What I wish I knew for my last labor(s) and birth(s)...

[Meeshi Mama]

You know how hindsight is 20/20 and all.,.. What are some things you wish you knew for your previous labors and births?

I wish I knew that it would be better to go to the hospital way later rather than sooner. I also wish I knew that the Law of Sphincters applies heavily to me.

I wish I knew that I would not have a lot of support from hospital staff during labor. I thought there'd be someone checking on me from time to time at least, but I went hours without seeing anyone except a nurse to hook me up to a machine.

I wish I knew my baby was posterior and asynclitic (though it is in my hosp. records, no one mentioned it to me). I wish someone there offered me help as far as positioning or even just explaning why my cervix wasn't opening.

I wish I knew more about my body.

[amybw]

ditto to that!

I wish i had known to move, move , move during labor.
I laid in a bed for 5 hrs and ended up with a c-section.

I wish i had known more about birth in general and all the stuff that goes with it. ALL The options.
I wish i had known how terrifying getting that epidural would be. That hurt worse to me than the ctx.

Lots of wishes, but i cant look back. This birth will be better!

[ColoradoMama]

Originally Posted by amybw

I wish i had known to move, move , move during labor.

Hee, hee - I pick and spot and barely move from it during the whole labor!

For #1 - I wish I'd known how much I would resent dh for screwing up and would have stuck to my guns about a homebirth. We had WAY too many issues to count after she was born.

#2 - I wish I'd have know how easily the hospital staff can intimidate even an experienced mom right after birth.

#3 - I wish I'd have know to relax, be patient, and trust my body and my baby that things would happen in their own sweet time.

[eightyferrettoes]

I wish I had known that having a trickle of amniotic fluid without labor is NOT a good reason to be induced. That leaks like that can seal over, and that avoiding vaginal exams is the smartest thing you can do to avoid infection.

And, echoing Meeshi, I wish I had known to STAY THE HELL OUT of the hospital till much much much much later. Somehow we thought getting there would get the baby out sooner. We were excited and naive first-timers.

I wish I'd really delved into the idea of having a homebirth for my first, instead of brushing it off as "too expensive" or "weird."

[marymamma]

I wish I had known that I am a private birther and having a lot of people around would make me self concious and slow my labor down.

[carla72]

I wish I had known how bad transition sucks and that it is normal and was no reason to transport from my hb to hospital at 9.5 centimeters diallated. (no drugs) I hope this time I can recognize transition and realize I can do it.

[KarmaChameleon]

Originally Posted by marymamma

I wish I had known that I am a private birther and having a lot of people around would make me self concious and slow my labor down.

Wow. That;s a good one and I am not sure I really realized until now what one of the major problems with my previous two births was...When I did go into labor last weekend, my husband said "Should I start making phone calls?" and i looked him dead in the eyes and said DON'T CALL ANYONE. I didn't realize until that moment, and in processing the birth since then, that I really enjoyed the solitude of it all much more than the circus.

I also wish I had known that skilled midwives can prevent tears -- with my first two I tore and had stitches -- I just assumed that my body didn't birth correctly. Now, having just birthed my biggest baby yet with no tears and no problems, I realize I knew all along how to do it -- I just needed the right person helping me. I wish I had known NOT to listen to medwives -- who said now PUSH as hard as you can! I wish I had known only to listen to the wisdom of my own body.

*sigh*

[zimmee]

Originally Posted by eightyferrettoes

I wish I had known that having a trickle of amniotic fluid without labor is NOT a good reason to be induced. That leaks like that can seal over, and that avoiding vaginal exams is the smartest thing you can do to avoid infection.

And, echoing Meeshi, I wish I had known to STAY THE HELL OUT of the hospital till much much much much later. Somehow we thought getting there would get the baby out sooner. We were excited and naive first-timers.

I wish I'd really delved into the idea of having a homebirth for my first, instead of brushing it off as "too expensive" or "weird."

OMG I seriously could have written this entire post. WORD FOR WORD!

I am so glad I researched this time!

[mamamilkers]

I wish I had known the importance of sleeping (or at least resting), eating and drinking in the early stages because labor can be a LONG journey!

I wish I had known my DD wasn't presenting correctly so that I could have tried different things to get her in the right position. Probably would have saved myself hours and hours of being in labor and gotten the NCB I wanted!

[BirthFree]

For the first two:
I wish I'd known that a difficult first labor doesn't mean the second will be even one moment like the first.

I wish I'd known how overwhelming pushing can feel.

I'd wish I'd ignored my MW who was worried about her ego and hired a doula BOTH times.

I wish I'd had more realistic expectations of my DH in labor the first time.

I wish I'd known that I could have changed DSs position and avoided a transport.

I wish I'd remembered to eat and drink along the way of my first labor.

[hajenkatt]

I wish that I had gone with my gut instinct and not let my father or sister in the room during the laboring process.

The only two questions my sister asked of me were "Are you going to scream a lot?" and "How much is this going to cost?"

My dad, on the other hand, kept reminding me of the time and that CSI was starting 25 (20, 17, 10...) minutes and got huffy and pissed off when I told him to go in to the waiting area bc he was NOT going to watch TV while I was in labor.

I REALLY think this is part of the reason my BP went through the roof.

[Cathi]

I wish I had known that ds was posterior and how I could have changed it earlier.

I wish I had known that I need someone to force feed me and give me fluids during the very early stages of labor because I totally lose track of time.

I wish I had known that I'm a great instinctive birther and don't need anyone telling me what to do or when to push.