Things that hurt more than childbirth...

[Sarahkka]

I dont think you can compare a natural birth with one with an epidural though the one without anaesthetic is obviously going to be quite a bit more painful.

No, you can't compare them because no two individuals are going to have the same pain threshold. And no the one without anaesthetic is NOT obviously going to be more painful.
I know plenty of women who have said that their drug-free births were intense, but not painful. I've met one such woman who said that she experienced an orgasm during delivery, and no pain.
I had epidurals for both of my back labours and still had very very intense deliveries. Many women I know who have had similar labours have shared that same sentiment: if the epidural was doing something at the end, you could have fooled me.
It is very much based on the individual's experience.
That's why I don't think it's appropriate to suggest that those of us who have had pain meds during birth don't have anything to add to this discussion. That's unfair, inaccurate, and pretty far from the inclusive spirit that BnB tries to foster.

 

[Eternal]

I already added my gallstones were worse.

But will add that any pain is pain, and like all pain we want to avoid it and be out of it, so at no point does the pain get written off because you have experienced worse.

But learning to stay calm and relaxed really helps, if you tense up and panic its a far worse expeirence than if you just go with it. Those who have experienced worse pain and more likely to be able to go with it and not panic quite as much, but its all very indivdual. No two experiences will be the same.

 

[cherryglitter]

I dont think you can compare a natural birth with one with an epidural though the one without anaesthetic is obviously going to be quite a bit more painful.

No, you can't compare them because no two individuals are going to have the same pain threshold. And no the one without anaesthetic is NOT obviously going to be more painful.
I know plenty of women who have said that their drug-free births were intense, but not painful. I've met one such woman who said that she experienced an orgasm during delivery, and no pain.
I had epidurals for both of my back labours and still had very very intense deliveries. Many women I know who have had similar labours have shared that same sentiment: if the epidural was doing something at the end, you could have fooled me.
It is very much based on the individual's experience.
That's why I don't think it's appropriate to suggest that those of us who have had pain meds during birth don't have anything to add to this discussion. That's unfair, inaccurate, and pretty far from the inclusive spirit that BnB tries to foster.

I have laboured and gave birth with an epidural. By the time I actually got to pushing though the epidural had worn off. Which is what they want ideally. I found it painful. Obviously I can't compare yet as i've not had a natural birth. But I do think it all depends on your pain threshold and not whether you've had relief or not.

 

[iHeartbaby#1]

Gallstones are way worse than childbirth, i agree! What's worse than having gallstones in your gallbladder?... Gallstones in your bile duct.

After i got my Cholecystectomy i was still having GB attacks but they got even worse. Lasting up to 10 hours every time I ate ANYTHING, fattening or not (even watermelon!). Writhing on the floor, screaming, crying, and sometimes even throwing up. I was in the ER 4 times so they finally prescribed me Oxycodone for the pain. They just kept giving me blood work to check for pancreas/liver abnormalities until finally sending me in for an ERCP scan. When they removed the stone in my bile duct i can now happily say i am pain free with no side effects of gallbladder removal. Was definitely the worst pain i have ever experienced though.

 

[Blah11]

I honestly found the pushing part of labour not painful. It wasnt comfortable but it wasnt painful.. more like relief. Its the contractions that are the killer.

 

[Eternal]

Gallstones are way worse than childbirth, i agree! What's worse than having gallstones in your gallbladder?... Gallstones in your bile duct.

After i got my Cholecystectomy i was still having GB attacks but they got even worse. Lasting up to 10 hours every time I ate ANYTHING, fattening or not (even watermelon!). Writhing on the floor, screaming, crying, and sometimes even throwing up. I was in the ER 4 times so they finally prescribed me Oxycodone for the pain. They just kept giving me blood work to check for pancreas/liver abnormalities until finally sending me in for an ERCP scan. When they removed the stone in my bile duct i can now happily say i am pain free with no side effects of gallbladder removal. Was definitely the worst pain i have ever experienced though.

I had that too, my first attacks were in pregnancy with my son, had one attack a week after he was born and it was worse then my labour with him even though the gallstone attack only lasted a few hours.

However, when i was 16 weeks pregnant this time, i had attacks, days and days of pain, like you stuck in bile duct, and then pancreatitis, and due to being pregnant and with twins they wouldnt give me much for the pain, some days i would then another doctor would come and say its not safe and id have nothing. It was terrible. Ended up having surgery at 17 weeks pregnant.

I cant beleieve i managed to live through that amount of pain, and it really was the worse thing imgainable. But i did and im looking forward to the birth of the twins lol!

 

[lozzy21]

CRAMP!

The cramp i had in my leg in labor hurt way more than contractions did.

 

[Snowball]

CRAMP!

The crap i had in my leg in labor hurt way more than contractions did.

 

[Blah11]

cramp sucks, i get it every single night

 

[Fergie]

Having root treatment on my tooth and then getting an abscess is WAAAYYYY worse than childbirth. So is an acute pancreatic attack. I'd pick childbirth over them any day .

 

[Tanni_Pants]

CRAMP!

The crap i had in my leg in labor hurt way more than contractions did.

Yeah


I'm that easily amused...

 

[JakesMummy]

Ph forgot about tooth abscesses!! Yuck so painful!

I had both natural and epidural. I found the natural better as I felt more in control and after riding out the contractions for hours, they didn't feel painful in the end, just my back was killing due to her being back to back!

Maybe I found the first labour hard and painful as I didn't know what to expect, tensed up and felt more pain iykwim?

 

[x-amy-x]

tearing a ligament... eugh nearly threw up with the pain... rather do labour 10x over than do that again

 

[truthbtold]

A toothache hurts worse the constant throbbing that can travel all the way up to your ear

 

[mummy2be...]

Ear infection and ovary cysts bursting (I have pcos)

 

[lozzy21]

CRAMP!

The crap i had in my leg in labor hurt way more than contractions did.

It would be you that picked up on it but yes, trying to have a shit with piles hurt more than labour did too lol

 

[JD'2]

tearing a ligament... eugh nearly threw up with the pain... rather do labour 10x over than do that again

thats reasurring partially torn 2 ligaments in right knee and then in constant pain for a year with no painkillers ( was percribed 5 differet ones) touching it

thanks

 

[AFC84]

Getting your chest tattooed.

WAYYYYYY worse than childbirth, ctx stop getting tattoos hurts all the time you're in the chair and a long while after.

Not a chance IMO! I'm pretty heavily tattooed and no tattoo has come close to labour pains for me.

tearing a ligament... eugh nearly threw up with the pain... rather do labour 10x over than do that again

Luckily (?!) I was reeeeally drunk when I tore a ligament in my knee, but I still remember it as being far worse than breaking a bone. I didn't get it properly diagnosed for close to 2hrs by which time I'd done lots more damage and torn cartilage too, lots of pain but labour still sticks in my mind as being worse.

The surgery/recovery [ACL graft/reconstruction and cartilage repair] was really painful, but at the risk of sounding like a broken record...labour was still worse.

I had a spinal block and forcep delivery at the end so didn't feel the pushing stage, just going on [back to back] contractions.

Meh, I don't know...some people have much easier labours than others and different types of pain hurt different people

 

[chuck]

Getting your chest tattooed.

WAYYYYYY worse than childbirth, ctx stop getting tattoos hurts all the time you're in the chair and a long while after.

Not a chance IMO! I'm pretty heavily tattooed and no tattoo has come close to labour pains for me.

LOL there is NO way I'd get my chest tattooed again i you could wipe it clean...I'd do my second labour again in an instant!


LOL I love this thread, you'd wonder what all the fuss is about with labour/birth if theres so much other stuff that is more painful!

 

[dacosta]

wow i wish my first labour had been as easy as some of these comparisons!

everyones experience is different and everyones pain thresholds are different; with my first i 'left my body' during the pain it was so intense. horrible horrible experience that i wouldnt wish on anyone.