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 never thought of equating periods to labour pain. I used to have period pain that would make me faint and have really bad sickness and diarrhoea and actually labour wasn't entirely dissimilar in some respects (I was very sick both times).

The beginning of both labours was a bit like period cramps, as some others have said, and number one was a doddle with just G&A. Number two was horrific and much much more painful requiring an epidural which was unpleasant and didn't entirely stop it hurting either.

The cramps when first BFing are a bit like period pains I suppose.

A billion times worse than periods. Sorry, but in my case, that's the truth. The year before I had DS I'd run a marathon, so I was approaching child birth a bit like that - staying focused, just keep going, pain is all in the mind etc etc. That helped, but dear lord the pain. I was induced on the drip, with no pain relief (wouldn't recommend that for a start), DS was stargazing, back to back and at the last minute, raised his arm up which complicated things even further. None of this was in my birth plan, believe me! I had no pain relief other than some pethedine to take a break before they put the drip in and after 24 hours I was exhausted but when he arrived... wow. Amazing. Even as they stitched me up (no idea how many stitches, the midwife lost count after 20 but said it was the worst tear she'd ever stitched - no pain relief for that either) I said I would do it all again and I would have. Straight away. For all the complications, all the pain, it was an incredible experience and I wouldn't change a thing.

Relax, you'll be fine. It's not worth worrying about the pain IMHO. It passes.

I used to get really bad period pains and they did feel like contractions , coming and going, I never went to hospital but my sister did almost call an ambulance.
In labour it did hurt but my waters had gone and that does make it more painful. I managed with entenox, Pethidine the fantastic support of my dd ( quite surprised at how brill he was) and the mind set that I could do it . And I did!

sorry, have to be honest, for me it was easily the most painful thing that's ever happened to me, far far in excess of period pain, kidney stones, anything like that. People do have different pain thresholds and you may be lucky but I think its worth preparing for the worst.

My periods pre-DS sound a lot like yours - I would feel sick, clammy and nearly pass out with the pain (got a prescription for Mefenamic Acid - really does the job). My contractions were similar to period pain but with a much more rhythmic rising and falling away plus didn't feel sick or faint. The contractions were easier to deal with and it was easier to stay calm because it feels like they're supposed to be there, whereas my period pains tended to leave me with the feeling that I might be dying. I was concerned that if I couldn't cope with a period I wouldn't be able to cope with labour - but it was ok and I wouldn't be worried about the contractions part if I have another.

I used to have days off school for period pain yet, even though labour pain is I guess worse, it's still a positive pain.

With period pain, it's annoying.
With labour pains, you are doing a job to birth your baby - first of all dilating and then pushing the baby down the birth canal.

Very different and you forget labour pain soon after whereas period pains are every blooming month (or 3 weeks for me)!!!

Ps - gallstones are much, much worse than any pain!!!

I'd rather go through labour 10 times than have gallstone sttacks once!

It was the worst pain I have experienced. But then I didn't have a straight forward birth and they found out dd was back to back at 8 cm - I ended up having a emergency c section. I had gas & air (pah! did not touch the sides!) pethodine, an epi (all of which were not in my birth plan) at 8 cm though. However, my sister has had 2 very straight forward births - her description of the pain was 'it smarted a bit'. Everyone is very different.

I don't think it is about different pain thresholds; I think it is just different amounts of pain for different people. Must depend a lot on anatomy etc but esp on position of the baby. I had back to back stargazers - absolute agony; no gaps between contractions - much worse than very terrible p pains i used to have (mef acid didn't work on them) - but I'd still do it again. It does end (even if it does take 80 hours).

had IBS for years, the sharp cramps of that were worse that the contractions I had in labour. For me the real pain like no other was the burning, stinging, of transition.
I was totally relieved that between contractions I had no pain, am totally aware that if DS's had not been in the optimal position for birth there may well have been no break!

My appendix burst and I have never experienced pain like it.

I coped far better in labour with just gas and air for both DS and DD.

Each contraction is a step closer to meeting your beautiful baby. Stay calm, accept pain relief if you need it and good luck!!

My labours were horrific, they were the absolute worst thing i've ever experienced in my life.
I use labour as the bench mark for all my pain, the next one down was having an ear infection, then infected wisdom tooth.

I think the pain is very like period pain, in that your uterus is contracting and trying to expel something. It is definitely for me the same type of pain.

I had very bad period pain and it has been comparable to early contractions.

I think child birth is better in some ways as in the early stages there are gaps between the pains.

In the last stage, nothing compares. I would rather put a gun to my head than give birth without pain relief.

Good news is for most people period pain improves after first baby.

Good luck

It's not just the pain, it's the pressure and the strength of contractions. I would liken them to being sick - your body does it even if you don't want it to. It's like extreme tightening and fairly painful but by the time it peaks and you think you can't handle it, it's dying down again. I firmly believe that mindset has something to do with it - if you're relaxed, realise that your body will do it anyway, realise that there is another coming and not be scared of that, then it's easier. You can also build up a nice load of endorphines -I had a total pain/pleasure high with my 2nd!

I too get bad period pain. But it's constant. Labour isn't (well not until the end) and you get small moments of relief from it every few minutes that were enough to keep me going. Pushing and crowning is a whole other feeling of pain... but really don't worry about that as by the time you hit that point you'd do pretty much anything for it to be over and you'll be pleased you're about to get the best pressie ever.

Afterpains for me were more like my periods. Not too bad with my first, but with my second I needed pain relief for them despite not needing any for labour! I don't think they were worse, I think I just wasn't in the mood for coping with them and was tired with a newborn etc.

I think this thread goes to show how different it is for everyone. I did it with my 2nd with no pain relief and I would do it again ANY day because I can actually say it was a hell of an experience. I wouldn't do my firsts birth again... I had morphine and it was a horrible experience.

I hated labour. I was in early labour for two days before finally being admitted because I threatened to strangle the nurse.

Gas & Air worked for a little while but as soon as they were able to I asked them to put me on an epidural because I was in agony, I was knackered, I was white as a sheet and I was throwing up.

Broke my waters manually, increased this contraction drug to make my cervix widen and when that didn't work went for an EMCS. Turns out baby was back-to-back and I wasn't even told until the next day!!

Just so everyone knows, I'd take my period pain over labour any day of the week.

um, you have to push a baby out, big head and all so it's a damn sight more painful than ANY period, sorry but that's (obivously!) the truth of it! it hurts like buggery but can be coped wiht, the marahton ref is a good analogy actually, get the support, pace yourself, get coping strategies etc etc but don't even think of it in period terms. the cramp-like pain of contracts IS a little similar but in a vice-like way far more painful than periods. might as well be honest!

I was expecting it to be much worse than it was. I managed on TENS and breathing until I had to have a spinal for a forceps delivery (they thought I might need a cesarean). I think if you are expecting it to be really really bad then it's not as bad as you think. I hope it all goes well for you and you have an easy birth.

PERIOD PAIN????? I handled the labour quite well, used g+a but the actual birth....erm, no not comparable to period pain AT ALL think slowly getting split in half starting from ur coochy! Enough to put me off number 2! well not really gunna start ttc again in 2013 so obviously not that bad i spose!

I would rather have labour pains than bad period pains. I had bad period pains (until after children...and now they are negligible). With the contractions, there mostly seemed to be a break in between them and it was a rushing pain, rather than constant agony. As a result, they felt much more manageable, although I still ended up swearing like a trooper. Gas and air was brilliant though. I also didn't have easy labours both times (44 hours, and 10 hours respectively).

Period Pain? Jesus God.

I think I lost my mind for a bit during mine. Seriously, 36 hours of utter hell from start to finish but mine was back to back too before he was yanked out with forceps.

I had an epidural at 22 hours and four top ups thereafter - don't be a hero, no one will be giving you a medal for being a brave soldier, if you need it do it - and I still couldn't cope.

I'll do it again though.

It's pretty bad but you'll be fine, and gas and air is great stuff. I was so focused by the end that it all felt a bit like a dream and it will all be forgotten as soon as you see your baby.

Well it's not a walk in the park, but don't forget you will have gaps in the pain and pain relief on hand. Plus, at the end, instead of just another period to look forward to, you will have a baby!

I don't recall it being like period pain at all - more like being squeezed in the middle to within an inch of my life! Natal hypnotherapy worked really well for me - I'm sure it helped me reduce my perception of the pain.

In my experience, gallstone pain was much worse (shudder).