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

[Misscalais]

Not bad at all. Contractions are the worst part for me. I also hate delivering the placenta.
I didn't even know my 3rd sons head was out until i got frustrated and said he was too big to come out mw was like no love, his head is out just a few more little pushes
Ive done all my births with just gas and air.

 

[MindUtopia]

Really not a big deal. It feels burny and stretchy (like an 'Indian burn' if you've ever had someone do that to you). My husband said that I said, 'ouch!' but that was it. I also had a 2nd degree tear and had a completely natural home birth. Getting the stitches for the small tear wasn't pleasant, but crowning was fine and over very quickly.

 

[mumandco]

I've had 2 babies with no pain relief and I honestly didn't feel the ring of fire...I was absolutely dreading at as I had heard all about it, all I felt was a huge urge to push..no pain whilst pushing.

 

[Mthoodmom]

I felt it with my first, but not my second. I birthed my second in a standing position, which may have helped.

 

[PugLuvAh]

It was painful and really did feel like it was burning! But it was short lived. Honestly your body kind of takes over and pushes for you, so its over quickly.

 

[Srrme]

I had a natural birth in hospital with my 3rd, and a natural home birth with my 4th. The ring of fire is NOT that bad. The contractions, in my opinion, are worse. The ring of fire is so short lived, and it's a HUGE relief when the head comes out, that you forget about it immediately -- at least I did.

 

[babydustcass]

In the birthing pool it was more of a relief than pain, it wasn't nice, it was painful but it was also kina relieving... strange

 

[bombshellmom]

See the burning feeling lasted almost the entire time i was pushing. Guess everyone is different

 

[Willow82]

I didn't even notice it the second time around!

 

[Spudtastic]

I just had a second birth with gas and air. The contractions were also the worst for me too. I remember being surprised at a slight circle of warmth. In my head I hoped it was this so called ring of fire because it was an easy feeling.

 

[Shadowy Lady]

I don't remember a ring of fire. I do recall pushing to be the most painful part of labour though. I literally thought I would die!! I have to add though that my pushing was short for a first time mom (25 mins) and I had a big-ish baby at 8lb 10oz, I also had no tearing

 

[InVivoVeritas]

It's my least favourite part, but it's over quite quickly.

I've had 3 natural deliveries, and each time I have to give myself a mental pep-talk of "it's coming out anyway so shut up and get on with it!"

What I'd compare it to is (sorry TMI) when you're constipated and have to do a particularly big poo. Not pleasant and does hurt, but it isn't unbearable and it's over soon.

 

[Torz]

I don't remember feeling it with my first. I had a hospital birth the first time & had pethadine quite early on, I think it had wore off for the pushing stages.

My second I felt the ring of fire awful, it hurt so much but I had a home water birth with no midwife present. When I phoned the hospital they didn't believe I was in labour & refused to send a midwife out. I don't think this helped with the pain at all, it was excruciating from transition & I believe this was because I was panicking. I knew what was happening, I just kept screaming for a midwife & Gas & air. I had a second degree tear second time round & I feel all this could have been avoided if the midwife who answered the call in hospital would have trusted me knowing I was in labour.

 

[Dragonfly]

I only felt it the third time as I had spinals rest and I was in shock. I gasped, I wont forget that in a hurry. But it was only a second, after no feeling.

 

[ferens06]

Horrific, but I've had 2x pain relief free births, so it's very vivid. Its the only time I made any noise. However, it's not worth worrying about, there's nothing you can do about it and you are so close to meeting your baby then you just need to stay focused on that

 

[babyjan]

Ouch! I'm really scared about this part the most!

 

[ferens06]

I think it can depend what your muscle tone is like down there. I dont mean your vagina, but more your skin because that is what stretches/tears. If it is more supple then it figures that it will be a less painful experience. But it is just luck of the draw on that!

 

[RainbowDrop_x]

This is the part of labour I dread the most. I had a drug free birth with my DD (8lb 2oz no tears) and to be honest it's the only part of the labour I really remember from a pain point of view. That being said it doesn't last long and as soon as the head is out the rest kind of just follows and the pain disappears instantly

 

[babyjan]

With my first I had epidural so didn't feel it much. I was given episiotomy as well and I'm just so scared of tearing or getting cut again

The fact that I plan to go natural this time really frightens me!

 

[ferens06]

With my first I had epidural so didn't feel it much. I was given episiotomy as well and I'm just so scared of tearing or getting cut again

The fact that I plan to go natural this time really frightens me!

Try not to fear, fear is not a productive emotion in labour and can have negative consequences. Trust in your body, it knows how to birth. Women have been birthing for centuries without pain relief. You can do it.