Transition question...

[nia82]

I hear so many birth stories and women always say they hit transition... I can't tell whether I experienced this or not. I have given birth twice and I can clearly divide my birth into three parts: dilation contractions, pushing and delivering the placenta. I don't remember an in-between stage as described so often. I did feel like I cannot do this anymore and like wanting an epidural, but that always was during dilation way before 10cm.... Could you describe exactly how I know I'm in transition and when it ocurrs?

[kythe]

Transition is generally the time between around 8 - 10 cms dilated, that last stretch before you are ready to start pushing the baby out. This stage generally lasts anywhere from a few minutes to and hour. Even aside from cervical checks, many women have a change in symptoms at that time.

Nausea and/or vomitting, shaking, and a general feeling of being out of control are common. Many women do find that themselves considering pain relief at that time, even if they had previously resolved not to. The good news it that this stage doesn't last too long and generally indicates that labor is almost over.

If you don't have a particularly difficult time during transition, you are fortunate. (I found it the only part of labor I couldn't manage). As long as you do not have issues with wanting to push too early from the pelvic pressure, it isn't really important that you recognize it as a distinct stage.

[nia82]

That might explain it, as I took some time to make it to 5cm and then both times it took me 1 hour to be fully dilated from there... I do feel like giving up though at the 5cm point, maybe that's my transition? I just remember 3 weeks ago I was in the birthing tub thinking God why am I not having an epidural right now, and if I ever do this again, I want all the pain meds in the world. And by now, I cannot even fathom the exact pain anymore, my brain has deleted all info to make me want to do this again ;)