Was giving birth vaginally what you thought it would be?

[BlackBerry25]

I had an epidural after 11 hours of labour. My labour was 14.5 hours total. I didn't even need it at that point, but I knew it was going to get worse so I took it then. When I took it I was having contractions that would take my breath away, but I could stand it. I would say the whole thing was about a 7 pain wise. With my epidural I would rate the whole thing an even lower....6 / 10. I did not feel the epidural needle at all and it instantly made my pain go away. It started to wear off and I needed a top up which made my pushing part drag out but I did not feel a thing.

Honestly, it was not as bad as I imagined it to be. But yeah, I had drugs and I am used to worse pain from gallstones.

 

[BlackBerry25]

Ok Honestly...

...you CAN cope!

I only had gas and air (my las was a home birth to)

The adrenaline can make you panic...make you tense up, each push hurts so you get the urge to hold it it...

...each push feels like your turning your body inside out, then you get a sharp sting as you tare (if you do) but its all stuff you CAN cope with.

The fear is worse than the pain...you have to let go....push through it....scream in frustration as you push!

Its worse for some than its is others depending on how things go but on a 1 to 10 scale of pain......

1 would be a little cramp.....10 would be Gall stones (i had these and god they hurt) and id put giving birth at 7.

Try not to worry hun, we all react differently but we all get through it....i wouldn't be having a 4th if it was that bad xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I agree! If anyone has ever had a gallstone attack (and I have had at least 10) it is much worse then childbirth!

 

[jolyn]

After a very traumatic and painful labour on DS I decided to do some research on this one and have now taken up hypnobirthing. If you're wondering what labour is going to be like and how you're going to cope I would recommend reading 'childbirth without fear' by grant read and 'hypnobirthing' by marie mongan. I wish I had found these before my first labour.

I've read them both and now feel completely relaxed and confident and actually looking forward to this birth

I have a hypnobirthing thread going somewhere in the 2nd tri if u want to find out more, good luck hun and please take no notice of any others stories as you will have your own unique one

 

[Hevz]

It wasn't the birth that hurt the most....it was the contractions. They haven't hurt me until about 6-7cms luckily

I've done it 5 times now and had an epidural twice...the other times I've laboured so fast there was no time for epidural

What I find "mad" is the intense pain during contractions and the fact that there's no pain at all inbetween....bizarre.


The pain isn't a "crying" type of pain (in my opinion) it can be a screaming kind of pain though at times and you can panic very easily. Everytime I've said "I can't do it! when it comes to pushing....but most people do....eventually.


Good luck, hope this hasn't scared anyone. I know a lot of people don't believe this but I do

If you prepare yourself for the worst pain etc....then in theory, it shouldn't be that bad

I must admit that I'm sh!££ing my pants thinking of labour again

 

[mrsholmes]

OMG! wish I hadn't read this thread

im shitting myself already!

 

[Deeper Blue]

After a very traumatic and painful labour on DS I decided to do some research on this one and have now taken up hypnobirthing. If you're wondering what labour is going to be like and how you're going to cope I would recommend reading 'childbirth without fear' by grant read and 'hypnobirthing' by marie mongan. I wish I had found these before my first labour.

I've read them both and now feel completely relaxed and confident and actually looking forward to this birth

I have a hypnobirthing thread going somewhere in the 2nd tri if u want to find out more, good luck hun and please take no notice of any others stories as you will have your own unique one

Agreed. Hypnobirthing definately seems the way forward and makes sense if you read about it. I found that you can read a bit of the Childbirth Without Fear book here:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id...&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result

And also you may find it interesting to watch this hypnobirth:
https://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qriqhDFo088

The whole idea of it makes me look forward to the birth too and the hypno classes are the best thing I've ever spent money on

 

[Linzi]

Id say 4 or 5 but mine was quick and straightforard and no way near as bad as I was told.

xxx

 

[Tilly]

Hmm, I found it pretty bad. As her head was coming out, id say it was an 11 but you forget the pain as soon as you're holding your new baby. I had gas and air so I felt it all. Ouch.

Not trying to scare you, just being honest. I coped a lot better than I thought I would - I thought id have been requesting epidurals, the lot.. but I did it fine on my own. (not to say that having any pain relief is a bad thing, I just didn't want an epidural/pethidine).

 

[Beltane]

I'd give it a 10- but I'm talking about the labor not the actual delivery. The contractions and rectal pressure were the most unbearable part. Him coming out wasn't so bad because the burning kind of acts as a natural numbing. Epidural for me this time please!

 

[Hevz]

Bloody hell...that video......it's like shelling peas isn't it????

I want a birth like that

 

[Serene123]

10 being the most painful and 1 being the least.. 10000000000000! That's not an exhageration, it hurt more than anything I could have ever imagine (I only had gas & air) BUT I would do it again RIGHT NOW if I could just have that moment after back. It is worth every second. All I had to do was keep telling myself "it'll get worse," "it'll get worse," and eventually it gets to the point where you're pushing and it's not going to get any worse, it'll all be over soon!

I loved giving birth and I am so happy that I got to experience it.

 

[Neecee]

Is it weird that I'm looking forward to labour?

The way I see it, it means that I get to finally meet my son and I don't have to be pregnant anymore! It's a job that needs to be done and then the fun starts!!!!

 

[Serene123]

Please don't be afraid of it girls, it's amazing!!

 

[xXDonnaXx]

Is it weird that I'm looking forward to labour?

The way I see it, it means that I get to finally meet my son and I don't have to be pregnant anymore! It's a job that needs to be done and then the fun starts!!!!

I'm feeling the same hun. I'm not scared of labour (yet that is) But I know that once it's all over, my baby will be here.

Ask me when it's coming upto my due date if i'm still not scared. Haha. I know I'll be a big wuss when the day comes, & there'll be plenty of tears.

 

[Charlotte-j]

it was nothing like i expected, the only pain i had was the contractions and that wasnt too bad. when she actually came out, i felt loads of pressuredown there, and a burnig sensation. not too bad at all

 

[helen1234]

all i remember is burning in the actual birth bit, its like stretching you mouth really hard and when it hurts do it a bit more, thats the sensation lol.
x

 

[redberry3]

Is it weird that I'm looking forward to labour?

The way I see it, it means that I get to finally meet my son and I don't have to be pregnant anymore! It's a job that needs to be done and then the fun starts!!!!

I'm feeling the same hun. I'm not scared of labour (yet that is) But I know that once it's all over, my baby will be here.

Ask me when it's coming upto my due date if i'm still not scared. Haha. I know I'll be a big wuss when the day comes, & there'll be plenty of tears.

I am feeling the same way. I am preparing mentally for the worst and think of it like the most uncomfortable situation you have ever been in and that at some point it will all be over.

Pain for pleasure...

I cannot wait to meet my son and see what he looks like and hold him forever and a day............now I got myself all misty....

 

[celine]

eeek now Im freaked out!

 

[Tilly]

10 being the most painful and 1 being the least.. 10000000000000! That's not an exhageration, it hurt more than anything I could have ever imagine (I only had gas & air) BUT I would do it again RIGHT NOW if I could just have that moment after back. It is worth every second. All I had to do was keep telling myself "it'll get worse," "it'll get worse," and eventually it gets to the point where you're pushing and it's not going to get any worse, it'll all be over soon!

I loved giving birth and I am so happy that I got to experience it.

Exactly how I felt lol.

It's alright girls, don't worry - the feeling afterwards makes you forget the pain totally. And even the after pain isn't that bad - because all you have to do is forget yourself and think of your beautiful little baby. :')

@ the burning - not too bad at all?! jesus!! you're brave, that was terrible!! I said "Is that burning, ripping feeling normal?!?!?!" it hurt sooo much for me.

 

[diva4180]

Hmmm, well bearing in mind that he was 5 and 1/2 weeks early (but still a good size, over 5 lbs and 19 inches long) and I was induced, my labor lasted a total of 8 hours. I rate the pain being at a 6/7 when I had the epidural, and that made it go so quickly, I was pushing 2 hours later. I dealt with the pain fairly well, but still wanted the epi. After it, there was no pain, just the contractions and it didn't hurt to push him out I had to get some stitches but didn't feel them. You ladies will be amazing when the time comes