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

Contractions far worse. Pushing felt like it had a purpose, it just stang, with contractions I was at the point I'd have cut my arm off if it would have just stopped the pain.

Both of mine came out in a couple of pushes.

Contractions and pushes were completely involuntary and I had no input.

It wasn't hard because I wasn't consciously doing any of it. But it was painful/uncomfortable.

Contractions but then pushing for me was very luckily only 15 minutes first time and about 5 minutes second time.

@VestaTilley sorry you had such an awful time!

Personally that's the exact reason Why declined an epidural and wouldn't ever actually have one. As the risk of intervention or c section is much higher. I was offered one many times (they were quite pushy actually!) so glad I didn't. My son was back to back also, I agree the pain is horrific. But I'm so glad I stuck to my guns. I hate the idea of not being able to feel what I was doing and not being in control.

4 babies - contractions were the hardest with all but my second baby which pushing was the worst.

Pushing was unbearably painful - the pain felt wrong. I'd managed on gas and air until that point so when I begged the midwife that it hurt too much to push and that my body didn't feel like it needed to push she should have listened.

But she insisted I push anyway and I complied because I had no choice.

DC was a 10 pounder and shoulder dystocia (her shoulder was stuck behind my pelvis). In the end the doctor put her hand up to get her shoulder free and I tore wide open.

Sorry, that all just came out. Reading all of these women posting that contractions are worse than pushing was both vindicating and triggering. I knew that it was not right and she should have listened.

Contractions were horrible, until I figured out exactly when to use the gas and air. Then I felt so high I didn't care.

Pushing was amazing, such an incredible feeling of my body knowing what it needed to do and just doing it.

Jeez @Gruffling you poor thing, your experience sounds horrendous. I'm sorry you went through that and I hope you and your DD recovered well

Pushing definitely.

Contractions are very painful but they happened no matter what you did. Pushing, however, you had to somehow summon up enough consciousness and strength to do it even after you've been through hours of contractions that have left you physically weak.

My first labour was horrible (33 hours active strong contractions). The contractions were awful, just absolutely grim. I got to about '9 3/4' dilated (apparently I was nearly there but had just a 'crescent' of stubborn bit of cervix that was stuck and not quite fully dilated and the urge to push completely and utterly took over, I couldn't stop pushing even though they kept telling me I had to and gave me weird breathing exercises to try and force me to go against what my body was naturally doing. The pushing felt really good and like someone said, exactly like doing a really urgent poo after cramping up waiting to find a toilet! Trying NOT to push was awful!

Then unfortunately when I finally reached 10cm my baby managed to turn awkwardly and got wedged somehow and all urge to push went and it just became horrible agony again with nothing productive to work with!

So definitely the pushing is better! No idea about the final result or 'ring of fire' because I ended up with a c section! Up to that point I'd had no pain relief except gas and air. I think if I were lucky enough to do it again I'd consider an epidural that could be turned down for pushing so I could feel that bit

Both awful, although for me the contractions were just as bad during the pushing stage as before. Is that not normal? I only felt contractions in my back too, although neither of my babies was back-to-back.

I am small framed and had big babies - not sure if this affected my pushing stage but it was definitely not instinctive for me. I didn't feel the urge to push in either of my labours. First one ended in EMCS after DC was discovered to be jn an awkward presentation after 2 hours of pushing. Second DC was born through VBAC after 3 hours of pushing. Despite trying all sorts of recommended positions the only way I could get her out was flat on my back in stirrups.

Should add, didn't have an epidural during either of my labour's so that wasn't the reason I had no urge to push. Just had gas and air.

Exactly this

I didn't feel the pushing, my body just did it
Contractions were indescribable
Like having the worst food poisoning ever and then vomiting your guts out - the vomiting is the easy bit

I had the foetal ejection reflex with DC 2. My body just did it. The pressure was scary and intense but the whole baby was out in 3 pushes. The head emerging was an explosion of unspeakable agony beyond anything else. But one more push and it was all over. Instant relief.

Contractions were the really painful part for me, when I got to 10cm and started pushing it was ok. The head crowning was nothing compared to a contraction in my opinion!

Forgot to add - I had gas & air and felt it didn't nothing for the contractions other than give me something to bite on

Contractions were definitely hardest for me. In my first birth it literally felt like my pelvis was cracking open. The midwives didn't really get me pushing, they just guided me in breathing as my body automatically pushed. So I wasn't having to work hard if that makes sense.

4 natural deliveries here and no pain relief or gas and air. The contractions where the worst part. The pushing for me was a relief from the contractions. Head crowning stings literally like a ring of.fire. but that's the hard part. The last push you do when baby comes out felt oddly nice to me. But again more of a sense of relief

For me the pain changed when I was ready to push, it was still horrifically painful but different to the contractions of your cervix opening. I was so impressed with how my body automatically pulled back a little - when MW was asked me to push more my body was like - I’ll push a little, and no stitches for that birth. I never got the ring of fire either - grateful for that

I had a distinct change too. A real shift, a very sudden urge that baby was coming and I got onto the bed (otherwise was pacing the bathroom of the birthing room)

I found the pushing bit worse as I dislike the pressure feeling, given birth twice x

Pushing for me. It took forever both times and felt like my pelvis was being smashed!

Contractions harder and so much longer the Pushing is the finish line xx

Contractions much much harder. The pain in my back felt like was like it was going to break.

Pushing physically harder but productive and instinctive.

Contractions wow, unbelievable painful, pushing was the easy bit.