Honestly, how painful was your labor?

[x__amour]

I was induced and found labor quite manageable. I went 27 hours with out any sort of pain relief but ended up getting an EMCS at 32 hours due to insufficient pelvic space. I can't really say much because I never got the opportunity to push but I was able to cope fairly well.

 

[Srrme]

My labor was very, very painful. I was on magnesium sulfate to stop labor, but it only took the pain away, so when they took me off of it, I was 10 centimeters dilated, and feeling the contractions full force. I never got to "gradually" feel them -- which I think would have helped me cope.

I squeezed the bed bars so hard my hands were numb.

 

[starrybean]

On a scale of 1-10? I'd say, 13!!! 50 hours of labour ending in a emcs. The spinal before the cs was absolute bliss.

I had a failed epi which has left me with constant back pain

 

[XJessicaX]

I wished my epi had worked It worked for about 30 minutes before I started feeling everything down one side, doctor pulled it slightly out hoping it would evenly distribute the infusion but he ended up pulling it out! That 30 minutes was SO enjoyable!! chatting away to husband and midwife and just generally enjoying my body getting on with it without me having to feel it! Doctor had to go to theatre and so I spent the rest of my labour in agony before having to have a spinal as LO was stuck. The relief I got from the spinal was craaazy...I think I may have cried with relief. Next time....il see what labour feels like when its not a back labour, and then i'm going to ask for an epi ASAP!

 

[Armymummy]

My birth/labour was traumatic, it was a massive blur so I can only really remember bits which isn't that much. But all I can remember is the morning I started and the journey to the hospital so after that....nothing just a blur as I just detoriated which lead to the birth/labour I had. I can't even remember entering the hospital!!

But the the morning I started and the journey to the hospital was the worst I have ever encounted!! It was horrendious!! I was on my hands and knees in agony when my partner rushed home from work after I rang him to come home asap which was a struggle aswell. As I could hardly speak on the call to him as the pain was soo bad!! NEVER EVER AGAIN!!

xx

 

[jackiea85]

My first labour was awful, I had TENS, gas & air, pethadine and was begging for an epidural! Second labour was much better, I was induced and it was all over in an hour. Managed most of it doing my natal hypnotherapy breathing and had a little bit of gas & air at the end. I did ask for an epidural but turns out I was just ready to push! I had such an awful time first time round with a ventouse, episiotomy, PPH and blood transfusion that I was amazed at the difference this time!

 

[spacegirl]

It was just like very intense period pain for me. The worst part though was the crowning. Baby kept slipping back and I think it was because psychologically I was petrified of pushing him out and how it would feel. Crowning was extremely painful and felt exactly as I expected it to! However, that part lasted only a short time and he slipped right out after the head was out. After that the afterbirth and stitches for a minor tear were nothing!

Cxxx

 

[Brieanna]

The worst pain I have ever been in. A week after my due date I started having contractions. I labored at home for almost 24 hours (was horrible and for some reason labor made me forcefully vomit every few minutes so I ended up being severely dehydrated, but wanted to do it as naturally as possible) and then went to the hospital where I went from 3 cms to 10 cms in about 3 hours. I finally caved because of the pain and exhaustion and had an epidural (no g and a here and I didn't want to be out of it, so no i.v. drugs) which worked for 3 hours and I was actually enjoying the whole labor experience, but then it suddenly stopped working (OH said he possibly saw it fall out when I sat up).

She was back to back, fairly large and the pain (especially in my back) was like nothing I have ever felt (NOTHING like period pains, and I have horrible, heavy painful periods). I wanted so much to have a natural birth (deathly afraid of operations and hospitals) so I tried so hard and pushed for 3 hours (no real progress, she just went down enough to start getting a conehead and got stuck).

Even though I am a bigger girl, apparently my pelvis isn't and she was stuck and wouldn't go down any further no matter what I/they tried. The doctor had his whole hand up me trying to manipulate things which felt like icepicks stabbing me. I really, really, really didn't want a c-section but finally had no other choice. I was rushed to the O.R. and since the epi wasn't working a spinal was out of the question too and I could feel everything, they had to give me general anesthesia which was one of the worst experiences of my life because no one told me what was going on.

The healing from the c-section is awful (maybe because it was so rushed and not planned???) I still can barely hold my lo (luckily my oh took some time off work and is helping me tons) and even walking hurts, but I know I have to. But all that pain is from the c-section, not labor.

All in all, labor was the worst pain I have ever felt and my whole birthing experience was the worst experience ever except for the end result. I am still so traumatized by it I have nightmares about it and wake up crying and because after all that I did (labor and pushing) and still ended up with a c-section I feel like I failed (even though in my mind I KNOW I did everything possible to have a natural birth and if it was 100 years ago, both the baby and I would have died).

I understand how people say they will never have another baby after their experience, but hopefully (or so I have heard) I will forget the pain only remember the wonderful outcome, my beautiful daughter.

 

[JeepGirl]

The worst pain I have ever been in. A week after my due date I started having contractions. I labored at home for almost 24 hours (was horrible and for some reason labor made me forcefully vomit every few minutes so I ended up being severely dehydrated, but wanted to do it as naturally as possible) and then went to the hospital where I went from 3 cms to 10 cms in about 3 hours. I finally caved because of the pain and exhaustion and had an epidural (no g and a here and I didn't want to be out of it, so no i.v. drugs) which worked for 3 hours and I was actually enjoying the whole labor experience, but then it suddenly stopped working (OH said he possibly saw it fall out when I sat up).

She was back to back, fairly large and the pain (especially in my back) was like nothing I have ever felt (NOTHING like period pains, and I have horrible, heavy painful periods). I wanted so much to have a natural birth (deathly afraid of operations and hospitals) so I tried so hard and pushed for 3 hours (no real progress, she just went down enough to start getting a conehead and got stuck).

Even though I am a bigger girl, apparently my pelvis isn't and she was stuck and wouldn't go down any further no matter what I/they tried. The doctor had his whole hand up me trying to manipulate things which felt like icepicks stabbing me. I really, really, really didn't want a c-section but finally had no other choice. I was rushed to the O.R. and since the epi wasn't working a spinal was out of the question too and I could feel everything, they had to give me general anesthesia which was one of the worst experiences of my life because no one told me what was going on.

The healing from the c-section is awful (maybe because it was so rushed and not planned???) I still can barely hold my lo (luckily my oh took some time off work and is helping me tons) and even walking hurts, but I know I have to. But all that pain is from the c-section, not labor.

All in all, labor was the worst pain I have ever felt and my whole birthing experience was the worst experience ever except for the end result. I am still so traumatized by it I have nightmares about it and wake up crying and because after all that I did (labor and pushing) and still ended up with a c-section I feel like I failed (even though in my mind I KNOW I did everything possible to have a natural birth and if it was 100 years ago, both the baby and I would have died).

I understand how people say they will never have another baby after their experience, but hopefully (or so I have heard) I will forget the pain only remember the wonderful outcome, my beautiful daughter.

Hang in there Mommy Your experience sounds a lot like mine. For weeks after my section I said never again, not because I didn't want more children but because I never wanted another c section (I can't have a VBAC ). But now after a few months we are already talking about when we are going to have the next baby. Once you are back to your normal self, the whole experience will be a distant memory

 

[Aunty E]

By the time I'd been pushing for four hours with Imogen (she was stuck) I thought I was going to die from the pain. Seriously. But most of labour was totally manageable, and when I had Teddy it was really not that bad at all. Quite fun in places, the only really painful bit was when his shoulders came out, the rest of it was completely fine. Waiting to be stitched up afterwards was a bitch though!

 

[kirst1805]

Started getting pains about 5am on the thursday, dealt with them fine until around 2pm, went to hospital and I was only 2cm so said I'd go home again.. Was actually eating kfc in the car on the way home.

They got worse so ended up going back to hospital about 1am Friday Morning, was told I was 3cms

Still felt fine though so walked round the entire floor of the hospital, down the stairs to A&E.. which was the worst thing I've ever done.. Got downstairs sat down and couldn't get back up again.. I swear it took me about 20mins just to get up a small flight of stairs.

Back on ward, was told I was 6cms, had some gas and air which just made me sick tbh.

Got midwife to give me Pethadine when I was 8cms.

The rest is a bit of a blur but I dealt with it quite well I think, I'm not normally bad with Pain so it didn't seem that bad, The worst part was her crowning.. I remember yelling very loudly then having a go at a doctor who was just watching when he told me there was no need for that and to keep the noise down. I swear I would've kicked him if he'd been closer. Even the midwife asked him if he could do it.

xx

 

[babybambi2011]

Hi,

I know everyone has a different pain tolerance, but I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share how painful they felt their labor was.

I just had my girl almost 2 weeks ago and my labor was so painful from the get-go. My water broke first, and the contractions were excruciating although I was only 1 cm dilated. I got an epidural but I was still screaming in pain the entire time. Honestly, I was about to beg for a c-section. It was the worst pain I could ever imagine and I will never want to go through it again. I watch some of these baby shows where the mother gives birth naturally and all they do is a little moan at the very end. Looks like they barely felt anything. I have so much respect for anyone who can give birth without pain meds.

Is anyone willing to share how painful they felt their labor was?

Also, if you got an epidural, is it normal not to be able to move your legs or feel if you are pushing but feel all of the pain of labor contractions? I am not sure how normal my experience was, which is why I am asking...

your not suposed to feel anything with an epidural.... so id probably say that they did it wrong.... the idea is that it is a pain block, not like pethadine that makes u so goofy you forget ur in labour.

i had a c section and i can honestly say id much rather go through labour. i started having contractions but i was reacting very badly to the steroids they gave me to make lilys lungs stronger (as ive got type 1 diabetes) and had lots of ketones in my blood which started my labour. lily kept having decelerations too, but the main reason why i had an EMCS was because my blood was turning acidic, so she was born at 36+4. the after pain of the scar was faaaar worse that what i can imagine labour to be like. nto that i know cuz the contractions werent that painful when i went to theatre, but the pain, and the fact i couldnt hold my baby or do anything for her was horrible. id go through anything else..just not another c section! lol

 

[Ang3l]

My waters broke first too at 7am on the Saturday, 2 days before I was due. As soon as they broke I started to get period like pains low down and they just got worse and worse. When I got to hospital they put me in the antenatal ward by myself and I remember lying on the bed in a lot of pain and no one with me. I knew I was having contractions but the nurse kept telling me I wasn't as it wasn't showing up on the screen and just left me alone basically.

Apparantly I was only 1cm at the time but I was in a lot of pain. I wasn't allowed pain relief either until I was moved to the labour ward which wasn't until 8am on Sunday morning after being given a pessary and gel with nothing happening but still getting painful contractions. I was then induced on the drip with Syntocin or something like that to make things move on. The pain was really intense from then on but I wasn't allowed to move about much as I had to be monitered. I got to 4cm on gas and air but then they suggested I got the epidural as I was in so much pain. It was such a relief when it started to work, I felt nothing.

Ended up with an emergency c section though as Lily's heartbeat was dropping with each contraction and I wasn't progressing past 5cm. She was born at 5.20pm on the Sunday.

Overall it was not a very nice experience.

 

[Samemka]

I was induced with both my babies due to having cholestasis - I didn't have a choice. Both labours were difficult in the sense my contractions were so frequent & I don't ever feel I got a break between them like I think you would do if you laboured naturally. Katie was a very fast labour - at 6:30 I was on the ward telling them my contractions were getting stronger, finally went down to labour ward at half 8, waters broke then, then on gas & air 9:30-10:30 and I remember saying at 10:30 (after one hellish contraction that went off the chart & lasted for ages) 'I NEED SOMETHING STRONGER' - to find I was 10cm LOL. The labour with Emma was longer, waters broke at 7:30am and by 2pm I was only 2cm but my contractions were so painful so had an epidural....but 30mins later I was fully dilated. Now I never felt a thing when Emma was born as the epidural was kicked in....nothing. It was one hell of a shock when Katie was born LOL!!!

 

[Dizzy321]

unimaginably painful! Its the pressure! I honestly thought my bum was going to erupt like a volcano & I swore not to do it to myself ever again! (only had vaginal birth with my DD) but here I am again & not dreading it as much as I thought I would be really..........give it until I am 1cm dilated though

also my epidural went wrong, did not work at all, punctured through my spine and had an epidural headache and had to go to theatre for a blood patch to fix it (did not find this out until the morning after the birth though)

 

[XJessicaX]

paula- ouch!

 

[24/7]

My bum felt the same Paula!! xx

 

[Dizzy321]

Yeah the blood patch was not very nice at all! but either was the pounding headache it gave me. ohh the pressure in the bum!! unreal! aarrghh I am scaring myself haha

 

[24/7]

My pressure took a week to go - I never thought I would walk normally again. All through labour I kept saying to the MW I felt like my bum was falling out and she found it hillarious. xx

 

[Dizzy321]

aww congrats on little Sam its like if the pressure does not go away your just going to erupt its indescribable xx