Tell me about your first labour

[MrsCK]

I'm 24 weeks with DC1 and would love to hear your stories!

My labour started on a Tuesday evening and DD wasn't born until the Sunday morning! I was 3cm on Wednesday and was told by the midwife that I'd have my baby that night, but she obviously had other ideas. The first few days - until Saturday - were largely ok: my contractions never completely went away, but the pain was manageable and they only became really frequent (every 3-4mins) when I went out for a walk - and believe you me I walked miles in the blistering heat in an attempt to get her out!

My hind waters went on Thursday night, but unfortunately I didn't realise, and this meant that when I finally went in to have DD on Saturday night, I wasn't allowed the water birth I'd desperately wanted and instead had to be on the consultant ward hooked up to monitors, which really upset me.

DD finally decided she was definitely coming at my cousin's wedding - my mam and I sat timing contractions through the meal, and none of us made it back for the evening do. I arrived at hospital in a dress and high heels

DD was finally born at 0438 on Sunday morning. I was exhausted, having been awake since about 0500 on Saturday. I found labour very painful once the midwife had broken my waters when I was about 7cm - before that I managed fine on paracetamol and moving around. After, I needed diamorphine. Funnily enough, I didn't find pushing painful - just tiring. DD was out after 40mins of pushing.

Good luck OP

At 41 weeks I had a check up and sweep and was told no way... book that induction for a weeks time.
Later on I felt an odd popping/twanging sensation but no waters so ignored it. Within an hour I was having fierce "time for hospital" contractions. Jumped in a cab to hospital , baby born 2 hrs later! Gas, air, hot water. Had a 2nd degree tear: sounds scary but tbh they stitched me under local and I didn't feel much. Weeing stings and it felt like I'd been kicked hard down there for a few days.
Honestly the scariest part was would I make it to the birth centre in time!!

Mine was fairly 'easy', twelve hours start to finish. I went into labour eleven days after my due date. The MW who saw me the day before told me there were no signs of imminent labour and I would almost certainly be induced! My waters never broke and I don't think I ever had Braxton Hicks or anything like that. I had DS in a birthing pool in an MW-led unit nine hours after arriving in hospital. At each stage I was further along than the MWs expected. I got by with only gas & air and a shot of pethidine (sp?). Birthing pools are bloody brilliant! I wasn't particularly arsed about having a natural birth - I just got lucky. DS was 8lb 8 and I ended up with a mild second degree tear, but it healed very well. The main thing I remember about the next 48 hours was the sheer volume of blood loss and the terror of The First Poo .

I had a sweep at 1pm 41+1.
Had a tummy ache later, ordered take away, the ache wouldn't go away. I had a weird 'pop' sensation down below too. I rang the hospital, who told me to sleep overnight and see if it was true labour.
But an hour later what were clearly contractions were 2 min apart, 2 min long!
Jumped in a taxi, got to hospital - DH rang my mum on the way. Upon arrival I thought I needed to poo - no, I was getting ready to push. It was very painful and intense but not scary once I had a MW with me. The moment she had checked me out I leapt into a pool and huffed like mad on gas - no time for anything else but it took the edge off.
My mum reports how she though DH was exaggerating when he said baby was coming as she arrived but then realised from what the MW was saying to me that it was true!
I got out of the pool to deliver. DD shot out! I asked 'what's that??' and everyone said 'that's your baby's head!' .
Out she came - they stitched me up (local anesthetic) and it was all done and dusted less than 5 hours after I realised I was having the baby!

I had a 2nd degree tear and it was pretty hardcore pain wise DURING but the pain went after. Gas and air and water helped.
However, 3 weeks later my stitches are healing fine, I have no pain etc'.
And although it bloody hurt the MW were very good and calm so I felt safe and knew it was labour pain nothing sinister IYSWIM.

LOL just realised I double posted. One thing I didn't realise was after you have the baby there's a couple of hours of check ups and stitches.

Mine was long but fairly straightforward... Here goes...

4 days after my due date, went Christmas shopping with DH. Had lunch at Nandos and had first contraction. We finished our shopping and headed home, contractions only coming around every half hour. Went to bed at 10pm ish, slept on and off then woke properly at 5am as contractions were getting stronger. About 12 mins apart at this point. DH stayed home as thought that would be the day I gave birth and he had a long commute. Spent the day bouncing on my ball and walking up and down the street! By 11pm ish contractions were 3 minutes apart and very painful, phoned labour ward and they told us to go in. Examined and wasn't even 1cm dilated! They said I could stay and walk around to see how things progressed, but decided to go home. Contractions came 2-3 mins apart all night. Had 2 baths, paced around the house and got absolutely no sleep at all. By about 3am I was in so much pain that I couldn't bear to be touched, even by my clothes, so paced around the house naked! Instinctively felt I was better off at home. 9am i went back to hospital, was examined and was 4cms dilated so admitted. Had gas and air, examined again at 1pm and was 9 1/2 cms dilated. Felt the urge to push but it didn't feel very productive. Examined again and waters will still intact so MW broke them. Began pushing again but by this stage I had been awake for 33 hours solidly and was completely exhausted. Monitor showed that baby's heart rate was dropping as I pushed, so a Dr came and prepared for ventouse delivery. By the time she had attached the ventouse, baby's head was out so it wasn't needed in the end. Baby born at 4.13pm completely healthy and perfect, 7lbs 12oz. I was stitched up (2nd degree tear), then was asked if I wanted to stay or to go home (3 hour discharge). I had a bath and decided to go home. Home by 8pm, had a tiny glass of champagne and we all went to bed .

No scares here :-)

7-9 hours total (can't say exactly as not really sure when it started, thought it was just Braxton Hicks and was ignoring them, it kind of crept up on me). Started around lunchtime, laboured at home using Hypnobirthing techniques and the bath, went to the hospital when contractions were 2-3 mins apart. I was 9cm when assessed but it did take a fair bit longer to get to actually having the baby. No pain meds but quite a few stitches needed.

Really recommend the whole hypnobirthing thing, it worked a charm for me and I'm gearing up to use it again in Feb.

Pretty straight forward arrived at hospital 5cms lost my plug whilst waiting to be seen (went to the toilet) begged for morphine gas and air everything threw my phone threw water over my birthing partner made every one but the midwife leave the room , he was born after a 3 hour labour no pain relief

Waters went at 8.30pm and contractions started at midnight. Rang the hospial at 5.15am and was asked to go to the delivery suite. Finally got to delivery suite at 6.15am to discover there was no room at the MLU

I was examined at 6.45am and I was 6cm dilated then i threw up the snickers I'd forced down all over the horrid midwife. Got gas and air about 7.15am and pethidine by 8am. My baby was in my arms at 8.32am. I needed no stiches or anything. I just had to stay in hospital for the night due to extremely high blood pressure.

I had my first DC 17 weeks ago.

I was examined by the midwife at 9 days overdue, she was unable to perform a sweep as my cervix wasn't ready yet, so I started mentally preparing for induction. The next day (40+10) I went into labour naturally, started off with very mild to moderate pains for the first 9 hours. I managed to eat, turned on the TENS machine, and paced up and down my house.

After about 10 hours, contractions were every 3 mins & the pain was becoming too much so went to the hospital to be examined. I was only 3cm so wasn't allowed to stay. Had a bit of a panic and couldn't stop my legs from shaking. As DS was back to back, I was given oromorph, which calmed me down. Back home, I lay in bed with the TENS on.

After only an hour or so at home, my waters broke so it was back to the hospital. I was 6cm and the pain was now unbearable so I opted for a mobile epidural. It was great - I could still feel the contractions, but it didn't hurt, and I could move my legs and change position as I wanted to. Chatted to my husband, Mum & the midwife and got to 10cm without me realising it.

We allowed the epidural to wear off a bit for the pushing stage, so I could feel when to push & I did have the urge. Pushed for about three hours - on my back, on my knees, on all fours, but DS refused to come out. The doctor examined me - DS was twisted, big, and my pelvic arch was small. I was cut & had a forceps delivery, which was my biggest fear pre-labour. Thankfully, having the epidural already meant that this could all be done in the labour ward & not in the scarier atmosphere of surgery. The doctor twisted DS with the forceps & then he was delivered easily. He was fine throughout.

I on the other hand had two fourth degree tears internally & immediately lost three litres of blood. I was weak, cold & kept throwing up. I had emergency surgery in the ward as they couldn't risk moving me & three blood transfusions. I had to have a vaginal pack, so was immobile for 24 hours after the birth & in lots of pain.

I recovered very well considering, and now feel almost normal again.
Hope your labour goes to plan, good luck.

2 weeks early, sat on my birth ball moaning my head off at DH and DSS that I would give anything for DD to come that evening. Go to bed wake up at 2am and think I really need a wee. stand up and my waters pop all over the floor. Get DH to sniff it cos I didnt know if I had wet myself instead. Contractions immediately start, think now I better pack my birthing bag. DH lays old towels in car as I am oozing. get to hospital an hour later. they examine me, when I contract I go from 3-7cm dilated. they whisk me into delivery room and DH sits out with DSS, I hang off bed with G+A. Feel in the zone with the midwife, DBIL turns up to sit with DSS, DH comes in as I am about to push. he tries to lighten the mood with a rubbish joke and I make a mental note of never ever having him come with me with the next one. DD pops out at 0536 am and is perfect. I tear and need stitches, and I found it more painful than labour. DH said I looked like a keema naan... 14 months later I had DS, he came just as quick but with no tears. Good luck!

I was diagnosed with preeclampsia at 40 weeks so went straight for an induction. On the Friday night I had a sweep with pessery which started off Braxton hicks but eventually faded. Had to wait until Monday morning to get a space on the delivery ward as nothing had happened whilst waiting.
Opted for epidural as I was having the drip induction.
It went in at 12pm, fully dilated at 6pm waited until 7 to push, had an epesiotomy, he was born at 7:20pm.
I could still move my legs ok with epidural and could still feel how to push. Over all I really enjoyed my labor.