There are certain breathing and self-hypnosis techniques which many women find beneficial when experiencing labour. The techniques must be learnt and practised, and are taught by a qualified practitioner. You can ask your midwife about this, or simply search online for local services/practitioners.
The early labour (or latent) phase is usually spent at home, and there are plenty of things you can try to ease any discomfort you have whilst also encouraging labour to progress well.
These simple techniques can also help throughout labour:
As labour progresses, there are plenty of options available to help you manage the sensation of the contractions as they get stronger and more intense.
During pregnancy you will have an appointment to discuss your options for the birth of your twins. More than 40% of twins are born vaginally with the remainder being born by either planned or emergency caesarean.
The most common way for twins to lie is both with their heads down. It is common for one or both babies to be feet or bottom down (breech). Some babies lie across your womb (transverse lie) and if this is the case with the first twin to be born, you’ll need a caesarean section. If you’ve had a vaginal birth for the first twin but the second is lying across your womb, they may need help to turn so they can be born.
In some cases a planned caesarean will be recommended, for example, if your babies share one placenta, or the first baby is in the breech (bottom first) position.
During labour, it is recommended that your babies have continuous electronic fetal monitoring, as the risk of complications during labour is higher for twins. It may also be recommended that you have an epidural, in case you require an emergency caesarean birth quickly. There will be more people at the birth of twins, often two midwives, two obstetricians and two neonatal doctors.
If you have triplets or more, planned caesarean birth would be recommended for you as the safest way to deliver your babies.
Just over one in ten women will have a planned caesarean birth. This is due to a variety of factors, and the decision will be made together with your obstetric and midwifery team.
Some people start labour or break their waters before the planned caesarean date. If this happens, you should contact your maternity unit straight away.
The day before your caesarean you will be asked to take some medications. These should be taken the night before and also on the morning of your operation, as directed. You should not eat any food after midnight but may drink water until 6am on the morning of your operation.
On the day of your caesarean you will normally arrive at your maternity unit early in the morning. Sometimes if the labour ward is busy, you may have to wait for a period of time before your operation can start. In the operating theatre, your chosen birth partner can normally accompany you and can stay by your side throughout the surgery, unless, for medical reasons, you require a general anaesthetic.
The majority of women have a spinal anaesthetic or combined spinal epidural which causes the body to go numb from the abdomen to the feet. A catheter will be inserted into your bladder, and this will normally be removed the following day. Once the operation starts, the baby is normally born within 10 minutes, and all being well you can have skin-to-skin contact with your baby in the operating theatre while the operation is completed. If your waters have broken, a gentle vaginal cleansing solution will be used to reduce the risk of infection.
After the surgery you will spend a few hours in a recovery area, and a nurse or midwife will check your observations regularly. You can start bonding with and feeding your baby during this time. Your anaesthetic will wear off after a few hours.
You will normally stay on a postnatal ward for one to three nights, depending on your recovery. You will be given regular painkillers. You will be helped to become mobile once the anaesthetic wears off. Early mobilisation and pressure stockings are recommended for all women to reduce the risk of developing blood clots after surgery. Some women are offered blood thinning injections.
During labour, it is good to stay as active as possible, and to try different positions. By doing this you will encourage your baby through the birth canal in the best position for birth, whilst also helping your own comfort and coping ability. Staying active and upright is also known to shorten the length of labour.
You can try:
During labour, your midwife will listen to your baby’s heartbeat to check his/her wellbeing, and to ensure he/she is coping well with labour.
There are three different ways your midwife can check this, by using either:
This stage is the time between the birth of your baby and the expulsion of your placenta.
After your baby is born, he/she will still be attached to the umbilical cord, which is attached to the placenta inside the womb. The cord should be left intact and not cut immediately, unless there is a problem with your baby’s breathing, or you are bleeding heavily.
There are two options for the delivery of your placenta. The first option is known as physiological third stage, and the other is active third stage.
This stage of labour starts when your cervix is ten centimetres dilated, and the baby’s head is moving into the birth canal. This is normally accompanied by a pressure in your bottom, followed by an urge to push which can feel difficult to control and similar to the sensation of needing to open your bowels.
Some women may not get an urge to push, particularly if they have an epidural. If this is the case, your midwife will help guide you by feeling for a contraction on your abdomen and letting you know when to push.
Your midwife will check your baby’s heartbeat regularly and support you to try different positions.
When your baby’s head is nearly born, your midwife will encourage you to gently breathe and avoid pushing if possible. This ensures your baby’s head stretches your perineum slowly and can help reduce tearing.
The second stage of labour ends with the birth of your baby. This stage of labour can last up to four hours if it’s your first baby, and is usually much quicker if it’s your second or third baby.
Active labour is often said to begin when contractions are strong, regular and lasting at least 60 seconds, and your cervix is open to at least four centimetres.
During the first stage of labour your contractions will continue to come regularly, and become progressively stronger. This stage of labour can last around 6-12 hours if it is your first baby, and is often quicker if it is your second or third baby.
When you arrive at your maternity unit (or your midwife comes to your home) and throughout the first stage of labour your midwife will offer regular assessments of your progress and wellbeing, and the wellbeing of your baby, including:
