Exactly. A woman knows when she's ready, i always believe them when they say they want to push! xx

And the purple line... That's a great indicator too. Denis Walsh's book has got some really interesting bits about external signs of transitional/active second phase of labour, including one where midwives at home deliveries feel an urge to empty their own bowels!! Hmmm, can't say I have experienced that myself but haven't seen a home delivery yet, so who knows! Anyone else experienced this! Own up! lol. Trying to remember what else there was.... oh yeah, a groove can be felt getting longer from the woman's brow line to her hair line as she reaches fully. Can't say I have ever asked a woman to feel this to find out if it is true though. And also a woman's ankles and feet get cold, with the coldness spreading up to her knees as she reaches full dilatation apparently.

I also have noticed a little one of my own, that I have to say hasn't failed me yet, though of course I wouldn't rely on it, but I notice it regularly... has anyone else noticed a certain 'smell' that I can't really describe, but it makes an appearance usually just before involuntary pushing? I mentioned it to a fellow student at uni and she realised that she too had smelt the phantom smell. Any one else got any other signs?

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3rd year Student Midwife

When they shouting 'get it out of me' and 'i want to go home' is usually a good indicator.... xx

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3rd year Student Midwife

Oh yeh, that 2!! xx

Usually when mom who has been coping wonderfully starts to say they can't do it anymore, that's when I seem to notice transition.

Oh, and I think it's absolutely silly to tell a mom having involuntary pushing (especially a multip) to stop. You can't. My first was very much medicalized without necessity, and they told me not to push because they wanted to give me more medicine in the epidural, to which I said, "I'MMMM NOOOOT PUUUUUSHING!!" in a VERY strained voice and they decided to check me and see that he was just about crowning! When a mom tries to resist it, she clenches up which at the very least will make her muscles even more sore the next day!

ETA: I meant to ask if the moms who ended up with swollen cervix had been directed while pushing? Like the whole, hold your breath, chin to chest, count to 10 thing? I like seeing where mom is allowed to push as she feels, without direction. It seems like the body pushes just the way it needs to. Small ones if there's a little 'lip' left to help get it out of the way, etc.

Now theres a debate on its own isn't there? the old directive pushing, I still see it almost every shift I work and confess I have done this when you know the vertex is advancing really well but the woman is cream crackered and hasn't got the same urge and will as she had, then I've suggested trying it but don't do the cheerleading bit!!
Otherwise I let women go with their bodies urge-or course OP excluded, but the midwives I work with get twitched and often insist on a 'quick VE' to make sure she's fully, or try to let them breathe through the urge to push until vertex is visible, just to help them use less energy x

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3rd year Student Midwife

Ah so all midwives are the same!! Its not just my trust then?
Oh by the way your post about signs I've never seen or heard of a few of them, very interesting, I usually look at toes curling and a change in demeanor, as well as the swearing-I like that one, Denis Walsh and Soo Downe do a few of our lectures so we're really lucky there, they're just fountains of knowledge, Oh and they don't need powerpoint to discuss/answer questions, its soooo refreshing x

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3rd year Student Midwife