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

[Dozeyland]

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

Pushing. Contractions were like bad period pain and I wasn't aware of transition. I pushed for 10 minutes and thought I would die - it was like passing a toolbox. But I know that generally I had it very easy because it really was fine, and up until pushing, I was sitting on the bed chatting to dh and midwife.

Crowning, exruciating and I did tear. Had epidural for the stitches so at least that didn't hurt!

crowning for sure... thankfully over relatively quickly but still makes my eyes water thinking about it!

The cramp I got in my thigh and backside during the pushing was more painful than the pushing! Crowning smarts a bit!

Transition, and pee getting on your stitches

Indaba - Transition comes right at the end of 1st stage, just before you start pushing, not everywoman notices it, but it's usually symptomised by a change in behavior of some sort, e.g. vomiting, anger, shaking, sweating, feeling hot or cold, thinking you can't cope, saying you're going home now, feeling sleepy, needing a poo. It could be any or all of those things! It might last 30 seconds or a few hours. It's most useful as a sign to the caregivers that 2nd stage & pushing is near.

Thank you!

Arrr, so that was the bit when wanted to really clock my husband with a big fist!

Most painfull - the bit when 12 hours into home labour, husband came into room with marmite on toast for him and the midwife... the stench, I made them go out into the garden can't remember the rest, had to ask husband second time round what a contraction felt like. He remembers the pain not me so no worries long term.

I've only done it once but I also don't really get transition either. I said I wanted to go home about 8 hours before DD was born - was it still transition?! Actually, I got a fever and was sick - perhaps that was my transition.

The most painful bit for me was after I had said "I've had worse period pains than this", just before I asked for an epidural. But I was strapped up to monitors and with PGP unable to move, in my defence!

Agree labour is a positive pain, like exercise when you want to stop but can make yourself keep going..... um, not that there is a choice in this case! The only part where I wanted to pack up and go home was the pushing where it felt like nothing was happening and then very much with the crowning..... remember trying to scrabble back on the bed to get away.....um, no chance of that :)

Crow-ow-ow-ow-owning is the worst. No-one warned me of that when I had DD when I was only 16 (would've been a bloody good contraceptive if someone had told me that it feels like someone setting fire to your fanjo!). On the plus side, crowning doesn't actually last that long.

I assume transition is what I had with my first when I told the MW I had had enough, was going home, and I'd come back and do the rest tomorrow? Didn't have that with the other 2, and am hoping I miss that part when dc4 is born in January!

All my labours were induced, the first 2 were back to back, but tbh, contractions weren't really that bad.

With my 2nd dc, I did have the crowning last a lot longer than the 'usual' minute or two...but that was because DS1 was B2B, with his hand on his head, and kept getting 'almost' there, then popping back in. At which point I was asked if a trainee, male MW could watch...and I replied " I don't give a shit if he's a trained monkey if he can get this baby out of me". . But out of 3 labours so far, that's been the only one that was 'bad'.

I'm hoping DC4 is as easy as DC3(ds2) was.

But OH GOD! reading this thread has reminded me about afterpains. I had actually forgotten about them. Will they be even worse the fourth time than they were the third time? even though there'll be a 7yr gap? Last time it felt like someone was trying to remove my womb with a rusty spoon.

ah was it transistion when i paid down on the sofa and slept for a while then, just before pushing?

I agree with Loudlass Crowning is the worst pain ever.

I have also had 3 one in hospital, one at home, and one at home in birthing pool and with each of them that was the worst. I remember screaming with the last as he crowned "Pull it out, Just Pull it f*ing out!!!" At which point DH told me he had left the windows open so all the neighbours could hear . Not that I gave a shit at that point.

On the plus aide it only lasts a couple of mins. I don't really remember any after pains with any of them.

misdee I think that's the bit immediately after transition. Some people have said no one had prepared them for the pain. Would that have been possible?

misdee I felt very sleepy after giving birth but I guess everyone does!!!

Crowning is a horrid burning sensation, but it doesnt last long whereas transition can last a good while - from 6/7 cms sometimes.

The worst noise for me (I am not very vocal when I give birth so can hear everything going on around me) was the sound of me tearing when ds2's head came out.....I had a 3rd degree tear and I heard it!!! (shudder)

I think it must be transition, or what I think I must have had prior to ds being born, I was in so much pain I barely thought I was conscious! However I had no crowning pain and the pain I had was concentrated to my hips - felt like my bones were shattering. Didn't feel any crowning though and the minute ds born nothing, no pain, just a bit of tiredness , also I can't remember diddly squat now!

Loudlass there's a painkilling suppository they can give you after the birth - wish I could remember the name, someone else I'm sure will - possibly Voltarol? - anyway it's ABSOLUTELY FAB for afterpains so if you have had them badly with the 3rd I definitely recommend it for the 4th!

Definitely the stitches. But then I had an epidural from 3cm on... which wore off just in time for pushing.
I could feel every stitch and it was excruciating (apparently they'd given me a local anaesthetic but it "isn't always effective on the surface" ) whereas the pushing was more "positive" as there was a point to it and I knew I was nearly there. Also it only lasted 15 minutes - less than the stitches!
Don't remember crowning particularly and the after pains weren't too bad at all.

The doctor trying to turn dd who was LOP without mentioning that was what she was going to do or any pain relief. Needless to say she was not successful.

[whispers] I did not find labour to be that painful to be honest. I was expecting to be in absolute screaming agony and we went into the hospital when I could bear it no longer at home; DD was born 15 minutes after our car park ticket says we arrived. The "ring of fire" wasn't anything like I was expecting either.

The worst bit for me was having the local injected when they stitched up the small tear I had. I didn't have any pain relief at all, not even a TENS.

First time: transition
Second time: pushing (DS kicked and wriggled on his way down the birth canal- arrrrggghhh).

I didn't really feel the crowning either time.

Actually the post-natal piles and afterpains while BFing were pretty painful as well.

The manual removal of placenta afterwards with no pain relief was probably the worst part.
The episiotomy without pain relief wasn't great either.
During the actual labour, it all sort of blurred into one so I'm not really clear which part was worst.