Did you use a birthing ball?

[emsumm]

Or anything else that I should get for labour? I'm attempting a vbac. Advice?
Thanks :-)

[rupertpenny]

Are you trying to go med free?

I tried to use one, but I was already like 36 hours into my induction and mostly beyond help (well, except for the epi, that helped).

My hospital provided the ball, it wasn't anything I had to plan for.

[papie]

I went med free with Sophia and Alex. Well epi free, with Sophia I had Pitocin. The exercise ball was the best thing ever. That and the hot tub.

[papie]

Oh and I didn't use the ball at home. I started needing it once it hurt like a mofo and by that time I was already in the hospital and dilated at about 5-6.

[rupertpenny]

I will also mention that I had to be monitored due to the induction. The sensor thingies wouldn't stay out when I was on the ball. But they didn't stay put when I was lying still in bed either ?

Anyway, I don't know what VBAC protocol is, but if you need constant monitoring it is much harder to move around and try different positions unfortunately.

[emsumm]

What's a sling?
And I wish my hospital had a bathtub. I'm going to stay at home as long as possible. They have showers at least.
I'm not sure about meds. I'm open to an epi. I really want a vaginal birth.

[papie]

Nov 14, 2014 8:42:41 GMT -5 rupertpenny said:

I will also mention that I had to be monitored due to the induction. The sensor thingies wouldn't stay out when I was on the ball. But they didn't stay put when I was lying still in bed either ?

Anyway, I don't know what VBAC protocol is, but if you need constant monitoring it is much harder to move around and try different positions unfortunately.

I was very adamant about going without the epi so they put a monitor directly on Sophia's head through my vagina. That way I was free to bounce like a crazy person all I wanted.

[emsumm]

I'm really concerned about being able to move around. If my water breaks I have to stay in bed. I'm confused by this.

[emsumm]

They told me I could be monitored for like 10 mins every hour.

[smock]

I had an induction and was hooked up to monitors and an IV from the beginning. I still bounced on the hospital's birthing ball; they just rolled it up next to the bed and I hopped on, still attached to everything. Thirty minutes of bouncing on the ball led to my water breaking!

[rupertpenny]

Nov 14, 2014 8:45:39 GMT -5 papie said:

Nov 14, 2014 8:42:41 GMT -5 rupertpenny said:

I will also mention that I had to be monitored due to the induction. The sensor thingies wouldn't stay out when I was on the ball. But they didn't stay put when I was lying still in bed either ?

Anyway, I don't know what VBAC protocol is, but if you need constant monitoring it is much harder to move around and try different positions unfortunately.

I was very adamant about going without the epi so they put a monitor directly on Sophia's head through my vagina. That way I was free to bounce like a crazy person all I wanted.

I did t really know this was an option. They did do an internal monitor, but not until after the epi. I think it's a good option though, those stupid belly monitors wouldn't stay in the right place at all. I wish I had gotten an internal monitor earlier.

[meganew]

I only used the birthing ball early in labor while I was still at home. It does help, but once the contractions got really bad I just wanted to sit in bed and not be touched.

[dottyblue]

I used the ball before and during labor. At the end (I was a week overdue) it was the only thing I could sit on without being in considerable pain. I ate dinner sitting on it, watched movies on it, LOL.

During labor, I had to be continuously monitored because I was on pitocin. I used the ball for the first 5 hours or so and the external monitoring wasn't an issue at all. I learned pretty quickly how to reposition the monitor if DS moved or if I knocked it out of place. Rocking through contractions helped immensely.

[soozy87]

Yes, at the hospital.

[chickenlittle]

I actually used one at home the day I went into labor, but before my water broke. I was just so uncomfortable, and it was the only thing that made me feel better. I am 99% convinced that bouncing on that sucker for 6 hours that day is what broke my water that night.

I tried one at the hospital, but DS was so low that it was really uncomfortable for me to sit on.

[meij]

Both hospitals I delivered at had one for me to use. I didn't use it much with my first, but sat on it until my body started pushing with the second. I didn't bounce, just rolled back and forth while leaning on the bed and my H pushing on my back.

With my second the hospital didn't have a tub and I was worried about it but it was fine. I know both times I didn't use things I thought I would and wound up using/doing things I didn't think I would. Like laboring on the toilet.

[EmilieMadison]

I had intermittent monitoring for my VBAC and that allowed me to move around more freely, which definitely helped. Lying on my back (standard laboring position in most hospitals) was THE MOST UNCOMFORTABLE position for me. So I didnt do that lol. The yoga ball was helpful. The hospital supplied one, and I had a yoga ball at home too that I used before going to the hospital.
I also liked being in the tub and draping myself over the side of the bed.

[EmilieMadison]

Nov 14, 2014 8:47:04 GMT -5 emsumm said:

I'm really concerned about being able to move around. If my water breaks I have to stay in bed. I'm confused by this.

I'm confused by this as well. It sounds like one of those archaic "Because we said so" hospital policies that doesn't actually have any basis for use. My hospital's policy on VBAC was constant monitoring in bed with immediate IV upon check in. I told them that wouldn't work for me and that I would like to do intermittent monitoring and a hep-lock instead of a full IV so that it would be ready to go if I needed it ( but I wouldn't be tied to an IV pole that was just pushing fluid that wasn't even truly necessary). They were like, "Oh. Well ok." I expected to have to argue and fight for it, but I was pretty firm up front and my midwife agreed that there was no real medical reason for these things and supported me, so the "hospital policy" didn't come into play during my labor.

[lilles]

Yes! I went med free for DS(he is my third) and the birthing ball provided by the hospital was a life saver. If I was in the bed the contractions were horrible but if I was sitting on the ball they weren't as bad (though still excruciating). I sat on it until it was time to push. DH would rub my lower back during contractions. When the contractions were stronger I was nauseaous an light headed so I was sitting on the ball but leaning forward and resting my arms and head on the bed.

[missbella]

Yes. I had one at home that I used during my pregnancy when my back and hips were sore. It was awesome.

During labor the hospital provided one. When they hooked me to the monitors they said I wasn't contracting much but when I was walking around the hospital they were 1.5 min apart. When my feet were tired I went back to the room and bounced to keep up the motion. 

[Yankees21]

I bounced on one for 1.5 hours straight the night I went into labor and my legs were so sore while I was pushing, so maybe don't do that, haha. Otherwise I think they are helpful.

[iamgrace]

I did. I was having some killer siatic (spelling?) pain once labour got moving, and rolling on the ball realllly helped.

[liverandonions]

Yes, I brought mine to the hospital and my husband rubbed my back while i bounced/circled on it.

[jenny1223]

Nov 14, 2014 8:37:17 GMT -5 @aliciaroset said:

Yes! Lots. I also used a sling a lot. Do you know if your hospital has a birthing bar on the beds? It helps.
No equipment to buy but I also spent a lot of time draped over the back of the bed and I used the toilet for pushing. It sounds weird but it helped me figure out pushing quickly. Best of luck!!!

All of this and the birthing tub helped my back pain a lot too. I didn't give birth in the tub but the hot water definitely helped the pain.

It does sound weird but sitting on the toilet really helped. At one point I was sitting on the toilet with my feet up on the grab bars (midwife, nurse and H were in the bathroom with me) and I look up to see 3 or 4 nurses watching from the doorway of the room. I'm pretty sure I screamed at them to get out.

Also look into different positions/holds for your partner to help with. Pressure on my lower back & hips helped a lot.

[gretchenindisguise]

Both times I had an epi and both times it helped me relax and completely sped up my labor.

I was induced both times with Pitocin though, so that may have had something to do with my inability to deal with the contractions.

[regencygirl]

I used a ball before my vbac. I sincerely thought the midwife was crazy until I tried it. It did help.