To ask for genuine, real birth stories!?

[FunkyChunkyCherub]

First baby due in 3 months - I'm not scared of labour at all (maybe I should be ) but I feel like everyone I know has painted an unrealistic picture for me! I've either had a vague 'it was hell but worth it for my little bundle of joy' or 'I quite liked the experience, it was empowering and real I love what a woman's body can do' etc. All very lovely but I want details!

How long did it last? How painful? What drugs (if any)? Did you shit yourself?! I need some answers!!

[Woomebaby]

1. Induced at 38 weeks, gas and air, pethadin, episiotomy, not awful but not great
   

1. Home birth , 2 hrs, water pool, no drugs or gas and air. Lovely quick Labour
   

1. Emergency c section, waters broke at 36 weeks, didn't go into labour, monitoring was weird so they did a c section. Baby was fine
   

1. Another home birth, vbac, 7 hrs, hated the pool, pushed for 20 mins, baby fine, no stitches
   

That's natural Labour, induced Labour, c section and VBAC for me!

[Andanothermakestwo]

No didn't poo myself . Truth is it's not really a whole load of fun but it's not like someone cutting your leg off. The pain is bearable

[SalemSaberhagen]

56 hours. Back labour that hurt more than I could ever imagine. Gas and air, a shot of pethadine (I fucking hated this, I would not recommend) and finally an epidural for the last 4 hours because I had to go on the drip as I had been stuck at 6cm for 8 hours. Ended up with forceps and a tear and episiotomy. It was brutal. I'm sorry, you asked for honest!

BUT it was all worth it! Every bloody second. I'd do it again and again for my girl.

[HerculesMulligan]

Very overdue baby, induction with lots of interventions and a scary moment towards the end, but baby was absolutely fine and sailed through all of the newborn checks and milestones. Despite the complications, it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would.
I was very uncomfortable but never distressed or panicking. It took me most of a year to be fully physically recovered but I'm unusual in that, I know. I'd do it again tomorrow.

[SalemSaberhagen]

Oh and I didn't poo myself! As she was coming out the doctor announced that there was an offensive smell. I took massive umbrage thinking he had told the whole room that I had shit myself. It turned out to be an infection in my water, I never pooed. DP owed me £5 because I won that bet!

[HerculesMulligan]

Ha! I hadn't read Salem's post but she and I are clearly of one mind.

[Shitonmyshoe]

When expecting my first my mum was very honest. She described it as feeling like you are splitting in two from the arsehole and she did shit herself while having me I've had four via natural birth, it hurts. No point in bullshitting. You will be ok, just expect it to be painful.

[MrsBungle]

Dc1 - 52.5 hours with back to back baby. Awful labour. Got even worse with episiotomy and forceps with no pain relief (became emergency and dd had to come out quickly). I'd expected a lovely hypnobirth

Dc2 - 1 hour 54 minutes of easy labour - I've had worse headaches. Out very easily in 3 pushes - I felt great. Had that been my only experience of giving birth I wouldn't have a clue why anyone would say it's hard or sore!

[MommaGee]

Spontaneous labour at 35 weeks, didn't dilate. EMCS 7 hours after labour started / 31 hours after waters broke.

[donajimena]

Number one. Hurt to hell as I was induced and refused an epidural until it got worse.. then I begged for one. He arrived safe and well. No injuries.
Number 2: went into labour naturally and 26 hours later gave birth without intervention but plenty of gas/air/pethidine. Only 3 of the 26 hours were awful. Again no injuries.
My births were straightforward but I don't think you can ever prepare for the pain. Take everything that's offered.

[CharleyDavidson]

DD1 - 4 weeks early spontaneous labour. Was going to be induced a few days later due to lack of amniotic fluid anyway but was saved that by going into labour anyway.
Started at 6am with slowly leaking waters and period type pains. Lasted much of the day. Waters finally went with a gush later on. Had pethidine (made me vom) and lots of gas and air. Was very much in my own world, zoning DH out to deal with it. Didn't feel the crowning. Did tear when DD made her entrance at 12.35 the next morning. Also then had a huge bleed and nearly died (BP 60/40 at one point) so there was a bit of buzzer ringing drama and running consultants at one point, followed by a transfusion. All well though. Had to stay in for 6 days as DD was small but healthy, but developed jaundice and had light therapy.

DD2. Plenty of water, but still went into labour 4 weeks early. Again with slowly leaking waters...(a little bit with each mild pain). We were out at dinner when I stood up to go to the loo and got the full gush of waters - thank goodness for black trousers! Whizzed home to drop DD1 off with my sister and then back to the hosptial. Went into labour at 7.30pm and by the time I was at the hospital I was 4cm. Was a bit scarier this time as it was faster and harder labour. Had wanted to try an epidural but there wasn't time, so it was just gas and air again as I didn't want to be sick with pethidine again. DD2 was born by 11.30, so a 4 hour experience.
Tore again. Stitches under gas and air - more painful than the labour! No scary bleeding. Home the next morning.

[Chickendipper12]

My first was easy. 5 hours start to finish I was 9cm when I got to the hospital 15 mins late she was here. No gas or anything

My second was horrid. Only a 6 hour labour. My waters had been leaking for a week which made pushing a hell of alit worse, baby pooped while inside, his heart rate kept dropping which put me in a panic. Morphine and gas.

But its not completely awful xx

[ExplodedCloud]

How long did it last? 13 hours
How painful? How to answer that? It bloody hurt to the point I thought I'd need something stronger but I coped. I remember thinking I can't do this, I think I'd like a caesarian just before the end and getting cross about that saw me through.
What drugs (if any)? Has and air
Did you shit yourself?! I think so but I'm not sure.

[user1482079332]

Waters broke, induced, back labour, active labour 20mins with only gas and air.

Next time I'm going full hippy and having a home birth. Midwives didn't believe I was In labour had to beg for an examination. There was no dignity.

Physical side was painful but I'd do it again

[gemsparkle84]

Hi

I had a really great induction which apparently isn't all that common so happy to share

Induced at 39 weeks at 2.30pm with pessary
Moved on to antinatal Ward as labour suite getting too busy
5.30pm getting pretty strong contractions 2-3 minutes apart
7pm pessary removed to see if I could keep going on my own
Contractions continued
11pm waters broke 1cm dilated
Very quick and painful labour with gas and air as pain relief (no room on labour suite to have anything stronger) NO I'M NOT KIDDING
Begged for pain relief for a couple of hours, still no room
2.30am 9cm finally got wheeled round to labour suite- and promptly delivered a shot of diamorphine
2.35am bliss
3:27 delivered my gorgeous daughter with the assistance of my friend the gas and air

So apart from almost delivering my baby in the middle of an antenatal Ward the experience was painful but good 👍🏻

I shit myself a tiny bit but didn't care and it was dealt with discreetly and quickly.

Good luck and seriously don't worry about the birth xx

[Popskipiekin]

DC1: waters broke at 38 weeks but no labour so was induced. 10 hours, the last 5 of sheer misery really. Lots of interventions - failed epidural, eventual ventouse delivery. Baby and I totally fine. Couldn't believe how painful it all was.

DC2: waters broke with no warning and baby out within 90 mins. Same level of pain just for far less time. No pain relief. Don't want to do it again, thanks. I don't think I "do" labour very well at all.

[AlrightBabby]

1. Slow labour so sent home from hospital, water broke 3 hours later, 12 houors of labour followed, only had gas and air, ventouse delivery of 13lb DS cos of shoulder dystocia (sp??), no pain at the time but bad tear hurt afterwards
   

1. No pain relief as 11.5lb DS decided he was coming NOW as soon as we got to hospital. I might have peed as I pushed
   

No poo was reported by DH, who would have loved to tell me

[angelikacpickles]

DD - waters broken at 11am, contractions at about 2pm, pethidine at 6pm, fully dilated at about 9.30pm, DD born at 11.01pm. Pretty bad painwise between about 7 and 9pm but grand once I started pushing.

DS - first contraction at home at 2.17am, DS born at 5.29am in hospital. Fairly intense but quick!

Both of my babies were OP (facing up) so they were harder to push out.

[SilverdaleGlen]

1 - back to back labour after sweep, 3 days in total, really fucking hurt and ended in a natural birth with epidural (bliss) and episiotomy. The after affects of which were crawling up the stairs in agony as my back hurt.

2 - hypnobirthing fast, easy just G&A though barely made it to hospital. Easy recovery though I did tear it never hurt.

3 - back to back again but with hypnobirthing pain was manageable on G&A, baby got stuck but managed to have a natural delivery (touch and go though). Afterwards felt like I'd been kicked repeatedly by a horse in the bottom! Only lasted a day though and I kept the gas and air then felt fine.

DEFINITELY pooed myself while walking to hospital on DD2

[lorisparkle]

I have 3 ds and have never been in labour! All planned c-sections but all for different reasons. All I can say from my own and friends experiences is that you can never plan, never predict and no two labours are the same. I had high expectations for my first then felt a failure as had to have c-section. I wish I had been more realistic and accepted that you have minimal control and have preferences not plans. My second two c-sections were much better because I was mentally better prepared.

[gemsparkle84]

Ps. The early contractions were like very very very bad period cramps- eased with lots of walking and a nice warm bath.... 👍🏻 I don't count that as labour as I think that only really got started when my waters broke and the contractions came very fast, so from approx 11pm so around 4 and a half hours of labour. The contractions, for me were more painful than pushing, but probably because I had the good stuff by that point!

[nickienackienoo]

aah best of luck to you OP! wishing you all the best for the impending birth and happy birthday to your DC

[ludothedog]

Sorry but it was awful. Is it really going to help reading all these horror stories?

50hr labour. Baby trans but head down. I have no idea if I pooed myself as by this point I was delirious. Ripped to fuck and haemorrhaged badly. I couldn't sit down or shit for 4 weeks afterwards.

[FairytalesAreBullshit]

I had sections both times. First time it was because baby was breech/transverse and wouldn't move, despite being fully baked they were teeny tiny. I BF and they quickly gained weight, they're strapping now.

Second time I wanted a VBAC, but there was issues with the traces they were getting, so said they felt more comfy if they did a section over say 30-60 minutes more monitoring, where HR would drop. May as well do it whilst the theatre is free, over say a crash section, when baby gets really pissed off.

My advice to you is don't have any expectations. I was getting period pains, so I asked female family, how do you know if you're in labour. I was totally dismissed. When I went in for the section I was in active labour and honestly had no idea at all. That was a section as the position was risky for cord prolapse, which can be bad.

Second time, I had a 38 week MW appt and said, you might think I'm crazy, but I've been having twinges and braxton hicks. The thing is last time I was in active labour and I didn't know, DH was working away so if you could have a quick feel, so he can be prepared. I was 4cm dilated. DH has to rush up 200 miles, literally whilst I'm trying to keep my legs crossed, not that it would stop baby. He arrived just in time to gown up for the section.

So both times I had period type pains, they were uncomfy but nothing that bad. I could have easily delivered at home if there were no issues. Both times my placenta was gritty and coming apart. But I'd had a really rough pregnancy experience both times.

You can read the magazines, they all say be your own advocate, have a birth plan of what you do/don't want. Realistically, you have no idea how you will feel until the big day. So in theory you could have very little pain depending on size of baby, all you need is gas and air for final transit. You could have another situation where labour is slow, in that situation you might opt fairly quickly for an epidural or mobile epidural. I was quite sick with the spinal, that was something you don't really read about.

Having a section doesn't make your experience any less valid. I never went to NCT classes, but I did have a NCT Mum ask me if I thought I'd failed DS by having a section. This was at a BF group when BF wasn't that popular. I replied the alternative would have been no baby, so yes I think I did the right thing. Thanks for your concern.

One thing to think about is when baby enters the world do you want them straight on your chest. Do you want to try and establish BF right away. Even if you don't succeed, I would say it's worth a go.