Haven’t given birth in a while… remind me how painful labour is?

Hard to say. I remember with DC2 counting through contractions (literally 1, 2, 3) until the sort of transition stage where the pain was so intense and I was so out of my mind that I literally couldn't count or think straight. Midwife told me to stop screaming (rude) and I had no idea I was screaming. Very quick birth no pain relief. But a great experience, felt like a lioness afterwards. DC1 was hours and hours stuck at 9cm, until I thought "sod this" and had an epidural. Also a great experience, calm and hard work but no pain. Good luck, hope it goes well for you!

Oh, dear 😀 I was going to tell you it was like bad period pain - because it was for me. It was like bad period cramps that then progressed to a squeezing feeling. What got me was the length of time these went on for as my first labour was very long. So, it was the duration rather than the pain that wore me out. The actual pushing stage was intense but felt almost less painful in a way because it was productive - something was happening.

My second baby was back to back and that was painful! Like a grinding pressure on my spine. I still managed to push them out though but it stung!

The third was an induction and that was by far the worst pain. I don’t respond well to the induction drip and so it had to be turned really high and it was agony. If you’re not induced, you’ll be on to a winner already as far as I’m concerned!

Pace yourself, breathe - and know you can do it x

If you’ve already had one straightforward vaginal birth then the odds are in your favour- much much lower chance of complications, low odds of needing a c-section etc compared to a first-timer (and yes before anybody comes at me there will be the odd person that this didn’t apply too but I’m speaking factually and STATISTICALLY)

Just go to a proper labour ward where you can get decent analgesia and you'll be in theatre in a minute if something goes wrong. The hypoxic neonatal brain has 3 minutes until bits of it start to die.....

Do you think men would do this ridiculous boasting about who had the least painkillers if they gave birth?

Second labour was a doddle compared to the first. 4hrs from first contraction to birth and less than an hour of active labour. Honestly, she was born in one push. I did both with just gas and air so it was easy to compare. With it being fast, the contractions were intense but far better that than the long pushing stage i had with DD1. My consultant midwife told me that second births (after a first vaginal birth) are often the easiest ones you'll have.

2 births, with gas and air, pain wasn't half as bad as I was expecting. I actually enjoyed both. Now the stitches on dc1 were a whole other matter!!! They had me screaming.

I didn’t find it that bad at all. I’ve certainly had more painful periods that lasted longer.

DD1 was 18 hours. 12 at home with TENS, breathing and visualisations. 6 in a midwife unit in the pool. She was born in the pool.

DD2 was 12 hours. 10 at home with TENS and looking after DD1. I gave birth to her on a birth mat beside the filling pool! Crowning was definitely more painful on land.

My gallstone pain was far worse than labour and lasted longer.

Dd1 back to back labour induced , most painful contractions ever, forceps birth , tear etc awful and I had the epidural ! Second ds massive baby 11lbs, had epidural birth went great then I lost massive amount of blood afterwards , 3rd baby was a dream , only 7lb and spit them out ! Wish I could do it all over again , couldn’t believe how easy I pushed them out ! Minimal pain and I was home less than 12 hours after the birth ! You will be fine x

I had 5 years and 3 months between my 2 births - both unmedicated and it all came flooding back as soon as I got that first contraction lol. Luckily I had short labours with both.

Try not to get yourself too worried about it, it will be fine x

It’s painful but because I knew that it would be there was no fear (as I knew there was nothing wrong) and therefore it was manageable

My first was extremely painful but manageable in that I didn’t feel like I lost control or screamed etc

Second was blinding agony. He was bigger and his elbow up over his head. The pain was so bad I spent the final few hours screaming and vomiting. It was horrific.

Sorry 😳

Fucking painful. The 2nd was much quicker though.

I think it depends on the baby. With my dd I felt like someone had sliced open my stomach and poured battery acid on my innards. With ds I’ve had worse head aches!

I think births can be very different. My first was diff and the second was easy, though longer.

I have given birth twice. Both gas and air only, both back to back and both induced. First one was painful but fine. Second was brutal and I thought I was going to die. I'm not sure if my Memory of the first led to me expecting it to be easy and my expectations were not met. Or it was generally a more painful birth.

First birth I was induced by a pessary. Second was by drip. Second was also very quick 25 min. I think being so quick there was no build up to mentally prepare as the pain got worse either

Two water births with gas & air, the contractions were very intense and yes they were painful but hypnobirthing techniques (from the positive birth book) helped a lot to get me through them, as did the TENS machine in the early stages of labour. I found the afterbirth pains worse after DC2 though (nobody warned me about that!)

Second babies tend to shorter labours and mine was much less painful. The pushing stage and ring of fire was significantly better. Stay upright as long as possible to try to get gravity to help you. Hope it's all smooth and painless.

I had a nasty sickness bug last week. The tummy cramps were way worse than both my labours. An intense feeling when contractions come but not paintful if I didn’t fight it and tense. The pushing bit was a bit yuck and my bum hurt afterwards but nothing awful!

DC1 - incredible pain in my back throughout entire 24 hours of labour. Every drug going ending with forceps and epidural which only worked down one side of my body.

DC2 - managed with just my tens machine and paracetamol until 8cm. Then gas and air for the birth. Worst part was actually delivering the placenta, it felt like the midwife had her entire arm inside me and was scraping my insides out. At that point I remember thinking am I dying. I don’t know why that bit was so bad.

My first was excruciating and if you'd handed me a hammer, I'd have put myself out of the misery.

My second didn't hurt at all.

It really is a spectrum.

DC1 - I remember feeling that it was stone-age savage. Like nothing we expect to exist in this modern world. Then I had an epidural (thank you modern world).

DC2 - just like bad diarrhoea really.

I don't recall pain as such just feeling breathtakingly uncomfortable during contractions....like every bit of sensory overload I've ever felt all rolled into one and feeling like I wanted to crawl out of my own skin.

My dds birth 2 years ago was unmedicated and totally fine. She was back to back so my pain was the contractions in my back with no break and the aching cramping sensation in my bum.

I did hypnobirthing and felt in control in my own head and it was fine. Im due ds this summer and plan on doing the same thing.

Not all labours are the same. What one person describes as being set on fire, the most horrific pain they have ever felt another could describe as being uncomfortable and exhausting.

See I don't find this helpful.
TV shows etc always show the most dramatic, and women lying on their backs, feet in stirrups, is such an outdated way of birthing and it helps no one, least of all mother and baby.

OP, it's different for everyone, it's like asking 'what does sex feel like?' Or 'what does food taste like?' Everyone is different.

I recommend an amazing book called The Positive Birth Book, it goes into it in a non scary, empowering way.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Positive-Birth-Book-Guide-Pregnancy-ebook/dp/B09S3VHGB7/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?adgrpid=168004183184&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.kih60si3mF8xWvE0Q2miA1LUBG-aEa1e5PLSwg1kBdWmjrst6EhWdGfST6JYen5MssNvq71wjTRlmQzrInwIzxFPB6GhvQ_iqowcfy6oGUFJiaY9vsq_VmrVnYSP8HMK9vQfwc4PhM24X2ehHwZUnGAPWAqqtLbwGjJUGEX0qXyKD5_MML-f-EPwhAlN87Gw8AJ2htNXPdPTi3xzWrLYcA.pyKuon-CRUyqyXowCFehdB6OxyBMlSmSEhquyGSi6hs&dib_tag=se&gad_source=1&hvadid=696840165981&hvdev=m&hvexpln=70&hvlocphy=1006837&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=6191504664747640569--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6191504664747640569&hvtargid=kwd-297030943156&hydadcr=21613_2291907&keywords=the+positive+birth+book&mcid=c054c9cfe5173683b8c1f7c37969d28c&qid=1744217661&sr=8-1

It's the pressure for me. The pain is manageable but the pressure in your bum is like nothing anyone can understand. However it's great to get the baby finally out and you can bend over and put your own shoes on etc 👌🏻