How sore is childbirth? If being compared to a very very bad period?

[Iwantababynow]

I get the worst periods! to the point that 2 times ive been taken to the hospital because im screaming in pain, I cant take it, however my doctor says I have a high pain threshold, I had my appendix removed and refused pain killers after.

so, you girls out there that know what its like to be in bed 3 days a month due to extreme period pains, how did birth compare to that for you?

I really want a natural birth in water without pain relief... how bad can it be???

thanks guys, ps i love mums net :)

I have always had bad endometrosis and too had been hospitalised with bad peroid pain pre children . However i found the intensity of labour pain with my first baby a shock .Its just a much more intense and violent feeling .However with baby number 2 as I was more prepared I felt much more in control and found the pain much easier to cope with . I think going into labour thinking its going to be like a bad peroid pain is a big mistake ;its a very different sensation. .

I think every labour is different, and what other women and even yourself (in my experience) goes through is different every time.
I read all the books/websites and thought I was so prepared for the 'signs' of labour the first time, and it was nothing like what I had prepared myself for! Agonising bowel pain!! No period type pains at all.

2nd time was easier and a lot quicker. Period type pain gradually getting worse until my body took over and started pushing. Maybe because baby was in different position, maybe because I was more mentally tuned in to what was happening. Who knows?

Needed epiduaral for first, and gas and air only for 2nd. Am keeping an open mind for 3rd!!

at the start it was like periodpains, after waters broke it was extremley different. My advice to you is not to worry, dont get scared, prepare yourself. I read Childbirth Without Fear in prep for my 2nd labour, its an old book. I had to read it twice as its quite tough going. My 2nd labour was incredible after the fear factor is removed. x

My second was induced with a drip - that was painful - like going zero to 100 in a few seconds. Thye pain was beyond decription - I hadn't built any endorphins up as you would in a normal labour.

My third was natural, quick and very managable pain wise. I'd do it all over again tomorrow - it was that good.

You can really help yourself by sitting forward and making sure babes spine is in the correct position. Last thing you want is a back to back.

i ended up having to go on the hormone drip which the midwife called jungle juice. eek! yeah it was sore but listen to homeaway from earlier - all you need to do is stay calm, that the most important thing. the calmer you are, the better it will be for you. i had the most horrendous contractions because the drip overstimulated my uterus BUT when i focused on relaxing, i could deal with it, so i would say yeah, water birth is totally doable as long as you KEEP CALM!

have you tried hypnobirthing? cant recommend it enough - its basically just relaxation techniques and it totally got me through it and kept me focused. next pregnancy (touch wood) im definately doing that again. anythng could have been happening to me and i would have just lain there quietly, focusing on relaxing

and take the gas and air - it takes the edge off xx

It can help to stay off the next level of pain relief for as long as you can too though..I did nothing for the latent/early stage, breathing for the first two hours of proper contractions(2-4cm roughly), then two hours of tens (took me to 5-6), then epi. I think delaying until the point I needed it worked well as it took me further on, would hope next time if I can avoid being induced etc the same strategy might take me further (and I could maybe do water too!).

Truly, I got to 8 cms dilated at home, on my bed, all without making a peep. That's how comparable my period pains are to labour. Most months I vomit/have diarrhea/double in pain/faint, and I've also been to hospital twice the pain was so severe. During labour, my midwife called to my home to see how I was doing, which was was a blessing, otherwise I'd have given birth (unplanned) on my bed.

Completed part two at a birthing centre, and was eerily quiet the whole way through. The pushing part is more surreal than anything, but I didn't find the pain intolerable. That's not bravado at all: that's a woman with severe adenomyosis talking!

Yes I agree. I have hideous period pains - have vomited, fainted etc and the first stage of labour was exactly like those period pains (I vomited throughout both labours - think it's a similar hormone causing it).

Second stage where you push I found a relief tbh because you could do something with the pain (push). The bit where the baby comes out is not quite like any pain I've experienced but at least you know it's over soon!

Severe period pain definitely prepares you - also I think you are better at dealing with it (so breathing techniques etc etc).

But I agree with others, labour never quite goes the way you plan it! Best advice is to expect the unexpected and go with the flow! Don't set yourself up to fail - friend of mine had planned these beautiful (in her head) calm water births and ended up being induced and getting an emergency cs and she was devastated afterwards which was really sad as it was just one of those things. Good luck!

My periods used to have me in tears, have yet to experience post baby period so fingers crossed they will be nicer!

My labour started off with period type cramps, then I had an hour or two when I was on my knees with the pain for some of the contractions, but it was still bearable if you know what I mean. Then it got a bit better, then worse again for about an hour before I started pushing. DP thought we'd be sent home as soon as we got to the hospital as he didn't believe I could be so calm if I was in 'proper' labour. Then the midwives thought my contractions weren't long enough for established labour, until they examined me and found I was 8cm (DD arrived about an hour later!) The pushing bit was a completely different feeling, I think it was agony but it's a bit of a blur, breathing did help and I seem to remember thinking afterwards that it wasn't too bad! I had a water birth and coped without any pain relief.

Well I've never had a period pain so can't compare (made up for by horrendous menopause though). DS was posterior and when the constant wall of pain became too much I had an epidural. DD was induced and I asked for an epidural before the syntocynon was switched on.

No need to suffer any pain at all in my opinion - you wouldn't be expected to if you had your leg amputated. And both children came out with a tear or a stitch.

I was induced and ended up on the drip. Did hypnobirthing while pregnant.

Labour was quick. "Transition" was intense like a fever. "Pushing" bit like doing a big poo. Did have stiches. In hypnobirthing you are not meant to push but because labour went so quick, DS heart wasn't coping and it was important to get him out. No pain relief.

It wasn't like pain exactly. I think uncomfortable and you want to do something to make it stop, then it is over. 15 min was intense. The 25 min pushing was fine.

I don't get period pains. But I do recommend hypnobirthing and reading about breastfeeding. I found establishing breast feeding hard emotionally and painful. Harder than labour.

PS. you can do it without pain relief if you want. But do find out about pain relief. If my labour was long I can see how I would have needed help.

I had two births without any pain relief and for me not knowing the sex of either baby was a factor that helped me cope, because I was just so excited at the prospect of meeting the baby - truly the only time in your life you can be in absoloute agony and as excited as a four year old on Christmas Eve.

Just rude to post and run without acknowledging replies.

Childbirth is painfull, this pain is easily forgotten though. I am a mother of 4 and when asked this question my advice is always "stay focused and in control"
Good luck :) xx

higgle 17 years ago I was as excited as a four year old on Xmas Eve. I was excited and happy from the minute the epidural went in. It was the only time I have ever been allowed my christmas present so early on Christmas morning it was still pitch black and ages until morning. But it was a lovely present - a 7lb boy and we didn't know what was in the package either

marriedinwhite - How lovely, what a great story. I'm not sure I'd do things the same way now, but I had strange ideas about the virtues of enduring pain back in those days!

You have to be careful thinking of pain relief as a choice. I begged for an epidural but wasn't given one!

It was definitely comparable for me. However, I have since been diagnosed with suspected endometriosis which is responding to treatment. I have vomited and fainted in the past.

I asked my midwife when to go to hospital and she said go when the pain is worse than bad period pains. However, after about 17 hours of labour I bled a lot and was worried so went to get checked. I was 9 and 1/2 cms dialated! Didn't get any worse than period pains for me but put my horrific period pain into perspective for me too. I finally realised drs telling me it was normal wasn't the case and finally led to me doing something about it.

Crowning is a slightly different experience though! More like a burning type of pain. I'm sure you'll be fine...I'm sure my period being like they are made it easier for me to cope. I thought I'd be a screamer but I was very quiet and calm!

I never got bad period pains and still don't but i think with birth pain it is a very individual thing. Also it is intermittent although sometimes they seem to be coming one after anotehr so it's not like a continuous pain which in a sense makes it more bearable because it comes and goes.

I think you need to see how each birth goes. I only had an epidural with one and for that one I needed it. The other 4 I definitely didn't. I wouldn't do any of them any different.

I have always had painful periods of the fainting variety so thought I had an inkling of what labour would be like. I had no idea. It was so much worse than I expected tbh and nothing like period pain. I felt it in my hips and thighs more than my uterus. Kind of like ripping or burning and not at all crampy. Also, it didn't even start out like period pain and get worse. It was pretty much the same level of pain throughout but I'm told that's an unusual experience.
But every labour is different even for the same person. My friend had a really easy first labour with no pain relief but she said her second one was so different and so much more painful (albeit quicker). So really, even if you've done it before, you have no idea what it'll be like on the day.

Oh, and I didn't have any pain relief but, with hindsight, I was a complete fool. Next time I'll be having an epidural as soon as I can! You don't ask people to have teeth pulled out for 15 hours without pain relief so why I felt it was better to give birth without I have no idea.
Good luck! It's different for all of us.

I think it's really individual, and if it's your first baby, you can't predict how it's going to be for you so don't rule out pain relief. With my first baby the contractions I had naturally were fine, but then had to have syntocyn drip to speed things up and suddenly the intensity of pain multiplied by 100. It was unbearable like nothing else. If you have to have a syntocyn drip IQ would def. have an epidural. As it happens I had emergency c section and opted for blissfully pain free planned c section with epidural for second birth.

Before the birth of my first, I also wanted everything natural, no pain relief, etc. i think it is because we are fed this dream that you are not such a good mother if you have pain relief. What rubbish! For me childbirth was not a wonderful experience, but who cares - when you hold your baby in your arms, that is the most precious thing in the world. The process of getting there is just the means to that end and just something which should be made as safe as possible for both parties, not glorified or romanticised in itself

Hurts like f$%k, if 1 - 2 cm dilated is anything to go by. So glad I ended up having section. In my defence I have a low low pain threshold. Elected for section no 2, no interest whatsoever in labour but would prolly have to have had one anyway for the reasons I had to have the first. Worked for me.

No point sugar coating it, some people just deal with pain better imo.