I've had four children. My labour tends to be very short (2 hours by the time I had my fourth). I didn't have any pain killer - just gas and air with my first. I am small (5' 2") and two of my babies were over 8lb in weight. I suppose I am one of the lucky ones, my experiences were good and trouble free. Don't be dismayed by the horror stories on here, most births are plain sailing and trouble free. It does hurt a bit and it is hard work, but , as soon as the baby is born, you forget everything bad.
Can you ask your mum or mum in law about their experiences?
Remember, if childbirth was that bad, the human race would die out!
It was so horrible! in fact the whole experience was tbh!
When we went in the midwife on duty clearly didn't want my OH in the room with me! she refused to listen to him, (She couldn't find one of my twins heartbeats, and as OH had been with me at every appointment/scan etc he knew roughly where the babies were lying, found the heartbeat, told her so and she told him not to be so ridiculous, if she couldn't find it, OH wouldn't be able to, ten minutes later she put the moniter in the exact place OH had, and proclaimed "oh there it is, see nothing to worry about!")
I was ok with Gas and Air, laughing and joking with OH in fact. I was doing well, but then she insisted I needed the epi, as it would be better for my babies, I was young and naive and let her do it. BIGGEST regret of my labour!
I was then taken to another room, and my legs were so heavy they would fall off the bed and I was physically so weak I could'nt lift them back up!
She left the room for over an hour, and as I said in the above post, I couldn't feel a thing. She came back in as OH left to get me something and told me to push, I said that I wanted to wait until OH came back and she told me not to be so silly, he is only the father, I do the important bits! :eek:
After an hour of pushing, I was so exhausted she called for an emergency C-section, I ended up under general aneastetic(sp?) as the local didn't work, OH was shoo'd from the room with out being told why. (I have since been told by a friend who works in surgery that they don't like partners in with someone going under general as it can look like they are dying/dead, why the Doctor at the time couldn't have explained it I don't know)
I didn't see my boys unti 12 odd hours later!
The whole experience was a nightmare and I am determined it will not happen this time. I am stronger and wiser this time around!
My real advice to the OP is, Have a plan, Stick to it as much as you can, but don't be afraid to be flexible (i.e painkillers) And DON'T let the midwives push you around!
that was the worst thing about my epidural was me weighing a ton and four people hoiking me up the bed and moving me i kept apologising to them for being so heavy and not helping.
When i was on the table in my section i was freezing so cold my teeth were chattering and when baby came out i felt that i couldnt hold him as i couldnt feel anything and was worried.
Had my section on a wednesday and can honestly say cant remember much till the friday where my baby was concerned know midwifes put him on my breasts for feeding but i was just so out of it.
It is great for pain but i do feel i missed out but if that
was what it took to give me my son i wont complain, got to have a planned section this time i am hoping without the 3 day labour i will be a bit more with it:D
I don't know if there are different types of epidural, but I could walk about quite easily when I had mine. I was driving my midwife mad lol I also refused a catheter and didn't need one. The morphine stuff was self administering so as soon as I was ready to start pushing I just stopped pressing the button and while it probably took a bit longer to deliver my son, it was calm and not traumatisingly painful.
My second child I had the epidural far too late ( prob shouldn't have had it at all) and it didn't seem to work at all. That's a whole other story though;)
I had a relatively easy birth. I was 7cm when I arrived at the hospital and gave birth within an hour and a half. Natural except for the gas and air, which really helped me, although I think it may been that it forced me to focus on my breathing.
For me the afterpains were worse than the delivery, except for that few seconds of burning as the head came out. My daughter took to breast feeding very quickly and the afterpains when I fed her were horrendous! I used to cry when I had to feed her, but every second of is was worth it!
The upshot of my terrible afterpains was that my womb contracted back to normal very quickly!
The slightly longer version is that I laboured through the night at home, pretty sure I was in labour, but just snoozing through the contractions from when they woke me at 3am (I think that being comfy in my bed in the dark helped me keep dozing back off!), then I had to get up eventually and do some bouncing holding on to the sink and just lying down when I could. Just to point out very strong contractions but not so bad that I couldn't doze off again now and then.
At about 8am I went and made a cuppa for my OH and woke him.
I told him not to be surprised if he got a call to come home today. (I was having trouble timing my contractions, but I had not realised why!!!)
He told me to call the MW as no point leaving me if I was in labour! I still can't believe I thought there was an if at this point, but I had heard so many stories of how bad it was, I was waiting for the really unbearable pain to hit!
Picked up the phone to call MW and heard a pop. My waters ha just broke! They very accommodatingly did not gush until I got to the loo! So the MW heard my voice and calmly said it was best to meet me at the hospital.
It took me a while get dressed as the contractions were thick and fast now! It took about an hr to get the hospital and about another hr and ten minutes to deliver my baby! I was 7 cm dilated when I arrived! Just gas and air and managed on that comfortably.
No stitches and one graze.
Every woman is different, so are pregnancies.
My adivse to you is don't listen to other peoples experiences, enjoy your own pregnancy and I hope you have a quick, happy and safe delivery.
I think Mums get a much better and less painful experience as the years go by.
Number 1 pregnancy was induced as baby didn't feel the need to come out! Had pethidine and that was it really. Then I had a retained placenta and lost loads and loads of blood during the op to remove it. I then had to have blood transfusion and felt rotten for several days. Also had loads of stitches. Not a pleasant experience that one.
Number 2 pregnancy was a disaster which could have been avoided had a female GP listened to me and sent me to hospital much earlier. Twin pregnancy ending in stillbirth and I remember it like it was yesterday.
Number 3 pregnancy was premature and I had an epidural and felt nothing .... baby just popped out, no stitches either.
I can't imagine how women had such huge families years ago because many of them got no pain relief as loads of them had home births. My Mum had all of us at home and all she had was the midwife twisting a towel into a figure of 8 and telling my mother to squeeze on that or the bars of the brass bed.:eek:
First, long labour, very anxious and tense (worked against the contraction in my opinion), restricted access to gas and air...had an epidural, didnt know when to push so extended the third stage and had more intervention to deliver.
Second, very relaxed, free access to gas and air, no epidural, used relaxation, short labour (believe the relaxation worked with labour) easy three push third stage.
I personally wouldnt have another epidural and my biggest piece of advice would be to relax and go to pre-labour relaxation classes and dont panic. Work with it rather than against it as I strongly believe if you work against a contraction it lengthens labour.
I think a lot of it depends on the attitude you have. I went in with the attitude "It's going to be painful but I've just got to get on with it" and it wasn't maybe as bad as I thought everyone else made it out to be. The labor pains are definately not pleasant. The worst bit is when you have the labor pains before you are properly dilated and the hospital take you in, that bit seems to last forever. I'd recommend when you go into hospital when your waters break to ask them for prescription grade codeine for the labor pains.
When you go into the hospital, it's not as bad. Gas and air is fantastic, you still feel the pain but you don't care as much anymore!
Things that surprised me was how when your waters break, it's not always just one big rush...have plenty of maternity pads ready. Also, I threw up a lot during labor...if you ask they can give you an anti-sickness shot, just so you know.
You'll be fine, just don't panic. I found that ante-natal classes from the NCT really helped.
I've talked to my mum about it but she claims to have had trouble free labours, my dad says that wasn't the case! I think she wants to make me feel better rather than telling me the whole truth. I have a good relationship with my mother-in-law so I shall ask her about it next time I see her.
I'd rather see the possibilities of things going wrong rather than expect I'll be in and out in an hour or 2. So thanks for all your stories.
I've talked to my mum about it but she claims to have had trouble free labours, my dad says that wasn't the case! I think she wants to make me feel better rather than telling me the whole truth. I have a good relationship with my mother-in-law so I shall ask her about it next time I see her.
I'd rather see the possibilities of things going wrong rather than expect I'll be in and out in an hour or 2. So thanks for all your stories.
I think the most important thing to do is educate yourself on the possible procedures and pain meds and have in mind what you would like. Then be prepared to use that knowledge so you can be confident in how things happen even when they don't go as you had hoped.
The truth is no one can predict what a labour will be like, so try not to obsess over it! Best to just be informed and go with the flow!
I do agree with the other poster though that staying at home as late as possible helped me stay relaxed and helped my labour progress.
i'm pregnant with my 3rd now, due anytime, (so fed up i am actually praying for labour to start:))
i've had 2 stupidly easy labours, 90 mins and 17 mins, no pain relief, this time however baby is back to back so i'm expecting mother nature to pay me back, lol.
every labour is different, just listen to your body and try to relax....as mad as that sounds, this is what us ladies were made to do and we can cope, some better than others but as soon as that baby is in your arms, you just forget about the pain.
I'm pregnant with my first child due in November. I am, of course, very excited about being a mother however I am becoming very nervous about labour and what it will be like. I think I am going to have an epidural, could anyone tell me what having an epidural is like and does it really make a difference? And how bad is the pain of the contractions? What's is it like as a whole? Any tips you could give me?
Thanks
I had the epi with my first on the basis I was scared and I had to be induced, and I was told that an induced labour was more painful. The epi worked too well and I couldn't feel anything from the chest down! You can feel the pressure of the baby but no pain. It's bizarre! You also can't get up and they put a catheter in your bladder. I had a slight reaction to the epi but nothing serious-- a drop in blood pressure.
My secone was born at home, no epi there! I had pethidine in the house but labour was too quick for it. I had one hit of gas and air to steady myself and then I got on with it. It hurt, but it wasn't the worst thing ever. I'm on number 3 now and it's another hone birth for me. It's a control and comfort thing for me and I hate hospitals. Best advice is to do what makes you comfortable and not to focus too much on the pain.
I think a lot of it depends on the attitude you have. I went in with the attitude "It's going to be painful but I've just got to get on with it" and it wasn't maybe as bad as I thought everyone else made it out to be. The labor pains are definately not pleasant. The worst bit is when you have the labor pains before you are properly dilated and the hospital take you in, that bit seems to last forever. I'd recommend when you go into hospital when your waters break to ask them for prescription grade codeine for the labor pains.
When you go into the hospital, it's not as bad. Gas and air is fantastic, you still feel the pain but you don't care as much anymore!
Things that surprised me was how when your waters break, it's not always just one big rush...have plenty of maternity pads ready. Also, I threw up a lot during labor...if you ask they can give you an anti-sickness shot, just so you know.
You'll be fine, just don't panic. I found that ante-natal classes from the NCT really helped.
Im not typical but my waters didn't break until I was almost fully dilated both times. Both labours were at least 10 hours long.
I remember how anxious I was when I was pregnant for the first time - I was determined I wanted a c-section!!
As it turned out, I had a birthing pool for the first stages of labour (fantastic) but then had to get out to get pethadine. It wasn't a long labour though and I think the birthing pool helped me to relax and get on with it.
With my second, I was too late for any pain relief (and my daughter was apparently sleeping through my labour!!). I had been to pregnancy yoga classes which helped me to control my breathing and manage the pain - I thoroughly recommend it. I think I was more focused the second time, without the pain relief and just thought "right, lets get this over with". It was over so fast, my waters didn't even break and my daughter was born in the amniotic sac - an amazing sight.
Keep calm, keep focused and if you can, enjoy the experience - it's an amazing feeling when you see your baby for the first time!!:)
One word...Epidural. I went from writhing around in agony to sitting up, chatting to the mid-wifes, reading magazines and having a giggle with my OH. Labour was a pleasure. Untill we got to the pushing bit, that was horrific and took 2 hours The pushing took that long *probably* because of the Epidual but that didn't stop me having one when I had my second. The pushing with my second was just minutes.
I never understand this stance some women take against pain relief when it comes to labour. Theres no medal for bravery when it's all over.
I woudl not want to be numb from the waist down and no know when to push though, labour is not that bad, its a good pain, something positive comes from it, Each to their own but I find that prospect of a labour full of drugs , awful.
I woudl not want to be numb from the waist down and no know when to push though, labour is not that bad, its a good pain, something positive comes from it, Each to their own but I find that prospect of a labour full of drugs , awful.
Not that Im planning to do it again though!
Thats what everyone told me when I was pregnant with my first, I remember being in agony and thinking to myself...''Those bitches lied to me!!!''.
Now I've had mine and there birth is just a distant, lovely memory I find myself telling other mums to be ''it's not that bad''....It's not really true though is it? It's pretty horrific, I wish someone had been straight with me so I was prepaired for what was to come. Obviously when it's all over and you have your new baby in your arms it's the best feeling in the world, that moment and the lifetime of lovely moments ahead of you make all that pain insignificant.
Not being able to use my legs was very weird, I can understand people being put off by that. I didn't mind though, I was comfortable and enjoyed those hours of labour.
Thats what everyone told me when I was pregnant with my first, I remember being in agony and thinking to myself...''Those bitches lied to me!!!''.
Now I've had mine and there birth is just a distant, lovely memory I find myself telling other mums to be ''it's not that bad''....It's not really true though is it? It's pretty horrific, I wish someone had been straight with me so I was prepaired for what was to come. Obviously when it's all over and you have your new baby in your arms it's the best feeling in the world, that moment and the lifetime of lovely moments ahead of you make all that pain insignificant.
Not being able to use my legs was very weird, I can understand people being put off by that. I didn't mind though, I was comfortable and enjoyed those hours of labour.
I think it is just different for everyone. Mine actually was not that painful. Excepting the very moment when I pushed out the head I felt fine with the pain levels. I spent much of my night at home wondering when the really bad contractions would start! I was not even sure I was in labour until my waters broke!
As it turned out, I had done most of it at home, and only got to the hospital an hour or so before the birth!
I think that is the thing, no one will be able to tell you what it will be like for you. You just have to go with the flow and try not to get stressed about it, because it is going to come out one way or another!
I woudl not want to be numb from the waist down and no know when to push though, labour is not that bad, its a good pain, something positive comes from it, Each to their own but I find that prospect of a labour full of drugs , awful.
Not that Im planning to do it again though!
I could use my legs and didn't need a catheter. I'm not sure if there are different types but while I was a bit wobbly I could definitely walk. They let the morphine wear off once I was fully dilated too so I knew when to push. It was a genuinely nice experience.
Funniest bit was when my sister arrived at the hospital green around the gills with a hangover I was more concerned about her than with my wonderfully distant feeling labour pains.:D
I think it is just different for everyone. Mine actually was not that painful. Excepting the very moment when I pushed out the head I felt fine with the pain levels. I spent much of my night at home wondering when the really bad contractions would start! I was not even sure I was in labour until my waters broke!
As it turned out, I had done most of it at home, and only got to the hospital an hour or so before the birth!
I think that is the thing, no one will be able to tell you what it will be like for you. You just have to go with the flow and try not to get stressed about it, because it is going to come out one way or another!
Yep, we're all different and so is every labour.
My plan with my first was to stay at home as long as possible so that I could just pop him out as soon as we got to the hospital lol. As soon as the pain kicked in I just wanted to be in hospital where the drugs were. I was going to shave my legs and everything!!
My plan with my first was to stay at home as long as possible so that I could just pop him out as soon as we got to the hospital lol. As soon as the pain kicked in I just wanted to be in hospital where the drugs were. I was going to shave my legs and everything!!
Lol! I am glad mine kicked off when I was in bed otherwise I'd have had a faceful of mascara.
I think one thing everyone seems to agree on is how undignified you are happy to let yourself get:o before giving birth the thought of anyone looking at my lady bits was horrific to me yet I was legs akimbo without a second thought once the pain kicked in:D
One word...Epidural. I went from writhing around in agony to sitting up, chatting to the mid-wifes, reading magazines and having a giggle with my OH. Labour was a pleasure. Untill we got to the pushing bit, that was horrific and took 2 hours The pushing took that long *probably* because of the Epidual but that didn't stop me having one when I had my second. The pushing with my second was just minutes.
I never understand this stance some women take against pain relief when it comes to labour. Theres no medal for bravery when it's all over.
PS...Congratulations K89.
She may not be able to have an epi. I won't advise people to have or not to have one, it's up to them. I've been on both sides and as I had number 2 at home and number 3 will also be born at home, I obviously will not have one. I didn't care for it. With my first, I pushed for 40 minutes and had quite a lot of stitches afterwards. With my second, he was out in 4 pushes, which was about 10-15 minutes and I didn't need any stitches, I was just grazed. I don't get the bravery thing either-- you aren't better because you don't have pain relief, but I do think a lot of women don't trust themselves to get on with it. So many women are crap-scared of giving birth and for some reason, women are like old war buddies when they talk about labour; each one goes on about how their's was the most terrible.
Thats what everyone told me when I was pregnant with my first, I remember being in agony and thinking to myself...''Those bitches lied to me!!!''.
Now I've had mine and there birth is just a distant, lovely memory I find myself telling other mums to be ''it's not that bad''....It's not really true though is it? It's pretty horrific, I wish someone had been straight with me so I was prepaired for what was to come. Obviously when it's all over and you have your new baby in your arms it's the best feeling in the world, that moment and the lifetime of lovely moments ahead of you make all that pain insignificant.
Not being able to use my legs was very weird, I can understand people being put off by that. I didn't mind though, I was comfortable and enjoyed those hours of labour.
The only birth of mine that was horrific was the one where I had no control because of the drugs they gave me, pehadine and sleeping tablets, it completely ruined the experience. the best was my almost natural birth, the second one, easy peasy, painful of course, but really it was not that bad, just a really bad back ache for a few hours, the actual labour was just powerful.I would panic if I could not feel the bottom half of my body and would not be able to keep calm.
NAture knows best, and it is best to trust her, although of course I know there are times when doctors have to intervene such as emergency c section.
The only birth of mine that was horrific was the one where I had no control because of the drugs they gave me, pehadine and sleeping tablets, it completely ruined the experience. the best was my almost natural birth, the second one, easy peasy, painful of course, but really it was not that bad, just a really bad back ache for a few hours, the actual labour was just powerful.I would panic if I could not feel the bottom half of my body and would not be able to keep calm.
NAture knows best, and it is best to trust her, although of course I know there are times when doctors have to intervene such as emergency c section.
Labour hurt like hell, but I was able to really focus on what I had to do for it to stop. The contractions were worse than the actual pushing, but with each one I knew it was closer to seeing my baby. I hated being strapped to a machine in hospital and being told how I had to give birth. I was at home so none of that.
I've had much, much worse pain than labour, that's for sure. I've had bacterial meningitis and was on morphine for days for the pain.
I'm pregnant with my first child due in November. I am, of course, very excited about being a mother however I am becoming very nervous about labour and what it will be like. I think I am going to have an epidural, could anyone tell me what having an epidural is like and does it really make a difference? And how bad is the pain of the contractions? What's is it like as a whole? Any tips you could give me?
Thanks
I asked this quesion a few years ao when I was doing medical studying and I was told to imagine pulling my top lip over the top of my head :eek:
I don't think the tutor liked men very much and she wanted to shock us all - she did!:eek:
Comments
Can you ask your mum or mum in law about their experiences?
Remember, if childbirth was that bad, the human race would die out!
that was the worst thing about my epidural was me weighing a ton and four people hoiking me up the bed and moving me i kept apologising to them for being so heavy and not helping.
When i was on the table in my section i was freezing so cold my teeth were chattering and when baby came out i felt that i couldnt hold him as i couldnt feel anything and was worried.
Had my section on a wednesday and can honestly say cant remember much till the friday where my baby was concerned know midwifes put him on my breasts for feeding but i was just so out of it.
It is great for pain but i do feel i missed out but if that
was what it took to give me my son i wont complain, got to have a planned section this time i am hoping without the 3 day labour i will be a bit more with it:D
My second child I had the epidural far too late ( prob shouldn't have had it at all) and it didn't seem to work at all. That's a whole other story though;)
The slightly longer version is that I laboured through the night at home, pretty sure I was in labour, but just snoozing through the contractions from when they woke me at 3am (I think that being comfy in my bed in the dark helped me keep dozing back off!), then I had to get up eventually and do some bouncing holding on to the sink and just lying down when I could. Just to point out very strong contractions but not so bad that I couldn't doze off again now and then.
At about 8am I went and made a cuppa for my OH and woke him.
I told him not to be surprised if he got a call to come home today. (I was having trouble timing my contractions, but I had not realised why!!!)
He told me to call the MW as no point leaving me if I was in labour! I still can't believe I thought there was an if at this point, but I had heard so many stories of how bad it was, I was waiting for the really unbearable pain to hit!
Picked up the phone to call MW and heard a pop. My waters ha just broke! They very accommodatingly did not gush until I got to the loo! So the MW heard my voice and calmly said it was best to meet me at the hospital.
It took me a while get dressed as the contractions were thick and fast now! It took about an hr to get the hospital and about another hr and ten minutes to deliver my baby! I was 7 cm dilated when I arrived! Just gas and air and managed on that comfortably.
No stitches and one graze.
My adivse to you is don't listen to other peoples experiences, enjoy your own pregnancy and I hope you have a quick, happy and safe delivery.
Number 1 pregnancy was induced as baby didn't feel the need to come out! Had pethidine and that was it really. Then I had a retained placenta and lost loads and loads of blood during the op to remove it. I then had to have blood transfusion and felt rotten for several days. Also had loads of stitches. Not a pleasant experience that one.
Number 2 pregnancy was a disaster which could have been avoided had a female GP listened to me and sent me to hospital much earlier. Twin pregnancy ending in stillbirth and I remember it like it was yesterday.
Number 3 pregnancy was premature and I had an epidural and felt nothing .... baby just popped out, no stitches either.
I can't imagine how women had such huge families years ago because many of them got no pain relief as loads of them had home births. My Mum had all of us at home and all she had was the midwife twisting a towel into a figure of 8 and telling my mother to squeeze on that or the bars of the brass bed.:eek:
First, long labour, very anxious and tense (worked against the contraction in my opinion), restricted access to gas and air...had an epidural, didnt know when to push so extended the third stage and had more intervention to deliver.
Second, very relaxed, free access to gas and air, no epidural, used relaxation, short labour (believe the relaxation worked with labour) easy three push third stage.
I personally wouldnt have another epidural and my biggest piece of advice would be to relax and go to pre-labour relaxation classes and dont panic. Work with it rather than against it as I strongly believe if you work against a contraction it lengthens labour.
When you go into the hospital, it's not as bad. Gas and air is fantastic, you still feel the pain but you don't care as much anymore!
Things that surprised me was how when your waters break, it's not always just one big rush...have plenty of maternity pads ready. Also, I threw up a lot during labor...if you ask they can give you an anti-sickness shot, just so you know.
You'll be fine, just don't panic. I found that ante-natal classes from the NCT really helped.
I'd rather see the possibilities of things going wrong rather than expect I'll be in and out in an hour or 2. So thanks for all your stories.
I think the most important thing to do is educate yourself on the possible procedures and pain meds and have in mind what you would like. Then be prepared to use that knowledge so you can be confident in how things happen even when they don't go as you had hoped.
The truth is no one can predict what a labour will be like, so try not to obsess over it! Best to just be informed and go with the flow!
I do agree with the other poster though that staying at home as late as possible helped me stay relaxed and helped my labour progress.
i've had 2 stupidly easy labours, 90 mins and 17 mins, no pain relief, this time however baby is back to back so i'm expecting mother nature to pay me back, lol.
every labour is different, just listen to your body and try to relax....as mad as that sounds, this is what us ladies were made to do and we can cope, some better than others but as soon as that baby is in your arms, you just forget about the pain.
I had the epi with my first on the basis I was scared and I had to be induced, and I was told that an induced labour was more painful. The epi worked too well and I couldn't feel anything from the chest down! You can feel the pressure of the baby but no pain. It's bizarre! You also can't get up and they put a catheter in your bladder. I had a slight reaction to the epi but nothing serious-- a drop in blood pressure.
My secone was born at home, no epi there! I had pethidine in the house but labour was too quick for it. I had one hit of gas and air to steady myself and then I got on with it. It hurt, but it wasn't the worst thing ever. I'm on number 3 now and it's another hone birth for me. It's a control and comfort thing for me and I hate hospitals. Best advice is to do what makes you comfortable and not to focus too much on the pain.
Im not typical but my waters didn't break until I was almost fully dilated both times. Both labours were at least 10 hours long.
As it turned out, I had a birthing pool for the first stages of labour (fantastic) but then had to get out to get pethadine. It wasn't a long labour though and I think the birthing pool helped me to relax and get on with it.
With my second, I was too late for any pain relief (and my daughter was apparently sleeping through my labour!!). I had been to pregnancy yoga classes which helped me to control my breathing and manage the pain - I thoroughly recommend it. I think I was more focused the second time, without the pain relief and just thought "right, lets get this over with". It was over so fast, my waters didn't even break and my daughter was born in the amniotic sac - an amazing sight.
Keep calm, keep focused and if you can, enjoy the experience - it's an amazing feeling when you see your baby for the first time!!:)
I never understand this stance some women take against pain relief when it comes to labour. Theres no medal for bravery when it's all over.
PS...Congratulations K89.
Not that Im planning to do it again though!
Thats what everyone told me when I was pregnant with my first, I remember being in agony and thinking to myself...''Those bitches lied to me!!!''.
Now I've had mine and there birth is just a distant, lovely memory I find myself telling other mums to be ''it's not that bad''....It's not really true though is it? It's pretty horrific, I wish someone had been straight with me so I was prepaired for what was to come. Obviously when it's all over and you have your new baby in your arms it's the best feeling in the world, that moment and the lifetime of lovely moments ahead of you make all that pain insignificant.
Not being able to use my legs was very weird, I can understand people being put off by that. I didn't mind though, I was comfortable and enjoyed those hours of labour.
I think it is just different for everyone. Mine actually was not that painful. Excepting the very moment when I pushed out the head I felt fine with the pain levels. I spent much of my night at home wondering when the really bad contractions would start! I was not even sure I was in labour until my waters broke!
As it turned out, I had done most of it at home, and only got to the hospital an hour or so before the birth!
I think that is the thing, no one will be able to tell you what it will be like for you. You just have to go with the flow and try not to get stressed about it, because it is going to come out one way or another!
I could use my legs and didn't need a catheter. I'm not sure if there are different types but while I was a bit wobbly I could definitely walk. They let the morphine wear off once I was fully dilated too so I knew when to push. It was a genuinely nice experience.
Funniest bit was when my sister arrived at the hospital green around the gills with a hangover I was more concerned about her than with my wonderfully distant feeling labour pains.:D
Yep, we're all different and so is every labour.
My plan with my first was to stay at home as long as possible so that I could just pop him out as soon as we got to the hospital lol. As soon as the pain kicked in I just wanted to be in hospital where the drugs were.
Lol! I am glad mine kicked off when I was in bed otherwise I'd have had a faceful of mascara.
I think one thing everyone seems to agree on is how undignified you are happy to let yourself get:o before giving birth the thought of anyone looking at my lady bits was horrific to me yet I was legs akimbo without a second thought once the pain kicked in:D
NAture knows best, and it is best to trust her, although of course I know there are times when doctors have to intervene such as emergency c section.
I've had much, much worse pain than labour, that's for sure. I've had bacterial meningitis and was on morphine for days for the pain.
I asked this quesion a few years ao when I was doing medical studying and I was told to imagine pulling my top lip over the top of my head :eek:
I don't think the tutor liked men very much and she wanted to shock us all - she did!:eek: