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Childbirth

Anyone else have really intense but long labours?

41 replies

CarrieLouise25 · 28/08/2015 16:19

Sorry for the long post, but it’s always quite cathartic to share a labour experience

So before my first experience with labour, I’d read all the things, I’d been to the classes etc. I remember about the contractions, and how they could start 20-30 minutes apart lasting 10-40 seconds. Then they would get closer together and stronger over time, until they reach around 5-10 minutes apart and lasting 30-40 seconds. Then off you go to hospital and they get closer until birth happens.

And coupled with watching movies (I know, bad comparison) where the contraction is ooooooh, bad, and then happily chatting away until the next contraction.

Also a sufferer of endometriosis and dysmenorrhea, I thought I might be ok and might be able to handle it.

I was so wrong. First contraction started, and then next one came 2 minutes later. And they were intense, agonising, couldn’t speak, couldn’t move contractions (are there any other kind?)

Phoning the hospital, I got told ‘this is your first, it’s going to be ages away, no need to come in now, take a couple of paracetamol and have a bath’.

So I laboured at home for about 5 hours, until I was going insane with the pain and the intensity and how they were coming so fast and so close together with no let up.

A very VERY bumpy trip to hospital. I begged asked for some pain relief, gas & air. Midwife laughed. Actually laughed and said, ‘if you need pain relief this early, what will you be like later?’ I was gobsmacked. I was examined. 1cm dilated. Sent home, no pain relief. Told it was going to be a long one.

I continued at home again for another 5 hours, but I was climbing the walls in pain.

Back at the hospital, they let me stay (hooray!) even though only 3cm at that point. Again I asked for pain relief. Eventually after 12 hours of labour, with 1-2 minutes apart contractions, I finally got gas & air. Felt like I’d won the lottery.

Long story short (!), another 4 more hours, an hour and a half of pushing, heart rate dropping to 70-80, team of people in my room (assuming waiting for the ECS?) eventually pushed DC out, was blue and needed resuscitation. Oh and I had undiagnosed SPD, and gave birth with two midwives pushing my legs up against me, causing incredible pain!

Had no food, or drink, no pain relief until 12 hours in, no wonder I was exhausted and couldn’t push. Plus I was petrified with the amount of pain, and how constant they were, with no let up.

Anyway. There’s a million worse stories than mine, and that’s not what I’m trying to get across. I’m not saying it was bad, just wondering if anyone else has intense labours (but not fast)?

My SIL had her baby in 2 hours, and mine was considerably more, and she always said she had the ‘worst’ labour as hers was more intense. Frankly, I don’t believe in saying anyone’s own pain is worse than anyone else's but it’s always irritated me. Because mine was intense AND long.

Anyways. Second labour, I thought, it couldn’t be the same? But it was. Bam, 2 minutes apart, super intense, on top of one another until pushing stage.

Only difference was, I had a different hospital, I refused to go home, a lovely DH supporting me, and it was 9 hours not 18. Also, refused G&A (again!!) until my DH sorted it out for me. What is it with refusing pain relief?

Also, I can’t wee. Sorry if too much info, but the contractions never let up, and I can’t go to the loo. I had trouble delivering the placentas both times, as my bladder was full. Catheter fixed that, but still.

Anyone else with intense yet long labours?

On to baby number 3 now, and thinking I want on my birth plan ‘give me the fucking gas and air when I ask for it’ but hoping that won’t have the opposite effect!!

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User24689 · 29/08/2015 15:08

I've only had 1 labour and it was induced so I don't know what 'type' of labour I have. I do agree though that you can't compare your pain against anyone else's and completely believe that you can be in unmanageable pain early on. Its not a case of just 'getting on with it' .

My labour was induced at 10am and I was on a syntoconin drip. I was I'm agony by 11am and the midwife would only give me a heat pad. By 12pm I was climbing the walls like you and she went off shift. She told the new mw at hand over that my waters hadn't broken, I was at 2cm and wouldn't need another internal til about 2pm. She said shed be back in shift at 930pm and expected to be delivering my baby.

I begged the new mw for an epi and she listened but the anesthetist was in surgery. I could barely speak at this point so she gave me a shot of morphine. Then I told her I needed to push so she checked me and I was 9cm. I don't really remember what happened next as I was out of it but DH said the room suddenly filled up with people and they were furious I'd got so far along as they had been told I was still in early labour. I was screaming in pain too, so much that my throat hurt the next day and I got an apology from the obstetrician afterwards who said I should have been offered better pain relief as I was in transition at the handover. My view on it is, I should have been given the pain relief regardless of what stage I was at - clearly I needed it. The whole experience was quite traumatic and so I really feel for you - being refused g& a is ridiculous!

I think you should absolutely put that in your birth plan given your history. Make it clear you will need pain relief and you want it ready! My first mw made me feel like a failure for even asking and got me fucking heat pad like she was doing me a favour!