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!!

Water broke at 42 weeks. Showed meconium, so was induced via drip. Drip was started at 7am, baby delivered at 4pm. No drugs/pain relief - I did hypnobirthing and controlled breathing. Yes it hurt, but it was bearable - I think it helped that I was relaxed. DD eventually delivered by ventouse (her heart rate suddenly dropped and it all got scary). I had a retained placenta, so went off to theatre for manual removal - that was the absolute worst bit (I had to have an epidural afterall!) I didn't poo myself, but did vom all over DH.

DD1 induced at 40+10, fast labour then got stuck, forceps delivery followed by bleed. Not awful but not great.

DD two, spontaneous labour day after due date. Very fast. No true pain until urge to push. Born on ambulance trolley.

DS, spontaneous labour helpfully starting while on way to hospital for induction for being very over due! Lasted an hour from first contraction to baby, no real pain until transition, no pushing I was sick and out he shot!

I did poo with both DD two and DS. Oh well.

About thirty hours of pre-labour contractions which I happily slept, ate, watched TV and walked through. (Thought they were Braxton-Hicks so mostly ignored them.) Didn't establish as proper labour till I finally had a bath that evening. Whole thing was barely five hours from there. Got to hospital at about 7pm to be told that if contractions had only been strong for thirty minutes I was probably hours away and might need to go back home. Turned out I was 8cm dilated. Contractions got stronger so tried gas and air. Made me dizzy and seemed to have no effect on the pain. MW asked if I wanted the pool. Nearly ripped her arm off for it. Slid into the water. Oh my god… heaven. Another hour of intensifying contractions during which I most certainly pooped (watched MW fish out the, er, evidence with a neat little poop net). Started crowning about 11:30pm. Lost all dignity. Turned into Zool (baddie from Ghostbusters? "THERE IS NO FORTHESAKE, THERE IS ONLY ZOOOOOOOOL!!!") but despite the pain I could still just about formulate terrible jokes between contractions. Finally got to the proper pushing bit. Hit midnight. Ring of fire oh my god owowowOWOOOOWW. Sudden extra zing of pain as I tore and out shot baby Aquarius, born into water. As soon as he was lifted out of it, he started screeching like a banshee and hasn't stopped since.

So, painful, yes, but not excruciating. Had it gone on much longer though I might have started opting for injections etc. The stitches afterwards were worse, in my view. I just wanted to be with my baby. A patched up foof was not high on my priority list at that point.

DC1- I planned everything down to the timed playlist on my iPod! Asked every person I met for their birthing story...had some real horrors, like the lady who pooed herself in the lift giving birth!
Epidural at 6am...finally got it in at 8.47am, my midwife decided she was going to faint in the middle of this. Induced, got to 8pm...DC heart rate kept dropping...alarm goes off and everyone runs in...scariest experience of my life, Dr asks what I want to do...erm, go home, have a sandwich and come back? No...we go for an emergency C Section...
I could not have cared less what was playing on the speaker in theater (Take That actually) , I had my daughter and 12 hours later was (almost) running about fine...During labour if the hospital security guard could help you'd not mind, you leave your dignity at the door and collect on way out, as my sister told me! Watching OBEM and keeping lists/overpacking/reading every book/mag/article I could...nothing prepared me for it and in the end I have my own tale as you'll have yours :)

My waters broke late at night, two days before my due date. You know how they say, "Oh, it won't be like the movies, it'll probably just be a trickle, you might not even notice"?

Well, give my womb an Oscar, because it was like Niagara Falls. I went through five towels getting from the living room to the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, I had my first contraction, then the projectile vomiting started. Unfortunately I was sitting on the toilet still gushing water at this point (seriously, I was wondering if there was actually a baby in there or just fluid), so I threw up all over the door, floor and walls. I phoned the hospital, had a shower (and leaked more fluid) whilst husband cleared up my sick, valiantly trying not to be sick himself. If I'd known that I was going into labour that night, I probably would have given the all you can eat Chinese buffet a miss.

Went to the hospital, threw up in the car park, got inside, was assessed by the midwife who declared she was going to start running the pool. Got into my birthing room, threw up in a bowl, got into the pool, found gas and air hilariously ineffectual, along with hypnobirthing (mentally "imagining a golden light" pretty rapidly gave way to "an epidural would be nice" during crowning, which basically felt like my vagina was on fire), kept on checking to see if I'd pooped (I had :( Midwife didn't bat an eyelid. ).

Our popped child four hours after waters broke, immediate relief. Got out of the pool, lay on the couch with my offspring whilst my husband told me I was awesome, had an injection to deliver the placenta. Waited a while for the swelling to go down so the midwife could assess the damage. One 2nd degree tear, but not in too bad a place (as far as tears to your genitals go).

Off to another room to get stitched up, husband in tow taking care of the sprog. It's at this point I discovered how to use gas and air properly - I'd been taking single inhales instead of breathing in repeatedly. Aaah. I believe I talked nonsense, had ibuprofen stuck up my bum.

Cuddled child and gave him his first go at the boob, had a shower, got wheeled to the ward.

No lasting injury, everything as good as new, despite my baby being nearly 9lbs. Quite sore in the weeks afterwards - pissing felt like acid (jug of water helps) and a few interesting clots). Having a poo was terrifying, even though my tear avoided my arse (it was fine). Oh, and watch out for comedy boobs on day three when your milk comes in.

Totally worth it!

37.5hour labour, tried for home birth, all brilliant until 9.5cm, pushing uncontrollably but baby stuck under a "lip/edge" of cervix. Midwives tried manually to slip said bit of cervix over DD head. Didn't work. Very painful,

I lost control then and panicked, this was 9.30am, we called for an ambulance as midwives couldn't sort the issue. First ambulance got lost, second ambulance crashed, third ambulance came from two counties away, arriving with us at 12.15 pm, by which point I had screamed my throat raw, baby heart beat dropping, husband crying, me, him, the midwives all distressed and begging for epidural.

Got to hospital, immediate epidural given (a comedy moment when they told me it took 40 mins to kick in- I panicked, said I couldn't wait that long! And a lovely
Older midwife grabbed my shoulders and said "no choice Llanali, this is it"). Epidural was medically required, then induction drip, I had swollen so badly downstairs that I'd closed back up to 5cm.

By 11pm I pushed again, by 11.40pm heart rate was going down and I was beyond knackered and becoming ill, so off for a forceps and episiotomy.

DD born just before midnight. Husband sent home to rest at 1.30am, at 2.00am I had a major seizure and off to HDU I went.

Made it home some time after, gorgeous daughter, no lasting ill effect, back on horses st 9days post delivery, trying for DC2 now :)

Good luck! And yes, lots of poo during my epidural hours.

1. 17 1/2 hour labour, every drug possible, ended up with foreceps and stitches. Swore never again.

1. Home birth, five hours total, no drugs no stitches - bliss.

1. Was supposed to be another home birth but ended up in hospital as had some bleeding. DD was born 45 minutes later, midwife had to remind me I needed to take my knickers off 😀 Midwives were very sympathetic to the fact I didn't get my HB so let me go home five hours later.

Every birth is different - hope yours is a good one 😊

1st labour - 4.5 hours. Water birth, no other pain relief. Hurt so much I went into deep shock to the point where I couldn't speak. Had recurring nightmare nightmares about it for years. I remember thinking that if someone had come along and offered to shoot me I would have gone for it because I was in that much pain. The head and shoulders bit hurt a million times more than the rest of it put together, and the other bits were bad enough.

Labour 2 - 3.5 hours. Felt better prepared for what was coming, but that was a double edged sword because I knew how bad the head and shoulders would be. No pain relief but that wasn't out of choice, it was because they had no midwives available. Finally saw a midwife and dd2 was born 12 mins later. It hurt a lot.

I shat myself both times!

My advice would be, and this got me through both times and I believe made my labours quicker, embrace the pain rather than try to get away from it. The only way the whole thing is going to come to an end is for it to get a whole lot worse, and you just have to think 'come on then, let's have you!' at the pain rather than freak out about it and want it to go away.

But on a more positive note, no stitches and recovered really quickly. Drove myself home after having dd1, and dd2 was born Saturday night, Sunday lunch time I was wheeling the pram up to the pub for a Sunday roast, and Monday I moved house!

DD1 - induced at 35 weeks due to pre-eclampsia. 11 hours from start to finish, only gas and air as no time for anything else. Did not poop myself.

DD2 - spontaneous labour, started with my waters breaking quite spectacularly at home. 6 hours from water breaking to baby arriving. Again, only gas and air as no time for anything else. Did not poop this time either.

Everyone's experience is different, and there's no way to predict how it will go. Just try to relax and let your body take over, it generally knows what to do. But take all the pain relief they offer you! I'm still disappointed I never got an epidural.

One baby

Four days over my due date

Waters broke with first contraction at 11.30

Started timing on my iPad contractions app

2 mins apart from the get go

Husband makes sausage sandwiches

Lost the MP in the bathroom

Spoke to midwife who said stay home as the contractions don't sound too bad

Around 3am I decide we should head to the hospital

Send husband to get the car, it's parked a couple of streets away as we lived in an apartment with no parking

The 15 minute drive take 45mins due to the record number of speed bumps, contractions while sat in the back of a Jeep Wrangler were the worst part, it's bloody cramped in the back of one of those

Get to the birthing centre, and walk up to meet my midwife who runs the birthing bath while I shower

Hop in and bam, baby's coming

He arrive at 4.45am

Get stitched up

Home in my bed by 10am

Amazing experience, no pain relief and no horror stories, is do it all again tomorrow

I know exactly what you mean - I was really frustrated when I was pg that everybody hinted at how horrible it was but refused to give any details!

In my NCT group (8 people) we had really mixed experiences. 2 short and straightforward, 2 long but straightforward, 3 emergency sections, 1 complete horror show.

Mine was super straightforward and 4 hours from thinking "yeah, this is it". It was bloody painful but once I was pushing there was something to do with the pain - it wasn't like an injury, it was an urge and I found that made it better. Even at the end i had a few seconds in between contractions and that helped too. I only had gas and air because there wasn't time for anything else - if it'd lasted longer I'd definitely have had more drugs. Had a biggish tear but that healed fine.

I know I was incredibly lucky and that's about as good as it gets. But you might be lucky too!

1. Labor started at home, I was in labor for about 23 hours, I had a spinal block, I barely felt a thing, his cord was wrapped around his neck 3x and he had to be taken to the NICU. He was fine after a couple of days and is now 18.

1. Labor started at home, I started having contractions about 11pm, I took a shower and went to bed, woke up at 6am and the contractions were 3min apart. Went to the hospital, epidural didn't work because I had progressed too far, he still wasn't born until 215pm. 9.5 lbs with no epidural.

1. I went for my prenatal visit 2 days before my due date, and the doctor found protein in my urine. Instead of inducing me right then, he sent me home to collect my urine for 24 hours and go back the next day. I went back the next day, and there was still some protein in my urine. He hemmed and hawed, but finally decided to induce me. I went in that night, was induced at 7am the next morning. She was born at 842pm.

I had episiotomies each time, all were well stitched and have healed perfectly.

Mine was a disaster but DD is now 4 months old, totally happy and healthy.

Normal labour, contractions getting stronger and closer for 27hrs at home. Head to the birth centre, in the pool and had a bleed. Very calmly transferred to hospital (not on the same site where we are so ambulance) at this point I've had two paracetamol and not slept since it started.

Stress of transfer position stopped my contractions. Examined, only 4cm. Absolutely gutted. Had another bleed. They give me gas and air and an epidural so I can sleep and to see if the contractions start again whilst monitoring the baby. The plan is if they don't re-start in 3 hrs they'll put me on the hormone drip.

Sleep for 3 hrs as soon as the epidural is in. IT IS AMAZING! I was so against drugs but my god I needed them.

They examined me at the end of 3 hrs, no contractions and still at 4cm so they decide on the drip - as he removes his hand (yep male midwife) I have a huge bleed, baby's heart stops and then recovers. They decide on a section (now 32 hrs in) they give me a spinal, wheel me down to theatre. Spinal hasn't worked, only one side of my body is numb. They talk about topping it up when I (unbeknown to me) have a fourth bleed and babys heart stops again. All I knew was they said "change of plan, we're doing a general, count back from 10"

I come round over 2 hours later to my DH, male midwife and student with a dressed baby. I asked whose baby DH was holding.... DH had been kicked out of theatre at the point of the general, so he didn't see her born but she was taken straight to him once she'd been checked over.

They quickly undressed her and placed her on my chest. She did the amazing breast crawl and latched and fed within a few minutes. Was totally overwhelming especially as they were making such a fuss about big baby, trauma, drug levels in both of us etc and helping me express and feed... section recovery was fine, felt normal at about 4 weeks and exercising again, gently, at 8. So, a million miles from my plan and hopes and what everyone tells you is a "good birth" but we're both here to tell the tale.

I cannot praise the NHS enough. They get a really hard time but when an emergency happens they excel themselves.

Home care afterwards on the other hand, totally crap. Disjointed, lack of information, help and ownership of everything. Between the 20+ HV, midwives and GP's I saw in the first six weeks - one was useful. They mainly created more stress and upset and contradicted each other. If it's not working for you - say no. That's my biggest lesson.

Is she worth it? Absolutely. Good luck OP.

DC1, born 6 weeks ago and asleep on my chest now
Homebirth. Mild pains started on due date and ramped up through afternoon and evening. Nothing terrible, could potter around house, go for a walk, eat meals etc. By 10pm, called midwife to alert them, they didn't come out yet. Pains were stronger but not quite regular, tried to go to bed but couldn't sleep so had a bath instead. Midwife came out at 2am - 6cm. This is where it gets a bit hazy! The next few hours disappeared. I was in the birth pool at home, I remember my body starting to push without me doing anything! This took me by surprise and I panicked a bit.
Baby was born at 9:30am. Had to get out of the water and an episiotomy because his heart rate dropped slightly. That was the worst part pain wise but didn't last long and he was born quickly after that. TENs machine brilliant, water amazing, didn't like gas and air.
I wish I'd been able to push more effectively and have him in the water, but he had a big head!
I was like you OP and wanted all the details.
I felt better being informed. Good luck! It will all be worth it.

I'd been having twinges since the Monday, and then on Thursday, at about 4.30, went up to the hospital because DDs
movements were next to none. As I laid down on the bed ready to be hooked up to a monitor, my waters broke (thought I'd wet myself ). The midwife gave me a pad to use and as I when I went to the toilet, my plug came away!

She sent us home and I began contracting in the car. Had a bath, ate some pizza and my contractions became fairly irregular. Sometimes 2 minutes apart, sometimes 8.

Back up to our MLU, and was told I was 2cm dilated. They wanted to give me pethidine but no dr was available to prescribe it so they put me in the pool. In 2 hours, I went from 2cm to 9cm with no pain relief.

I got the pethidine but too late - I don't remember much of my labour at all (even fell asleep at one point, just contracted whilst sleeping) and it made me too sleepy to push with contractions so they were considering sending me up to the labour ward.

Anyway, with pethidine, gas&air and an episiotomy my DD was born at 3.10am about 10hrs after my waters broke.

Even though I tore and haven't been stitched up correctly (waiting on an appointment with a gynaecologist), it was okay. My DD is perfect and I would do it again for her in a heartbeat.

Induced on due date. 2 days later EMCS. All went a bit wrong 4 liters of blood left in the delivery room my uterus took one hell of a beating when we're physically massaging it to try and get it to contract back to stop the bleeding. In hospital a week baby is nicu for a week. So wasn't the best. Would still do it 100 times over again though. It hurts and sometimes it goes wrong most times it doesn't.

1. Contractions started on a Wednesday night/Thursday morning. Kept going all of Thursday, they were bearable. Getting stronger but ok.

Friday morning went to the hospital. 1 fucking centimetre dialated! Was sent home to deal with it. Had about 10 baths to try and soothe the pain.
By Friday night I was climbing the walls, went back to hospital. 3cms not established enough - piss off home! 🙄
They gave me a tens to take home to try and help with the pain. Felt like I was being pelted with stones so I didn't bother with it.

Spent the night in agony, no gap between contractions. Went to hospital Saturday morning - 3-4 cms. Are you fucking kidding me? Baby was back to back, hence it was so painful. I asked for an epidural there and then (this was at about 9am) but the anaesthetist was stuck in theatre so I didn't get it until after lunch time.

Epidural finally in. Was amazing, I was completely pain free.

She finally decided to make an appearance at 9.15 that night. I had an extensive episiotomy and started to lose a lot of blood but they were quick and they put me on a drip to stop it and I was anaemia afterwards so they sent me home with iron tablets which are horrible so I bought spatone which is brilliant.

DD1 was amazing. She's almost 10 now .

1. Woke up early in the morning with contractions. I had been having contractions on and off for weeks so I just thought that it was going to be "one of those days". I was 39+4.

At about 6 am I went for a bath, DH went to work . About an hour later I was ringing him telling him he needed to come back!

Had to faff about waiting for my mum to come and look after DD.

By the time we got to the hospital it was about 10.30. 7cms dialated!!! Fucking YES! Such a difference from the time before! I was happy on the gas and air and didn't need an epidural this time. The difference was incredible! I had proper gaps between contractions and everything!

By 1.30 it was time to push, although my body just took over. It was the weirdest thing.

Anyway, she was born at 2.20 pm. I had a small tear on my scar but no biggie and we were discharged later that day.

I didn't poo either time, or if I did I wasn't aware.

You'll be fine OP! Good luck .

1st was horrific, I'd been been admitted to hospital with pneumonia 5 days before, and was on all sorts of drips, the my tummy stopped growing and was shrinking, got seen by the consultant and was induced that day, pain relief, I had it all, 24 hours later baby was in distress, and I needed forcepts and eposomity ... then emergency surgery for 4th degree cut.

2nd started labour naturally - allbwas ging fine until baby was unhappy, was told I needed c-section but when th doctor came in there wasn't enough time and he had to do a forcept and eposomity... again needed emergency surgery and then 6 days later required another emergency surgery as I had a hemotoma.

Was not fun, pain wise it hurts like an bitch, but most of us go on to have more children....

Oh, btw, I had my waters broken both times too. The first time to speed things up and I'm not really sure why the second time .

Worked with a long train commute up until 4 weeks before she was due. On the first Friday of my maternity leave I was putting on my eye make up to go into town to buy potting compost when my waters broke. In the taxi to the hospital I had my first contraction. Felt like the worst period pain coupled with a hot poker up my bum.
Examined I hospital and was 7 cms dilated after that one contraction. Admitted at 1.30 and DD was delivered at 5.30 (with just my left eye made up lol).
Had gas and air as too quick for anything else major but did have pethidine injection about 2 hours in.
Contractions where like period pains but ramped up to 11 however once they passed there was no residual pain so I had a moment to recover before the next one.
After DD was born I was on a huge high and didn't feel placenta birth or any examinations. I tore but didn't need stitches although I was very sore for about 3 weeks after.
It was an amazing experience for me. Yes it bloody hurt but I had been used to managing pain with neuralgic migraines so tried to go "under" the pain iyswim and it really helped that the pain stopped as soon as the contraction did.
We are all different OP. Hope you have the best experience for you.

First baby born at 36+4. Didn't realise I was in labour until I was 5cm dilated. Had to go to the hospital. They gave me a painkiller but can't remember what. I did crap myself but didn't care at that point.

Baby born fine (minor tearing), then my placenta wouldn't detach and I started hemorrhaging. Cue an emergency rush to surgery for a DNC. Came round 2hrs later none the wiser. Lost 2.5 litres of blood and a forced stay in hospital

It hurts but its so hard to describe it.
First labour started spontaneously after a sweep started very slowly period type pains getting more intense over a day or so. Went to hospital 2am 6cm dilated didn't have him until 3pm next day had gas and air and shot of pethidine was exhausted as contractions hurt more when sitting or lying so stood the whole time. I delivered him naturally which ended up with third degree tear which needed lots of stiches in theatre. Wax completely numb so was fine.
Second labour 12 days over had to be induced had pesssary at 6pm was having full on contractions at 10pm they hurt as much as the end with first labour however was only 1-2 cm when midwife checked , half an hour later could feel pressure 9cm.....rushed to labour ward gas and air at 10cm he was here within 20 mins.consented to episiotomy to avoid another tear,didn't feel a thing as local anaesthetic used. Stitched up fine didn't feel that . unfortunately lost a lot of blood so was very tired and lethargic for few weeks...... Right as rain couple months later.
Both tear and episiotomy have healed fine.
Every labour is different do what's right for you at the time.....I highly recommend gas and air.
If you have a tear/episiotomy wash it down with water after you pee also have a bath with tea tree oil every day- this also allows you 5 mins to yourself.
If they give you iron tablets ask for lactulose- my pile hurt more than the episiotomy 😮

Oh and first labour no pooing, second I heard her say bowels open but have no idea if I did or not neither does dh. They get rid of it fairly speedily. You don't care at the time and you don't really know as the pressure of pushing the baby feels like its in your bum.