Labour Pains

[DazedEmma]

when talking to mw and drs, they never tell you the truth, so ladies, I want you to tell me the truth:

1. how much does it really hurt?
2. how long was your first labour?
3. how quickly after giving birth do you 'forget' the pain?

Also, how do I know when i'm in labour, what are the signs cos so many women at the class said with their first they didn't know they were in labour until they felt ready to push!!

[SoupKitchen]

1. more than anything I have ever experienced
2. 36 hours
3. instantly

My waters broke, 30 mins later contractions started

[avenanap]

It hurt alot. I was induced so it was 0-60 in 10 minutes as the endomorphins didn't have chance to kick in. He's 9 now and I've almost forgot the pain. I had a 14 hour labour. You can tell, they are strong, painful braxton hicks and I could feel pain in my cervix as it stretched. Ouch!

[sweetkitty]

1. more than I ever though it would - sorry! but I was dilating very fast just didn't know it at the time
2. 4hours 20 mins
3. don't forget but it is SO worth it you don't care once you have that baby in your arms

First time waters went then contractions, second time couldn't get up for the pains, third time hopefully tell you in a few days time.

Good luck it does hurt but will also be the best day of your life.

[ilovemydog]

1. a lot
2. 30 minutes (induced, but hyperstimulated)
3. immediately

[divastrop]

1)with baby no.1,it was worse than any pain i'd ever experienced in my life.

2)about 2-3 days,BUT i was being induced early due to pre-eclampsia

3)as soon as i saw my baby.

nothing anybody says can prepare you for how it will feel,however,if i could have my first labour over again i would have paid less attention to the MW's and more attention to the shiela kitzinger book i had,i would have been more assertive and i would have had an experienced female as my birthing partner rather than my xp.

[cafebistro]

1. I have to agree with soupkitchen- definately more than anything i have ever experienced, I cant really compare it to anything I've ever felt before.

1. From first twinge to delivery- 15 hours.

1. The actual pain stopped immediately but I didnt 'forget' the pain for weeks after.

I had contractions that just gradully got more painful, my waters had to be broken by the midwife just before delivery. Its difficult to explain but you'll just know!!

[ilovemydog]

gas and air is good, but you sound like Mickey Mouse and no one takes you seriously anymore. Maybe it was just me?

[lou031205]

Birth 1:

1. Not much until last hour, when I thought I was in big trouble! Gas & air sorted it though.
2. Not sure - they think possibly 4 hours, but didn't know I was in labour until fully dilated and ready to push (the last hour)
3. As soon as the head was out - once the head is out, birthing the body is bliss!

No real signs of labour. I was induced. But, I would say that if you have been having contractions, then suddenly feel panicky, like you can't do it any more, and want to go home, etc., you are probably ready to push!!

Birth 2:

1. A bit more than birth 1 due to position of cervix. Pethidine and Gas & air.
2. 7 hours from having waters broken to start labour and delivery. 5 minute pushing stage.
3. Was in lots of pain, and a bit dazed by pethidine - sudden alertness and knowledge that I "have to push my baby out" - 5 minutes later she is born,, pain forgotten.

[avenanap]

It's not unbearable to be honest but it is unplesant (sp?). I'd say it was a 7/10, maybe an 8 at times.

[BigBadMousey]

1 - a hell of a lot until the epidural . It's a weird sort of hurt though as the psychology is different. Unlike normal pain, this is doing something useful and productive.

2- 32 hours established

3- instantly

With first labour my waters broke first so that was a bit of a giveaway! With my third I needed to get to hospital ASAP. That was an hours drive so I needed to look for early but definite signs so I used an online contractions timer to see what was going on (and MN'd simultaneously). When it really sets off....you'll know!!I'm surprised so many women in your class didn't know until it was time to push - they must have had very short labours.

It hurts but it is so incredibly worth it

[ShowOfHands]

1 I can't describe it but it was manageable whilst I felt in control (homebirth transfer), all consuming when I felt like the medical staff weren't listening to me

2 26 hours- pushed for 6 until I had an em cs

3 I can remember it vividly 14 months later but I think I'm in the minority

My waters broke and contractions started soon after so I was left in no doubt.

[Amberc]

1. how much does it really hurt? Not too bad at first and bearable, then with gas and air it still hurts like hell but you don't care , then it got to a stage where I thought there was no way on earth i could go on and would have to chuck myself in the thames, when waters broke was even worse but then I had an epidural and all was right with the world - couldn't feel anything - bloody marvellous! (baby had turned and was posterior hence the suicidal thoughts!)
2. how long was your first labour? contractions started Friday night - baby born sunday night , active labour (i.e dilated more than 3 cm) 20 hours
3. how quickly after giving birth do you 'forget' the pain? Considering I had to end up with emergency c section very quickly! A few days I reckon.

Also, how do I know when i'm in labour - that's what I asked everyone and it's period type dull pains that peak and then ebb away and then come on regularly (and don't stop if you move around/lie down/have bath).

Everyone is different though so you can't get too much from this other than it hurts. Spoke to a woman today whose entire labour lasted 3 hours and it was her first.

[Ledodgy]

1. how much does it really hurt?

I think it's cope-able and dare I say it quite nice until I hit 8cm.

1. how long was your first labour?

19 hours established but was at 2cm for 48 hours.

1. how quickly after giving birth do you 'forget' the pain?

You don't forget how much it hurts but you forget how the pain feels iyswim.

[BigBadMousey]

Ledodgy....'You don't forget how much it hurts but you forget how the pain feels iyswim. '

Too right..... right up until you go into full-on labour with the next one then you think 'bugger! I remember all this now'

[morocco]

do try hypnobirthing - wish I'd heard more about it before my children were born

1 much more than anything I've ever experienced, definitely toe curlingly painful. but that was only from 6cm onwards. until then it was fine, wouldn't really call it painful at all. and crowning was painless as well - completely and totally painless, I was so focused on what was happening and my mind cleared completely. so long as I had something to help me cope, the pain was manageable - either breathing exercises, gas and air, visualisations etc

2 second birth (first was c section) 5 hours first contraction to last but possibly had been in pre labour for a few days beforehand

3 I can't remember what the pain was like now (16 months on) I just remember thinking 'omg this is the most painful thing ever'

[goodasgold]

Don't be scared, look forward to meeting your baby, it's the best feeling ever.

[cupcake78]

Are you sure you really want to know the answer to this?

1. Oh it hurts alright, for me it felt like, well, trying to pooh an elephant while your fango is on fire, a numatic drill was boaring into my spine and I was being split in half from the inside out! and even that doesn't do it justice
   
   2)4 days, 19hrs in labour
   
   3)And yes I can remember and will never forget. (10 months ago)
   
   As for when your in labour. You have a fairly good indication whne your period type cramp pains are that bad you can't breath! Then there is a pretty good chance your in labour.
   
   Gas and air saved me! Its wonderful stuff!
   
   But saying all this it hasn't put me off at all and I'm thinking about a possible number 2.
   
   Little people are just the best thing in the world!!

[slinkiemalinki]

1. Utterly agonising. I would not have thought it was possible to feel pain like that and remain conscious.
2. pessary at 4, strolling about, started hurting around 7, hurting severely by 10, baby born 11.18pm.
3. about 2-3 days

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

1- Erm, so painful I didn't specifically feel the 2nd degree tear happen. So painful I couldn't speak or think, just scream into the gas and air tube (but that was right at the end and mostly because the evil cow midwife made me lie on my back which made it 100x worse than when I was upright- stand your ground!)

2- Loads of slightly painful braxtons from monday to wednesday night, then proper labour for about 11 hours with a short pushing stage.

3- It's like "remembering" a leg cramp, or standing on a needle. You remember it being bloody awful but you don't remember how it feels exactly. For the first week I said (and genuinely, absolutely meant) I am never ever doing this again. But I will.**Only with an epidural or elective cs though!

[belgo]

1; more than anything
2; 13 hours
3; not yet! But am not particularly scared of giving birth again.

[clayre]

1. it didnt hurt nearly as bad as i thought it would, i was screaming the hospital down for pain relief but didnt realise i was fully dilated, i thought i still had another 12 hours of that pain to go!

1. i got induced at 10pm i started having contractions at about 1 and dd was born at 6.42am

1. i forgot the the labour pains quite quickly, the pain of getting cut and the feeling of the stitches stayed with me for a long time.

i just knew i was in labour, there was no telling the midwives thou, they only checked me when i was 8cm dilated after much nagging them!

[marjean]

Don't forget - everyone is giving you their own truth - it's different for everyone. Anticipating the worst pain ever imaginable may not be very constructive right now but since you ask...

For me:

1. Completely manageable and not that bad at all until crowning. That's a completely different sensation altogether - but gas and air and tens and breathing were fine to get me through.
2. 15 hours (but the second stage only 30 minutes or so)
3. I didn't forget at all - it has faded now but I've done it again since and will (hopefully) do it again one day.

I knew I was in labour both times and there was plenty of time to get things sorted.

[OurHamsterisevil]

1. Honestly not as bad as I thought as I'd built it up so bad in my mind, I'm not sure it couldhave been
2. 4 hours
3. Immediately.

IMy waters broke then contractions started. Doesn't always happen inth that order though

[jocesar]

1. an incredibly intense all consuming pressure in the lower back but bearable. ad a hyno water birth, no pain meds and actually thought the whole experience was the most incredible thing I have ever done. When the baby was coming down the vaginal- almost a 'painful orgasm' type of sensation. Crowning didn't hurt much.
2. 2hrs from 4cm to delivery (5hrs from waters breaking)
3. Immediately

Waters broke and pains started 1hr later