'Early' labour (1-4? cm): 1
'Active' labour (4?-8 cm): 3
'Transition (8-10cm): 8
Pushing: 7
Bad leg cramp: 8
I had a completely natural home birth, no drugs, only used a TENS and natal hypnotherapy. I didn't really have any pain in 'early labour' (whatever that would have meant) as my waters went and then I had a clear out, so there was some discomfort just because I was having some diarrhea, but it wasn't painful at all. Once contractions started they were a minute long roughly every 5 minutes, but super manageable and not painful. I felt really comfortable. Transition was tough, the only thing I would say was as painful as a leg cramp, but I think only because the midwives arrived, insisted on examining me (I was 10cm), and that exam was so, so painful. I think that just generally made me so uncomfortable. Had I not had the exam, it would have been a lot easier. Still didn't need any pain relief and it was still manageable. Pushing was intense and hard work, but not that painful, just uncomfortable because it was so intense, but nothing like a leg cramp. I really credit that to having done natal hypnotherapy.