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

[topazicatzbet]

i found the worst bit was the recovery after, i had to have an emergency forceps delivery cos callums heart rate dropped.

omg i ve never been so sore in my life. the first week was hell and took about 12 weeks to completly go away.

im more scared of that second time round than the labour.

 

[LankyDoodle]

I had no waters in tact throughout my labour, which the consultant and midwife warned me was going to make for more intense contractions. I was then induced with a pessary before my body was ready which again makes things more painful as your body doesn't build itself upto it in a natural way. However, I did not find labour too bad until they started me on the syntocinon drip which intensifies contractions and brings them much closer together - I was getting coupled contractions and they were about 5 sets in 10 minutes at their height (so each set was 2 contractions stuck together). Until the synto went on at about 6cm dilated, I was just on TENS and coping fine despite having all those circumstances and not being able to mobilise because of needing constant monitoring due to the pre-labour rupture of membranes. If I'd not had the synto I probably could have continued for another while on just TENS. When the Synto got going I needed gas and air and used that for 4 hours (although the synto was turned off part of the way through the 4 hours due to problems with fetal distress, and they thought I was going to need a section but wanted to 'give me a chance' so to speak). I then got an epidural due to the extra section risk and the fact the pain was just so unbearable. Epidural didn't work to full effect, so I started back on gas and air after an hour or so and had that for the few hours it took me to get to fully plus one hour (as I had to wait an hour before I was allowed to push) and then I had nothing at all for the time I was pushing her out.

In my opinion, labour is 'doable' without the extreme pain reliefs if you have a normal, straightforward labour and can use other more natural things like birthing pool (I couldn't for obvious reasons), mobilising yourself (I couldn't very much beyond 3cm dilated due to the monitoring), aromatherapy oils (that all went out the window for me really as I was so stuck within my set of circumstances), TENS (mine was an absolute godsend and I am deadly serious when I say I could've gone another few hours on it if I'd not needed the synto drip, and wouldn't have requested the gas and air as I totally forgot about other forms of pain relief until the drip went on and they told me I'd really need something else now). They will tell you to have pethidine or diamorphine if it is too early for g+a (I was told not to have the g+a til 5cm or so as it is very dehydrating and tiring, and luckily I was 5-6 when I started the drip so it worked nicely). However, I chose not to have pethidine or diamorph because I personally don't like them, so my first formal pain relief was gas and air... if you make sure your breathing is under control, which mine was, and take long deep slow breaths in and out on the gas and air then it's very effective. When my breathing sped up in times when I was forgetting to control myself, it didn't work very well, but when it did work it went over my body like a wave numbing everything. It does send you giddy and giggly and after several hours on it, you would be well advised to take a break from it - I did for a very short time because of the LA they used to site the epidural at first - that numbed me for half hour, but I actually think I should have stopped using it altogether as it really sent me off my face!

In short, until your waters go at least, labour is doable on the lowest pain relief. HOWEVER, remember that everyone has a different pain threshold. Also, the pain will be worse than anything you can imagine, but I could not really describe it to you now, just that it was extremely painful. The other thing is, if things go wrong during your labour then the pain becomes less easy to cope with for some reason - when I stopped progressing I became negative and when the baby started to get into distress I panicked. That was when I lost control of the pain and agreed to the epidural the registrar was encouraging me to have due to the likelihood of csection.

I didn't have bad afterpains, even though I am breastfeeding. I had no grazes or tears so didn't feel sore down there, just like I'd been on a long cycle ride for a few days afterwards. My bleeding was heavy for a few days but has been light and stop-start ever since.

 

[lottie_2007]

I think one born every minute was possibly the worse programme to watch if you are thinking of ttc, i genuinely believe they picked the worst cases!
With my first i was induced and the labour lasted 6 hours, g&a and pethadine, although i hated the pethadine! I had a ventouse delivery and an episiotomy which, along with the stiches was definately the worst bit! I found it quite painful to walk etc afterwards whilst my stiches were in too, however with regards to the labour pain it really isn't that bad, if you've ever had bad period pains, its just like that and g&a is amazing!!!
With number 2 i had a very quick labour which i spent at home (not out of choice!) but my contractions never became regular and the hospital kept telling me to wait, i ended up with g&a from the ambulance for the last 20 mins of my labour and gave birth within 7 minutes of arriving at the hospital! I will say that was a more painful labour as it was so intense, i was on my own for most of it and basically had no pain relief! In contrast to my first labour, i had no stiches etc and was up walking within minutes feeling great! If it was so bad we wouldn't keep doing it and i definately want a third!

 

[LankyDoodle]

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

I agree really.

I was in labour for 48 hours (although only established labour... ie labour that they recognised because they had monitored it whereas before that I was at home, for 15 hours!) and my waters had been broken for 48 hours, been on the drip for 4 hours, before I had an epidural. My baby was born 4 and a half hours after the epidural was placed (so 4 hours after it was meant to take effect, but like I said it just numbed my left thigh). If you do want an epidural, research first - I didn't know before that it doesn't work for 10% of people and for another set of people it doesn't work fully. The anaesthetist told me it is difficult because of the structure of the spine and it's touch and go whether they can place it in just the right place like a bullseye. I was also laid on my left side because of the problems with the heartrate so that's why it went straight to my left thigh!

The way I see things though is: you wouldn't go to the dentist and tell him to see how you get on having your root canal done without anaesthetic and you'll request it if things get too much!!

 

[dani_tinks]

I was induced and they broke my waters so it was very painful.
I coped on gas and air to begin with but when they sped up the drip I lost it, the contractions were ontop of each other and mostly in my back. I then had pethedine which was great while it lasted and made me drunk and sleepy. Then that wore off and I lost it again and had to have an epidural to calm me down.
The actual pushing was so much harder than I ever imagined. They said to bear down and push like youre having a poo... which I thought I was doing but turns out I wasnt. So I was pushing for about 3 hours in the end. He was back to back so I could feel his face and everything - not a nice feeling lol. Oh and they let my epidural wear off so I could feel it.... I didnt waannnaa feeel it!!!! Its all about mind over matter I think, well a lot of it is, but its very hard to stay in the right state of mind.
The recovery for me was really hard too cus I had SPD so couldnt actually move after giving birth without just screaming in pain. After two days I could walk on crutches but I was fully recovered after two weeks

 

[princess_bump]

honestly, yes it fooking hurts!! but it's obviously different for everyone, mine was 40hours, 3cm and em. c-section, so not great but i would do it all again tomorrow!! it starts just like BAD period pains, and just intensifies

i would say though, the worst part was the recovery after my section rather than the labouring if i'm honest. saying all this, i shall probably go for a planned section next time. you soon forget how much it hurts, and once your baby is hear, everything is amazing

 

[BradysMum]

I've had 2 med-free labours, and yes it f***ing hurts! Its well worth it and you do completely forget when you see your baby. As PP said, its like really really bad period pains that get stronger and stronger. Its not so much the pain itself, more how long it goes on for, I found anyway.

 

[Pippin]

My labour was long but actually once it was all over I wanted to do it again, gotta love those natural hormones. I had the epidural and it was the only relief I received in three days and it was bliss. Most of my labour was at home (48 hours) walking the garden with my tens machine on. I didn't find the contractions to bad, it was the pain in my hips that was horrible (I rode horses as a child and apartently this can make the pain bad in the hip area, did with me) Once I was finally in hospital at 4cm dilated I had the epi and it was lovely. The rest of my labour was really calm, quiet and peaceful. He was born 54 hours after I started and although it was harder than I thought the epi took all pain away, gas and air worked wonders while I waited for it. The sleep deprivation from contracting for so long was the hardest part, I had a 2nd degree tear which healed with no problems it was definitely the sleep which was the worst bit. He was also pulled out with a Kiwi, ventouse (sp?), as he had a big head but again that was all fine. I couldn't get over how good looking my doctor was so you get an idea of how distressed (or not) I was. All in all a lovely experience despite the prolonged pain. That post birth bliss is worth every second, I can't every describe that feeling to you, you have to experience it yourself. It's like the best feeling in the world.

 

[ivy-pickle]

God, i must be mad doing this again!

 

[k8y]

I am really looking foward to being in labour again. I think I must be a bit of a weirdo but I really enjoyed it. At the time I thought it was really really bad, and it is very painful, But It is also very very exciting. I cant remember the pain now to explain how it feels, I think its the bodys way of making you want to do it again. For me it started as like a mild period pain, but then just gets worse and worse. It just amazing, I cant wait to do it again.

 

[samzi]

Lke others have said, its different for everyone.

I had pethedine once and then g&a for most of my labour. i pushed while sucking for my life on g&a Im deff doing it again, though not for a while!!! yes it hurts like hell, but it is so worth it in the end, and once you see the baby in your arms you will forget all the pain instantly!

I ended up with a 2nd degree tear and needed sutures and was recovered properly in about 5/6 weeks..maybe 7/8