Calling all of you that are mums/moms already... Was labour...

[Mrsmitch80]

Hi, I remember being really scared, watched YouTube vids and one born every minute and was terrified!

I can't really explain it but I went from wanting an epidural in the first part of preg to wanting to see how much I could cope with as my due date approached! I was like "bring it on!"

I got a tens machine and managed at home until I was 5cm, had hubby dancing round the house with me to speed things up! Got to hospital, had my waters manually broken, was given gas and air before being told I wasn't progressing quickly enough and baby was in distress. I was 7 cm when they decided to take me to theatre for a cs and by the time I got there I was telling them I needed to push! As I was in theatre I didn't have gas and air anymore and it was too late for anything else so I just pushed for dear life. I had an episiotomy but didn't feel it I was just so determined to get this baby out!

Birth was different to say the least but not as bad as I expected. Can't have been, I'm planning on just gas and air this time! Xxx

 

[Babyvoisey]

I know It's Gunna hurt lol! My mum tells me it's the nearest experience I'll ever have to death but I'm just worried about tearing and getting so overwhelmed and emotional and stressed etc etc! I'm not very good with pain boo hoo! Lol xx

 

[RosemaryBaby]

This is my first, so I don't have an experience to share...but, after reading these and others' posts, I have to say I am truly amazed at what women can endure and am truly terrified that I will be one of those women!

Like another poster said, I too am worried about water breaking in public. I am a teacher and due in May, so right at the end of the semester. I keep imagining myself closer and closer to 9 months in front of a classroom of college students and getting leaky nipples and water breaking

 

[Babyvoisey]

That would be embarrassing lol! I'm not going out in the last couple of weeks! I can imagine mine breaking in a supermarket or something lol!! Wouldn't be very funny! But then I'd sooner have it break somewhere where I don't have to clean it rather than on my sofa lol xx

 

[tiggerz]

Pethadine is an injectable pain killer - it really helps and believe me you won't be worried about the needle!! They normally inject you as you're having a contraction so you dont even realise youve had it!! It helps to relax you and it made me sleep for a while too - even between contractions!!
It's not all bad - as labour progresses you just cope with the pain - really you've no choice but to cope, the more you go with it and relax into it the better you'll be!! Last pg I went to pregnancy yoga classes and will be doing them again this time - they really helped me to feel more in control of my body - I was still s££t scared but I coped so much better than the previous time

 

[kiwi]

Labour was definitely not as bad as I expected. As everyone here has said - yes it hurts, but it is amazing how there are lots of things going on, and you somehow keep going and as soon as the baby's head is out, the rest is a doddle! For the contractions were not too bad overall, just now and again I would realise how uncomfortable I was (esp when I decided I needed to wee and then was stuck sitting on the toilet with no pants on telling OH and midwife that I couldnt get off as it made the contractions worse).
I had a waterbirth which was great and I am hoping to do so again - was quite a relaxing environment and only had one midwife who kept checking everything was going as it should.
I would also recommend some sort of antenatal classes as they will tell you a lot about the various stages of labour and the pain relief options, and how ech one works.
It is perfectly normal to be nervous (I am sure I will be nervous second time around also) and even though it can be a bit scary you will be okay.

 

[Ashlee B x]

I haven't had a baby yet, just clicked on here out of curiosity really lol. But the only thing I'm worried about is if my waters break in public lmao. The actual thought of labour doesn't bother me. I know it's something I can't avoid, so therefore what's the point in worrying? it will either hurt a little or hurt alot... But I figure, hopefully, if I go into it in a positive mindset it won't hurt as much haha.

I can dream anyway

XxX

Only about 5% of women go into spontaneous labour with waters breaking first, its usually the contractions that start first then waters later on, if MW doesnt have to break em hehe so i think you'll be fine huni

 

[laila 44]

for me it was a lot worse than expected but this was due to beig induced and the baby not descending after 26 hours of full labor, so I went into a crash c-section. The contractions were not horrible it was just the duration of my labor that was too much to handle! By the time I reached 10 cm and ended up in c-section I was running a high fever and delusional....Again, to reassure you the contractions were unbearable only at the end and before that I managed well without meds until 6 cm when I got the epi. All in all though, I'd do it again in a heartbeat for my healthy baby girl who is now 4 months and is the light of my life! It's well worth it! GL xo

 

[MummytoSummer]

I ended up with an emergency c section but did labour for over 70 hours beforehand.

My waters broke (was like I'd thought it would be), contractions started (very painful but just about bearable with gas and air), then I was put on a drip and induced to make me dilate further, these contractions were nothing like my natural contractions and were horrendous. I could not cope, simple as that. There was no break in between them, they felt forced and unnatural and I had to have an epidural.

If my own contractions would have dilated me to the full 10cm I could have easily coped. I have quite a high pain threshold.

I never experienced pushing the baby out so can't comment on that but as far as contractions go they were very painful but not as bad as they're made out to be on tv and in films etc (except my induced contractions which made me writhe about like something from the excorcist!

X

 

[PrettyUnable]

Mine was worse than I expected or ever anticipated only because I didn't go into labour at all and had DD by emergency c-section at 36weeks, 20minutes after getting to the hospital due to her being in distress as I was ill with food poisoning.

I was under general anaesthetic and she was incredibly poorly for 3weeks after birth in the NICU.
She was 2 weeks old before we could touch or hold her and I can say that time and later when she had keyhole heart surgery at 2&half, have been the hardest times of my life.

I struggled to accept what had happend because I was naive enough not to even think that could ever happen. It just didn't even register with me as a possibility of worst case scenarios.

So I'm terrified this time around - incase history repeats itself.
Incase this baby has the same heart problems - will have the heart checked at 20 week scan on 19th December.
And I'm terrified that I clueless about labour and delievery.. I've no idea what to expect, but happy to be allowed to try for a VBAC and trying not to set myself too many high expectations or limitations...

 

[maybe11]

Mine wasnt bad at all. Contractions are like bad period cramps (entonox is FAB!)
Worst part was head crowning which felt like a stinging type pain (I tore and needed 3 stitches) but honestly, you really do forget once you have your lo in your arms. x

 

[gemalems]

When i had my first i was 16 and terrified. I begged for a c-sec which was refused lol. When i went into labour it was nowhere near as bad as i'd imagined it would be and managed without an epidural or anything other than gas and air. To be fair it cant be that bad as im due to have my 7th lol.

 

[babyblog]

If I am honest It was far worse than I ever thought but that's cosi am a bit blasé about these things.I don't really ever get pains or I'll so I never spent much time sympathising with those that did.SO I went into labour convinced I would go au natural, after all how much could it possibly hurt!? Ha ha how wrong was I.BUt in my defence, he was back to back which is meant to be worse plus my contractions were instantly 2 mins apart and lasted for 26 hours before I was rushed in forman EMCS.My experience was horrendous, but gues what? I couldn't be glory happier to be pregnant again! And I'm even looking forward to the delivery, whichever method I choose x