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

[Dozeyland]

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

I would say transition but actually the important thing to remember is that for most women its actuakky quite a short period of time that you are in this stage. For my first baby i would say 10 minutes? By my fourth I don't even remember that feeling at all.
Before transition hurt but I wouldn't say it was unbearable especially as it wasn't constant pushing i found a relief and crowning was painful but again it was a relief to know she was nearly out.

its wasn't painful as such - just very uncomfortable and very tiring.

OK although there is definitely a worst part of labour, theres no point freaking out over other peoples stories. It will never compare to your own experience.

I found the best part to be the moment when they put your newborn baby on your chest for the first time. It doesnt matter how much or how long you think you've suffered, its all worth it in the end.

the aftermath of a 4th degree tear...

Transition: why settle for pain when you can have terror too?

Crowning, rest of it was fine.

Having stiches afterwards

A book I'd highly recommend (if you've got time!) is Birth Skills by Juju Sundin

After reading it I was quite looking forward to labour, and even though I didn't really actually use many of the techniques, it really put me in positive frame of mind and made it all sound very manageable.
Lots of real life stories in there too.

1st time didn't notice transition but got the ring of fire
2nd time got a full on transition but no ring of fire

wouldn't describe either as painful cause i did hypnobirthing and had water births

Oh, hypnobirthing! Was just researching that. I take it you found it v good then?

Shoulders coming out - prob a term for it but I don't know it.

Definitely, definitely pushing them out. Had very long labours (first was 3 days) but the contractions were bearable even though I only had gas and air for my four.

Finally pushed them out very quickly but will never forget how painful it was. Was like having red hot, super sharp knives twisted around in me whilst being ripped apart! Awful, awful.

Sorry to all those expecting their first - it's not the same for everyone if that's any consolation!

Just looked up transition - god no wonder I was so bloody miserable with my ds, I was in transition from Midnight Saturday until 3pm Friday!

At least that wasn't the most painful part for me, but by god was I rough!

afterpains dont know if the question has been answered - not read whole thread yada yada blah blah (me - not the thread)

If its your first baby dont worry about afterpains. I dont remember having any after DC1. I think you dont get them after first baby or if you do they are very mild.

So after DC2 I was cussing the whole world for not warning me. They get worse the more you have. Had DC5 in April and I was fearing the worst but they were about the same as DC4. About the same means they were excruciating and made me cry everytime I fed the baby.

Also dozeyland, I know that it can be very painful at the pushing out stage if it happens very quickly, as it did for me.

The positive thing is that it doesn't last very long atall and once you have your baby you will (almost) forget all about it. And the fantastic relief that it is all over is almost worth going through it!

My mum always said that it is the one kind of pain that no-one ever faints from. So you will cope and get through it just like us

Thank you MN - I was starting to feel broody (no DCs, not really in a position to have any at the moment, was thinking about having a baby ALL the time), but this thread has COMPLETELY cured me of that.

My second stage was 20 seconds long is all.

Don't remember it being too painful but certainly quite erm physical.

More painful was the crowd of medics trying to resusitate ds and him disappearing in a plastic box to SCUBU and leaving me covered in blood and guts and no baby...

I'd rather have had a long painful delivery than go through that again.

Needless to say he is an only child.

Oh, the internal stitches weren't much fun.

the last forty minutes. fucking fuck.

worth it, though.

I found the contractions towards the end the worst bit. Actually the horrendous exhaustion was probably the worst (not sleep for 48 hours!). I didn't feel transition as my labour stalled and I transferred into hospital and had an epidural - they let it wear off so I could feel to push, which was painful but also unlike any of other pain, kind of a terrible, all consuming urge which I couldn't satisfy as my ds got stuck!

Had a forceps delivery in theatre in the end, so was numbed from the chest down and didn't feel a thing, didn't feel crowning or him being born at all (which actually has done me a fair bit of emotional damage tbf!).

I didn't find the post-birth poo too painful either.

Hypnobirthing is ace. I like Sheila Kitzinger's approach too though- it's like a combination of hypnobirthing and active birth. Uses relaxation and breathing techniques to reduce perceived pain but it's not quite as passive.

My first birth was very painful due to DS being back to back. It was hardest from when my waters went around 7cm as I had to transfer to hospital at that point and was forced to lie on my back. Awful MW at the hospital also forced me to stay on my back when I wanted to be on all fours which made the back labour much worse. Didn't notice crowning but I think it was because he was so slow to descend, it all had plenty of time to stretch.

Someone mentioned about big babies coming out of a small hole- not strictly true as your vagina dilates. See sphincter law for how to help it along.

Good luck, Dozey. As you can see, everyone's experience is so different, try not to let the bad bits stick in your head!

I wouldn't say my transitions hurt - They were the only point in both of my labours that I screamed however.

The worst part of the whole experience for me first time round was my milk coming in 4 days after DS was born - No one warned me I'd be carrying around lead balloons for 3 days, I just couldn't stop crying with the pain.

Transition for me was like a contraction which didn't stop, and felt like someone was moving furniture inside me - painful but not worse than a contraction and it only went on for a minute or so. For some reason I wasn't expecting it, and I thought I was so well prepared!

Crowning hurt too but the endorphins really kicked in at that stage, I felt like a weight lifter or marathon runner achieving some incredible physical feat rather than someone undergoing pain, if that makes sense.

So for me it certainly wasn't pain-free, but not too bad either (even though I had a second-degree tear). And I'm not particularly stoic in ordinary life.

wasn't fully under hpnosis but it really helped me view all the contractions as tightenings rather than a massive painful 'whatever' hence the crowning/ring of fire took my be surprise

Afterpains!! felt vaguely confused that i made it through labour with no pain relief then mw told me to dose up on paracetamol and ibuprofen. not too bad 1st time round but didn't realise they got worse after 2nd birth - was toe curling and demanding as many pills as i was allowed from dh.

For me the most painful part of giving birth was a couple of days later when dp 'helpfully' reminded me we've a rowing machine if I wanted to go use it (with a 3rd degree tear)!

Bloody hurt getting my fist back out of his nose!