Please can someone just lie to me...

[pocopearl]

...and tell me that real labour and childbirth is far less uncomfortable and painful than these braxton hicks?

They are getting more painful and uncomfortable as I'm getting closer to the due date.

Im afraid not. I will tell yiu that labour when youre in the thick of it is not as bad as trying t get on with real life when youre in pain. In labour I focussed o nothing more than managing the pajn, and I knew it would end soonish,one way or another.

You won't feel a thing honest!

You just sneeze and out baby pops.

thanks for the lies fraggle & mustafa

I loved labour.....that is not a lie....more helpful??

Honestly...? I actually enjoyed giving birth to DS, I felt calm, in control and it was pretty empowering! If I can give birth, I can do anything (my new mantra)!

Just concentrate on one contraction at a time, if you need pain relief then take it and remember that it will be over soon and you will finally get to cuddle your baby!

Labour is ok because it has a purpose.
There is a moment when you go a bit mad but the midwife will bring you back to the job at hand.

My friend reckons neither of her two labours really hurt at all.

Actually it IS far less uncomfortable because with labour you get DRUGS. With BH you're lucky if someone makes you a cup of tea. :)

The other great thing about labour is the amazing rush of hormones you get after having bubs. Had my DD 3 weeks ago and would happily do it all over again. Believe me it's totally worth it.

BH are worse if you're dehydrated, try having a big glass of water and see if it helps :)

My childbirth philosophy is this: It's the biggest, most important day of your life so it's going to be tough. In the olden days men had to go off exploring and climbing mountains etc to try prove themselves as men. Women don't need to do that because we have childbirth to got through.

Also, those hormones are mental. I had a 2nd degree tear and I remember feeling it go. I thought I had pooed myself. Imagine your bits bursting open and mistaking it for a poo...that's how mad those hormones are. You go into a weird coping state and your body is just flooded with pain killing hormones.

I enjoyed giving birth but it's hard. A few weeks after having DD I watched a programme about John Bishop doing that sport relief challenge where he cycled from Paris then rowed the channel and then ran to London. I really thought that looked easy compared to giving birth and looking after a newborn!

Epidurals are GREAT.

BH are just a nuisance, real labour is for a purpose and with a goal in sight after which the pain goes away.

I won't say my 2 labours didn't hurt but it wasn't the same as breaking a bone, for example. And it wasn't a pain, more of a discomfort. Quite a big discomfort at times and take the drugs

I was quite cheerful as they took me up to labour ward, so much so the delivery midwife was having a quiet word with the ward midwife about wasting her time - I only had three more contractions before DD1 appeared. The reason I was cheerful was that I was 10cm and getting on with it. They'd suggested that I might need to be induced the following day which I had hoped to avoid, and I had.

I did it again less than 2 years later so it couldn't have been bad as I can be a bit of a wimp.

With real labour, you can keep on thinking that every contraction is another one gone, and another step closer to it being done. It feels purposeful in a way that BH doesn't. Also, I found that endorphins flowed, providing a type of pain relief. That didn't happen with BH.

Excellent description gallicgirl

I laughed at the you'll go a bit mad

Reminded me of my labour on youngest dc.

I clamped my legs shut telling the midwife to get the fuck away from me I wasn't pushing the damn baby out.

She grabbed my face with both her hands and through gritted teeth told me to cop on and get the job done!

I was shocked at the time but Thank God for her she was brilliant.

Yup, that's the moment.
I had a home birth and there was a moment when I stood up, said I wasn't doing it anymore and wanted everyone to go home. Think that was when my gas and air was removed to focus my attention.

That bit where you don't feel like you can't/won't do anymore means you're at transition. Which generally means you're pretty close to meeting your bubba.

I too am a wimp and I did it with no gas and air or anything! So if I can, anyone can. I'm sure some of it is mindset, and I would definitely recommend hypno birthing to anyone feeling a bit worried. I really bought into the whole concept, although I didn't really use the techniques, and it taught me that it would all be just fine. And it was!

Epidurals are science's gift to women. Abject begging is completely acceptable in the circumstances and you will want to kiss the anaesthetist afterwards.

Yup, you'll either go all 'internal' and only be able to focus on you, or you'll go 'fuck it, I'm going home'.

It doesn't hurt honest. It's just like stubbing your toe except you get a little bundle of squashiness to hug after.

One of my friends told me 'it smarts a bit'

Yeah it does, but you get a BABY at the end of it.

ok, I'll try!

labour is painless
giving birth is easy.
you won't feel a thing.
baby will be out with 3 sneezes.
baby will feed 3 hourly during the day, but sleep 8 hours every night.
baby will never cry, only cough lightly when hungry, tired, hot, cold, wet, bored, scared.

You will be fresh as a daisy, calm and laid back and able to keep the house tidy, cook a 3 course meal every night and happily entertain the endless stream of well wishers.

don't you worry your pretty little head. it's nothing, really...

how did I do? did you believe a word I said?

gallic

I was fully dilated and ready to push with DD (6th child) when all the pain went away!

I panicked. I did not want to push, I was so afraid of the pain coming back!
I folded my arms and said I'm not pushing, I want a C-section!
all the faces went

It was like a standoff between the baddies & goodies in a Western!
after a 5 minute "argument" I thought I'd better push, I was worried MW would slap me!