For those who have laboured before!

[Stephytiggs]

Before pregnancy, I used to get period pains that would get so bad in my back that my legs and feet would literly go numb and tingle. The pain would make me feel detatched from the world around me.

Has anyone been able to compare labour with period pains like this? Obviously for those who only ever got mild cramps during their period I'm not insinuating that labour could be compared to regular/mild period pains!!

I always thought I suffered pretty terribly when it came to the time of the month, and wondered if this will somehow prepare me for bringing my babies into the world.

Any experiences?

ETA TMI my periods we're also extremely heavy with a lot of clotting each month!

Xxx

 

[marigold91]

It may! It did sometimes feel like intense period cramps for me during early labor... Then kind of turned into "now my entire insides are falling out" pain. Haha. But yes, period / diarrhea cramps with varying intensity, and sometimes wrapping around your back as well.

 

[MummyDaws]

Hi I too suffered bad period pains like you say literally couldn't stand up and would be sick with the pain. For me yes this did help with contractions as I think my pain threshold must've been that bit higher and I kept thinking ok this is me when I have bad period pains so it must be going to get worse and actually it was already at full pelt. Hope that helps a bit

 

[Patsy7]

I wonder this myself as have endometriosis and every month the pain would make me physically sick, faint and on occasions give me nosebleeds. I wonder if coping with such bad period paid is good practice for labour? I hope so!! Maybe I'm naiive but not really worried about the pain lol we will see famous last words??

 

[charliekay]

I have very heavy and painful periods and thought that would prepare me for labour but it didn't! I was terrible in labour and had every pain relief going. I used to cry when I got period pains but since having my son i don't cry anymore as I know the pain could be a lot worse! I was induced last time and put on a drip to make contractions stronger, I don't think that drip helped me cope with the pain at all so I'm hoping to go into natural labour this time and avoid the drip all together! X

 

[Indi84]

I used, very occasionally to get period pain so bad I'd pass out. Once I was home alone as a teenager and it was so bad, I dragged myself out of bed to make a hot water bottle and lay down with it, not realising I'd spilt hot water all over it from shaky hands and burnt the skin on my stomach! Didn't even know till I took out off as I couldn't feel it over the pain!

Soooo I guess it hurt that bad, but I had a back to back labor so it was all in my lower back and spine. I think for me it was just longer, even with the bad period pain I'd take crazy strong pain killers and sleep it off, labor was 15 hours awake no pain killers!

 

[iiTTCii]

I have terrible period pains.. And although it is that kind of feeling, I thought I was going to die when in labour. I don't think anything can prepare you for it.

 

[LilianA]

I tend to have back labor!! my back hurts sooooo bad and of course it kinda hurts everywhere else but my back pain was so intense that I was focusing more on it that anything else if that makes sense!

 

[Willow82]

I tend to have back labor!! my back hurts sooooo bad and of course it kinda hurts everywhere else but my back pain was so intense that I was focusing more on it that anything else if that makes sense!

Yeah, I had this. The pain in my back was so much more unbearable than in my abdomen. A hot water bottle really helped!

As for periods, I went through a phase of having really painful, heavy periods which left me unable to work on cycle day one. Thankfully, since DS, they are a lot lighter and I don't really get pain anymore. Hoping it won't change after baby number 2 is born!

 

[RaspberryK]

I had back labour with my first and it was very similar to the period pain that I get in my back and thighs etc, then my second labour was much more text book contractions but still very low down on my belly to start with and the back pain didn't kick in til much nearer delivery.
Xx

 

[Lilllian]

Personally I found period pains and labour TOTALLY different. I used to get terrible period pains too- throwing up and nearly passing out, but I found labour contractions totally different -I think it also depends on how quickly you go into 'established labour' but I got mild contractions for the first 10 hours and then they increased in intensity and time when in established labour- they are not painful, just intense - the only part that takes your breath away (I needed gas and air) was in the last hour 'transition period' but then it is just about over. Giving birth is amazing and I can't wait to do it again- look into hypno birthing too. i didn't push with either of my labours and my second was born in his waters.

ps. I could not have coped with more than a couple of hours of the type of period pain I had (they lasted an hour at most intense) I would rather contractions any day over those.

 

[Stephytiggs]

Wow thanks everyone, so many different experiences and types of pain!! I'm looking forward to labour, strangely, I'm not sure why! Ha x

 

[Lilllian]

Wow thanks everyone, so many different experiences and types of pain!! I'm looking forward to labour, strangely, I'm not sure why! Ha x

You should- it is the best experience in the world!!

 

[jlw617]

I'm one of those that have really bad period pains, heavy bleeding and clots, it lays me out for a few days each moth, I will say that beginning labor for me did feel like intense period cramps but established labor was my worse period pain multiplied by 20-it's not really comparable. But you'll do fine and in the end you'll be holding your sweet baby!

 

[Bevziibubble]

I have terrible period pains.. And although it is that kind of feeling, I thought I was going to die when in labour. I don't think anything can prepare you for it.

Same here!

 

[o0oCharlieo0o]

I have PCOS and terrible periods, heavy, extremely painful, clots, and i remember wondering if labour could be worse than that and i found out yea it can lol! My first labour terrified me and i panicked because i really didnt expect i could be in that much pain and not die lol BUT you can, your body is designed for it so i dont want to scare you when i say that but im just being honest, with my 2nd and 3rd baby i didnt panic because i knew what was coming and i coped a lot better because i never panicked, it still bloody hurt but keeping calm really helps, i had gas and air as pain releif with all my babies, labour is an amazing thing yes its the worst pain iv ever felt but the time goes really fast when your in labour and you sort of zone out to an extent, clever how the body works really!

My SIL on there other hand done hypno birthing and she said it was like a bad period, she and no pain releif whatsoever she said labour wasnt that bad...lucky moo lol made me want to try hypno birthing!

 

[Indi84]

Wow thanks everyone, so many different experiences and types of pain!! I'm looking forward to labour, strangely, I'm not sure why! Ha x

You should be! It's dramatic and scary but amazing, going in with a positive attitude really helps!

 

[amelia26]

I had terrible period pains as a teenager. Proper curl up on the floor crying in pain.
I felt labour pains were very different. There's a similarity at the beginning perhaps, but contractions are much more about pressure and tightness. Very very intense, but it is a pain that you can somehow manage through movement and breathing, whereas I don't think movement and breathing make much difference to period pains.
Not saying it's easier, it's not. But the fact it comes in waves - builds up and up until you think you can't take any more but then it does recede again.

My contractions were more in my back too. I've always likened it to a vice being tightened, tighter and tighter, and then eventually loosening again, looser and looser.

 

[Stephytiggs]

Oh goodness think I'll just have to hope and pray!

Charlie I plan on hypnobirthing with a tens also. I'm.having twins so won't be able to go past 7cm anyway without them putting in an epi so at least I know the relief won't be too far away x

 

[RaspberryK]

Stephy you can get them to place the line without the actual medication ...

I'd just like to say I didn't have dramatic or scary labours, nor was it the worst pain ever, I didn't do anything in particular like hypno but I did labour in water which was amazing.
I love labour and birth, I had my second at home ♡ xx