To ask if there is any truth to this?

[mcjx]

I've had a shit and difficult pregnancy with lots of problems. Whenever anyone asks me how I've been coping, I tell them it's been the hardest few months ever and they say "difficult pregnancy equals an easy labour".

Is there actually any truth to this in any of your experiences? I'm genuinely intrigued

And I hope it is the case!

I had horrible piriformis syndrome from 16 weeks and the last couple of months I could barely walk, I felt so fed up.
I got my hopes up for an easier birth and ended up with a traumatic birth and an emergency c section.
My daughter was fine though, and so was I after a few weeks so it's important to focus on the positives. Although at the time I just felt very traumatised!
I don't often tell my birth story to pregnant women as I always think it's not great to hear but the truth is that most women have a straightforward natural birth. Yes, you do hear horror stories like mine, but they aren't the majority.
If I think of my bunch of friends, there's only two of us who had a bad time and ended up having emergency c sections.
I really truly hope you get a straightforward birth OP.

I had a shit first pregnancy , hyperemesis from 2 weeks to 40 weeks , miscarried a twin at 12 weeks , and had a spina bifida scare with the remaining baby at 20 weeks ( he hadn’t got it ) , I also fainted several times . I’m sorry to say I had an horrendous labour , needed loads of stitches , huge baby ended up in SCBU ( was fine) and I then had a post partum haemorrhage , fainted and bashed my head and needed a blood transfusion . However it was all worth it .

Awful pregnancy and awful labour here Sorry!

Nope horrendous pregnancy then horrendous labour. For the other three I followed horrendous pregnancies with elective sections & that was good! The relief of not being pregnant any more is immense though - regardless of the labour.

Maybe it’s all down to perceptions? If you’ve been feeling good for pregnancy maybe labour is a shock and feels worse. But if you’ve been feeling bad or in pain maybe getting it all Over by giving birth seems easier in comparison?
FWIW first pregnancy was easy and labour was tough. Second pregnancy was a breeze and labour was too. Third pregnancy was tough and horrible and labour was okay but haemorrhaged afterwards and fourth pregnancy was fine and easy but birth was awful. So mine is quite close to the old wives tale.

Awful pregnancies and difficult labours here too, sorry!

Was still a relief not to be pregnant any more though

I suspect it feels that way. If a change is as good as a rest then birth compared to 9 months of difficulty will definitely be a change!

I would honestly welcome labour and giving birth just so I'm not pregnant.

Sometimes I feel terrible as I know how much some women would give to be pregnant but I've hated every second, it just doesn't agree with me.

I don't think I'll be doing this ever again, or at least not for a long time 🙈

Hi @mcjx, I'm in my second trimester with my first too and I've heard the same thing - though either way, going through labour isn't going to be easy. Have you heard of hypnobirth - my bff gave birth a month ago and she learned the approach about being calm, positive and though she hurt af - she did feel calm and in control the whole time (and actually called it magical) and there are loads of stories similar. There are courses you can get online - and I bit of a sceptic but figure, it can't hurt (pun not intended). Maybe its worth looking into?

Awful pregnancy, awful labour. Sorry, OP. Couldn’t have any more children anyway so whether or not to do it again wasn’t my choice.

I doubt it's true.

I had two very easy pregnancies and two very easy labours.

I had three easy pregnancies and three reasonably easy births. Sorry OP!

Not in my case and everyone said that to me. Every birth is different hope yours goes smoothly

Two horrible pregnancies, one horrible birth followed by one intensely painful but only 40 minute combined labour and birth. No correlation there

Slightly off topic, but whatever medical conditions you have, the only birth option they can refuse is a midwife led unit. You can still choose home birth etc, even if you're advised against it. Just do your research if you feel your HCPs are forcing something you feel unnecessary, then you can make an informed choice. (Not just aimed at the OP). Sorry for my little ramble, I just wish somebody had pointed out this to me with my first birth.

Labour was easily my favourite bit of pregnancy both times. And neither was straightforward, just such a relief to know I wasn’t going to be fucking pregnant any more.

Maybe it’s all down to perceptions? If you’ve been feeling good for pregnancy maybe labour is a shock and feels worse. But if you’ve been feeling bad or in pain maybe getting it all over by giving birth seems easier in comparison?

^I agree with this. Also, I've had kidney stones this pregnancy. All of the midwives assure me that the pain of labour will not be as bad as the stones because there are more pain relief options available. I think having had difficulties or pain already puts the delivery into perspective - it might hurt but I'll get through it, and then I can get the bastard kidney stones treated too!

You know that's an old wives' tale, don't you?

Like a baby born with a caul will never drown, or a hairy baby gives you heartburn...

I had easy pregnancies and easy labours and my friends and family have had every possible combination because there is no correlation.

I had a terrible pregnancy. But could do the labour thing all over again.

HG throughout and SPD. Then 40 odd hours in labour.

I did have a super easy baby though