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!!

1. Waters broke suddenly which started a very quick painful labour. Gas and air for pain relief. I did poo but really didn't care. I had a 2nd degree tear which hurt like hell when being down back together. Nothing too awful though.

1. Bigger baby and more painful labour. Gas and air again. Labour lasted 7 hours this time and had to have waters broken. I was bleeding a lot which worried the midwives which made me panic. I think this is why it was harder. No poo this time. Again nothing unmanageable or too bad really.

With my 2nd I went in to be induced at 38 weeks, but she was already on her way. Had gas and air then an epidural. It was fine!

I was induced at 38 weeks due to complications with my asthma - every time dd moved she gave me a massive asthma attack.

I went in at 6pm, pessary induction at 7pm, what they don't tell you is that feels like someone has shoved a red hot poker up your vagina. they had to break my waters at 8am and they did an epidural at 12 noon. the idea of an epidural caused me major anxiety attacks all through my pregnancy so after lengthy discussions with my consultant we agreed on a patient controlled one so that I still had sensations, could wiggle my toes etc.

Labour etc was really easy, I felt a bit of cramping but no pain. I didn't tear although because DD had to have a head clip on to monitor her heart beat as she kept wriggling away from the belly sensors. The corner of the clip tore the inside of my labia and that bled like mad, I lost about a litre of blood and yes I did poo a little bit.

My waters broke in the middle of the night. I didn't go into labour naturally, so 36 hours later was put on a hormone drip to induce.

I was fine on gas and air for a bit, but after about 4 hours it became unbearable and I was only about 3cm dilated. I had a epidural at that point and everything became nice and calm again for 3 or 4 hours. I think I even slept.

Because of the drip I was being constantly monitored and at that point, baby's heartbeat dropped dramatically. All of a sudden I had a room full of medical staff and they were about to top up my epidural for a c section. Then the hearbeat dropped again and they decided they couldn't wait for a local anaesthetic to take hold, but needed me in theatre asap. So they gave me a general, I was out in 45 seconds, baby was delivered 10 minutes later. The cord had been wrapped round his neck 3 times.

He was absolutely fine though and so was I. I recovered very well from the section and we were out the next day.

So, far from the NCT water birth ideal, but I felt fine about it. We both came out of it in good shape and that's all that matters.

1. Very easy and very quick - 2 and a half hours from first pain to baby (although my waters had broken earlier that day I hadn't had any contractions that I was aware of). Only just got to the hospital in time for the pushing stage so only allowed gas and air but it was honestly fine - yes painful at crowning but totally manageable - one of the first things i said afterwards was "well that wasn't that bad". Unfortunately they missed a tear so I lost quite a lot of blood and had to be stitched twice as they messed them up the first time!

1. Planned section at 37 weeks as baby was small and breech. She had to go to nicu for a couple of hours to get her breathing correct so I didn't hold her for a while which was hard but actual op was very calm and fine. Pain afterwards was far far worse than childbirth for me - mainly because I got no meds for 12 hours! - but having said that I was totally back to normal activity within a week and walking several miles within a fortnight.

I had quite a good experience although throughout my pregnancy (first and only child) was terrified about the birth. I was 2 weeks late and went into hospital at 6pm to be induced. When I got there was told my labour had already started. The first couple of hours was manageable but became too painful to lie down so I paced up and down.

At 10pm I went down to delivery (they offered me a wheelchair but I wanted to walk as couldn't bear to sit down though had to lie on the bed when I got there). I asked for pain relief but they said there wasn't time. I just had gas and air. Gave birth at 11pm. Although it was very painful it was quick. Struggled after to let them examine me but didnt need stitches. Had pain every time I went to the toilet for a few weeks after. Tried to avoid it as much as possible so spent the next few weeks in a lot of discomfort.

Waters went spontaneously at 40+6 but nothing happened so I was induced 2 days later (was meant to be one day later but there were no labour rooms available!).

22 hours of induction including about 12 hours of the syntocin drip. Pain was bearable at first despite being on the drip and strapped to the bed due to monitoring but I couldn't stand the VEs, so opted for gas and air after 15 hours just to get through that. That in turn made it hard to concentrate on breathing through contractions, so I had a shot of diamorphine a couple of hours later. I think this is what they mean by interventions breeding interventions! I didn't have an epidural though, as I was worried it would slow my labour down - more fool me! I can't remember how the contractions actually felt, but I remember very loudly saying 'ow ow ow' which I never do, so they must have hurt! I think it would have been much easier to manage had I been mobile.

Anyway, after 22 hours of induction I was still only 3cm dilated (and my waters had been gone 3 days) so I had an emergency c-section at 41+2. I was relieved more than anything as I was knackered and it was obvious the induction wasn't working. The c-section was fine except I had an unfortunate reaction to the diapmorphine and kept vomiting, even several hours after surgery (ouch). Baby was fine (all 10 pounds of him).

Recovery was painful albeit straight forward. I didn't really drive or go anywhere for 6 weeks, but I was so tired from a newborn who fed every 2 hours I didn't really feel any need to go anywhere.

I'd do it again, although I'm requesting a planned c-section for this one!

Has anyone had a VIP delivery you see advertised like when Princess Kate and Cheryl Cole gave birth?

If you think labour is pretty bad, I know some people get bowel problems where they get obstructions, they get pain worse than labour. I remember one friend saying she actually did wonder if she was in labour as she was having a pretty bad obstruction, she put her hand on her foof, it hurt like hell which panicked her a bit.

I've had the odd obstruction, bearing in mind I was in labour and didn't know, they are awfully painful. That's from adhesions tethering the bowel so stuff couldn't pass. My friend gets several every month, she's passed out of the bed before now with the pain and

My waters broke with a big whoosh in my car, I was booked for a home birth and loved it. Waters broke at 3pm, drove home, had a few v mild contractions between 4-8pm then it all kicked off at 1am. Contractions were coming thick and fast by 2am. I spent my time on my hands and knees and concentrated on my breathing during each contraction, I would let a long controlled breath out during each one. Hopped in the birthing pool we'd set up in my conservatory at 4.50am as it was finally at temperature (bit last minute as my contractions were a minute apart and midwife was preparing for me plan B, giving birth on dry land!). Pool was amazing and helped loads. I rested my head and arms on the side while on my knees, birthed the head then sat up on my knees and caught my baby as I pushed the rest of her body out at 5.30am. She was a bit tangled in the cord but not dangerously so. Wrapped her in a towel and she opened her eyes and listened to the rain on the conservatory roof. No crying just v calm. It was amazing and it was empowering. No pain relief just controlled breathing and it was fine, it's more of an intensity than pain. I did tear quite badly and had to go to hospital to be stitched up as it was too severe for the midwives to do at home but not a lot I could do about that! Can't wait to do it again! Looking down and seeing my little baby in my hands under the water, not realising she had been born yet was the most incredible moment of my life.

Keep calm, concentrate on your breathing and find a good labour position that you feel comfortable with and you'll be fine

water broke at 5 am at 34 weeks, went into the hospital at 6 am, they scanned and she was definitely on her way, had tea and toast and bounced on a ball while being monitored for a few hours. Couldn't get on with gas and air and they wouldn't give me pethidine because the baby was premature so went straight to an epidural. Many blood tests done on the baby before birth and eventually her heart rate dipped and they did an episiotomy and vaccum to get her out, delivered at 12.35 in the afternoon. She was put on my chest and then taken straight to SCBU where she stayed for 15 days to put on weight and have a few goes in the billy bag for jaundice. i was discharged after 5 days.

The thing I didn't expect was the sheer terror/panic that I felt. I wasn't prepared to be so bloody frightened. I'm sure my inability to keep calm (or at least calmer) didn't help what turned out to be a mal positioned distressed baby that should have come out by c section a lot bloody faster than he did.

Second time around I was much calmer and more forthright about what I wanted. Tried vbac but it was obvious a few hours in that he was going the same way as DS1 - so another EMCS but nowhere near as panicked/ridiculously delayed as the first.

DD1 - had a sweep at about 11am at 41 weeks and went home. Was contracting every three minutes by about 3 in the afternoon and went back to the hospital. Continued to contract on the induction ward while waiting for a bed until about 10.30pm. Coped on tens and then gas & air. Moved to the labour ward where they broke my waters at 5cm. They did that as a scan that morning, before the sweep, showed that DD1 had released some meconium so they wanted to see what my waters looked like. Started pushing at about 12.15am and she was born at 1.01am. She was a compound presentation (had her hand up beside her head) and therefore tore me quite badly so after delivering her on gas & air, I ended up in theatre with a spinal anyway. My midwife held my hand throughout, and wouldn't leave my side until DD had latched. Got to the ward at about 4.30am and, as I was a very nervous new Mum, stayed in that night and went home at lunchtime the following day.

DD2 - at about 11am (theme!) on 40+3 said to DH, "I don't think these are Braxton Hicks!" Had a lovely day with him and DD1, walked to, and around a park, and at 6pm said we'd better get his Mum over. Went to the hospital at 12.30am contracting every 3 mins which massively slowed down in the car to every 7!! But they wouldn't let me home as for most of the last trimester she'd been transverse and they were afraid she'd move. Slept on and off until about 6 using the gas & air when I had contractions. Asked for an epidural at about 8.30am (having thrown up, which I also did with DD1 - turns out that's a "thing" when I'm in transition!) but when the midwife said I was 8cm, stretching to 9cm, said "fuck it, I'll do it myself." Definitely pooped myself around then . Waters went with a gush at 9.10am, and the midwife said she was going to prep her episiotomy kit. Since my tear with DD1 had been bad, I'd agreed with the midwives and consultant that one would be done if necessary. As she was doing that, I felt DD2 crown, then delivered the head, at which point DH shouted and the midwife panicked and DD2 slid out at 9.14. The response from the midwife? "Oh, my colleague at shift change told me that when you went, you'd go fast!" Turned out she was bank staff who liked (her words) working on Sunday as the parking was free. In her defence, she knew what she couldn't do so got someone else to stitch me (just about a second degree tear).

My pulse then rested at 180 for five hours so they wouldn't let me go home and by the they were happy to sign me off, there was no-one around to sign off DD so we ended up in for the night (I was DESPERATE to get home to DD1). DD2 slept for 8 hours. And then didn't sleep for 6 months after that.

I did a poo with my number 2 . The midwife discretely wiped it away. She was lovely, lovely, lovely.

My water's broke at 2pm and my contractions didn't start so I had to go to the hospital to make sure everything was fine, I went home and at about 2am the next morning my contractions started and I went back to hospital as they were very painful anyway it turns out my baby was breech he was in distress and I had to have an emergency c section and he was born at 8:10am I was very tired as I hadn't slept for about 48hrs. I didn't feel any pain when I had the c section but it was very painful afterwards. I wasn't scared of giving birth and when I went for my c section they said I was the calmist person they had seen. The tiredness was the worst bit for me. Good luck with your birth 😀

I thought "if it gets to painful there's always pain relief". I didn't realise that they don't let you have anything until you're in established labour, regardless of how much pain you're in. Or maybe my midwife was just evil.

Water broke. Had regular contractions that didn't hurt very much, for two days. Went to hospital, still with regular contractions that were manageable. Was given an induction pessary and after that, the contractions went completely haywire. The pain was almost constant instead of coming and going. This lasted for a day. I begged the midwife for pain relief and she gave me a fucking paracetamol. After many, many hours (I don't know how many) I was finally given morphine by a different midwife. It didn't work on the pain, just made my head fuzzy. Some people are immune to morphine, maybe I'm one of those? Not sure. In the evening, I was put on a drip to move things along. I told them I would need an epidural if they were going to do this, considering the effect that pessary had. I got an "mobile" epidural which worked amazingly, except the mobile bit. They kept asking me to move into different positions and telling me I could move my legs when actually I couldn't. That was annoying. When it was time to push, they let the epidural wear off a bit so I would be able to know when to push. However, it just felt like constant pain and I had to ask the midwife to guide me.

I had an episiotomy and the health visitor told me to sit in a bath with lavender oil. My stitches burst, not sure if it was because of that. Seems like a bad idea to soak a healing wound in water. Don't do that!

Dd1- contractions started at 3pm, went hospital at 11pm, she was born at 4.45am, gas and air and pethidine. No stitches home by 10.30.
Dd2-induction at 38 weeks due to gestational diabetes. Pessary in the morning a few mild contractions waters broken the next morning left for an hour then drip started, epidural a couple of hours later. Back to back birth born stargazing! Not stitches had to stay for 24hrs to monitor our blood sugars but was itching to get home.
Ds1-induction of severe spd. Went in on due date had pessary inserted then his heart rate dropped so removed pessary. It then got really busy and I had to wait 3 days to try induction again, couldn't go hope because they had already put the pessary in once. Eventually put the pessary back in and then took me to labour ward to break waters at about 11pm had epidural put in before they broke my waters. He was born at 7.45. He weighed 10lb 8 and was back to back. No stitches had to stay for 12 hour as he was so big.
Ds2-went into labour on my due date after a week of slow labour, had an epidural and he was born within 8 hours, ventouse as his heart rate dropped. No stitches and home after a couple of hours.

I've been really lucky. I've been up and about and feeling normal really quickly!

41 weeks exactly, woke up feeling funny, washed my hair and changed the bed at 9.30, DS was born before 2pm. Was in labour for just over 3 hours. Tried the pool but heart beat slowed down so they did an episiotomy and forceps. No pain relief as there wasn't time. I screamed a bit (especially during early contractions) but it was so fast I was holding a baby before I knew it. I'd do it again this way if I could choose. Recovered well. I'm a huge scaredy cat and was expecting much much worse. Good luck!

I get that you want facts and honesty. I remember feeling that things were being withheld from me when I was pregnant with no1.

However, I have learnt that....

Every birth experience is different.

You can't really prepare!

I thought I would have natural home birth with my first. Did hypnobirthing, yoga etc etc... baby had other ideas. Cue going overdue by 12 days, hospital induction, epidural that didn't work followed by long labour ending in crash csection!

With the 2nd I wanted VBAC. Again baby overdue, so elective csection was recommended.

Recovery is tough with csection but no probs bonding and on the plus side, tiny scar and intact nethers.

All births are different. Keep an open mind.

Never had an episiotomy or torn.
Breech vaginal and two head first. Nothing for breech, gas and air for other two (nothing when cylinder ran out)

My first was an elective section at 39 weeks after a 'difference in medical opinion' between two consultants. Epidurals are contra indicated due to my tethered spinal cord so a GA was my only option, I came round in recovery to be handed my ds, fully dressed. Post op wasn't too bad, if you do need a section my advice is hug a pillow and bring your knees up if you need to cough or sneeze and get mobile as soon as you can.

Second, I pushed for a VBAC. After 4 sweeps (that did bugger all!) they agreed to an induction at 40+12. One pessary (which also did bugger all) a drop in heart rate meant another section under GA.

Third, I pushed again for a VBAC2C. I was 39+2 and was woken up feeling rather warm and wet, waters had broken so sent home for two days to bounce on my ball. Two days later another pessary that did start mild irregular contractions, started on the drip contractions came thick and fast, Ds was also back to back. Pain was horrible, had gas and air, couldn't use the pool as needed continual monitoring so was stuck on the bed, midwife that took over didn't speak, just sat there. I tried Pethidine and I'm not going to minimise it. It hurt. A lot. 6 hours later I'd dilated all of 2 centimetres. I was exhausted, the pethedine didn't help with the pain but it did help me to doze inbetween contractions, 20 mins after that exam they lost Ds2's heart rate, crash section under GA. He was fine.

Now the afterpains..... they hurt. A lot. As someone else pointed out, comedy boobs as your milk comes in, I'm quite well endowed in the norks region already but this was a whole new experience! I didn't bleed much or for very long afterwards.

Ds1- went into labour at 37wks, m firstly had the runs at 5am, then a show at 7am, contractions started about 7:30am, got to hospital to be told to go home as it could be days, but as they were quiet, put me on the monitor, 2 student midwives with me, and labour had started. Only gas and air and lo born at 9:50am so 3 hours labour. I tore badly and the stitches hurt 100's more than giving birth.
Ds2 , went into labour at 37+5, had a show at 2:30, contractions started at 3:30ish, when I got to hospital, gas and air only and he arrived at 4:06- labour 1hr 40mins. No tears etc.
Give me childbirth over toothache, back pain and earache anyway!!!!

Dc1- 16 hours from waking up with waters trickling and mild period pains until birth. Had an epidural after 13 hours. Looking back it was manageable but I was young and scared. 36+6. 6lb 12oz.

Dc2- 4 hours. Very easy, quick birth. Gas and air for last 30 minutes. Again, waters broke first before contractions started. 40+6. 7lb.

Dc3- 7 hour labour. Thought I was going to die. Never felt such intense and horrendous pain. Gas and air. 39 weeks. 8lb 2.5oz.

1 Was 7lbs 11 I was induced at 38 weeks after a previous loss at 26 weeks. Labour was hard, long and painful. No pain relief throughout though they did keep suggesting an epidural which I wasn't happy with. No real progression and after 25 hours DS1's heart rate began to drop so they began to discuss an emergency c-section. Midwife in charge decided to ventouse and episiotomy instead, I tore all the way through and was so, so exhausted I lay there not even moving at the end. It was by far the hardest thing I've ever done and I spent the whole time thinking "what if I lose this one, too" which was a total head-fuck. By the time it was over I was just done. I stayed in for 2 days and had the most wonderful midwife who took DS1 and sang to him while she was at her desk so I could sleep; she just returned him to me for feeds and her help with his latch was - I'm certain - what made breastfeeding so successful.

2 was 10lbs on the nose and was 12 days overdue (he'd been due on Christmas Day). I was due to be induced that day at 8am, woke at 4am with contractions so took a shower, did my hair, got DS1 to my friends house so she could drop him to school, went to the hospital and stood in the queue behind a woman shrieking so loud they probably heard her in Mumbai. Midwife at the desk looked at her and snapped "if you've energy for screams like that you're nowhere near giving birth, it's when they're silent like this one we need to get moving" and took me straight to the labour ward. I had a swim in the bath, refused to get out even when DH had to go out to put money in the car park meter and got locked out of the maternity ward; I could hear him hammering on the door as I floated in the tub, laughing to myself that he was probably going to need more pain relief than me. After a couple of hours with checks every so often they said I had to get out, I pushed for 35 minutes and DS2 turned suddenly back-to-back so things slowed down. They monitored and I pushed for another hour and then they went into panic-stations again as they'd done with DS1. It was at that point that I said to the midwife "I'd quite like the epidural now please" and she laughed like a drain and said that it was much too late for that. Fortunately DS2 was easier and I only needed an episiotomy. As he came out a huge gush of water also came out and went over the bed, where my handbag was. I remember shouting "move the bloody Mulberry" at DH and the midwife killing herself laughing at me. I was up drinking tea and eating toast within the hour while they stitched me up and home by 8pm with a bag of chips on the sofa while DS2 fed. The difference between the two labours was huge and proves that though one might be difficult it doesn't guarantee that you won't be able to get through it. Each woman's labour is so different to the next, just like each woman's recovery.

I'm not a big fan of giving mothers-to-be advice because it assumes that you know more than they do. But my motto since having DS1 11 years ago is that you do what you need to do to survive. If that's not what everyone else is doing or what everyone else says you must do, it's nobody's business but yours.

Oh, and I would describe the pain as being sawed in half from the inside. It did not feel like period pain x 100 for me. I believe that all birth experiences are genuinely different, rather than just being experienced differently. Sometimes it hurts more, sometimes less. Don't feel like a failure is you can't do it without pain relief. Maybe your pain really is worse than your sister or friend who gave birth with only a tens machine or a hot bath. Don't put any expectations on yourself.