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Childbirth

Did anyone enjoy being in labour?

61 replies

PeahenTailFeathers · 29/09/2012 13:17

I'm getting a bit broody and thinking about TTC again early next year, but part of that broodiness is a wish to experience labour again. Last time I was in agony with dry, back-to-back labour, ending with an epidural and a crash CS, but I remember it as being a wonderful and powerful experience and I'm hoping for a VBAC next time. Does anyone else feel the same way about giving birth?

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AKissIsNotAContract · 29/09/2012 13:19

Some women orgasm, so apparenly so.

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peeriebear · 29/09/2012 13:24

No, I had DS on Sept 11th (DC3) and labour sucks balls.

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TurquoiseGoldandOrangecat · 29/09/2012 13:25

Peeriebear. Lmfao. Yes. Yes it does.

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wannabedomesticgoddess · 29/09/2012 13:32

Labour for me was hell. DD was back to back and the pushing stage went on for hours (she was born ten minutes before they said they would have to intervene.)

But I do know what you mean. I did it all with only gas n air. I had pethedine but it had no effect whatsoever. I was and still am, quite proud of myself for giving birth.

DP this time (different dad to DD) keeps saying about getting an epidural because he says I shouldnt have to go through the pain. My reaction to this is a bit strange.

I am of the opinion that if I did it first time with no epidural I will damn well do it this time without one.

That said, when the pain starts I will probably jump at whatever pain relief I can get :o

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Nagoo · 29/09/2012 13:34

I did quite enjoy it last time.

Dh says I didn't, but I did. I was singing in the car on the way and the baby bascially fell out.

First time it did indeed suck balls.

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amirah85 · 29/09/2012 13:34

I agree,I found it unconfortable,and pushing baby out was quite painful but it is a special experience and I always look foreward to doing it again

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motherinferior · 29/09/2012 13:35

Given that absolutely every literary and oral culture describes labour as excruciatingly horrible I would say you are in a bit of a minority.

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Melindaaa · 29/09/2012 13:48

I love being in labour and giving birth. So much so that I have done it ten times. I love waiting for the next contraction and timing them, and the feeling of my body totally taking control.

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PeahenTailFeathers · 29/09/2012 13:49

Ha ha at sucks balls and singing in the car Grin.

Amirah85 and Wannabedomesticgoddess, that's it exactly! It really hurts at the time, but you sort of forget how bad it was when you realise you've got a baby out of it and you just feel very proud of yourself.

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PeahenTailFeathers · 29/09/2012 13:51

Ten times? I'm not jealous of having ten lovely, snuggly newborns oh no, repeat to self must not ttc now

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redadmiralsinthegarden · 29/09/2012 13:52

loved it!

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Aloha31 · 29/09/2012 13:52

I enjoyed it.

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Mollydoggerson · 29/09/2012 13:53

It's like running a marathon (how do I knoow, I've ne ver run a marathon),

Agony at the time, but an amazing sense of achievement and adrenalin rush afterwards. Yes I did enjoy the whole experience. Amazing.

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sillymillyb · 29/09/2012 13:55

I'm jealous. It was hell, so much so that I'm not planning any others. And my labour was only a few hours - no pain relief at all though, so maybe that makes a difference. Ds got stuck too, so I didn't feel like my body took over, as everything I was doing was ineffectual iyswim.

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wannabedomesticgoddess · 29/09/2012 14:02

Im sorry it was so bad for you sillymilly.

You should still be proud of yourself though!

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ShoeJunkie · 29/09/2012 14:14

Yep, I did enjoy it and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. It helped that I was incredibly lucky that it went completely according to plan and so I felt calm and in control throughout.

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mixedmamameansbusiness · 29/09/2012 14:19

I had ok experiences each time (3).

My last was lovely though. I was induced and there was mad panic when his heart rate dropped and he had cord wrapped around his neck.

I think it helped that i knew he was my last so I tried to maintain positive attutude and enjoy it and the sensation of pushing a baby out which i will never feel again.

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notcitrus · 29/09/2012 14:24

I enjoyed mine - with ds for 18 hours until had to get out of the pool, and then once I got an epudural. And with dd all through (epi again).

Not willing to do pregnancy again, though!

MIL had an orgasmic birth with BIL. Very nice but wish I'd never heard about it!

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nickeldaisical · 29/09/2012 14:26

i enjoyed it insofar as i was amazed by the way my body worked with handling pain and progression etc.

have to say the birth part made me very afraid. but it was a means to an end, so.

my DD also got stuck, but it was my underbeneathsies that were cut to get her out.
ow and ow for days and days and days.

If i could guarantee that the next one wouldn't get stuck, then I would be happy to do it again.

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emblosion · 29/09/2012 14:26

God no.

Utter agony, dry, back to back, huge baby, head stuck, keillands forceps in theatre. Thought I was either going to die or go mad from the pain.

Having said that, I wouldn't rule out another one on the basis that it can't possibly be that bad again......can it?

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emblosion · 29/09/2012 14:28

And I never felt my body take over, no urge to push etc. Feel a bit sad about that really.

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PeahenTailFeathers · 29/09/2012 14:33

Sad emblosion. I never felt the urge to push either, but I was told to push at 9cm (found out after reading the copy of my full maternity notes that I've just bought) Hmm so I think that's why I ended up with the cs.

I got my underbeneathsies (great word and I'm going to use it at every opportunity) torn as well, but from an internal (Hmm again).

Still can't wait for next time though Grin.

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LornieLoola · 29/09/2012 14:40

I gave birth to DS3 11 hours ago - really did not enjoy it, or the current after pains! Still too fresh to think "I'd do it again".

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PeahenTailFeathers · 29/09/2012 14:41

Thanks LornieLoola

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elliejjtiny · 29/09/2012 14:42

I loved my labour with ds3. DS2 was dry and back to back and absolute agony so compared to that it was easy. Early labour was great. I was in hospital waiting to be induced but there wasn't room for me on labour ward so I spent most of the day either on the antenatal ward with my book and midwives offering me tea and toast every couple of hours or going for a walk round the hospital. Established labour was only 2 hours, painful but not that much harder than taking care of ds1 and ds2 (used to walk 1.5 miles 4 times a day for school run and ds2 has sn and not walking at the time) but with a lot more sympathy. Afterwards was amazing, best bath ever, best tea and toast ever and squishy newborn cuddles.

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