Am i the only one....

[starlight86]

That loves labour?

Friends and family think im nuts but i absolutely love it, i dunno why, a sense of achievement maybe?
I find it generally easy, yes i know im lucky in that respect.

I fucking hate pregnancy, it sucks the life out of me but dream every night about labour and when it will happen lol (currently pregnant with No 3)

Am i weird or is anyone else like this?

Do you know what, I'm really excited for my labour! Haha everyone keeps saying I will change my mind after but I don't think I will!

I'm glad to read this today, you read so many negative stories, I love to see positive ones!

I liked being in labour much better than I liked being pregnant! A few hours of pain and lovely baby at the end as opposed to nine months of being nauseous, huge and exhausted.

@Igotthemheavyboobs

I remember a midwife saying to me with my first that i was going to have an easy labour because i was so relaxed and excited. Honestly mind set is super important. Being calm aswel really helps.

My first was a breech but i still delivered her with absolutely no problems with just gas and air, everyone was flapping and running around me and i was just like this isnt that bad lol.

They said the fact i remained calm and in the zone really helped my body with labour.

My second was a "normal" delivery, just a pretty bog standard labour really.

This one is going to be a homebirth and let me tell you it cannot come soon enough!!

@Apolloanddaphne

Yes!!! It is quite unbelievable how crap i am at pregnancy but how good i am at labour lol

Yes, you’re weird. All I can say is you must have had really easy labours. I had horrific ones where either I almost died or the baby did so opted for a c-section with my last baby and it was a breath of fresh air.

Loved all mine too! I’ve always slept up to around 8cm dilated and then had very, very quick labours with no pain relief! It’s about the only thing I do really well tbh....

I've never given birth but a friend had a very traumatic labour with her DC, she needed counselling afterwards.

Seems a bit judgemental to say yours was fine because you were happy and relaxed - almost like you think a negative experience is the mothers fault for not being relaxed enough?

@Urkiddingright

Yes i think i must have although first was a breech delivery so i suppose not the norm but easy nonetheless.

I’ve had 3 - the first and third I did not enjoy. The second was lovely - quick and easy, I’d do it again tmw! I think mindset can make a huge difference but there are some things you cannot control and a large part if how labour goes is also down to luck.

Good luck, I hope it’s goes well for you.

I much, much prefer labour to pregnancy.

40 odd hours. An epidural that didn't work. Vomiting. And then being unable to push. But it was still a breeze compared to the hell that was my pregnancy!

@SunOnAll

Sorry if it came across that way, didn't mean that at all just meant that it can help if your body is relaxed which is actually proven.

However of course things dont always go to plan and i dont think for 1 minute its the mums fault x

Yes! I love love loved both my labours. I’d happily do it everyday. Amazing endorphin high and sense of well-being and achievement.

I am totally unsporty and unfit so the only time I’ve really experienced that pride in my body’s capabilities was in labour.

Of course, I am lucky to have a capacious pelvis, reasonably small babies and to be well set up for labour. I don’t think it’s anything I’ve done that I have control over.

Am happy to do labour for someone if in return they do the ages of 2-4? Anyone for a swap?

Ah I'm a bit torn here OP. That's brilliant for you, and lovely- but not most peoples experience. Labour can be very dangerous, terrifying, agonising, cause damage, PTSD etc and I think this might be unhelpful to read for those that was true of.

I don't think making it about 'being good at it' is very fair- someone with a lower pain threshold naturally, or a better level of strength, lack of generalised anxiety and good mental health -or just sheer luck hasn't done better than women who haven't been lucky enough to have that. Women who had a negative experience in labour are not 'bad at labour'. That has some very damaging connotations.

Not saying it isnt something to feel proud of and pleased with, of course it is wonderful to have brought your baby into the world and had an empowering experience-I just would have done so privately, personally.

Women really really shouldn’t have to keep quiet about their positive labour experiences. No more than they should their negative ones.

Women really really shouldn’t have to keep quiet about their positive labour experiences. No more than they should their negative ones.

Yes!! Couldn't have said this better myself. I hope some woman that are maybe worried about labour will take solace in this thread knowing alot of people have great experiences.

Yanbu, but what sun said is worth reiterating. I’ve known plenty of positive, upbeat women have difficult labours owing to issues that really couldn’t have been improved with any more calm or positive thinking. (And mine, fwiw, was fine - the MWs were surprised to find I was 10cm and ready to go because I was still whinging to DH about how we’d need to cancel the gardener that day!)

I loved everything about pregnancy. I have 3 Herberts, and was told I'd couldn't have a normal birth because I was too small - I'm 4' 11" and weighed 6.5 stone. And why worry about the size of my feet? (size 3, or 2.5). It was like shelling peas. The last one only took 4 pushes, even I couldn't believe how fast that one was!

Omg yes I also love giving birth I got excited last time my contractions started everyone thinks I'm weird!!

I enjoyed both of mine too. I found the whole thing really exciting knowing baby was arriving soon. Looking forward to the next arrivals in the summer now. I was also lucky though, both were quick with manageable pain.

Worst experience of my life and I had an “easy labour” gas and air no tearing 6hrs....I still would have killed myself had a gun been in the room. Unimaginable pain!

Me too.. i didn't particularity love my one and only pregnancy but i LOVED my water birth.

I too was calm and just chilled about the whole thing and just went with it. Waters broke @ 10:30pmish, contractions started and then she was out at 04:22. I feel incredibly lucky to have had the great experience i had. Especially as I do not want anymore!

I had a horrible birth and worse midwives. I was left alone after birth for 14 hours with noone around or responding to the buzzer. I didn't even know where the toilets or cleaning facilities were for babys bum!

Hearing great stories makes me less nervous about the thought of having another though! I only ever see horrible stories or people giving birth while asleep

I would love to do it just one more time. I’d totally nail it.

Yes definitely. I had a homebirth in a pool, had a relaxing day just carrying on around contractions then got in the pool. The end of labour especially when you can feel your baby moving down and know it won't be long until you meet them after waiting for so long! Definite sense of achievement coupled with knowing you are now free to go eat a shed load of brie after.

Kind of the same but my last 2 were Emcs and I am kind of said I will never have a vaginal birth again. Though that probably DOES sound weird