To Push Or Not To Push?… You will know the baby is on its way down the birth path when you start to experience a fullness in the pelvic area. Some women describe it as a bearing down or a weighty feeling. Some women don’t notice what is known as transition at all.

This is the point during birthing when you are completely dilated (10cm – yes WOW!) and baby is ready for exit. This part can be pretty intense with the waves often right on top of each other without a break in between. Please remember this is also the shortest part of labour, usually lasting 15 minutes to half an hour.

An important thing to remember at this point is that if birthing gets to the point where you think, “This is unbearable! I can’t go on!” Then this means it’s almost over! Please remind your birth partner to tell you this when you say it.

Try your best not to push until you have to. You can breathe baby down for most of the birth instead of pushing. During my birth, I think I had 3 or 4 pushes as baby’s head was almost out. This allows the cervix to relax and open and lessens the chance of tearing the perineum.

Often women feel very hot or cold, sweat a lot, feel nauseous or vomit. You may shiver or shake, have hiccups, burp a lot and be just unable to feel comfortable in any position. This is also the most common time for the bag of waters to break naturally.

“I had a terrible experience first time round with my labour……waters broke and I didn’t go into labour myself so I was induced 2 days later……18 hours later I had a forceps delivery and I haemorrhaged (2 transfusions needed). Needless to say with my 2nd son I was petrified of labour. BUT this time I had the most amazing experience! I went into labour myself (6 days late and booked in to be induced) and progressed quickly at home. I arrived at the hospital at 9.45pm and baby Jude appeared into this world at 11.36pm. I did it all by myself with a little gas and air. My body told me when to push which felt amazing! I got home the next afternoon on a total birthing high! I can actually say I loved my labour this time! Xx”
Tracey Lyon

This blog is adapted from the revised edition of Birth ROCKS by Cheryl MacDonald, available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle.

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