We watched a video in my birthing class in which a woman delivering her 4th child suddenly yelled "It's pushing!" (meaning the uterus, presumably without her cooperation) and the baby came shooting out, like, shot from a cannon, as a nurse ran in to catch. We were all sort of stunned.

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So you could just chill and then when the urge came over you, push? I also remember TV deliveries yelling at the chick to stop pushing, even if she felt like it.

My doctor was 15 minutes away from the hospital. The L&D nurse "suggested" I breathe through a few contractions until she got there to handle the last bit.

I didn't have a lot of coaching. I just did what felt natural and it all worked out well in the end.

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What happens in labour if you don't try? They yell at you to push and stuff--what if you just fucking can't? Does that mean they have to do a caesarian to avoid bad stuff?

I couldn't push effectively with Ben, because of the epidural (I think). They had to use what I think is some sort of vacuum extractor--a big suction cup on the end of a (horizontally) pleated cylinder. I just remember the doctor saying, "We have to help her," which freaked me right out. My regular OB didn't deliver Ben. I just turned my head and closed my eyes, and pushed when they told me.

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Considering she knew exactly where he was conceived (and kindly shared that with me. Joy. I'll never be able to go to that bar ever,) I think she was expecting the outcome.

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I'll never be able to go to that bar ever

Okay, if I conceive in a public place, I'm totally ruining it for you, sara. That's too funny.

My sister and I were forceps babies. Never asked my mother exactly why. She always turns it into a guilt trip. Dude. 36 hours out of your life? Stop whining. After all the joy I've brought you since then? IJS.

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So you could just chill and then when the urge came over you, push? I also remember TV deliveries yelling at the chick to stop pushing, even if she felt like it.

My doctor was late to the hospital when I was having Chris. I had no pain management for his birth. The nurses were yelling at me not to push. I said I had to, and asked why. They said they had to wait for the doctor. Eventually, I said something along the lines of, "This is a hospital, isn't it? Go out in the hallway and get another doctor." They did, but then the OB (also not my regular) showed up.

Julia's induced birth was the smoothest, except for the epidural that only numbed my right thigh, and the only one at which my regular OB attended.

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She always turns it into a guilt trip.

I was a 9 lb. twin. Sometimes I think Mom still carries a grudge.

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I was a 9 lb. twin. Sometimes I think Mom still carries a grudge.

My reaction to hearing about my birth has always been laughter. If M was trying to guilt me out, I'd have to say it went over my head.

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It wasn't that long ago (I keep typing ages, and wondering if we've both had e-mail that long...) that my mother sent me a rambly note saying "I'm not sure why I'm up this early this morning, but maybe it's because xx years ago I was just finishing 36 hours of painful labour. Anyway, happy birthday."

She's a doll, me mam.

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My brain goes graphic places with that much detail and I just don't need graphic images involving my friends.

I get the "ruined favorite pair of moccasins" trip. But then, I was a c-section baby and she was pretty much knocked out. My brother gets the "electrocuted by the call button" trip.

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