Be honest please-how bad is the "ring of fire"?

[jlw617]

I'm assuming everyone knows what I'm describing but just in case I'm taking about he burning sensation you get when the baby's head starts to crown...I felt pressure the last time but I'm sure it didn't compare to what it feels like au natural...I had a walking epidural that must not have taken all the way or something because it was a totally different experience than what I had with my first in which I felt absolutely nothing! This time I want to go completely drug free though but the one thing I'm quite frightened of is the dreaded ring of fire! So please give me your honest answers here

 

[mummy2_1]

It's stings but over so quickly u soon forget. That's my opinion anyway. And my lb crowned and took 3mins for his body to birth. So was there quite awhile with the stinging

 

[tallybee]

I don't remember having a burning feeling at all, honestly it just felt like I needed a huge poo

 

[LoraLoo]

I don't think it's that bad, it's the pressure I find worse but for me the pushing is just a relief brcUse you know the contractions are nearly over aNd your baby is almost here 😊

 

[emyandpotato]

With gas and air with my first I thought it was fine. I had nothing at all this time and it was bad, but it was over quickly. There isn't anything you can do at that point so your body just goes with it.

 

[Wannabe Mommy]

I had a little gas n air but really can't remember the feeling although it must have hurt because I remember saying "that better have been the head or I'm changing my mind about this whole baby thing" MW told me to have a feel and there was her head. About 30 seconds later and 1 massive push and Lex was born.

 

[NDH]

I don't know that I felt it either time. At least I don't remember it so it can't have been that bad. I am a noisy birther so anyone listening would have thought I was in excruciating pain but it was "working noise" lol. Not that it wasn't painful of course, but I don't remember any particular part of it being especially painful. With my first the pushing was sweet relief after not being allowed to push for two hours it was just exhausting cause it took so long, so I may have been too numb to feel the ring of fire.
Ok I do now remember it with my second but it literally lasts seconds and the memory obviously fades pretty quickly.
Honestly its nothing to be worried about so try not to dwell on it. When you feel it let it motivate you cause you will be sooooioi close to meeting Charlie

 

[Dolly84]

With my first (7lb 9oz) I had a 2nd degree tear and just felt a bit of a sting as I ripped.
With my 2nd (10lb 4oz) same again just a bit of a sting, like a Chinese burn, I just had a tear to my perinium that time. Didn't really hurt both times, I had gas and air 1st time and nothing 2nd time xxx

 

[lesleyann]

It's not that bad the one thing I remember a friend telling me was remember when you where younger and would hook a finger each side of your mouth and pull a really silly face, do that and pull until it hurts and that's the feeling.

 

[dan-o]

I've never had it, although I did yell ow ow ow this time as he came through the birth canal far far too fast!! (Too much syntocinon) Got away with it though as he was small!

 

[ElmaWG]

I had a natural (pain med free) labor, and I have no memory of pain during crowning. I definitly remember the visceral pain of transition ( which was only "unbearable" for a couple contractions). The entire pushing stage was a breeze in comparison, in terms of pain level.

 

[jlw617]

Thanks ladies! You have really put my mind to ease about the whole thing.

 

[TTCBean]

I hate to be the only one out, but I had a completely natural birth at home for my first (planning it this time around too!) and the worst part for me was the "ring of fire". I remember telling my husband that it "burned like heck" (in a more colourful way) ... but to be honest it was soon over when baby came out and it was totally worth the few minutes of intense burning.

 

[bombshellmom]

OMG, that was the worst part of labor for me!!! It burned SO bad! I almost wanted to quit and have a c section haha!!!

 

[Feronia]

I had two home births and didn't experience it either time! Pushing was wonderful!

 

[BunnyN]

I loved pushing the first time. I had intense pain in my back during transition and it went away as soon as pushing started which was such a relief. I described the pushing as more intense and hard work rather than painful. I pushed for an hr. I only remember the ring of fire, which came right at the end of pushing, clearly because of the sympathetic look the MW gave me when she said "it really hurts doesn't it?" She looked a little surprised when I said "no, it doesn't hurt at all, just stings". But it is true it did really sting but it didn't feel like pain to me.

My second labour the MW got me to take crowning really slow as she was a little concerned about the size of the baby (he turned out to be almost 11lbs and with a big head) I remember every time the stinging got intense she told me to stop pushing. I found it a little fustrating because I was ready to have him out now but things did go very smoothly and I didn't even have a stitch. Again I wouldn't describe it as pain, just an intense stingy, stretching feeling.

Both were drug free home births.

 

[mummof1]

I had two natural births and I didn't feel it with my first son, my second son I definitely felt it and that feeling is what made me push so hard to end it lol
It was a burning/stretching pain for me but I pushed so hard it was over pretty quickly !

 

[diz]

To be honest, that was the worst bit for me during both of my home births. I ended up with 2nd degree tears too, which took about two weeks to heal before i didn't cry when i had to walk any where..three weeks to feel much better.

I hope your one of the lucky ones that has little pain. Get some witch hazel water to put on a pad just incase you do have a bad sting. it helps for after wards xxx

 

[o0oCharlieo0o]

It's not that bad the one thing I remember a friend telling me was remember when you where younger and would hook a finger each side of your mouth and pull a really silly face, do that and pull until it hurts and that's the feeling.

^^ this is what i would have said! It feels like that but a bit worse id say, i remember it vividly with my first baby because i stopped and refused to push because if it LOL!!! I had to obviously just get on with it and push anyway lol and it always made me wonder after why they dont stick like KY jelly down there before the baby starts crowning because its a dry burn feel i think a lubricant wud really help! With my second baby his head come out still on the water bag so i didnt get the sting and didnt really get it with my third either, i wonder if its because my first baby my waters had broken 4 hrs previous and he had a lot of hair? Because his head was dry, whereas my last baby the waters broke about half hour before she was born and she didnt have hair so no friction lol! Still think they shud whack some lubricant down there to prevent the sting though lol (ps i had gas and air with all my births as my pain releif)

 

[KandyKinz]

I found the contractions to be far more painful.