Birth? Pushing or contractions harder?

[Janedoe95]

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I wanted to get peoples opinions as I had epidural at 10cm so have no idea if pushing is harder

Pushing is more physically strenuous, but for me, contractions were far more painful. I loved labour, though! (Yes, I’m very weird and also very lucky.)

Contractions were excruciating, pushing was hard work physically but no where near as painful

Pushing is easier. IMHO.

Contractions were horrendous agony. Pushing was instinctive.

Pushing was the easy bit for me both times. Contractions were awful, especially the second time with quick labour

I found pushing the most painful bit both times, but I'm pretty certain that's the more unusual experience; most people say contractions. I found contractions bearable but transition seems to send me utterly loopy and after that I found it hard to cope with pushing.

Pushing harder as I had no urge to push and I was terrified of tearing. Bloody hard work too. Took 70 minutes DC2 and I burst a blood vessel in my eye. And I tore both times (big headed babies).

Imagine contractions as the cramping and pain you get when you need a poo (x a million) and then pushing is pushing that poo out (x a million) so it's hard work, it hurts a bit, but it's a good productive feeling and a relief to do it almost as your body is wanting you to

Contractions for me were definitely harder. Even though pushing is painful, it's a totally different pain. You're pushing the pain away if that makes sense? That's how it felt for me anyway. I loved the pushing part.
If I could, I'd have an epidural for the contractions next time but I would switch it off for the actually pushing stage 😂

I didn’t actively push, but the feeling of the head crowning is the worst part of the whole thing and I’d take hours of contractions over that bit
disclaimer- I had no pain relief so it doesn’t have to be that bad!

Labour as it neared birth was the most painful because there was little respite between contractions. Pushing actually felt really cool.

Contractions were 100000% worse for me with both of my pregnancies. The pushing wasn't that bad to be honest. I did have an epidural the second time round but first time I didn't and it felt pretty much the same. Contractions can go to hell though, never felt pain like it

Pushing was a relief from the pain of the contractions.

I had water births so didn’t get the whole ring sting. Pushing for me was fairly pleasant as I wasn’t in Labour for long either time so I wasn’t knackered.

tbis isn’t me doing some kind of weird show off that I had good labours, just that I fully accept I can’t understand what it’s like to have to push a fucking human out at the end of a 12 hour labour 😭

Contractions much worse in my opinion, you just have to endure them and there's nothing you can do about them. With the pushing, you have something to focus on and the end feels much more in sight so psychologically easier for me too - both times.

I barely noticed the pushing, the pain of the contractions was too distracting. 😂 All worth it in the end.

I had two quick labours with back-to-back babies and the contractions were intense and painful from the start. Pushing was instinctive for me, it was very painful but over quickly!

The feeling of the head crowning was horrific but even though it was more painful, I found pushing easier to cope with psychologically because the end was in sight. I had long labours both times so the contractions felt relentless and exhausting.

Seems I'm going against the grain here but the contractions didn't hurt me half as much as the pushing did! I had pethidine and slept through 1cm-7cm so that would play a part in it, and I also pushed for 2:30hrs so that's was the long bit!

Contractions - not the tension but the sickness and the back and period type pain. Urgh. Awful.

Contractions

Especially that one fucking contraction you get when you’re transitioning that seems to last 5 weeks!!!

I'm confused... Didn't ya bodies naturally push when you had a contraction?

Contractions were harder/more painful. My body pushed very much against my will (I tried to hold her in as was hoping for more morphine and in denial at being in labour as no one had confirmed it at any point) and baby girl was out in 14 minutes, including the shoulder dystocia internal release manoeuvre! She was a vbac and my first labour so surprise for me all round 😅

Contractions without a doubt (and I pushed for 2.5 hours with both of mine as they were back to back)