# Was labour less or more painful than expected?



## midwife1992

I had my first baby on the 24.5.2015 and was so surprised to find that I found labour so much less painful than I expected. I was 8cm when I got to hospital and only went in because I had a small bleed. I had no pain relieve to my surprise. I was planning to try and avoid it but thought id at least have gas and air but just didn't want anything for some reason, still can't put my finger on why. What was everyone else's experiences? Did you find it more or less painful and did you use the pain relief you expected you would? My labour was also a lot quicker than I thought it was be- just under 4 hours from first pain to baby being born:)


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## Rhio92

My first labour was less painful than I thought it would be - I used gas and air and water. I didn't get the urge to push so had no idea what that was like.
My second labour was so much more painful, it was such a shock. I need diamorphine for pain relief. However, I did get the urge to push this time, and I was shocked at how much it didn't hurt, I actually loved pushing.


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## Eleanor ace

My first was less painful than I thought it would be; I wasn't scared about it being really painful and didn't spend that much time thinking about how painful it would be, but yeah I guess I was pleasantly surprised :). I used gas and air for pain relief which I'd figured I would. 
My second was more painful than I was expecting, not for the first part but I guess once I got to 7cm, from there it was more painful than my 1st and the later contractions and pushing were significantly more painful. I used gas and air which I expected to (man I love that stuff) and water, which I'd hoped to but thought I wouldn't get to use, so that was an added bonus :)


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## laura109

i was induced so it was intense. it did hurt but as it was my first i had no idea anyway. if i have another i hope i can have it naturally xx


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## emyandpotato

I dunno, I was never really that scared, but it lived up to it and wasn't too bad at all. I have had many worse experiences. I think a lot of pain can be from fear and tension, and the expectation that it's going to be the worst pain ever. Obviously ever labour is different and that's not to say some people don't have horrendous labours but at the same time there is no reason to expect you won't be able to manage, and positive thoughts help!


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## shasha

just like previous posters my first labour was less painful than anticipated but the second was more painful but quicker. Under two hours.


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## MrsMandy

I was definatly surprised by how well I coped with the pain. 
I had a back labour and from start to delivery it was about 38 hrs. I managed at home with a shower and tens machine for the first 16 hrs then we went to hospital as we thought i wasn't progressing as I had no contractions at all around my bump. (It wasn't till we called the hospital again in the afternoon and I described my pains that I was told of the possiblity it could be a back labour!) After being checked I was 5cm and was then offered gas and air. I tried it but it just made me cough so I didn't bother with it and just continued with the tens machine then I got into a huge bath and spent most of my labour there. I found the water was the best pain relief. I had to get out when I was 8cm though as my waters broke and he'd had his merconim inside. As soon as I was out of the water things became a lot more painful and then I had to take the gas and air - worked much better that time!! 
I narrowly avoided a c section as his heart rate kept dropping and managed to push him out in 4 pushes, 6 mins, whilst being prepped for surgery!


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## dan-o

My first was a bit more intense than I expected. He was back to back, and I was induced with panicking people around me (high blood pressure) so maybe that's why. I actually caved in and asked for an epidural, but didn't get one as I was pretty much fully dilated at the time lol. The recovery from pushing him out in a unfavourable position, forcefully (and far too quickly) took about 6 months in total though, in fact I'm still not right down there! 

Second was much less painful. Could have done it all over again right away. Calm and relaxed just let him come on his own no pushing. He was right way round natural labour. No recovery time, felt fine right away!

Both labours were fast with contractions 4:10 from the outset. 
Excited to be going through it again soon, hoping for another like my second!!


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## Popples1

Much more painful than I expected but it was very quick so perhaps that didn't help. I didn't have any drugs though, just gas and air when I was pushing, so it was survivable!


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## Spudtastic

Labour was alot more painful than I expected. However baby was facing the wrong way. Contractions were long with a tiny break in between and were all consuming. After progressing from 2.5 2.5cms to 4 cms in 9 hours with all consuming contractions I had an epidural.
pushing hurt too because baby twisted around in my birth canal. Like dan-o I was sore down there for over 6 months and didn't feel right for about 18 months. I hope no.2 pleasantly surprises me.


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## Take2

I think it depends on how baby is positioned, my first was back to back and it was awful, at the time I thought that's what all labor was like but my second was so different, so much less painful and all together calmer.


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## AP

Way less painful in my opinion


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## Jessicahide

I have been induced three times, was not as bad as I thought it would be, had worse periods to be honest (endo)


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## k4th

Way more painful than I expected. Baby was in a good position & I only had gas & air. 

My contractions were irregular throughout. Whilst labouring at home I kept ringing maternity & they kept telling me I wasn't really in labour because my contractions weren't regular. It really scared & panicked me. Eventually I told oh to take me to hospital anyway - when I arrived I was 6cm!!! I was so anxious & upset though & I didn't have time to pull myself together before transition hit. I agree with a pp - the tension really made it worse!! I've been doing birth classes & hope for a much calmer birth this time around!


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## tinkerbelle93

Much more painful! I managed to get to 8cm without pain relief, but once it was in full-force I really couldn't bear it, it was way worse than I'd imagined by a long way! Definitely the worst pain I've ever experienced. 

But a lot of people I know have said they were pleasantly surprised by how manageable it was, as well as comparing it to other types of pain and saying it was not as bad as that so I think it just really depends! x


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## mum140381

more ever time i think to myself i dont remember it being that bad then bam worst paid i have ever felt cant believe i am doing it for the 7th time but i only use gas and air x


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## SweetPea3200

Just popping in to stalk this thread and hear some more opinions. Great read for someone expecting their first:)


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## MummyToAmberx

Every one of my labours has been different, my last(#3) was my most painful. It felt like pains in transition at only 3cm, she was out within 3hrs! Some women don't have back to back contractions which i think huge part, if you get breaks in between even at the end its going to be 10x easier to deal with. My 2nd wasn't all that bad it was mainly just pain from SPD.


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## UponAStar

Labor was way more painful than I had expected. 

There must have been some weird positioning or something, though, because even when I was having strong contractions hours into labor the machine couldn't read them and my midwife had to call in a few other midwives to see if they could feel them by actually touching my abdomen. Even then only one midwife was able to (barely) feel them right before the pushing stage started. I had been hoping to have an unmedicated birth but after hopping on one foot for over half an hour (it was the only thing I found that made the pain somewhat bearable) I started trying the pain relief options available. I don't think I prepared myself enough for labor pain, honestly. I'd been counting on a warm bath to ease my pain since it helped with braxton hicks but it actually made my contractions hurt worse. Oh well -- at least I'm more prepared for next time. Haha. :flower:


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## mjemma

Mine was much more painful. It lasted a long time with a prolonged pushing stage but I only used the pool and g&a. Eventually DS was stuck so I was given a spinal -the most amazing feeling ever! - before they got him out. I'll tell you about #2 in a few weeks but hoping for better, though more open to pain relied this time!!


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## SmartieMeUp

My first labour was awful. From start to end. Just slow and agonising. Didn't make it to transition. First 18 hours I managed no pain relief, remaining 25 I had diamorphine, gas and air and epidural. From 6cm when I was allowed gas and air, I felt okay and just loved it. As soon as contractions broke through it, it made me sick from pain and no longer worked so had epidural at 8cm. Moving house 2 weeks after a caesarean was much less painful, carrying furniture and boxes.


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## SoupDragon

So much more painful than I expected. But then, my uterus was contracting for 2 days around a 10lb 2oz back-to-back baby who was not going anywhere. So it was not a normal labour.

It felt like a bad period until 4cm, then it got so much worse. I managed on gas & air for a few hours, but after repeatedly being asked if I wanted pethidine, I gave in. Eventually, after a whole day at 6cm, where the contractions merged together and I never sensed a break from the pain, I had an epidural. 

Baby was so badly stuck I ended up with an emcs at 9cm.

I'm hoping #2 will be a very different experience...aiming for a vbac and would like to do it with minimal interference and no drugs. I want to stay at home in the bath as long as possible, and I'll be doing proper birth preparation classes, not just the 2 sessions the NHS provide.


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## BunnyN

My first was much less painful than I expected but was long and drawn out. My second was probably more painful that I expected once I hit about 7cm. It was much more intense than my first and went quicker (plus baby was almost 11lbs). The pain only surprised me a bit because it was much more than the first time but still wasn't as bad as I had expected before my first labour.


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## zebbed89

My first wasn't painful until after the birth as I had an epidural at 3cm because of blood pressure! 
My second was painful I don't know if it was as painful as u thought it would be. I had gas and air and loved it i had pethidine which im glad I had because it made me relax and I went from 4cm to 10 I'm 20 mins and pushed for 4 mins which was the part I was dreading the most as it took 1 hour 20 with my daughter! I would do my second labour again even tho it was painful! Xx


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## bombshellmom

It was waaay more painful than I thought!! I think that's because my labor pains started right away, I woke up with a sharp, stabbing, diarrhea feeling (and I mean I remember thinking this is the worst diarrhea I have ever felt in my life!!:haha:) then I sat up and my water broke. My contractions didn't give me a break! They were 2 minutes apart from the start! Luckily my labor was only 2 1/2 hours I went pretty quick, but I remember laying in the hospital bed thinking I'm never doing this sh** again lmao!:happydance: And here we are now TTC #2!!


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## k4th

bombshellmom said:


> It was waaay more painful than I thought!! I think that's because my labor pains started right away, I woke up with a sharp, stabbing, diarrhea feeling (and I mean I remember thinking this is the worst diarrhea I have ever felt in my life!!:haha:) then I sat up and my water broke. My contractions didn't give me a break! They were 2 minutes apart from the start! Luckily my labor was only 2 1/2 hours I went pretty quick, but I remember laying in the hospital bed thinking I'm *never doing this sh** again lmao!*:happydance: And here we are now TTC #2!!

:rofl: haha - I remember that thought very clearly!!!! :)


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## SoupDragon

k4th said:


> bombshellmom said:
> 
> 
> I remember laying in the hospital bed thinking I'm *never doing this sh** again lmao!*:happydance: And here we are now TTC #2!!
> 
> :rofl: haha - I remember that thought very clearly!!!! :)Click to expand...

I told my husband right before I went to theatre for my c-section 'we're not having any more children, I never want to do this again!'...yeah, I hope he doesn't hold me to that! :haha:


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## hanni

A lot more painful than expected. But then my little man was in the most awkward position ever and my labour was 42 hours long. 
Tapped out at 4cm after being in labour for 26 hours and got an epidural. Best thing ever!


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## PrincessTaz

My birth was way way worse than I ever thought it would be. I thought I had a really high pain threshold but it was awful. I was in slow labour for 4 days and had to get induced because my waters had been broken too long without being in active labour. Once they started me on that drip it felt like I didn't even have a break in between contractions. I think for me the worse thing was being so tired because if been in labour for days I hadn't been sleeping. In my birth plan I'd made a big point of not wanting an epidural and wanting the most natural labour ever!

I was begging for that epidural and kicking off when they wouldn't give it me lol. In the end when they said I could I told them why were they saying that when I said no in my birth plan lol. I did have pethidine and gas and air in the end but urgh it's was horrible and still painful.

And that urge to push was something else, they kept telling me not.to push because there was still some cervix but my body was just doing it. I had no control! In the end she just had to get up and push the cervix out of the way.


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## SmartieMeUp

SmartieMeUp said:


> My first labour was awful. From start to end. Just slow and agonising. Didn't make it to transition. First 18 hours I managed no pain relief, remaining 25 I had diamorphine, gas and air and epidural. From 6cm when I was allowed gas and air, I felt okay and just loved it. As soon as contractions broke through it, it made me sick from pain and no longer worked so had epidural at 8cm. Moving house 2 weeks after a caesarean was much less painful, carrying furniture and boxes.

Second labour was much better. Managed a VBAC *JUST*! I was in the 'giving up' zone but glad I didn't. Early labour was much more manageable, maybe because I knew what I was doing this time, I was having contractions every 2.5-3 mins the entire labour. Arrived in hospital at 4cm, 11 hours later I gave birth. I progressed steadily. Did have 3 epidurals which all failed, diamorphine and an episiotomy, but I would do it all again. Pushing was great, didn't hurt at all.

If I could give birth again without going through 9 months of pregnancy, I would in a heartbeat. Really made me broody.


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## k4th

SmartieMeUp said:


> SmartieMeUp said:
> 
> 
> My first labour was awful. From start to end. Just slow and agonising. Didn't make it to transition. First 18 hours I managed no pain relief, remaining 25 I had diamorphine, gas and air and epidural. From 6cm when I was allowed gas and air, I felt okay and just loved it. As soon as contractions broke through it, it made me sick from pain and no longer worked so had epidural at 8cm. Moving house 2 weeks after a caesarean was much less painful, carrying furniture and boxes.
> 
> Second labour was much better. Managed a VBAC *JUST*! I was in the 'giving up' zone but glad I didn't. Early labour was much more manageable, maybe because I knew what I was doing this time, I was having contractions every 2.5-3 mins the entire labour. Arrived in hospital at 4cm, 11 hours later I gave birth. I progressed steadily. Did have 3 epidurals which all failed, diamorphine and an episiotomy, but I would do it all again. Pushing was great, didn't hurt at all.
> 
> If I could give birth again without going through 9 months of pregnancy, I would in a heartbeat. Really made me broody.Click to expand...

Congratulations!!! Glad you had a better experience this time around. Enjoy those newborn cuddles!!


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## bombshellmom

Question for the ladies with more than 1 kid!

Was labor more painful with each one? Or did it get easier? We're thinking on doing home birth with #2 whenever we conceive but I don't know if I'm strong enough!!


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## SmartieMeUp

bombshellmom said:


> Question for the ladies with more than 1 kid!
> 
> Was labor more painful with each one? Or did it get easier? We're thinking on doing home birth with #2 whenever we conceive but I don't know if I'm strong enough!!

For me, there really was a difference with mine, and felt so much easier and less intense, but that could be down to being in more control with my body and coping better.

Thank you, K4th! It really was a big achievement :flower:


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## Eleanor ace

bombshellmom said:


> Question for the ladies with more than 1 kid!
> 
> Was labor more painful with each one? Or did it get easier? We're thinking on doing home birth with #2 whenever we conceive but I don't know if I'm strong enough!!

I've given birth twice (so far!) and for me the 2nd was more painful. Early labour was less painful 2nd time around, and started off steadier (I was induced with my 1st so probably had something to do with his labour getting going quicker and being faster), but the later contractions were more painful, as was pushing. But I only pushed for 14 minutes with my 2nd as opposed to 2 hours with my 1st, and her delivery was more straightforward :).


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## BunnyN

Eleanor ace said:


> bombshellmom said:
> 
> 
> Question for the ladies with more than 1 kid!
> 
> Was labor more painful with each one? Or did it get easier? We're thinking on doing home birth with #2 whenever we conceive but I don't know if I'm strong enough!!
> 
> I've given birth twice (so far!) and for me the 2nd was more painful. Early labour was less painful 2nd time around, and started off steadier (I was induced with my 1st so probably had something to do with his labour getting going quicker and being faster), but the later contractions were more painful, as was pushing. But I only pushed for 14 minutes with my 2nd as opposed to 2 hours with my 1st, and her delivery was more straightforward :).Click to expand...

Simmilar experience here. The second was more painful but on the whole I'd acctually say it was easier because my first labour was so long and drawn out.


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## dan-o

Thought I'd post again now I've had my third baby. Another totally different experience again!!

My waters went preterm this time and I didn't establish after 12 hours (still had contractions though!) so I got put on a syntocinon drip and continuous monitoring. (Don't let this scenario ever stop you being active if you want to be) 

I went from standstill to delivery in 1.5 hours max. Most intense labour for me and I gratefully used the gas and air at transition as I was tearing the back off the bed!! I had no birth partner either (hubby ducked out to do school run) and a controlling midwife (who I totally ignored) I delivered kneeling again but the whole baby pretty much in one go as soon as he crowned, the midwife didn't even catch him! I felt him more than my other two even though he was smallest.

My cord then snapped and the registrar couldnt reach my placenta, cue panic stations and I then had to go to theatre and have a spinal block and manual removal Totally wasn't as a bad as I'd expected though (I've read some horror stories!) I just shut my eyes and thought of other things.

This time the broody button is actually off. Hoping it stays that way as hubby says NO MORE!!! :haha:


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## hanni

dan-o said:


> Thought I'd post again now I've had my third baby. Another totally different experience again!!
> 
> My waters went preterm this time and I didn't establish after 12 hours (still had contractions though!) so I got put on a syntocinon drip and continuous monitoring. (Don't let this scenario ever stop you being active if you want to be)
> 
> I went from standstill to delivery in 1.5 hours max. Most intense labour for me and I gratefully used the gas and air at transition as I was tearing the back off the bed!! I had no birth partner either (hubby ducked out to do school run) and a controlling midwife (who I totally ignored) I delivered kneeling again but the whole baby pretty much in one go as soon as he crowned, the midwife didn't even catch him! I felt him more than my other two even though he was smallest.
> 
> My cord then snapped and the registrar couldnt reach my placenta, cue panic stations and I then had to go to theatre and have a spinal block and manual removal Totally wasn't as a bad as I'd expected though (I've read some horror stories!) I just shut my eyes and thought of other things.
> 
> This time the broody button is actually off. Hoping it stays that way as hubby says NO MORE!!! :haha:


Congratulations dan-o. So glad you finally got your rainbow!!


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