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!!

I shan't scare you with my birth stories OP, suffice to say that when I arrived at hospital ready to have dc2 my birth plan only had the words 'get baby out safely' written on it.

There is no right or wrong way, do what's right for you re drugs - keep a very open mind. I don't think anyone can prepare for childbirth - never mind the next 18 years!

Actually having the baby is the easy (albeit painful but usually properly medically managed) bit, make sure you've read up on what to do with him/her when you get home!

DC 1 - 36 hours, was really sick in early labour so had to be put on a drip which restricted my movement and had to be in hospital, midwife incorrectly assessed that I was fully dilated, pushed for two hours with her shouting that I was doing it wrong. Completely exhausted and overwhelmed so asked for an epidural which only worked on one side which made the pain so much worse and I completely stopped being actively involved in the process.?eventually failed ventuse and then forceps, episiotomy, 12 people in the room when he was finally born. Pretty traumatised afterwards and couldn't poo properly for four or five months.

1. 15 hours back to back, all in my own home, totally present and involved the whole time, fab home birth midwives, very very painful but I did get that elated high, and can actually say I enjoyed it! Bounced back very quickly

I had a very unrealistic Idea of what to expect the first time (thanks Nct!) but it was badly managed by a whole range of HCPs. I requested my notes and went trough them with the home birth team before second labour which was great - i felt like I understood what I could have changed and what the staff should have done differently which really helped me prepare for the second time. E.g. , I was very sick and dehydrated - if I had forced myself to drink more (lucazade or whatever) I could have minimised the dehyradation and possibly the sickness but a midwife committed to home birth could have made sure I went home again after I had been on the drip for a bit rather than handing me over and disappearing.

12 hours from waters breaking (active labour was 5 hours). Yes it was painful but not as bad as I expected. Gas & Air and Diamorphine. No poop. Diamorphine was good I just slept through most of it and woke up for contractions. DD was 10lb 6 though and they say big babies help themselves out a bit. 20 mins of pushing, small tear. I didn't have the urge to push either which is uncommon, the midwife went to examine me and the head was just there.

If I could sum the pain up it felt like I really needed a poo for about 8 hours.

Waters broke 7 days past due, but no contractions so had to be induced 36 hours later. Contractions started and soon became frequent and painful(every 2 mins lasting at least a minute) Midwife didn't believe me and told me I would be in that state for 6-12 hours. So I asked for diamorphine which was amazing but they must have administered too late as my baby came less than 4 hours later with it in her system. She's fine now but there was a scary moment where she couldn't clear her throat due to being so drugged up.
Honestly the most pain and the most scared I've ever been yet the hospital was great and I felt safe. Proud of myself for growing a beautiful baby and delivering her safely. Nothing can prepare you for it tbh. Best of luck and congratulations x

First was long and brutal:
I was a week overdue.
Started on the Saturday - finally taken to labour wed Monday morning. Started in the water - this was great.
Taken out the water to break my waters - dd had pooed inside so no more water birth for me.
Given water injections in my back - they are possibly the most painful thing I have ever experienced!
Moved onto gas and air.
Asked to push for 7 hours with no movement whatsoever.
Eventually taken to surgery for a spinal - dd arrived Monday early evening via episiotomy and forceps.
Fell asleep instantly and didn't wake up again until the next morning so missed out on quite a bit that first night......

2nd time:
Contractions started at 5.30am - taken into labour Ward at 4pm. Had my ds at 6.40. Just gas and air, but stood over the bed with my ds which I felt made a massive difference. Dh didn't enjoy the 2 1/2 long arm wrestle over the bed though!!
I was discharged with ds 3 hours later xx

Induced because combination of big baby and a cold meant I couldn't breathe. Started at 2pm on Monday, waters broken at 1am on Wednesday, baby born at 4.36pm that day. Have fond memories of hanging out with DH waiting for the induction to work, lots of walking and Starbucks hot chocolates. Less fond memories of the antenatal ward where the other women just would not shut up - got no sleep for 3 days.

Moved to labour ward when I hit 4cm dilated, waters broken and a clip attached to DDs head. On IV drip for Group B Strep but stayed very active and used Tens machine, all very calm and relaxed. Begged for gas and air after 8 hours, then had some diamorphine 12 hours in so I could rest a little. Midwife declared me fully dilated at 4.20-ish, I demanded to go to the toilet against their advice. Sat on loo, decided I had to push RIGHT NOW and all hell broke loose. Was bundled onto bed, pushed for a few minutes and then DD got stuck by the shoulder. Room filled with emergency staff, had an episiotomy and a doctor managed to dislodge her shoulder. I had no idea what was going on.

I don't recall any pain. I was definitely in pain, but it's not what I remember. Worth every minute, but I'm having and ELCS next time!

The only advice i would ever give is to keep an open mind, I was determined not to have diamorphine but wouldnt have got through it without the hour or so of rest it let me get.

DD2: induced at 36 weeks due to early signs of placental failure. Had steroids, then 2 days later the first of three pessaries. Spent my time trudging around labour ward (there for induction due to high risk category), hearing other babies being born.

Eventually I was dilated enough to have waters broken. This is is uncomfortable/slightly painful, but I knew what to expect from first labour. Synotocin drip in, midwife gradually increasing dose. On lots of drips and monitors but midwife helped me get to toilet and reconfigured bed so I was in a good position (sitting with legs down). Contractions started coming strongly. Shouting helped. It was quite weird being mid conversation with DP and midwife then going "aaaaaaargh". I kept thinking "I'll ask for the epidural after one more contraction". I was using gas and air. I started feeling like I needed a poop. Midwife had a look and assured me that something much bigger was coming. Shortly after pushing started. DD2's heart rate became unstable and they weren't sure if it was distress or fast delivery. Consultant came in with a view to doing forceps but he just rotated DD2's head slightly and she was delivered a couple of minutes later.

I had some grazing and needed a few stitches but it all healed well. Was feeding DD2 within minutes, in the phone yo DD1 within 30 mins and in the shower an hour later (by myself but with midwife at door). I felt amazing!

No idea if I shit myself or anything like that, I certainly wasn't aware of it. I couldn't have cared less, and I doubt you will either. Midwives are good at keeping everything running smoothly.

Although DD2 was only 36w she was more than 7 pounds and fine apart from a touch of jaundice.

Not giving you DD1's birth story as it was a disaster with medical errors etc related to my own medical conditions so very outing and unusual. She's fine though.

Induction started at 11 with the gel on the cervix (cant remember the name) nothing happening was bouncing on the ball for hours then me and my boyfriend had sex in the bathroom ( weird i know but wanted to speed things up) i had a bath at 6.30 my waters broke at 7.40 and hes was born at 10.20. Was painful but i didnt feel i needed any pain relief. All in all wasnt as bad as i expected it to be.

My baby was born at 40+6. I was due on the Sunday but nothing at all. From the following Tuesday I was having mild contractions, that continued and slowly got worse. I was due for a sweep on the Wednesday, but declined as I wanted to see if labour would start naturally. The contractions continued day and night. Then I went to have my sweep at 3pm on the Friday. Had to go home and wait until my contractions were about 5 minutes apart. I went to the hospital at 8pm on the Friday night.
I opted for a birth centre as I wanted as natural a birth as possible. I went into the birth centre at 9pm. The head wasn't fully engaged, which is why my waters never broke to start active labour. In the end, at 3am that midwife broke my waters. My baby was born 4 hours later, at 6.58am.
For me it wasn't so much the pain itself, more the exhaustion from being awake for 4 nights in a row with broken sleep (contractions every 20 minutes). The crowning I found most painful, and the intense pressure. But I think if I hadn't been so tired I would have coped better. Though the midwife said I did really well.
For pain, I managed the contractions on my own from when they started until after the sweep. I used my tens machine from around 7pm after the sweep, took it off to travel to hospital. Then put it back on in the birth centre. I used that until 3am, when the midwife broke my waters. I didn't even need the highest setting. It really really helped. I used a birth ball a bit to try to break my waters, which helped ease the pain. I then used the birth pool. That helped so much, and had I not been exhausted I think I'd of stayed in there and possibly had a water birth. I stayed there until about 3.45am. Ultimately the midwife decided I needed some proper rest, so I had a pethadine injection which allowed me to relax. I had that at 5am, then I woke up and was ready to push. I did try a tiny bit of gas and air, but it made me feel so sick so I didn't have anymore.
It is worth all the pain, and obviously different things work for different people. It's important to do what you feel most comfortable with.
Good luck

First labour lasted 3 hours 45 mins. 38 weeks. Gas and air for pain relief. Made me throw up though. Small tear, needed stitches which I think was the worst bit of the whole thing.
2nd labour, I was 42 weeks. I'd only gone to hospital for them to listen to the baby's heartbeat as I was overdue. After about 30 mins hooked up to the monitor, the midwife came in and said "how do you feel about having the baby today?" Dh had dropped me off expecting to come and collect me in an hour, and he had our toddler with him. I had no bag or anything! So DH came back, I explained that they'd decided to induce me, so he had to find someone to have DS, then go home and grab a few bits for me, then get back to hospital for the birth. They broke my waters , and exactly 2 hours later I had Dd. Gas and air again, no tear, and I didn't poo myself!

Started with upset stomach & period cramps
24 hour back to back labour (agony)
Threw up with every contraction for the last 5 hours of it.
Gas & air made me sick.
They put me on a drip to make my contractions stronger to try and turn him (didn't work)
They tried to turn him with their hands manually (didn't work)
Pushed for over an hour (didn't poo)
They gave me an epidural (didn't completely work)
Took me down to theatre for one shot with rotational forceps before they would have to give me an emc. (Forceps worked)
Tear and episiotomy for me.
Badly bruised and swollen for baby.

It was horrendous.

Oh yeah afterwards my back was agony, hands and feet really swollen, hand sore and bruised from cannula. Nether regions really sore for a long time and still not right (8months later).

1. 1 week overdue. Woke with strong contractions at 7am. Went to hospital around 10am and was 9cm dilated. Used only gas and air and found staying on my feet walking was best for me . When it was time to push it eventually transpired she was stuck so ended up with a spinal in theatre, episiotomy and a ventouse delivery. Baby was 9lb 8oz.

1. Bump measuring bigger all the way through as in first pregnancy. At 35 weeks it measured 41 so I was sent for a scan which indicated large baby and was offered elective section at 39+3. Had a reaction to spinal this time which scared me a bit since I didn't in first labour. Large baby proved right. 10lb 12oz.

How long did it last? From induction starting, two days. Actually in painful labour... 10am-7pm
How painful? It hurt like a bitch. Am confident this was the induction drugs because pain went 0-10 in a matter of minutes when the drip drugs kicked in. Felt trapped in the pain. Like if you were burning your hand on a fire you would take it away, but unable to do anything cos the pain was inside me. Absolutely lost my shit and forgot all of my coping techniques (was on my own so noone to remind me to breathe, try this or that etc.) am sure a more level headed woman would have found a better coping mechanism than yelling for the epidural that I had said I wanted to avoid... Once the epidural was in no pain at all but could feel contractions and work with them to push. Pushing didn't hurt, was given an episiotomy.
What drugs (if any)? Epidural
Did you shit yourself?! No.

Hoping to go into labour naturally this time and work with the build up of pain better!

I did poo during the pushing stage but I was too off my face on gas and air to care by that point, I was aware the midwife was wiping my bum but didn't really register why.

I woke up at 4am with the first contractions, spent the day at home pacing round the kitchen, had three baths (but they slowed down contractions so I got out quickly every time but it was a bit of light relief) and bouncing on a Pilates ball. We went to hospital at 7pm even though they told me to stay at home on the phone because I could still talk so they assumed it would be a while but I knew it wouldn't be long. I was 7cm dilated when we got there, I'd gone without pain relief up until that point as it was manageable when bouncing on a Pilates ball. Baby born at 11pm, no tears or stitches needed (I'd been doing perineal massage with almond oil for a few weeks previously) I used gas and air only and was on my knees facing the head of the bed which was propped up for me to drape my torso over. DP on hand to administer sips of water as the gas and air drys your mouth out awfully. I didn't think contractions were too bad to be honest, I'd describe them as period cramps that build to a crescendo which is pretty bad but it only lasts a few seconds.

Honestly for me the worst part was the night on the ward, I'd turned down tea and toast as I was really high on the gas and air and was left pretty much alone all night with no pain relief because the midwives were too busy with the other women on the ward, I didn't sleep a wink. Only other complaint was I told DP not to go down the business end but he did when I was too inebriated to object! But he just really wanted to see dd I guess.

At 38 weeks was found to have HELLP syndrome, a rare form of pre-eclampsia. Basically it means your liver fails. It started with pain in my ribs. I knew it wasn't contractions so called the midwife who told me to go to hospital. They didn't know what it was until blood test came back which was 12 hours after I went in. As soon as they knew they rushed me in for an emergency c-section. Dd was born 4lb 11oz. Absolutely fine just small. I was in hospital for another 4 days to recover.

I was quite sad that I hadn't experienced labour and natural birth despite it being painful I was looking forward to experiencing it

Here is mine - its still on the BBC website...

www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/victoriaderbyshire/2007/11/sharons_story_a_mexican_soap_o.html

Oooh, I find birth stories fascinating.

I did poo. Was flat on my back, pushing and well, what did they expect?

The funny thing was that the midwife then passed me a toilet roll! WTF she expected me to do with it I still don't know. Lying there like a beached whale - I could no more have wiped my own arse than flown around the room.

The look of resignation on DH's face when he was passed the bog roll to help clean me up was priceless.

I didn't get the lovely, relaxed water birth or homebirths I wanted and yep, fuck me, it's agony. But in a funny way, I enjoyed it.

DH kept staring at me for weeks afterwards, shaking his head in wonder and muttering about how fucking awesome I (and women in general) was (think he'd forgotten about the poo by then)

And I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

My second daughter was only 1hr 45 mins from start to finish

I wasn't even sure if it was contractions at first but then they came on strong and were very regular straight away. Started at 12am got to the hosp at 1:15am was almost fully dilated but waters hadn't broken they broke soon after and had her at 1:45 am. No pain relief no gas and air. Painful but quick labour

My 1st dd was 5 hrs from start to finish. Hospital were adamant I wasn't in labour so wouldn't allow me in when I got there I was 8cm so handled most of it at home. Got to the hosp at 10am they filled the pool up for me and had my daughter at 11:15. I honestly did not find this birth painful the water really helped. However I did have a retained placenta

1. Dtwins labour, hurt a lot wasn't with it at all during it. 16 hours had an epidural which I loved, got to pushing stage then DT 1 heart rate dropped so taken for emergency csection, never seen so many doctors at once. Think was worse for dp than me tbh

1. In slow labour for 2 days had contractions but not regular. Went to bed when labour really went up a gear, got to hospital and had ds 3 hours later with gas and air, happened too quick for anything stronger (did ask) had episiotomy. Was a vbac. Think worse was waiting to be stitched up after birth as was bleeding and they couldn't work out why.

Honestly don't know if pood in either wasn't told either way even tho labour 2 did pass a lot of wind.

Pain can be intense but thinking back now can't really remember it.

I wouldn't worry about if you release anything from your back passage when you give birth. The midwives and doctors are usually discrete, family members may not be. But in times gone by I don't know whether the thought wAs to hasten delivery, but enemas were the norm.

I think you drank somethings of they used soapy water.

Prom and induction with back to back baby. Three days on gas and air - epidural due to tiredness at end of day three. Day four prep for c section but forceps delivery with third deg b trade. Catastrophic loss of blood with 3 ltrs transfusion. Two days intensive care with no bowel to control and the weeks later further blood loss due to retained placenta. Ifermion didn't clear for three months and I had an analysis fissure. You did ask!

First labour - induced at 42 weeks, was having mild contractions and at abut 1-2cm dilated for 4 days. It was exhausting and uncomfortable, but I never got to the stage of horrific pain.

Long labour finally ended in emergency c- section for 'failure to progress'. I had never imagined a c-section and would ave been terrified if anyone had suggested it, but by that stage I was exhausted and just wanted my baby out safely. He was 10 lbs and had enormous rugby-player shoulders. No idea how I would have given birth to him vaginally!

Second time I didn't have a chance to go in to labour. Baby was in distress at 37 weeks and I had another section.

I think my body just can't do labour and birth!

I haven'y seen anyone mention a ventouse delivery so I'll add mine.
I had had a textbook pregnancy but was induced on my due date as I was over 40 and, statistically, considered high risk if I went overdue.
Went to hospital on the bus, bit of an anticlimax after months of imagining the drive whilst in labour! Pessary in at about 10.30 am. Was supposed to be allowed to go for a walk after an hour of monitoring but (after at least 3 annoying false alarms because the equipment was a bit shit) monitor registered a dropping heartbeat and although it recovered pretty quickly I was moved to delivery suite as a precaution. It was really unsettling having all the beeping and worry of alarms and tbh if they'd suggested a c section then and there I'd have jumped at it. Had what I would describe as lots of painful pressure in my abdomen, felt like I needed to poo and I remember that I couldn't sit down on the loo to wee as it was too painful so I weed standing up with legs straddled over the toilet. At this point they weren't even officially contractions, it was just some sort of pain caused by the pessary starting to work, so I was disappointed that I never got that "lots of pain but then no pain at all so you can recover" rhythm that so many people talk about. Waters were broken manually at about 5pm and then proper contractions started. I think due to the constant pain since the morning i decided pretty quickly to have an epidural. I had read so much about hospitals refusing them that i was ready for a fight but they were absolutely happy to get the anaesthetist on as soon as I asked. I was a bit unhappy when they said it would take half an hour to kick in- longest half an hour of my life.
After that it was just weird- like when you're at the dentist and you know he's doing something in your mouth that should be horrifically painful but don't feel a thing.
No chance of being upright or crouching as legs totally useless. I dilated pretty quickly after that and was ready to push by about 11pm. Pushing was frustrating as I had no idea if I was doing it right and kept flaking out when they were yelling at me to keep pushing. At one point I had my DH holding one leg, a midwife the other and a second midwife in the middle. I was not at all zoned out or in the moment because I was in zero pain. They told me they could see DS hair and it was blond.
After pushing for an hour the senior midwife said that it looked like "a lift-out" and they got the doctor in to do a ventouse delivery. He fiddled about a bit, told me when to push and with the second push the baby was delivered, I felt him slither out and the sort of deflation of my abdomen. He had a little lump on his head but was otherwise unaffected by the suction cap. I thought it was a pretty good way to help me over the final hurdle. Doc did some stitches and decided that it would be funny to put on a fake Glasgow accent (I am Scottish but we were in London). I found myself laughing politely. Later I realised that i had really wanted to see the placenta but had forgotten to ask. I have no recollection of it being delivered.
All in all, I suppose it was quite medicalised, but I was comfortable with that. I suspect I'd have been better with the pain if I had had a natural labour and not had the emotional stress caused by the monitoring, but both things were necessary for me/our baby so that was just the way it was.
Oh and as a positive breastfeeding story, DS was useless at breastfeeding and had no idea how to latch on in those first hours, so despite a million different midwives trying to help we actually had to give him formula before the hospital would discharge us (stayed in for 3 days). However it clicked for him on our first day home and I breastfed exclusively for 6 months and am still breastfeeding now as he approaches 8 months.

Good luck!

First labour, contractions started at 39 weeks, water broke at around 9am, had him by 9:42. Had an epidural for pain relief.

Second birth, emergency c section at 30 weeks as I had a severe preeclampsia

Third birth, planned c section at 39 weeks due to the second birth