Can anyone give tips on coping with the Crowning stage?

[WaynettaSlobsLover]

I bloody hate it.

[PseudoBadger]

Are you there now?!

[Dillydollydaydream]

A good puff of G&A and long blows. It is awful but that's the beginning of the end, it stings like I don't know what but it doesn't last long then you get a squishy newborn :)

I'm doing it for the 4th time in 9 weeks, crazy person!

[MustTidyUpMustTidyUp]

I think my tactic was to shout 'this fucking huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurts'.

[WaynettaSlobsLover]

Oh I'm not there now, got a few months left yet!

So gas and air you say? I didn't have any pain relief last time and literally gritted my teeth and waited to split in half. I just want to know wtf to do when it starts to sting. The head was bad but the pop pop feel of the shoulders was worse. Small baby and I didn't tear but it still flipping hurts.

[lysteddy]

Gas and air and i think dont push until you have a contraction.

Good luck!

[mrsbungle]

Definitely gas and air. I had nothing first time either. I had the ridiculous idea that I wouldn't like gas and air and that it would make me sick. I decided to try it with DC2, though and it was bloody great!

[bobsnotabuilder]

Ummmm you need to deal with it psychologically by repeating in your head "It's almost over, it's almost over, it's almost over" - that's what I did!! Still effin hurt though.

[LeBFG]

Puff in and out nice and hard. Just focus on that. Envisage your baby coming out. I didn't feel that much pain at this stage but was very aware of what was going on iyswim.

[AmandaCooper]

I'm hoping the second time round I'll at least know that yes you really do have to push that hard and with such disregard for your physical well being - maybe it will be quicker and less of a head fuck...

[TomDudgeon]

Ha musttidy
Think I said sheeeeeeeet (shit)
At the point of crowning
It is very much, its nearly all over by that point though.

[RightUpMyRue]

I'm hoping giving birth in the water will lessen the sting.

38+5 at the mo. I'll let you know if it works.

[Zatopek]

It's foul isn't it? I had a really lovely calm 2nd birth but it was the point I just wanted someone to cut me open and "get it out". Didn't help that DD had shoulder dystocia and just hung there whilst the alarms went off. MW described it afterwards as a "tight fit". Yes putting it mildly.

How do you cope?I think you just go aahhhhhhhhhh and hope that it will be over soon.

I always think women on OBEM don't seem to be so bothered by crowning. Well they seem to be in pain at the point of crowning but once the head is out they seem to relax. For me I thought the pain was worse after the head was out.

[Zatopek]

I gave birth in water! Didn't tear though despite this 9lb baby and shoulder forcing her way out.

[StormyBrid]

You cope with it because you have to, because it's a bit late to change your mind by then. Also, gas and air, and swearing - I opted for "fuck a duck!"

[spanky2]

When you are crowning the finish line is in sight . You will be so relieved that it is almost over you won'tcare too much . Take deep breaths of gas and air the baby is nearly there!

[5eggstremelychocaletymadeggs]

Birth in water. Use gas and air and remember at that bit its nearly all over.

I said 'owww oewww owww oww fuck' at crowning!

[TheTiger]

Give birth in water, I didn't feel the 'ring of fire' just stinging. It eased the pain of the contractions too.

Good luck!!

[Branleuse]

swearing a lot.

maybe screaming

[MustTidyUpMustTidyUp]

I sense a theme...

[WaynettaSlobsLover]

Pmsl at 'fuck a duck'

Zatopek shoulder dystocia is my worst nightmare. How long did it take to get dc out? Yes I also thought it was worse AFTER the head was out.

Brilliant advice on here. Thanks all of you. It's true that the finish line is in sight at the ring of fire. My mw squirted cold cream all over my bits when I crowned. It helped a bit I think.

[LoganMummy]

I'm no use for advice, I just screamed at this point. Didn't realise how stingy that bit was!

[Notmyidea]

wait for your uterus to take over? I'm currently frantically trying to turn a breech at 37 weeks. If I get as far as crowning I'm going to give the hypnobirthing numbing glove type technique a go and hope it doesn't feel too much like wanking in front of the midwife.
I'll let you know...

[chickenfactory]

I really wish they showed a bit more of this bit on OBEM, I think I'm in for a surprise

[Msbluesky32]

Reading with interest, I thought they did show quite a bit of it in OBEM, no? I seem to always flick over when the heads are coming out! You could try searching for birth videos but water births seem to be the way to go - I imagine its because the water 'loosens' everything up a bit, which in turn helps with the stretch...?