p> <p>After 6 cm, the birth pool. I planted my butt in that thing and just sat and squatted for a couple hours. </p> <p>During transition, I was out of the tub and laying on my side with a peanut ball and had my doulas massaging my legs and butt which felt really amazing because they were really tired. </p> <p>For pushing, the labor link. It's like a resistance band with a handle and you hold one end while someone else holds the other; you basically play tug of war with it during contractions and the added resistance makes pushing more effective.</p> <p>And lastly, TUMS, omg I had the worst heartburn during labor and was constantly begging for more Tums. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797143 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 16:20:05 +0000 Littlebit7 2797143@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>TENS unit I brought from home </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797130 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 15:48:40 +0000 MrsADS 2797130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I got an epidural when I was about 6cm, sooo I'd say that (lol) but before I got it, I had plans to move around, walk, etc and honestly I couldn't move and didn't want to. I stayed laying down, I was like paralyzed by the pain. I couldn't have imagined walking, bouncing on a ball, etc. I felt like it took all my effort just to focus and get through the worst of the pain while staying still. So I think every labor/ every person is different. My labor was very fast and my contractions were on top of each other with basically no break. Before I went to the hospital, I took a shower and did find that helpful in early labor (I was 4cm when I got to the hospital). If my labor had been slower or more typical, other adjuncts may have been more helpful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797117 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 15:00:37 +0000 peaches1038 2797117@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had all these plans to use balls, the tub and change positions all the time, but I ended up just laying on my side, completely naked in the dark with LED candles. I didn’t want anyone touching me or talking to me. I had intermittent monitoring bc I couldn’t stand having the belly band monitor. I had a 12 hour med-free labor. My midwives diffused some essential oils which helped too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797101 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 14:04:23 +0000 lady baltimore 2797101@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>"When I was pregnant I was really annoyed with the common hospital rule that you cannot eat during labor. What if I had a long labor and got hungry? Turns out I did not care about eating between contractions. That was way too much to think about."</p> <p>@ElbieKay: This exactly. I brought all kinds of snacks, saying, "they're not going to tell me when I can eat!" but it turned out I had NO interest in eating once things got rolling.</p> <p>In early labor, a long, hot shower was really nice. Once I was at the hospital in active labor, I kept my iPod on and listened to a book through most of it (ironically, I was in the middle of one of the Call the Midwife sequels :wink: ). I found watching the monitors so I could see when a contraction had crested helped me to endure them. I made DH narrate it to me when I had to roll over with my back to the monitor.</p> <p>I also like what @babypugs: said about "productive" labor. I really wanted to deliver without pain meds, but was ready to break down and ask for something when I found out that I'd been going through transition and was ready to push. At that point, I was ready to go - the pain was manageable because there was an end in sight. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797100 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 13:59:22 +0000 Mrs. Gumdrop 2797100@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>reading about hypnobirthing and then doing guided meditations before birth helped me immensely. It gave me so much preparation for mental control. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797098 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 13:43:08 +0000 Synchronicity 2797098@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The amazing birth tub that looked like something NASA designed. After that I treated the bathroom like a cave and hid in there by myself for hours 🤷‍♀️ Being able to be in my own head with no distractions really helped me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797062 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 12:07:02 +0000 FaithFertility 2797062@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Chewing Ice lol amd walking </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797061 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 11:58:23 +0000 birdofafeather 2797061@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>counter pressure from DH and doula, a hot water bottle on my back, visualizing the baby coming, verbalizing to open everything up (later just screaming the baby out. :silly: ) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797060 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 11:53:55 +0000 Anya 2797060@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Walking like crazy. The tub did nothing for me, but the shower was magical. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797052 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 11:34:01 +0000 looch 2797052@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Aromatherapy, per my midwives. We used it when labor stalled and I needed a pick me up to keep going. They did lemon on a small tissue. If I had to do it again, i would bring a diffuser.</p> <p>That and moving around a lot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797043 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 11:05:35 +0000 nana87 2797043@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: about the low moaning--my prenatal yoga teacher was always talking about this! she would always say "open throat, open vagina" haha, apparently there is some connection, like if you tense your vocal chords you're also tensing below. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-helped-you-during-labor-besides-an-epidural-ha#post-2797042 Mon, 15 Jan 2018 11:03:27 +0000 nana87 2797042@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My second labor I was basically on my hands and knees on the hospital bed doing yoga cat/cow poses for the majority of the time (they arranged the bed at some point so I was leaning forward on it and not putting as much pressure on my wrists and knees) or similarly standing/squatting while leaning over on the bed and doing cat/cow stretches of my spine. It REALLY helped moved lo2 down, as she was kind of stuck really high up (I was at 41 weeks and had stopped progressing on my own as the cord was wrapped around her head...). I was induced both times and for both labors I was on pit for about 12 hours before I got an epi, and the cat/cow thing helped way more than anything I did the first time around! </p>