Agree with much of what other ladies have said with respect to period pains etc...

It's much like a pain that you can't quite place but that isn't totally suprising. I found birth a really special experience. The pain sucked but it felt necessary somehow.

The thing I remember that was most positive was the 'place' I was in during much of the quiet time I got without fussing from anyone... I found it quite new and wonderfully strengthening at the time. That I could exert that much control over my own body and mind and just focus on getting through and birthing.

I know it's not the same for everyone but I really agreed with what another lady said about going into it feeling confident and positive, it makes a massive difference.

Best of luck, when you've had your baby you must add your description x x

Like nothing else I've ever experienced!

Very very deep pains in tummy and back, building to a crescendo (sp?)I felt I would happily ask someone to shoot me at one point because it seemed preferable than waiting for the next contraction.

Then, when you think it can't get any worse, you reach second stage where you have to push the baby out! The ring of fire is EXACTLY like that - think blow torch on fanjo. If you tear, you feel it - think very very sensitive skin splitting! At antenatal classes we were taught to do the trick of putting a finger in each side of your mouth and pulling sideways until it burns and hurts - it's like that but doesn't stop when you want it to!! Thankfully that doesn't last long though and then you're baby's out and you feel ecstatic that it's over. It sounds horrendous but you survive it!

Agree with the intense period pain thing, but also thought it was like watching a tsunami come towards you.... it hits and you get lost in it for a while and it takes your breath away, and then it recedes and you can get upright a breathe normally. Then you see the tsunami coming again in the distance...

Thanks everyone, some really helpful stuff here. Have been going to yoga which has given me confidence. I have a hypnobirthing CD from last time but we're living out of boxes at the moment so can't find it.. will have a proper look tomorrow.
starlight, i'm due in 4 weeks' time

Also with the 'constipation-people' (sorry, not the best label ever!). In fact, mine was so like severe constipation that I didn't really realise I was in labour but spent about 4 hours before/after midnight sat on the loo leaning over the towel rail - which, incidentally, must have been a very good position. Was somewhat surprised to find I was 8cm dilated when I got to hosp, was semi expecting someone to give me a suppository and send me home . In my defence, was expecting tummy and back pains, not that....

And the end bit is just as described below...

good luck migola. When are you due?

tbh it is quite hard to imagine even when you have been through. Don't underestimate though, the power of preparation in affecting your perception of your experience.

I guess that is partly what you are doing by asking this question.

There are no guarantees in childbirth, but going into labour confidently and relaxed improves the likelihood for a good outcome.

You need to find your body's best way of dealing with the pain. At first DH and I tried relaxing and breathing deeply through contractions and the idea of relaxing just made me irritated! Far better was me actually getting quite aggressive and "shouting the pain away" and getting quite angry with the pain!

Its not just the pain element, its also the "hard work" element - two hours of pushing after several hours of first stage - you're totally knackered but you just have keep doing your best and work as hard as you can.

Its easy to say it but you'll be fine and come through it, and you'll be v proud of yourself afterwards! You'll also forget it all once your baby is out (words can't describe how BRILLIANT you feel the instant they're out and you scoff your tea and toast holding your little treasure!)

Insanely, you may also start contemplating doing it again - I had dd three weeks ago (37 hours, induction, drip, episiotomy, forceps) and am already getting the stirrings of excitement about doing it again with no.2 ! (must get contraception sorted out asap - 10 mths between them would be a total disaster!)

Best of luck - you'll be fine!

no starlight I wasn't looking for reassurance, was just curious I suppose and want to know what to expect, I just couldn't imagine what kind of pain it would be.

anyway thanks everyone, off to order a tens machine

migola Were you looking for reassurance? If so it was the wrong question. However, most (not all) of the posters here have been willing to do it again and there is actually a very odd trend of doing subsequent childbirth with less drugs.

It is absolutely vital that you go into labour confident and without fear and that during it you live only in the present and not have any thoughts about the next hour, or the next contraction. The pain is how people here describe, but when it happens you will probably kinda get used to it, especially if you don't freak out and practise and develop a rhythm of copingduring the early stages that you are experience at using when things get tougher.

To help with this you will need to give birth in an environment that you will feel comfortable doing whatever you need to do, be that squatting, pacing around the room naked, groaning, so plan ahead and have a birth plan to reflect this. I would also very much recommend a doula and some dabbling with natal hypnotherapy or birth hypnosis, because both of these can help you improve your 'internal' environment and ignore unnecessary distractions.

Finally, imagine that you have not only run a marathon (after 9 months of very intestive training), but that you won it and the whole world is cheering. Add to that an intense dose of natural opiate drugs, and as if that were not enough you are presented with the teeniest wrinkly little person that is yours to keep.

Cross between diarrhoea and period pain, low dawn, reasonably manageable as long as you're in the zone mentally, dreadful if you're feeling worried or distracted (eg being mucked about with in hospital).

If you practice with TENS in the last three weeks of pg it enhances the effect very well. Just putting it on for the day doesn't really work. Anyway, TENS takes 5 hours to build up properly.

it's such a hard question to answer. i tried face to face with a mate on here and failed, went away thought about it and came up with this for her....some editing has been done...

'was thinking how useless my reply about what they were like was, espeically as i've just had another bout of gut cramps today. problem is they aren't like anything really!

it's a huge muscle, and it moves in labours in ways it never does any other time. huge, massive, long clenchings that reach a crescendo you can't somehow believe and take their time to quiet down again. it's really all encompassing ...

i never really felt it as 'pain' though cos the [hypnobirthing]cd had me positive about them, and i was just so interested. I did find them really difficult to deal with when monitored with [ds1] and if anyone tried to have me do anything or pay attention to outside stuff during them. i really needed to just feel them happening in order to accept it all and to ride each one out, and not clench other muscles in sympathy. i think that was the hardest part, this one huge muscle is doing its thing, and it was a real challenge to try and relax other relevant bits, thighs, fanjo, lower back to allow the uterus to do its job. the biggest help with that beside fearsome levels of concentration was pulling back on something else, so the rigid pool side with [ds2], or beds/doorframes with [ds1]. i never ever let myself think during one - oh god, there's another one coming after this or make it stop - as i just wanted each one to do it's job and get birth over and done with. i think it would have been fine if i had thought/said that though, as someone with me would have been encouragin. [DH] was encouraging anyway, saying well done after each and and helping steady me/get me what i needed for the next. i did talk a fair bit between them. i used gas and air both times, but found with [ds1] that it made me suprisingly stoned, and i had to be very sparing with it or i'd get so buzzed i lost the focus that was stopping me panic. i got expert very quickly at taking the suck or two just before the sustained peak of each contraction. (oh and when i was stitched up with [ds2] i actually said to [dh], sod it, i'm going to get rinsed on this stuff now, looovely ).

after transition, which i really didn't like as any patterns i was used to changed [things were easier]. i think the uterus muscle works differently during transition and 2nd stage. so i panicked [during transition] both times, and needed people to help me focus and encourage ++, up to then i just wanted people to butt out and let me deal with it and generally be my body slaves

during the second stage, especially with [ds2], the contractions got less frequent and as i said, felt different - real pushing from the top, exhilarating tbh. I would will them along to get the job done and the baby out, when you can feel them shifting the baby down and out it's pure magic.'

Dear God I cant even spell childbirth, sorry!

Lets face it, if you are preggers or planning to be, its happening whether you like it or not! I decided not to dwell on how it would feel, just take it as it comes.
My first labour was HORRENDOUS. 10 hours start to finish, not bad for a first, but midwife said I wasn't in labour as I was still talking (im a chatterbox when Im scared!), and refused to believe that it sodding hurt. I had no back pain, it was all around the bump, pulling and tightening like the worst period pain ever x a million, literally if someone had a pill to kill me Id have had it gladly. Anyway, after about 6 hours of almost passing out with the pain, vomiting, but still chatting like a loony, midwife had already given me 2 paracetamol and nowt else, she agreed to give me an internal. And whatdoyaknow, fully dilated, ready to push, no bloody painkillers allowed now. GODDAMMIT!
What no-one tells you about is the burning and stinging when baby shoves past your bladder [emoticon for eyes watering a tad].
But...you do kind of forget it afterwards, and get a little 'oooh look I managed childberth aren't I brave' attitude, which is well deserved.
My second was different as I was 32+6 weeks so had lots of intervention, and at the first twang, I was all prepared and screamed for that pethandine/gas and air!

Migola - regardless of the type of pain, how it will feel for you, you can have pain relief if you want it, and before you even know it, it will be over and a distant memory. It goes so fast, honestly, it is bearable.

Go with it, try to push it to the back of your mind, and concentrate when it gets hard on what you are doing, and what is going to be at the end of it all, your baby. I did that, I focussed on DD, I talked to her, and before I knew it, she was here.

Er, thanks everyone! Think I should stop reading now -get the gist of it though, it effing hurts! (maybe I should go for an elective section!)
Chulita, a post c-section pregancy is no different from the first one - I don't have as much energy as last time but I think that's due to running around after a toddler & maybe age

My labour pains just started of really slowly with braxton hicks starting days before and getting more regular and more panful.

These felt like my womb tightening and were a bit sore! In the end I was put on a drip to speed things up as I wasn't progressing quick enough and had an epidural which didn't work very well so with each contraction the pain in my back near my hip was excrutiating.

It ended with an emCS. If I hadn't had the epidural I think I would have had a natural birth as I would have been able to stand up and let gravity lend a hand and also I wouldn't have had the back pain either.

bucharest - I find that interesting as Marian Keyes doesn't have kids!!

Anyway all I can remember is that it felt like my entire body was going to rip in half while I was being stabbed with flame hot pokers in the stomach and back whilst feeling nauseous and out of it.

In summary....pretty frickin bad.

My early labour pains have mostly involved rather nasty rectal pain- I believe it's sympathetic pain from the cervix as it dilates. I can't honestly say I have any other sort of pain until right near the end, but that's enough to be getting on with.

Mine started off feeling like the cramps you get when you are abuot to have the shits then got progressively more intense. The aching was in my whole stomach and my back felt very achy in a bruised/tight sort of way (back 2 back labour). When you get to transition the pain is in intense waves and seems to travel through your whole body and you just have to try and hold on through it and breathe. I would say however that although it is extremely uncomfortable and painful it's not the same pain as someone punching you or a pain that would make you scream out suddenly... It's more the frequency and intensity of the sensation thats annoying as you have to keep coping with it over and over again. You do (usually) get a rest in between the contractions though. Have to stay focused and believe you can cope. Ask for pain relief if you think you need it, you don't have to be a hero. That was my theory, had gas n air and asked for pethadine in transition but never got round to having it as it was time to push...

Then you get to pushing and it basically feels like that urge you get where you need to push out a big poo and you just can't fight it. The ring of fire is short lived and the least of your worries as you meet your baby straight after

As for "building up"

With my first induced labour the first pain was as bad as the last 10hrs later.

After that the rest were plain sailing (it's all relative )

Never had any pain (or anything else) at the top of my uterus Some under the bump and most lower back.

As you've probably realised labour pains may have similarities from person to person but they can be different from one labouring mum to another.

I was so horrified by labour pains as I'd believed everybody when they said contractions built up, had a peak then trailed off until the next one. They probably do for the majority but not for me.

I had no break between contractions and they were as painful when they started as they were a whopping 2.5 minutes later when they ended and I had a few seconds respite. Not the greatest 26 hours of my life. I did labour with no waters though so that may have made a difference and dd was in completely the wrong position (didn't know this until an em cs had to be performed).

In terms of the actual pain it was weird. It was everywhere and nowhere. If you'd asked me where I hurt I couldn't point to it but I hurt everywhere. My eyebrows hurt. My fingernails hurt. It was a bit like having food poisoning and your body spasming and cramping to get rid of the poison but it just went on and on and on.

Reminiscnet of dreadful food poisoning, then it got worse.

Not painful, just like a tightening that starts at the top of your uterus and moves downwards. Yes they do get more intense as labour with progresses and uncomfortable if your waters break before you get in the pool. Ideally get to your mlu with an hour to spare (dd2)and have the midwife write "mum v relaxed!" in your notes as you doze between contractions in the second stage! Crowning may "sting a bit" to quote my self! Yes I am serious {grin}. The after pains were a lot worse than labour and that is when I resorted to drugs- paracetamol.
Good luck.

It was shocking. It felt like someone had stuck a knife up my vagina and was scraping on my cervix. After the first few contractions I was speechless and just thought how on earth am I going to live through possibly 24 hours of this? TENS did help a great deal, actually. Made the pain bearable rather than unbearable and overwhelming. But then I only laboured for 7 hours and only got to 3cm dilated.

Agree with the extreme constipation someone mentioned. Exactly like that combined with diarrhoea gripes.
Very uncomfortable (understatement ).

Think of the worst pain you have ever felt and x it by 100. I was (and still am) shocked at the amount of pain a human has to go through to give birth. I got though my 2 labours by continually thinking of all the people I knew that had given birth. Knowing that they had gone through the pain and got through it, really helped me. For my second birth I used hypno birthing, can really recommend it. It took away the fear of the pain and meant I kept control during my labour.

I was induced first time round, and that was appalling. The pain was all in my stomach, like someone was twisting all my insides, with a really sharp, hot pain that felt like I was being stabbed. No build up, just a solid block of pain every minute or so.

Second time round, I had a cs so just had the early stages to about 2cm dilated after going into labour spontaneously and that felt completely different to the induced contractions - much more like the period cramp/tightening that other people have described.

I would describe it as like the pain you get with a severe case of the runs but happen to be miles from a toilet, only 10 times worse!

Like severe constipation, mainly in my lower back. In fact when I have had constipation this pg, it has reminded me of what labour will be like again

My labour was all in my back too and the TENS was an extra irritation which did nothing for the pain.
I'll still be hiring one this time in case it helps though.

Fair one starlight - I was told by my neighbour that it worked really well for her so I think I was expecting miracles!!
I've only had the one so far so not much experience to go by
migola - what's a post c-sec pregnancy like? I'm a bit scared tbh...

Chulita I had tens with both of mine. I don't know but suspect mine was a back to back baby in early labour. Using the tens was just like adding the feeling of needles being stuck into my kidneys on top of the contraction. Not something you'd really want!

2nd time I found it helpful

Just something - I had back labour that felt like a belt being tightened around my spinal cord til it felt like it was going to snap, then it would loosen for a couple of minutes and then off we'd go again. The tens machine made it a hundred times worse, like a belt tightening and someone beating my spine with a rolling pin. Not entirely convinced back labour and tens go very well together...
Hoping 2nd is better (not that I can bear the thought of ttc just yet!!)

Stubbing your toe is a good comparison. My pain was very irritating. It actually made me kind of cross.

First labour

Like 'stubbing your toe' pain, but larger and happening in your abdomen. You instinctively want to freeze, tense up and hold your breath, your eyes water and then at the peak you scream. Then it is over, you feel sore, you want out but you know in just a couple of minutes you'll stub your abdomen again, and it will happen again and again and again for hours, because you are only 2cm dilated.

Second labour

A bit like cramp creeping up and tightening your abdomen to uncomfortable and painful proportions, but breathing out very very slowly and relaxing as much as possible means you can distance yourself from the pain just enough to cope. Then it goes, then you smile, joke with the mw, have a sip of water and feel a great sense of progression and an impatience for the next contraction because you just want to get on with it and get your prize.

It's a different kind of pain than..well. pain. Those horrible devils cramps in your legs are a good way to explain the last few contractions before you push just to make it stop

Have to say though that with DS2 i wasn't in a huge amount of pain, got to the hosp and was 9cm just a bit grumbly and bad period painy

It felt like very painful tightening every 5 minutes which took my breath away and makes groan like a dying dog.. My labour pains were all in my back, my tummy felt tight. In summary IT FECKING HURT!!

Like having my arms and legs cut off and then having my belly scooped out like a melon.....

I had no pain at all in my tummy, it was all in my back and because the hospital decided to make me labour on the bed on my back it was magnified. It felt like my pelvis bones grinding together, or at least that's what I told DH at the time. I think if I had been allowed to labour normally the pain would have shifted to the front as DD turned and then might have been more like period pains.

Top tip: no lying down!

For me it was like the worst constipation ever magnified x50. Also I was VERY disappointed to discover that there was no break in contractions (DS was back to back). Everyone had promised me I would be choosing paint colours between contractions but nooooooo ... as soon as one stopped the next would start. Couldn't talk at all. Not fun but totally worth it in the end obviously!

sunshiney thanks for reminding me about the tens machine - completely forgot to order one - have 4 weeks til DD so hopefully can get one in time??

Agree with others re. extremely painful period pain / cramp.

It gets progressively worse so that you cannot talk/think/do anything during a contraction but deal with the pain.

ouch, that doesn't sound nice at all

like others have described, it began just like period pain and got progressively stronger. seemed to start off in the lower back and during later stages the pain came around the front as well.
top tips: tens machine. it was brilliant, but hire or buy a really good one with a proper boost function. when people say theirs didn't help them i always secretly wonder if they didn't put the electrodes on right!
also, big deep breaths during contractions. don't bother with breathing in rhythms and all that stuff, just keep doing big in and out breaths the whole time.

Well, my DD was long slow labour and the pain felt like the worst period pains ever but 1000 times harder and it would build to the peak of a contraction then tail off. The peak felt like someone was trying to pull my bones apart.

With DS I was induced and the pain was a great deal more intense and contractions much closer together. At the peak of each contraction I thought I was going to pass out.

At the end for both though, when I wanted to push it felt like the biggest pooh ever in my life.

And just so you know, cause I didn't. Having the placenta really doesn't hurt afterwards (at least it didn't hurt me).

Hope that helps!

Don't worry though, you can take drugs if you want, it doesn't last forever and you do actually forget about it eventually.

impressive stuff bumble!
I was told today by the consultant that my labour shouldn't last more than 12 hours - I don't get it - how does he know this?!
SHS I was having really bad leg cramps this morning that made me jump out of bed, and I was thinking 'oww that kills', then I thought hmph don't be such a wimp, wait until you go into labour, THEN you'll know what real pain is

migola - if you would like me to post my labour notes showing the length of all my 3 labours, I would quite happily so. The pain was tremendous but I thought I had hours to go - it's not my fault they were all quick and not that bad. My first born's labour pains started at 9:30 pm and she was born at 11:35 pm after being given pethidine at 11:20 (the midwives did not think I was going to give birth that night!). My first born was my fastest!

Can I just say though the pain varies through the contraction, it's like here comes one it hurts abit (say 20 seconds) oww that kills (again about 20 seconds) it's wearing off now (again 20 seconds ) and after it's stopped you're in no pain at all, it's really strange.

Not to be competative but I was in labour for 5 days, had a failed epidural whilst on a speedy up drip thing (contractions on top of each other,feeling every one,ouch) but you really do forget about the pain the moment it stops, and while you're going through it you go into you're own world, it's not like you're experiencing that level of pain in normal circumstances if that makes sense.

Plus some people don't think its that bad . As I had a c-section the first time I know I could have one again, but I'm determined to have a natural birth and go through all the pain again next time, so it can't be that bad and I'm a real wimp

The back ache! No-one told me about the bloody back ache being worse than the front ache!
Marian Keyes said it's like shitting a sofa if that's any help?

JATGB that made me laugh out loud!

With me, it started off similar to bad period pain and got more intense so gradually that I didn't really notice it getting worse, until I thought back to X hours before and thought "what was I complaining about??" lol.

It also in the later stages was in not just my tummy/back area but all down my legs as well. I found it more intense than painful. My instinct was to curl up - but that made it worse so was not much help.

Sorry, that isn't much help but it really is indescribable.

Really horrendous period pains mixed with lower back ache which get more and more painful, until you can feel them all over your body and it's totally overwhelming and you start to panic a bit (transition) and then you get the urge to push, which feels like your abdomen is vomiting downwards through a ring of fire. Then it's all over and you just feel sore and achy like you've been kicked in the fanny.

nice! I guess I'll find out soon enough
bumblelion, i'm very about the length of your labour though!

Mine started just like mild period pains in my lower tummy and back, then turned to severe period like pains in the same places, and then felt like severe period pains, severe constipation and a red hot poker up my back! Mine ended in a cs though.

My best friend described it as 'toothache' in her stomach if that makes sense, while another said it was like cramp. Think we all feel it differently really. HTH

I am the first to answer and it has been a few years but after 3 children, I can describe labour as:-

The worst possible ever period pain. Cramping (but more than cramping), leg ache, back ache.

... but each of mine were born fairly quickly (longest about 4 hours from start of cramping to birth).

I know it's probably a million dollar question but I just don't know what to expect (had a c-section with my 1st bec of breech presentation)

Is it like:-

1) really horrendous period pains
2) like a really painful leg cramp (but not in your leg obviously)

or something completely different & indescribable

Apparently I was in labour (early stages) when I went in for my section but I hadn't noticed