For those of you who've already had babies...

[fuffyburra]

How bad is labour? Can you compare it to anything/explain how painful it is? I've been watching One Born Every Minute and I'm freaking out!! I was fine with labour before, but now I think I know too much

Yes, I AM a pansy! XD xx

 

[fuffyburra]

Oh yeah almost forgot... Also, is an epidural really as good as I imagine it to be?! xx

 

[Caroline:-)]

Ooooh, good question... but I think I'm kinda afraid to hear the answer!!!

 

[mrsp3]

i'm guessing by the silence from all mothers there's a conspiracy going on and in this case ignorance is bliss! i'll be watching this post closely!! haha

 

[fuffyburra]

Ohhh dear lord I hope that's not the case!!

 

[Ley]

Do you want it sugar coated or the cold hard truth??

Labour is different for every woman. Yes it will hurt and the pain will be like nothing you have ever experienced before but it is a productive pain and with every contraction you know that you are getting closer to meeting your baby.
I could write a whole essay about what labour was like for me but like I said it's different for every woman so just because I felt 1 thing doesn't mean you will or vice versa.
xx

 

[fuffyburra]

Cold hard truth please! lol did you have any pain relief?

 

[Jomum2b-again]

i think it also depends how you deal with the constant pain, i dont want to scare you but you have to come to terms with the idea that you might be in labour for hours and hours, maybe even days...but then again, it could just last a few hours, it all depends, and like Ley said, its different for every woman and for every experience of it. It will be the worst sort of pain you'll ever feel, especially towards the end, but its so amazingly worth it, you'll be itching to do it again (i know i am anyways ) as for the epidural, i work in a hospital and i know that once the ladies have an epi, they are soo much more chilled and relaxed, they dont have to deal with the pain of the contractions and can get some rest if it has been a long labour, the only downside to it is that you will have to be on an i.v. drip and will have to stay on the bed, you wont be able to move as you wont be able to feel your legs lol so when it comes to the pushing part, the midwife will have to tell you when you are having a contraction so you can push and meet your baby....i've never had an epi, so i dont know how it would feel to be pushing blind when you cant feel anything. With my first i had gas and air, which is ok...it really only helped me to keep breathing, as i kept holding my breath through the contractions lol but it gave me a sore dry throat nd really needed a drink but ouldnt have one as i was on a hormone drip because i was being induced and he weighed 9lb 15oz....with my second, i didnt have any pain relief as there wasnt time, she was born 20 minutes after arriving at the hospital as i was 10cm on arrival...the midwife didnt even get chance to turn the gas and air on and she weighed 8lb 10oz....i do have to say that for me, having just gas and air and then no pain relief was soo worth it as i could feel everything and really appreciated going through the pain to get my beautiful babies (before i had my son, i was open to the idea of having an epi but glad i didnt now) hope this has helped you ladies who were wondering what its really like

 

[topazicatzbet]

ok honestly, yes it bloody hurt worst pain i have ever had, but you know what, i enjoyed it, not in a peverse way but like was said before you know what your achieving by it and i was so proud of myself the way i handled it.

i had to have a drip induced labour because my waters broke and they say that it makes the labour much more intense and painfull. i had an epidural but the dam thing didnt work properly for me.

going in is nothing really girls dont be afraid of having one, but mine certainly didnt stop the pain, it eased it a bit but gas and air was my best friend through out.

i have to say it was the best day of my life, not just cos of my gorgeous son but because i achieved something so wonderful. i cant wait to do it again so it cant have been that bad really.

 

[amyclaire]

Lol ellie such a random thread I love it
I would like to know about the epidural and what you would say to someone REALLY scared of needles. How impossible is it to sit still whilst the whole injecting into that dangerous area near the spine is occuring? if there's anyone really scared of needles.. Did you just go without pain relief involving needles or just not care because the pain was just too much?
Xxxx

 

[fuffyburra]

I don't mind needles in the back, that I can deal with. I'm nervous now about having to have bloods taken during pregnancy, a needle in a vein freaks me the hell out *bleurgh!* lol I HATE veins

Thanks for the honesty girls, nice to hear the cold hard truth once in a while, whenever I ask my mum she says "ooooh it's not that bad, really!"

 

[Barbles]

As the others have said, it really is the worst pain imaginable but at the same time it was the most amazing thing I have ever done. It was worth every bit and i would do it all again in a heartbeat. And once you baby is there, you think well it wasnt that bad lol.
I didnt have an epidural, was offered one a gazillion times but kept saying no. Then as I was pushing I starting asking (ok begging) for one lol they were like too late now love (kinda like she did in the film Knocked Up). I had pethadine which I think I will skip next time, made me sleepy, my contractions slowed down so had to be put on a drip to pick them back up and basically just knocked my head off. Will definatley take up the epidural next time.

 

[Jomum2b-again]

lol everyone says that once its over....but while youre going through it, u'll swear u feel like your dying

 

[CharmedKirsty]

I was with my sister when she had her 1st. I was only 17 at the time and I was fine until the went at downstairs with a pair of scissors. I had to look away. Anyone been cut or torn? thats what i'm mentally having issues with.

 

[Jomum2b-again]

i had a 2nd degree tear with my first and a 1st degree tear with my second, i was also there when my friend had an episiotomy (cut)

 

[Belle]

YES it hurts but its actuallt not that bad ! (me personally love giving birth) Andas soon as baby is out, PAIN GONE!

 

[CharmedKirsty]

i had a 2nd degree tear with my first and a 1st degree tear with my second, i was also there when my friend had an episiotomy (cut)

Do you notice it or are you just in to much pain?

 

[amyclaire]

VEINS urrgghhhh yes I'm even worse with that, I'll have the blood tests done during pregnancy but unless I'm really really messed up and physically can't deal with it they can keep all needles away from me during labour. Yeah I really do hate veins I'm trying not to think about them now :l
Its weird, I can deal with tearing and stuff. Think I'd be pretty scared if it was one that ended up going through some of my insides though (sorry tmi.....)..
What pain relief options are needle free?xxxx

 

[fuffyburra]

It freaks me out too, tears and cuts etc. but if it was that bad humankind would've found a better way of doing it Plus, in my head I'd imagine you reach a certain level of pain and it's all much of a muchness

 

[ivy-pickle]

Well guys, ive always called a spade a spade so here goes..

im due my second in october and i'm absolutley sh*tting my pants about doing it again! If someone had come in with a gun during those contractions-i swear as true as i'm sat infront of this computer, i'd of asked them to shoot me and let it all stop!

And yet here i am..doing it again, it is worth it, once its out, the pain completely went..plus, now we're preggers we've got no choice!
then my best mate had one and said it was fine, no problem, enjoyed it almost! I'm a pussy i think!