AIBU to ask if there is any pain you have experienced..

[ChocolateQuiltedShitPig]

That is worse than childbirth?

Just trying to ease my anxieties over giving birth, due this week!

I hate the unknown and not having a client what level of pain to expect. I know every labour is different but I cant sleep and thought I'd ask!

[Flipflopsaga]

I had kidney stones and was rushed to A and E. The Consultant told me that the pain I felt would be worse than childbirth. Wrong!! When I gave birth a few years later the pain was indescribable for 27 hours however at least I ended up with a prize at the end I always think that just over a day of my life in pain is nothing compared to having my child.

[BadTigerKitty]

My labours were relatively pain-free. Had no pain relief because I genuinely didn't need it. I did know I was having contractions but they weren't any worse that braxton hicks - just longer and more purposeful. It did get very intense right near the end and I would have gone for pain relief if it continued like that, but it was all over before I got to the stage of wanting anything. So who knows, you might not find it so bad.

Leg/hip pain in pregnancy, dental pain and nerve pain have been significantly worse. And unrelenting. And, depressingly, I'm sure there will be worse to come in the future.

[Whatisthisfuckery]

Cyclo diode laser surgery to alleviate the symptoms of a very aggressive, and painful, form of glaucoma. The surgen said she’d shoot my eye up with local after she’d finished so I wouldn’t feel the pain afterwards. She didn’t, and oh my god was it painful. I’d only just got into the recovery area and the anaesthetic wore off. An hour later I was clawing at my head and crying with the pain. The eye hospital refused to prescribe me pain killers because they said it shouldn’t hurt, so I had to literally beg the GP for pain killers which my exp had to go and fetch. Never been in so much pain in my life. Childbirth with no pain relief was a breeze in comparison..

The cyclo diode didn’t work either, so I can add glaucoma to the list of things that are worse. I begged the doctor to take my eye out, which wasn’t that painful tbh.

[MoorGirl]

While labour is painful it’s a productive pain - also when you’re not contracting it doesn’t hurt!

[Pickles89]

I've never had a baby, but remember OP some women CHOOSE to do it 20+ times!!

[Winterwoollies]

Lung drain. Fuuuuuuuck. However, the diffference with childbirth and all these things is the baby. You get a lovely little baby at the end. All I got with the other was a slightly reinflated lung, which white lifesaving and nice, wasn’t quite the same.

[EuphieKat]

Yes! My severe back problems give me greater pain; also, having my wisdom tooth out by a trainee dentist who hadn’t anaesthetised me properly!

[Lulu1919]

I k car had a double ear infection and full blown flu ....omg the pain was terrible,I just wept for hours on end unable to sleep

[babygrootandstarlord]

Kidney stones

[bumblingbovine49]

All I can say is childbirth is a different pain. I have had several things where I'd say the pain was worse than childbirth becasue I remember them vividly.
I remember my ds' s birth through a sort of haze. I know it hurt a lot but I can't really remember the feeling exactly, just that he pain was sort of through my whole body and it felt far away and at the same some all encompassing. I did use a tens machine and gas and air but nothing else . I also had an induced birth on a drip so my contractions were full on from the very best every 2-3 minutes for 8 hours but it was manageable ( just). I had two birthing partners , one friend and my DH. They were invaluable to me in helping me get through it. I was lucky, 8 hrs is a shortish first labour and I also don't have the long boring bits when you wait for something to happen which is quite common. For me that helped as I am not good with waiting

Op. It will be fine. Try not to worry. Easier said than done I know.

[StoppinBy]

So many people saying that when you are contracting it doesn't hurt, that's not the same for everyone. I had the most horrible constant back labour pain for my first. My second was back and front labour. The pain in my hips, back, stomach etc was never ending for hours on end until I finally opted for a c/s after nil progression even with strong contractions.

That being said if I fell pregnant again (which I plan to not do, 2 kids is enough for us!) the idea of attempting a natural labour doesn't scare me. Once it was over I did quickly forget it.

[Eminybob]

I’m lucky in that I haven’t had any severe injuries or illnesses, so childbirth is the most painful thing I’ve experienced. But that said, with Ds1 I had a oxytocin drip and the midwife bodged the cannula so the pain in my hand was very distracting and took my mind off the labour for a bit.

And after having ds2 a couple of days in and I had shredded nipples, post birth contractions, and huge piles. I was in so much pain from a combination of them that I thought I would happily go through labour again! (Not really, I was induced with ds2 and it was considerably more painful than ds1’s birth)

So yeah, it’s not just the pain of labour you get to look forward to, there’s a whole load of other related shit to get to enjoy too

BUT it’s worth it. People go on to do it over and over again, so the end justifies the means. And you get to have pain relief. Don’t be a hero, if you’re struggling just ask for it. I was anti-epidural, but by the time I got over myself and asked for one it was too late. Diamorphine is good though.

[anxiousannies]

Gallstones

[Howmanysleepsnow]

No. But my labours were quick (45minutes shortest, 3.5 hours longest) and apparently quick labours are more painful. The 45 minute one felt like one continuous pain, no contractions coming and going. I just focused on thinking that the more it hurt, the sooner I got the baby! It’s worth it (it must be, I did it 4 times!)

[stopgap]

Periods, if you have either endometriosis or adenomyosis.

With my first labour, I got to 9cm dilated on my bed—very much unintentionally—as the pain was comparable to my monthly period.

[Mammyloveswine]

I had a breast abscess which was horrific... thought my boob was going to explode! I was quite poorly with the infection too though so that didn't help!

Labour was fine, painful but fine with the pool and gas and air. I did feel like I was being ripped apart on a medieval torture device when I was pushing DS2 out though which was horrific but very short lived (and I did get a second degree tear ). I remember that bit!

But the feeling of respect I had for my body afterwards, such a total high! Was amazing!

[Gallacia]

Toothache

I've not had labour, had an EMCS so can't say it's worse than labour but it was worse than my C-Section recovery

Never want to experience toothache again

[Gallacia]

@Rubyred24 Howcome you weren't offered any pain relief? X

[Chottie]

A broken wrist. It was just so painful and it was continuous pain. I passed out with the pain.....

For me labour pain was a productive pain and there was a great end result - my DCs :) Labour pain goes in waves, so you do get a little breather in between each contraction. I just kept thinking after each contraction, 'one nearer to my baby being born'.

[Phrowzunn]

Oh OP I feel for you - I remember very clearly the overwhelming fear of the unknown before I had my first. Hearing other womens’ horror birth stories does not help with the anxiety! Honestly, I think that fear and not having any frame of reference for what to expect was one of the worst bits of the whole process. People forget and almost take glee in telling you their war stories. The thing is, no one can say what it’s going to be like for you, every labour is so, so different and there’s no way to prepare unfortunately. BUT you WILL be fine!! Once it has started you just have to get on with it, there’s nothing else for it. You go into a sort of ‘whatever I need to do to get baby here safely’ mode. And at least once it has started, no matter what it is like, the end is in sight. Try to remember, although it feels like forever at the time, it is finite. It’s just one day of your life. You can do anything for just one day, then you get the baby for the rest of your life. Every day you spend with your baby makes the day you spent in labour seem less and less a big deal, and more and more worth it. That’s why people end up having more than one! Agree with some pp though, gas and air is wonderful stuff and don’t be afraid/proud to take whatever pain relief you want/need. Apart from my sister, literally no one has ever asked me what pain relief I used during childbirth, there are no prizes for doing it ‘naturally’! Good luck and enjoy your lovely little baby when they get here.

[Blackberrythief]

DH had a bad bout of food poisoning that needed a faecal sample. The nurse said she had the same type of food poisoning and said the pain was worse than childbirth!

For me mentally to get through child birth, I told myself it's potentially a day worth of pain and I've endured 9 months of being pregnant, I can get through a day of intense pain, (which for me was really really horrendous period pains and I'm a wimp with pain). I ended up at the hospital at 8cm dilated as they wouldn't admit before then as I sounded fine, but due to complications didn't give birth until 10 hours later with forceps. It sounds cliche but it was all worth it for my little one. Good luck OP, you can do this!

[Whereland]

Yes dental pain. An infection after a wisdom tooth extraction. It was horrendous and lasted for days. Childbirth much more manageable and you get a baby at the end!

[CovidicusRex]

No but honestly it wasn’t that painful. If the pain is excruciating and unbearable then that’s a sign that something is wrong. If it’s just very painful then that’s normal but easily managed with a combination of pain relief and distraction.

[Saracen]

Objectively childbirth was the worst, but even at the time I was giving birth the pain was less distressing. The term "pain with a purpose" comes to mind. When you are injured or ill there is no point to the suffering: your mind isn't on anything other than your misery.

The whole time I was in labour I kept thinking, "God this is awful, but I can't wait to meet my baby." Even during labour I was also thinking, "I could do this again. I'll be wanting a good long break before I do this again, but I could do this again."

I have never done anything physically difficult like running a marathon. But I imagine that might be like childbirth. Extreme physical discomfort combined with a great sense of achievement. The other way in which childbirth resembles running a marathon is that there is an endpoint in sight. You know it will be over soon. I had a long labour but even so, I knew it wasn't going to last more than a couple of days at most.

[JustaScratch]

Steroid injection in the base of my finger. Although that was localised and over quite quickly. It was sooooooo painful!

I had a natural birth (not particularly through choice, it just ended up that way). It hurt, but it was also a humbling and wonderful experience.