Constant agonising pain during labour - what was it?

[chocolatesolveseverything]

I gave birth to ds a few months ago and had what was on paper a pretty straightforward labour. However I found it horrendous and much worse than I expected because for most of it I was only 2-3cm dilated (so only paracetamol and similar allowed) but in constant agonising pain. I could barely stand or speak, and certainly couldn't manage any of the walking about that the MWs tried to get me to do. I squatted over the couch and just cried and cried. The pain radiated from the same area as my contractions, but unlike contractions, it never eased off. People kept asking me to time my contractions and I just couldn't tell when they started and ended!

I had this for about 15 hours. It seemed to ease a bit after my waters were broken. It had gone by the time I was in transition (ironically making transition the most bearable part of labour!) though that may have been due to extra pain relief by then. Pushing wasn't that bad an experience by comparison!

I was a bit traumatised by the labour and think it kicked off my pnd which hit me like a bulldozer post-birth. I'd really like to understand what this constant pain was and how common it is. My MWs at the time didn't understand and seemed puzzled by how distressed I was when only in the early stages of labour, and why I couldn't tell them when I was or wasn't contracting.

Does anyone reading this recognise what I'm describing? Can anyone tell me what most likely was the cause?

Was baby back to back? I only ask because I had similar constant pain early on, although I could distinguish a surge of 'new' pain with each contraction. I was in labour for a good 23 hours, and wasn't deemed to be in 'active' labour until I was examined about six hours before ds was born. The pain was unbearable for me too, so please don't beat yourself up, I spent 8 hours in a bath looking like a beached whale because I refused to get out as I was convinced it was helping with the pain. The rest of the time I could be found stark naked flung over a birthing ball in the centre of the room, literally unable to move except when I was scrabbling for my tens machine!
I thought I handled it terribly because I felt more pain than I expected iyswim, but I know now how silly that sounds.

I was going to ask about back to back too?
might be worth calling hospital and asking for birth afterthoughts session where a midwife will talk you through your notes, sounds like you had a very unpleasant time.

I echo what has been said above - I had continuous contractions from 1cm dilated and had to have an epidural by 3cm as was in so much pain with no respite. The midwife later realised DS was back to back and I'm certain that was the reason having read more about back to back labours since then.

Was your stomach really hard all the time? I had constant pain and contractions and it turned out that I had an infection of the womb. I felt a lot of relief when they broke my waters too. I ended up having an emergency c-section. I found the midwives fairly dismissive of my constant pain until they discovered the infection but it sounds like you coped amazingly well.

Yes, I've had 3 babies and middle one was back to back, the pain was horrific, the offered co codamol after 4 hours but after examining me an hour later and finding him back to back they advised diamorphine. They lovely midwife gave me it then tucked me up with a blanket, a hot pad on my back and lay me on my left side as its meant to be best position to ease the pain. I had a wee snooze which I need to build my strength. She was a fantastic midwife.

All my labours have been inductions with CFM so I couldn't move around anyway.

Hope you get the answers you are looking for.

I was in constant pain and couldn't feel contractions. It was all caused by an impacted bowel. After receiving an enema the searing pain went and DS was born 2 hours later. Awful. I suffer from ibs but still didn't recognise the pain as bowel related.

Thanks for the replies. They're really helpful. He wasn't totally back to back, but was in the words of my MW, "not in the most ideal position" so that was probably it I guess. It's a bit comforting to read similar stories, though I'm sorry for all of you who went through such pain! I'll think a bit more about whether I want to request my notes, just to get a better understanding, or whether to let byegones be byegones.

I had a back to back baby and an infection. Like you, I couldn't feel when the contractions started and stopped, it was just like one continuous horrific pain. I later found out that when my waters broke I went straight from very gentle contractions to five strong ones every 2 minutes, with virtually no respite in between them. I only found this out at a debrief however, so I'd second what a pp said about seeing if you can go back to look.at your notes and talk through the whole thing.