What would YOU say was the most painful stage of labour?

[Dozeyland]

in regards to dilation, the babys delivery, contractions etc etc

Crowning - but that feeling of being on fire only lasted a minute or so.

Didn't notice transition.

Transition wasn't that painful for me - more a feeling of "bloody hell!!!!!!!" Crowning is bloody sore though - ow ow ow. I remember with DD2 MW saying to me "now, Lal123 I know you're tired, baby's tired too - but I need you to push" I replied "I'm not tired - it JUST HURTS!!!"

Oh im crapping myself now lol best to be in the know though!

Don't remember transition or crowning but I was so off my little green face on gas & air for contractions, so I think those were probably the second most painful bit. The stitches afterwards were the worst, as was the needle going in for the local anaesthetic. I think I called the doc doing the stitching some names.

I definitely told the bastard who did my episiotomy off, but he was a rude man who told me to stop making such a fuss and that he'd see me in 18mo for my DC2. Git.

Look, it all potentially hurts, and everyone has a different experience anyway. Just don't let them prise the g&a out of your hand. Even if it doesn't take all the pain away, it's a lovely way to get hammered. And best of luck!

I think transition is the period between being fully dilated and the urge to push. For some women it can happen instantly, others it can take several hours as sometimes the contractions tail off.

This is normal and is often called the 'rest and be thankful stage' as it's the body's way of allowing mum to conserve energy before the 2nd stage. A lot of hospitals don't allow for this and call it things like 'failure to progress' and 'labour stalling' and try to ramp up the contractions again by artificial means. This can make for a difficult 2nd stage with a likelyhood for further intervention especially if the mother hasn't got the urge to push.

The stitches afterwards, where far more painful than my whole birth. The doctor was a sadist I think!

Crowning. I thought I was going to split in two from my fanjo upwards!

Oh yeah - I got a labial graze too. Hurt more than 2 episiotomies and a tear put together! Can't wee sitting back (tear) can't wee leaning forward (graze). Ouch!

I'm sitting here with my toes curling practically around themselves remembering every detail of all 3 labours now other people have reminded me!

Am currently ttc#4 and am booking my epidural as soon as I see my consultant!

1st time round the pushing was the worst bit - as it when on and on and on with no real progress for several hours and no pain relief as G&A made me very sick.

2nd time round the transition was the worst but that's because it all happened so quickly (45 min from start to delivery) I truely thought if that level of pain went on I would pass out!

But I was at home with no pain relief waiting for the ambulance....

2nd degree tears here too, and many grazes, the grazes were worse i agree, throw in spd on top and bobs your bloody unckle.

good job we women are so bloody brave, strong and resillient.

I didn't even notice transition - one minute I was contracting, the next I was contracting AND pushing. Crowning was the most painful bit for me - I just wanted it to be over with, REALLY pushed and ended up tearing. Not too badly fortunately, but wish I'd slowed down a bit!

Stiches weren't even too bad as I finally got to have some G&A!

Poor OP, I bet you wish you'd never asked...

It's all pretty bad to be honest...babies are big, and they have to be pushed out of a fairly small hole. Really, really pushed. They don't just fall out.

But it doesn't go on forever, and for most people it's not completely unbearable.

Having a catheter put in was the worst part for me.

My worst bit was trying to sit in the car on the way home. I didn't realise I had given myself piles and ended up balancing on my hands all the way home.

Two years on, can't remember specifically, and would do it all again: don't worry, when you have your baby it will not seem important. Good luck. Oh, and good point about afterpains, no-one told me about them,but nothing to worry about

My labour lasted ages and was very very slow. Needed lots of help and intervention but TBH I don't think it was as bad as I thought it would be...

OK I'm going to balance all these scary tales by telling you that I would have preferred to be in labour for nine months :) I had 2 horrendous pregnancies and by the time I had the DDs I was very happy to see the back of the bumps lol.

Maybe it was that, maybe it was because I was happy to be in labour and very relaxed about it, but I can't say that it was that horrific or painful. It hurt, yes but not badly enough to make me scream or panic or anythign like that. For me it was a good and positive experience both times. I practised relaxation techniques which helped massively and with DD2 I didn't actually push at all, I knelt and panted her out.

My experience is that itt doesn't have to be a painful and frightening experience. I had good labours. I'm sure it was because I was relaxed so my advice to you would be to learn relaxation/self hypnosis techniques, don't panic and focus on the the beautiful baby you will have shortly.

Lots of luck to you :)

Transition - because I didn't really know what was going on and had felt totally in control up until that point. Pushing contractions didn't hurt at all, just very intense, and when DS crowned I was so focused on the fact that it was nearly over I didn't really notice any pain.

Stitches hurt A LOT, I had more gas and air for them than for labour.

worst bit for me was being induced the constant checks for the next 24 hours to see if I had dilated by even a millimetre. Compared to that, the birth was fine. But I did succumb to the joy of an epidural...

My waters had ben gone for 2 weeks when I finally gave birth to dd. It was what they call a dry birth and omg it felt like it.. The most painfull bit was the contractions as I had zero cushioning. The most scary bit was transition.

I'm another one who could take labour any day compared to pregnancy. I don't do pregnant very well at all

The most painful bit of labour was when the midwife broke my waters. I was fully dilated and she reasoned that it would make it easier. It brought the contractions on faster BUT very soon I was pushing, and I found that exhilarating in a strange sort of way. So it was transitory.

The other most painful bit of labour was being examined on my back during a contraction. I was upright for 99.9% of labour incl delivery and it was painful but bearable. The one time I got on my back it was fucking agony. I had an excellent midwife after that who was able to examine me as I knelt (I didn't even have to tell her to do this, she was just brilliant).

I know people roll their eyes at people like me who say 'try everything you can to not be on your back' (and I also know that for some women, they want to be on their backs and there are good reasons for them ie position of baby, but that doesn't mean it's 'just fine' for everyone else!). But honestly if I had had to labour on my back, I'd have been traumatised.

It's just such a different experience for everyone. In a way our experiences mean very little!

Dozeyland - havent read the thread but to be honest, I cant remember from either of my births the most "painful" part. Remember - each persons birth experience will be different and each person's perception of pain and pain threshold is different, so please dont be upset/disturbed by frank answers on this thread.

DS1 was induced - was a fast and frantic birth. DS2 came a week early - was a fast waterbirth. I honestly cant say I remember any particularly painful parts of either 4 and nearly 2 years on - hormones giving rise to mother amnesia are a great thing If you're worried about perception of pain in birth, I'd really recommend reading "Childbirth without fear" and trying out Hypnobirthing - did both of those before DS2's birth and massively helped stopping me panicking at any point in his birth.

crowning as spent 2 hours trying to push my dd2 who had a big head!! - ouch! had a 2nd degree tear and stitches....

i'm trying my best to be calm!!

afterall calm & relaxed = calm & relaxed baby and birth (she hopes)

80% of the time i'm very optimistic, its just that 20% i have nerves. obviously about the pain. but also where i've had such a good pregnancy its like - WOW its going to be over soon?? i cant rememeber NOT being pregnant. see what i mean?

The worst bit for me is always the last bit before I need to push. With DS3 I had half an hour of the most horrific contractions that seemed to have no gap between, where I forgot about position/ breathing/ everything and ended up on my side in the foetal position sobbing

All of a sudden though, I felt the urge to push and I almost 'forgot' the pain! I, personally, can cope better with the pain of pushing / crowning etc because it feels so much more purposeful than the hours of contractions that precede it (I know, I know, I should see every contraction as being one step nearer to meeting my baby, etc, etc but it doesn't work like that for me!)

DC4 is due in 3 weeks - reading this thread has helped me in a funny way. Will help me get my head round what I've got to do again!!