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!!

with DS, I was in hospital because he stopped moving. 2am told the midwife on the ward I thought my contractions had started, midwife told me I'd definitely know if they'd started and to go back to sleep, 2.27am pressed the buzzer again because I thought I'd wet the bed, it was my waters. Midwife says it will be hours yet, refuses to call my mum or give me any pain killers (I was 15) nice lady in bed opposite calls my mum on her mobile, mum arrives about 2.45, finds me crying in the hallway by the bathrooms having just puked all over myself, midwife tries to put me back to bed and refuses point blank to actually examine me, mum goes to take me down to delivery. 2.57am DS decides to pop his head out in the lift between the ward and delivery, midwives rush in and DS's massive shoulders were stuck, cord wrapped round his neck, so they had to cut me to get him out. So less than an hours labour, no pain relief. Didn't poo myself but did vomit down my front. My contractions really weren't that bad, just like period pains, the stretching feeling as DS's massive shoulders popped out hurt, but was over mercifully quickly and the cutting hurt like hell and I hadn't understood what they were saying so jumped and ended up with a massive tear but again it was over quickly. For me the sewing back up was the worst part, I was sore and tired and it stung and then it was really itchy for ages.

With DD went in to be induced, waiting for someone to examine me my waters broke just before contractions started and DD arrived 17 minutes later, with gas and air, poor student midwife was still putting her gloves on. No poo but I did do a really loud, smelly fart, right on the poor midwifes hand I had gas and air there from the second contraction (they'd already got it ready coz of planning to induce me) and it worked really well for the pain but I had that horrible drunk, slightly sick room spinny thing and I did forget how to breath for a minute or so, I took a big puff of gas in and then it was like the room was going a bit dark until DH positively shouted at me to breathe out, he had to shake my shoulders in the end and say 'breathe out, for fuck sake you need to breathe.' Apparently I replied with 'oh yeah I knew I'd forgotten something.' I felt really confused for a while too, DD wasn't breathing when she was born, midwives got her breathing and she's fine but I don't remember it, like I remember being cross the midwives had their backs to me but I didn't realise they had DD and thought I needed to keep pushing. DH wouldn't tell me what they were doing, which I'm quite glad about as I would have panicked.

I wanted a water birth, staying at home as long as I could, blah blah. Booked at lovely midwife led unit.
DS decided to arrive at 35 weeks, while I was still working. So I ended up in the hospital on continuous monitoring so stuck to a bed. I did still have my doula and gas and air but as ds was back to back, the doula rubbing my back really hard was the best thing. It wasn't the most painful thing I've done, but it wasn't rainbows/cupcakes and empowerment either!
DS went to SCBU straight away, so I didn't get photos with him or the big 'bonding moment', and labour ward wanted rid of me so no tea and toast either.
No one had talked about giving birth and your baby going to SCBU and it was very surreal and unpleasant.
My colleague had filled me in on exactly how much blood afterwards, and how long it might go on for - I'm very grateful to her for that as I bled for 12 frigging weeks in the end

Here's mine:

Started having contractions 5 days after due date, day before I was due to go in for a sweep. I phoned up the hospital and they basically told me to wait until the pain became unbearable, which would probably be the next morning. I waited for half an hour and to me the pain was unbearable so I rang back and told them I was coming in. I don't think they believed me until I arrived and they told me I was already 5cm dilated. Water broke when they were checking how much I was dilated.

Time was about midnight when I went in. I had gas and air by about 1am. Was pretty much left to it, I was a bit out of it. Reached 10cm at about 9am and they lit some kind of aromatherapy candles around the room. I didn't want any other pain relief.

I was pushing for a long time and nothing was happening. My hospital experience was not very good unfortunately, I was left for a long time until they realised DS was in distress and I was not going to be able to give birth unassisted. I was given a spinal block and by that point it was the sweetest relief I had ever felt! I was taken into theatre and DS was delivered by forceps at 2.14pm. I had an episiotomy.

I stayed overnight for one night as I had a catheter and lost enough blood to cause me to develop anaemia. I was ill for a couple of weeks after. DS is almost 4 now and I have no lasting damage although the experience has honestly put me off doing it again as I was neglected for a long time.

DC1- planned c section for breech. It hurt. A lot. Recovery was quick but not keen to do that again so...

DC2-VBAC, was 4cm dilated for a couple of weeks before labour. Actual labour was one and a half hours of intense pain. Pushed for four minutes before delivery but with enough force that I burst all the blood vessels on my eyes so looked like a red eyed monster for a couple of days. Recovery was slower than the c section.

DC3- went to hospital at 40+2 with bleeding. Was examined after only slight period pain and turned out to be fully dilated. Got put on antibiotic drip so couldn't move, then had two hours of intense contractions. They broke my waters and baby was born two minutes later. He needed a good 5 mins of resus. I think he was in shock, as was I. All fine in the end though.

I think of all of these fondly so they can't have been that bad, though I'm not in any rush to repeat them! Good luck.

#1: back to back labour lasting 27 hours. Contractions painful but ok. Ended in forceps and an epidural with an episiotomy. Pretty traumatic, but more because of staff attitudes and lack of communication.

#2. Opposite. Started contractions at home, waters broke 15 minutes later and body started pushing. Ambulance came, DS arrived shortly after in the back, placenta arrived meaning everything happened in less than 1.5hrs. He was a big boy at night on 10lbs so ended up with a 3rd degree tear.

#3? I'll let you know in October.😂

Like many previous posters, i had a very naive, rose-tinted view of what birth was going to be like and was adamant I was going to have a drug free water birth.

All my plans pretty much went to shit. I was convinced being in the water would really help me but in reality (for me personally, might well be different for others) it made no difference whatsoever. I remember crying and going "it's just normal fucking water! It doesn't DO anything!" and my DH looking at me like "what were you expecting?"

I begged for an epidural, which I had to wait a long time for and then it didn't work so had to be repeated, which again there was a long wait for. I was in labour for over 50 hours and at one point, delerious from the pain and lack of sleep I waited until the midwife left the room and begged my husband to kill me- and I really meant it.

By the time the second epidural actually kicked in I was so exhausted I couldn't speak. It didn't numb me as I expected, I could still feel every contraction and it still hurt but it was a blessed relief in comparison....for thirty minutes until I realised I was getting the urge to push

I told the midwife and she told me I couldn't possibly be ready to push and I should relax and try to get some sleep etc. But I was adamant so she had a look (clearly humouring me) and went "oh you're right! Sorry no sleep for you, this baby's coming!"
The actual pushing bit, while by no means pleasant, I didn't mind so much because it felt like there was a point to it. After 50 hours of agony I was so desperate for it to be over and determined to meet my baby I pushed her out really quickly. So quickly that she went into shock but she was fine in the end. I tore a bit but not badly.

I didn't shit myself though, so that's something.

My 2nd baby was interesting

I woke up at 3.56 screaming the babies coming , my husband ran to neighbours to get help as we thought she was a midwife - she wasn't

I ran to the bathroom , collapsed on the and first push his head came out and needed to push again and reached down and pulled him out

My husband was back home by 4.01am and I was sat in shock covered in bloody on bathroom floor holding a baby wonder WTF just happened....

my firsy was breech. went into labour a week before planned section date but they werent in a hurry to deliver until after 9 hours of labour i was fully dilated. i was not in enough pain apparantly for them to have realised how fast things were moving. she was born after an emergency c section.

my son was an induced vbac. i was induced at 3pm. absolutely nothinf happened until 7pm, i was classed as in first stage labour at 7.10pm and he was born at 19.33pm after a 23 minute labour and pushing!

he was born in distress, because of how fast it was. i tore front to back and then ended up in surgery anyway as after 3 hours my placenta was not budging and they needed to repair the tearing.

for what its worth it wasnt the tear that hurt afterwards it was the "grazes" they were horrific

Induced at 39 weeks after 12 lots of reduced movement. Three days of pessaries and still only 1cm which was the same as pre induction. Registrar reccomend caesarian so was starved for 12 hours but consultant refused and broke waters. 8 hours of active labour and baby's heart was stopping and still only 1cm. Emergency section, luckily theatre not in use as was run down the corridor and signed consent form as they were doing the spinal block.

On the positive side recovery was amazing, was walking around after a few hours, had him nearly midnight Sunday and discharged Tuesday lunchtime. Contractions on the drip were mega painful but was too concerned about baby and don't remember them all that well so from a pin point of view labour was fine. Would definitely opt for a section next time.

@fairytales born in the sac is called in the caul. A lotus birth is where you keep the baby attached to the placenta outside of the womb until the cord breaks naturally. Carry the placenta round etc.

Labour pains 5 am the day after my due date. Laboured at home til my waters broke at 11 pm (tens machine, distractions and baths). I arrived at hospital 10 cm dilated and baby born a few hours later. Had a bit of gas and air and a small episiotomy but pain wise it was not as bad as I expected and no after pain. No poop. Every story I heard pre birth was quite scary and I assumed mine would be the same but relatively stress free.

I was surprised all the pain was in your bum (like bad unfixable constipation). No one had mentioned that and it felt so strange.

Baby blues etc were the shitter for me.

Don't know why you want to read people's scare stories. I'm only going to post my best out of four.

Knew I was in labour with number 3 early in the morning. I had a show. I had friends coming around for coffee and brekkie. So while having twinges I was making brekkie and we had a great laugh about a home birth. The whole day was spent in mild labour.

Evening OH came home. I went up to bed. I didn't want anyone around me. I had my tens machine. OH played XBox but made me a cuppa. 10pm kids dispatched to grandparents. We left for hospital at approx 11.30.just made it in to hosp (journey in was horrible). I Insisted the midwives come down to the car cause I was convinced the head was engaged. It wasn't. They got me on trolley and rushed up to labour ward. One push he was out.

Very proud of myself. I used hypnobirthing throughout my pregnancy. I felt amazing and very empowered.

DC1: Waters broke without warning at 6am, luckily whilst I was on the toilet. Contractions started straight after, every five minutes, and were like period pain. Was told by midwife to go in so I did. Pain increased after about an hour and I was given cocodomol. After a few more hours I asked for something stronger and had whatever the morphine drug they give you is called. Contractions continued every 3 minutes for a few more hours, and morphine wore off but I was too dilated for anymore. Started pushing at about 6pm, 12 hours after waters broke. I did do a poo at some point during pushing. I had gas and air by then which helped a lot but the pain was miserable. DH said I mooed like a cow for the entire time. Baby was born around 8pm with no additional interventions and I had a first degree tear. There was a lot of blood.

DC2: Waters broke at 11.30pm, again no warning, and again contractions started straight away, this time though they were a lot more intense and 3 minutes apart. Arrived at birth centre at 1am after organising childcare and was 7cm dilated. Went in the birth pool and was given gas and air. Felt really calm throughout. Did a poo in the pool . Felt quite high from the gas. Pain wasn't bad. At about 2.45am I thought "I think I need to push, should probably say something but really can't be bothered to talk". Then heard myself scream, wondered why I was screaming. Three pushes later and baby arrived.

My first active labour was 3 days long. Didn't shit myself but would have gladly shot myself just to make the unrelenting pain stop. Espcially in the after days, I woke up wondering why nobody would let me die cos it just wasn't humane to be in this much pain.

22nd had a planned section due to the problems caused by my first labour. Couldn't fault it at all and have fully recovered at only 6 weeks pp

Didn't get tea and toast on either births and both babies were taken to scbu so no big bonding moment either

Two not brilliant births for me.

Dd- 18 hours of labour in hospital, waters had broken with meconium in them so I had to stay in to be monitored. The birth didn't 'progress' so several hours later I had an oxytocin drip to speed things along, two injections of pethidine (I was okay at the time but could see the affects the following day and dd was very sleepy) and several hours later dd still not arrived cue several midwifes starting to discuss forceps. Dd did eventually arrive I was completely exhausted, bladder shot to pieces - ended up with a catheter and three days on the labour ward. My whole body ached for a good few weeks afterwards, I struggled getting out of bed I had to do some sort of rolling thingy rather than sit right up.

Dd2 - birth was a much nicer experience, more relaxed, didn't arrive at the hospital until I was 5cm dilated this time. Used the birthing pool just gas and air this time everything going swimmingly. Then dds shoulder was stuck, amazing midwife managed some how to push the emergency buzzer and also dislodge dd in what felt like seconds (said she almost broke her finger). Dd had arrived all was well. Then came the complications, I had a retained placenta, ended up in emergency surgery, spinal block, I was terrified but thankfully OK in the end. Did find out I had a abnormal shaped uterus. Funnily enough I actually recovered from my second pregnancy/birth much easier and quicker than the first.

EMCS at 31+3. In hospital with what I thought was food poisoning, massive APH, blue light transfer to hospital 2 hours away that had two NICU cots (twins) and took sun 32 weekend. The ambulance got lost on the way to the hospital - I kid you not. My mum got there in her car half an hour before I did.

Had an allergic reaction to codeine.

Confirmed active labour by consultant in hospital - 6cm dilated.

Rushed through for section. Puked the whole way through it. Have to say that given the seriousness of the situation it was actually quite a calm experience.

Dts were resuscitated at birth, intubated and rushed to the NICU. I didn't see them until the next day.

I had lost a ridiculous amount of blood and had 4 transfusions.

Dts were in hospital for 6 weeks. I was in for two nights. All well in the end.

The bit of labour to 6cm didn't hurt any more than food poisoning cramps.

10 days overdue. Woke to possible water leakage. Wasn't sure as i thought i was just hot in the night! Went to hospital where it was eventually decided my waters had gone. Home to wait for it to start. It didn't so back in the morning for induction. Straight on hormone & antibiotics at 11am and down to labour ward (walking!) Around 1. Gas and air didn't do much & I'd spent ages practicing calm breathing, in through nose and out through mouth only to have to reverse it for G&A.
Contractions are okaaaaay. Painful but counting the breaths through helped. Until my DD started tap dancing on my cervix. Felt like a smear test with a toilet brush. Sobbed with the pain until an amazing man gave me an epidural.
DD had also poo'd so monitoring constantly. After 15 hours on increasing hormone I'd only reached 4cm so they decided on a csec at 4am. DD born at 5:45 and it was amazing. Worst part i think was having the catheter removed!
The first week was painful but paracetamol and ibuprofen kept it in check. Walking was okay, but i was moving about almost normally after 2.5 weeks.
I had a wonderful birth plan. Only part that happened was me and DD out safe!

Contractions started on Tues morning when I was 3 days overdue. I mooched about happily in the garden on the exercise ball thing (DS was sideways rather than back against my belly so midwife said sitting on the ball might get him into position). Pain only really got bad enough for paracetamol later that afternoon. Bad enough to call hospital for reassurance around 4pm that evening.

Didn't sleep much that evening as pain was getting worse and I started on the TENS machine the next morning (Weds). DH too the Weds off as pain getting worse.

Went into hospital at 5pm that evening as thought waters might have gone. They hadn't, and they didn't examine me as said I might not be dilated and didn't want to disappoint me. Told me when to call back in and sent me home. 50 mins later arrived home and contractions were where they said they needed to be to go back. Had a bath for a couple of hours, called hospital and had a chat and they told me to come in when I couldn't bear it anymore. Another couple of hours in the bath, out and straight on the TENS and we went in.

Pain by this point was bad enough that I told DH he was going to get a vasectomy when we got to hospital as I was never going to do this again.

Examined when I arrived and was 6cm. Went to midwife led birthing unit, lovely warm pool and gas and air from around 11pm until 8am. At this point they poked my waters a bit and later on there was meconium so they took me to theatre where I had to wait an hour for anaesthetist for epidural, forceps and episiotomy. That was SHIT because of the panic. Adrenaline + late stage of labour does not mix!

DS eventually born at 11am with assisted delivery.

I was really open minded before labour about what I would need/want but after a few hours with TENS, a hot bath, then the gas and air in hospital I knew I didn't want an Epidural and episiotomy but DS needed to come out, so I had to go back to being open minded about a change of direction.

The pain relief before the epidural was definitely distraction rather than not feeling everything and the relief when the pain went altogether was immense but mainly because I was so exhausted. The last few hours were traumatic but the majority of it was amazing in a looking-back-through-rose-tinted-glasses kind of way.

My DH was INCREDIBLE and said all the right things, fed me tea and toast, etc. and that helped massively too.

1st: 52h

Had 36h at home in early labour but contractions never got lower than every 5 minutes. We went in as my waters began to trickle. I was a "good" 5cm and sent to birth centre. Nothing happened. 3 hours later and I was only 6cm. G&A was fab but my labour just didn't progress.

Cannula in, sent to labour ward and waters broken and I was put on synotocin drip (refused an EPI and the Dr all but laughed in my face) did have some diamorphine though trippy stuff was hooked up to a monitor and was pretty much bed bound. Complete opposite of my 'ideal'

They expected me to dilate a cm and hour but it happened much faster. So they had to fiddle around with medication.

Eventually got to 10cm. They let me push a little on my own but my pushing was weak - I was fucking exhausted.

We moved to assisted pushing, one MW was very firm with me. Kept telling me off for making too much noise and not pushing hard enough. Could see babies head but I couldn't get baby over the 'U bend'. Talk turned to assisted delivery. Room filled with people.

Babies head crowned, they asked me if I wanted a mirror (no thanks). Cannula came out, blood everywhere. Had to stop me pushing - with babies head almost out - and I had to keep absolutely still whilst they put a cannula in my wrist!!!

I don't know how but I pushed babies head out, rest of baby slithered out. We finally found out sex (boy. We hadn't found out during pregnancy). I sobbed and sobbed. Baby was put on my tummy and we just looked at each other. He was so wide awake and alert and looked at me as if to say "hey I know you"

Had low APGAR score so had to see a paediatric Dr at 5 minutes old but all was fine.

We had 36h in hospital (meant to be 24 but he he was born middle of the night) and I was battered. Only thing that was OK was actually my vagina??? I didn't have so much as a tear or graze. Rest of me was awful though.... blood shot eyes from pushing, back and shoulder pain as I had used the bars on the bed for leverage, massive bruise from cannula in arm.

But the moment I met my baby was about the most important and beautiful thing I have ever experienced.

2nd: rolled over in bed at 2.45am and waters went. 15 minutes later contractions started. Very intense pains. TENS did helput a little. Went to hospital at 5am, was 4cm. Went to birthing centre, me DP and MW in a room. Very peaceful and calm. Apart from my swearing (MW did tell me off!!). First note in my labour book at 5.20am. We were left to it, G&A did nothing for me this time. DP called MW as I felt the need to push. MW examined me and then scrambled to get her birth kit. Baby was born after about 10 minutes pushing at 6.45am. So it was 4 hours all in. Again no tears or grazes. We were discharged 6 hours later.

Oddly it was my short labour that I found more painful / intense / scary.

My first labour was medically managed but second time around it was all me and the speed and pain and intensity of it all was quite overwhelming.

Both very different experiences but I'm proud of them both.

God that was long. Well done if you manage to get through it!!

Hi OP my birth was fairly traumatic so I'll spare you the details! But I thought about the things I wish I knew:

• consider the very real chance of a c section. I hadn't even thought about it and felt very naive later. Just take a little time to research recovery and after care.

• never forget you're only 50% of the equation. Baby has their own path and their position/ health/ timing will influence the birth you have. Don't make the mistake of thinking you can dictate this through positive thought, hypnobirthing etc.

-on that, natal hypnotherapy is brilliant for paib relief.

• I personally believe what you do during pregnancy is more likely to influence your labour than anything you put in your birth plan- exercises to help positioning, keeping weight gain down etc may help in your delivery.

• no matter what your after effects, leave hospital as soon as you can - be that hours or days. Post natal is awful.

Ps of you have a long back to back labour as I and the 60 hour-ers above take pain relief early on so you can sleep. You won't realise how exhausted your body will be

Dd- woke up at 6am with regular mild contractions and just knew. They were a minute long and 3-5 minutes apart from the start which surprised me. Lots of loose stools and couldn't eat or drink. After 18 hours of this I was shattered so went in to be checked, 2cm but fully effaced. Went home for a couple hours then my waters went with a pop and a drip so went back in but was only two cm still. I was so tired and dehydrated, they kept me in and gave me a drip to rehydrate me. I slept peacefully between contractions and got through them with gas and air. I progressed in a couple hours to 10cm and pushed for a couple hours, but as my bladder was full and I couldn't wee, I couldn't get her out, they popped the vontouse cup on her head and gave me a catheter, then she flew out in one contraction without them even pulling. I remember thinking if it hurts this bad crowning ill never birth her, then they put her in my arms. It was so calm, beautiful and empowering. I felt elegant.

Ds was very different. I woke up at 39+1 with a migraine, by night time it was so bad and painful I thought I was dying. We rushed to hospital on Christmas eve in the early hours to be told I had severe preeclampsia and was developing HELLP syndrome(only learnt the HELLP bit recently) and once morning rounds began I was being induced. Weirdly I wasn't scared, just excited. They popped my waters and we slow danced to christmas music, had a bath together and popped to the hospital shop. It was lovely and we could forget how sick I was. Then the drip started, I bounced on the ball, stood up and squatted which was the position I stayed in. I spent hours at 2cm again, but warned them I progress fast, which they listened too. I nearly started fitting, so was given magnesium sulphate which made me go warm and floaty, I was only 3cm so they sent someone to prep theatre for a csection. But during this conversation I started yelling I need a poo and turned out I was now 9cm, so the section became forceps. I would have avoided forceps but ds was back to back and face first. They gave me an epidural in theatre, it was amazing and didn't hurt at all, I didn't even feel it. They expected ds to be unwell but he came out screaming and was fine! The best bit was being wheeled into recovery and the reception staff cooing over him. His birth was messy and chaotic, but so exciting, you could feel the festive excitement in the air and it was just magic. A little scary looking back, but at the time it felt exciting.

Having done spontaneous and induction, spontaneous hurt less, but induction made me feel in control. I like both.