What does it really feel like?

[sweetchilli77]

Sorry in advance if this has been asked numerous times before but...

What does labour pain really feel like.Can anyone explain in the best ways possible the type of pain?

Im 30 weeks now and starting to think a lot more about labour and getting quite anxious

[savagehk]

Mine was mostly like period pains. I had a hormonal kick though which helped deal with the contractions, and a weird time-compression thing going on too. I didn't get to pushing without an epidural (for medical reasons) so can't comment on that bit. In fact, I didn't get to pushing at all, as it was forceps by that point...

[sweetchilli77]

Bleeding hell ladies....hats off to you. I suppose i will just suck it up and see. Its hard to say what pain relief I'm having so just gonna go with the flow and have as i need.

I think i pretty much get the gist, like some of you said you have gone on to have another baby.

Everyone is very keen to tell me all about their horrible birth tories so ive begin to shit myself..... Oh and thats another thing. Pooing!!!!! will this happen? I don't care if it does I just want to know if its common or not?

[ageingrunner]

I pooed but I didn't know about it at the time. My mum told me afterwards because I thought I hadn't 😳

[SmellySphinx]

Lol 9lb crap

I was afraid to push actually, I was being told "push into your bum, listen to your body, do what it is telling you to do..." I was just so scared despite the fact I was in so much pain, I didn't want it to get any worse! It stings like fuck! I think that and exhaustion partly contributed to me needing forceps the 2nd time. I had to have a ventouse for my first which was very much preferable to forceps looking back now. Anyhow, I Felt a bit...accountable? Probably totally wrong to think that way as nothing bad became of it, I don't sit around dwelling on it yet the thought is still there that I could have tried harder. Bit silly really I guess

[savagehk]

Pooing is very common. As baby comes out there's no space for whatever was lurking down there to stay. Some women have diarrhoea just before labour starts, which is probably nature's way of cleaning things out in advance.

[Hopelass]

It's so hard to describe and I think so different for each person that it's difficult to say but for both my labours the first stage contractions were like very bad waves of period pain and the pushing stage was an intense pressure that can only be related to having a poo because there is no other sensation like it!
It's very strange and for me wasn't as painful as the contractions especially in birth number two which was in water. You'll be fine, your body takes over. Have a supportive birth partner who can help relay your pain relief options to the midwives if you can't speak easily.

[MrsDustyBusty]

I think it's common but there's a chance you won't realise if it happens. It all was a bit of a blur for me. I had an assisted delivery in the end (ventouse) so if it happened, I don't know.

I choose to believe not and nobody has told me any differently.

[justdontevenfuckingstart]

sweet with my first I had my bum in the air and was sweeping around with my hand my mum was like what are you doing??? I was looking for poo. Not sure what I would have done if I had found it lol. It happens, it's totally normal and gets dealt with don't worry.

[BantyCustards]

A white hot pain deep in my pelvis. The third stage is a relief compared to 1st and second

[Hopelass]

I didn't poo in either of mine. First on dry land and second in water.

[AngryYeti]

I've had 3 , all large so didnt put me off that much

[AngryYeti]

Babies, I meant to say. and I did poo once, with the first

[savagehk]

"Have a supportive birth partner who can help relay your pain relief options to the midwives if you can't speak easily."

^ this. And any other preferences you have. I didn't want to talk to the midwives at all, I wanted to get on with it myself in my own little bubble.

[SmellySphinx]

I did a plop with both, once in the birthing pool, so didn't end up using it and again on the floor with my second haha. It is embarrassing but you can't help it if you have to go you have to go.

Doing it all again tomorrow, having a baby, not pooping (I hope) !

[TheRumTumTugger]

Mine was like horrendous period pains that never went away but peaked in waves that felt like a bowling ball being ground into my pelvis.

Dunno what the actual birth felt like. I had an epidural after 14 hours of the above and getting nowhere.

[Funnyonion17]

I didn't poo at all with my two. Although midwives are trained to remove them during pushing etc without saying anything. I swear I felt myself poo, was adament and they refused and said not at all.

[LittleMum91]

My DD was back to back so personally the contractions were excruciating.. that doesn't always happen though so please don't worry! The birth itself just burned a little. The whole thing is absolutely incredible though. Good luck!

[TanteJeanne]

For me, the contractions were like very very bad period pains- cramps that almost overwhelm you.
You have to keep your head during this pain - and work to push the baby out when you'd rather just curl up in agony.
I thought the pushing out bit would be the worst bit but, despite tearing, I didn't really feel it ( epidural for first but no pain relief at all for second).

[mrsp0tts]

I had back labour which I have been told is excruciating even compared to a normal labour
Hoping my second will be a dream ha ha.

Felt like terrible constipation, like desperately needing a poo, but no poo. Strong pressure on my back passage.

The contractions themselves made my belly very hard and tight, and felt in a way like period cramps but on a much bigger scale.

When people say "you will know when you need to push" you really do just know. You literally can not control yourself you just find yourself pushing and can't stop yourself.

Despite all of the pain, it's amazing.

Nobody would do it again if it was as bad as some people make out!

[lampfromikea]

Same as mister.

My waters broke, I had only light period like pains to start. Within an hour though, I was just over 9cms and in agony. Feeling like I was being crushed in a vice is an excellent description! The midwife offered gas an air but one puff made me nauseous and I refused any more.

The pain was so intense I couldn't lay on my back and ended up giving birth on my side. I don't remember any pain at all whilst pushing but I think that's because I was so focused on getting the damn baby out of me!

The relief after your baby is born is just the most amazing feeling though. That and the hormone rush!

[Strokethefurrywall]

I've had one hypnobirth with DS1 and epidural birth with DS2.

I would honestly do both of them again in a heartbeat, hand on my heart. DS1 was 4 hours from start to finish and thankfully the pain never tipped over from pain to "suffering". I was able to stay on top of it with breathing (read: mooing like a cow in the bath) and was able to get my breath between contractions. For me they were painful but definitely not unbearable or agony.

On the table at 10cms so OBGYN could do his job. I do remember pushing but I couldn't engage my butt muscles at all so had to have a small episiotomy sans pain relief, which I remember feeling but don't remember it particularly "hurting". Yes I pooed too, it wasn't something I was particularly bothered about - trying to push a human out of your vagina is bound to have some side effects - was absolutely flying for days, over the top elation and amazement that I managed to do it.

DS2 was epidural birth as his heart needed monitoring, had same pain with contractions at 4cm as I did at 8cm with DS1 so opted for it nice and early at 11pm, got comfortable, went to sleep and woke up at 5.55am with OBGYN telling me it was time to push.
I could feel the pressure of him moving with every push but absolutely zero pain, it was great. He was out in 3 pushes.

Essentially my pain for both my labors started with strong period ache, moving to more vice like pain which made it harder to catch my breathe.

[largepinotplease]

Mine started with mild period pains followed straight away by my waters breaking. Then around 6 hours of very intense period pains every 2-3 minutes, not going to lie they really fed hurt! Got into the birthing pool and gas and air just made me feel like I was going to be sick so couldn't use it. It was my first labour so I really didn't know what I was doing and thinking back now I should have started pushing much earlier than I did (I said to DH omg I need to poo!) and I did I was mortified for about five seconds then realised I should just push as my body was ready and I went for it (mooing like a cow the whole time) the pushing itself didn't hurt like I thought it would, contractions were the worst of the pain. I know it's been said before but pushing really does feel like you are doing a massive poo and I can't explain the relief when you've finally pushed the baby out. Labour for me was relatively quick at 7 hours start to finish with 45mins pushing and to be honest the contractions were the worst part but it wasn't unbearable and it definitely hasn't put me off having another. Good luck, you'll be fine and don't be upset if you can't have the labour you plan for, listen to your body and the main thing is the baby arriving safely x

[milpool]

It's very, very intense.

My first was a lot more difficult than my second. With both I was in early labour for a good few days, having contractions/twinges. With my first they were quite regular and painful right from the off. It turns out she was in a bit of a funny position (kind of at an angle rather than straight down) and I think my body was trying to turn her the right way before getting going properly. But after several days of contractions and awful back pain I was exhausted, amped up on gas and air and just felt a bit out of it.

My second, I absolutely sailed through it. Once active labour kicked in it was three hours from "oh these contractions have woken me up" to her being born. Did it on two paracetamol and nothing else. It hurt but even at the end it wasn't unbearable. And I actually think having so little pain relief helped because I was so aware of everything that was going on.

Everyone is so different but even each labour can be so different! You will find that it hurts but it can be overcome. If I were you I would spend some time reading positive birth stories and looking into hypnobirthing techniques to put you into a good mindset.

[silkpyjamasallday]

Mine was just like waves of period pains that built to a peak of intensity that was pretty painful and then faded away, I was sat on a Pilates ball in my mums kitchen and bouncing like mad or swivelling my hips around very quickly as they got bad and it managed to distract me enough to bear it as I hate taking painkillers (hate swallowing tablets and I was still puking in labour so they wouldn't have stayed down long enough to have an effect). I was 7cm when I got to hospital and was only just getting sweary crabby for the pain relief, and after the gas and air I found it much more manageable, dd born 3 hours later. The pushing I actually found quite satisfying, I remember vaguely asking the midwife if I was allowed to push as I felt like I needed to after having suppressed the urge for a few. It felt pretty intense getting the head out but it was over quickly and I didn't tear, and once that is over you are so close to the end and you get to have a rest cuddling you new baby! But I remember reading somewhere you release something in your brain to forget how bad it was afterwards... I would guess so that you'll do it again?! Everyone's different, but prior to childbirth I considered myself to have a pretty low pain threshold and now I would say otherwise! It's pain with a purpose iyswim? And thinking about that the whole time I think made it easier for me

[myoriginal3]

Like diarrhoea cramps.