To think it's impossible to explain how painful labour is?

[Mamabear1475]

Sil is trying for a baby. She asked how painful it is. I told her there is no way to describe it. She said it must feel like something. I can't think of anything that explains the feeling

I’ve been told that crowning was like if you put your fingers in your mouth and stretch sort of thing x1000.

I went abit mad during my labour (12 hours, got stuck, emergency section so ended up with worst of both worlds) and locked myself in the ensuite type loo I was so angry with Dh and midwife who were both pissing me off.

Them conversing and trying to persuade me to unlock the door was quite funny.

I snored slept through my labour. I had the epidural but failed to progress so I was given a c/section.
I did however get the Braxton Hicks. I was doubled up on the toilet floor in absolute agony. I was going hot and cold with the pain. Anyone who says there's no such thing as them is talking bull shit.

I self induced with castor oil and the contractions came way too hard and fast... This whole 'rest between them' bit is bull - I expected there to be gaps in the pain but instead the pain just plateaud and then deepened even further with the next contraction... But my pain was definitely worsened by being forced to lie on back, hooked up to monitors, hating every minute of it and feeling out of control.

Like shitting a portable telly.
Nowt else really describes it so well as this perfect quote from my (midwife) mate!

I was nine centimetres by the time I got to hospital. Gas and air with twenty minutes of pushing he was out. It's bearable

and some of us naively believed that contractions are timed from end of contraction1 to beginning of contraction2.
Nope, it's from start of contraction1 to start of contraction2. That peaceful rest in between? nope.

I don't know, by no. 3 I felt it was ok. I got to hospital not sure if I was in proper labour and I was already 5cm.

I then went to 9cm talking, laughing, bouncing on a ball and high on gas n air! The pushing hurt but given I had been ahem stretched from previous labours it was quick.

The relief when they are finally out almost makes up for that (almost!)

I think it's hard to explain. For me personally I've had period pain worse than my contractions and was 6 cm before I felt any real pain but then went to 10 cm in 10 mins. I didn't like the pressure sensation when you needed to push more than anything. I did it with just gas and air due to a fast labour and it wouldn't put me off going through it again!

Bigspottyape

Well, bearable for you, maybe. I pushed for two hours or more and I really struggled.

My contractions felt the same as my colonoscopy, when they pumped air into me. I would recommend being sedated if anyone has one of these.

I think all women should have the choice of having an epidural, and make the decision at the time.

Some people have such high pain thresholds.

I found the whole thing brutal. The pain shocking, like nothing I could ever imagine.

I did do it three times though 😀 so not an unrepeatable experience.

Lady the last 15 minutes of DC's labour was just me shouting at DH 'I'm dying, I'm actually dying!' over and over again until I needed to push at the time I felt like no one could go through pain like this and live to tell the tale!

I might even have tried it if it was like being licked by kittens!

My mum told me I "popped out". She was a size 8 and I was over 9lbs...methinks she lied to me

My Mum always said no one should tell a woman how painful childbirth is before they go through it. That kind of gave me a clue about how painful it was going to be! I used to suffer from terrible period pains and most of my labour wasn't that much more painful than them but the final two hours were much worse. After giving birth the part of me that hurt the most was my throat because I had screamed so much.

For me though, childbirth was nothing compared to coping with the constant crying and sleepless nights that followed.

I think there are different types of pain in labour:

Contractions: feel like your internal organs are trying to evacuate themselves

Transition: like a contraction that never subsides

In-between contractions: sweaty, creeping discomfort

Pushing: a vomiting feeling, except from your vagina

Crowning: fanny on fire (better in a pool though)

It's just an onslaught, basically.

I had contractions that were 6 minutes long with 20 seconds between them throughout my entire 4 hour labour, I didn’t think my body could experience that much pain and not pass out. I imagine it would be similar to having a limb amputated without anaesthetic.

Surely the whole point is that it completely differs. It's never going to beat a spa day but it's awful for some and ok for others.

I felt like I was being squeezed by a giant from my ribs to my bum, but I wouldn't say it was even categorised as pain for me and I cry when I stub my toe. Other people told me that they felt like they were dying.

You can't describe it, it must be different for everyone or else why would some people think it totally bearable and not others?

Yes, shocking is the word. Near the end I can remember thinking 'I'm NOT doing this again' and really meaning it, in spite of having always wanted 4, but now I would do it again I found it unbearable, but it has to be borne. And the relief the MINUTE she was out, is very memorable to, I felt WONDERFUL!
Pushing was the easiest bit by far, I remember my sister asking about the epesiotomy and being shocked when I told her it was no worries, almost nice compared to the gut wrenching pain of contractions... A nice 'clean' pain instead!

I found it exhausting more than anything, 3 days of contractions the end I just wanted to sit on the loo it feels like needing a poo. It felt like a vice tightening around my stomach the pushing bit was awful especially when they tell you to pant I couldn't It hurt so much I just pushed her out, I had no pain relief forgot to ask.

I can’t remember the pain now (although about to go through it all again!).. I did liken it to being ripped apart with a claw hammer. I also remember thinking I was dying but that I was in so much pain I didn’t care.

I always think it's equivalent to the pain of stubbing your toe, only it lasts for hours instead of seconds.

It feels like someone is grabbing your flew from the inside then pulling it out.