Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Did anyone enjoy Childbirth?

74 replies

Meganc559 · 19/11/2018 18:58

I had my son a month ago and it wad the best and most amazingist experience in my life.

My waters broke and contractions were every 3 minutes by the time I got to the hospital. A midwife took me into an evaluation room and said I wasn't in labour and it was only the baby pushing into my bum as he was back to back.
I lived half an hour away and paid £45 on a taxi so I refused to leave.
I was put in the induction ward and was shouting In pain while everyone else was sitting on their phones waiting to be induced, I was refused painkillers other than paracetamol as I forgot my maternity notes and they were convinced I wasn't in labour.

I eventually was allowed a bath but when I could barely walk back to my bed after due to the pain, a nurse wanted to examine me to double check.
Turns out I was in labour and was 2cm
After being put on the labour ward 8 hours later and given gas and air I didn't really progress much, I was put on a drip to make the contractions come on more.
It took a few hours but finally made progress and got to 6cm.

My blood pressure started rising so I had to get an epidural to stablise it, I never felt any effects of it an hour later so after checking the tube the midwife discovered an air bubble so had to get it all redone.
22hours of labour and 2 hours of pushing my son got stuck, I was told I needed forceps, I pushed so hard while the Dr was getting ready and I managed to get him out, needed and episiotomy but it was so worth it.

Sorry for the long post but despite the long labour and the complications, I still loved every minute of it and would do it again in a heartbeat. I can't wait to give birth again!
My partner on the other hand would like at least a good few years before he has to go through it again haha!'
Was anyone else the same? Xxx

OP posts:
toolazytothinkofausername · 19/11/2018 20:03

DS1: No. Took me 6 weeks to get over the shock of it all.

DS2: Yes :) It was the perfect labour and delivery! I loved every minute.

Stickmanslittleleaf · 19/11/2018 20:05

I had 2 planned sections although my waters went with my first and I was having contractions so they brought it forward. I can't say I 'enjoyed' it at the time but they were both very calm, happy experiences that I look back on fondly. I was so, so glad to not be pregnant anymore, both were very uneventful but I don't like pregnancy at all. Fantastic recoveries both times, I felt I had my body back straight away and could do everything again! Putting my shoes on was the best feeling ever, putting my rings back on a week or so later (my hands, ankles and face get puffy!) and washing my hair with my head upside down if I wanted was great! I loved the newborn stage too and had reasonably well sleeping babies, I'd heard so much bad stuff about the early days that I was dreading it first time- it's my favourite part!

Ragwort · 19/11/2018 20:06

No ... would never had gone through with it again, but I already knew that & only ever would have had one child.

2ducks2ducklings · 19/11/2018 20:10

Yes, I definitely enjoyed all three births but especially my third. I just found it so empowering to just do exactly what I felt my body needed to do.
People think I'm crazy when I say I enjoy labour and birth, but I think it's a lot to do with the fact that I found pregnancy so draining and quite often unpleasant.

TheSubtleKnifeAndFork · 20/11/2018 16:11

Sort of...

My labour wasn't what I'd planned/wanted in an ideal world (induced on the drip and on antibiotic drip too vs midwife-led water birth) but it wasn't "bad" and it was also quick, which I think went hugely in it's favour for me feeling like it was a positive experience! Grin

At the time it was hard, and painful, and I thought I couldn't do it (particularly actually pushing the baby out!) but my overriding feelings towards it are positive looking back.

I'm 30 weeks pregnant now and definitely excited to do it again, although that's definitely tinged with nerves as every birth is different so no idea if it'll find this harder or easier.

Lightsong · 20/11/2018 16:15

No. And definitely No for the second time.

First time round wasn't too bad, but was induced with drip & epidural
Second time round I genuinely believed that both me and DS were going to die. Then missed the birth as was put under GA.

MummytoCSJH · 20/11/2018 16:32

No and to be honest your birth sounds horrific. Glad you 'enjoyed' it but mine way way easier than that really short and straight forward and I still hated it Envy

iIcouldsleepforaweek · 20/11/2018 16:44

Hated my first birth so much. So traumatised by it.

Opted for a section second time round and it was amazing - can't wait to do it again Grin

sunshineandshowers21 · 20/11/2018 16:46

i wouldn’t say i enjoyed mine but i’ve three reasonably quick and easy labours so i wouldn’t say it was terrible either.

Strokethefurrywall · 20/11/2018 17:10

Yes to both of mine.

DS1 was a short hypnobirth and I felt like I could breathe fire and eat nails after he was born. The endorphins were incredible.

DS2 was a n epidural birth, I slept through it, woke up to push, 3 pushes later he was in my arms.

I would do either of them again in a heartbeat 💗

WrenNatsworthy · 20/11/2018 17:15

I thought it was an amazing experience, and I'm glad that I had a healthy baby.

I have other ways of getting the post natal endorphin rush though that don't involve me needing to birth another human to get it.

eggncress · 20/11/2018 17:29

I didn’t enjoy the birth ( apart from pethidine Grin) and afterwards they took baby off me to give me a rest and feed him. I was so exhausted I was really glad of that plus the fact I had a catheter so got a great sleep and didn’t even need to get up for the toilet !

laurG · 05/12/2018 23:09

Yes. It’s kind of masochistic. It was agony. I had very intense short birth with an episiotomy. I didn’t go to hospital quick enough as I thought first babies took ages so was 8 cm by the time I got to hospital and only had gas and air for and hour so. I remember distinctively sitting in the car wondering ‘how can this possibly get any more painful?’ So rationally I know it was pretty harsh.... BUT retrospectively it was kind of amazing and I want to do it again!

Didsomeonesaybunny · 05/12/2018 23:14

Best day of my life without a doubt. My labour was exceptionally fast though (6hours) and 15 minutes of pushing. I had gas and air. I had an episiotomy which stung a little. I practised hypnobirthing which helped me massively. I was so in the zone I was able to block out the pain.

When she came it was just amazing. Nothing will ever compare.

NeffSaid · 06/12/2018 09:43

Good question OP. I’ve had 2 straightforward births. I did find the first very painful and that scared me a bit, I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it. But recently DD found a photo of the two of us wrapped in towels after I came out the pool and she said “oh Mummy, look how happy you are and how
much you love me!” And I do remember it positively from the moment she was out.

Being in labour with DS was really fun - we randomly had a house full of friends and family and there was so much laughter and chatter. Painful bit only lasted about half an hour.

I’m currently waiting to go into labour with DC3 and, though I’ve been anxious about it for some reason, I now feel very excited for the process to start - thanks OP.

SpagBol29 · 06/12/2018 18:18

I hated every moment of my first labour. And loved most of my second! Pushing a baby out of your vagina is not pleasant but in all honesty I hypnobirthed and actively enjoyed the first stage of labour, getting all the way to 10cm. Shame my second labour was only 3 hours I didn’t get long to enjoy it!

mortifiedmama · 07/12/2018 23:19

No, worst day of my life.

^ this ^^

I am absolutely dreading having to do it again. I really wish I didn't need to.

meow1989 · 07/12/2018 23:33

No, it turns out I am shit at labour Grin

Went in at 2cm because of the pain, had pethadine (loooove pethadine!) then active labour started 7 hours later. Got to 4cm then... didn't get any further! Ended up on a hormone drip and having emergency cord pulled twice for ds heart beat dropping and after 17 hours ended up with emergency section (refused to even entertain a discussion about the option of an instrumental delivery as I was terrified of this) was sick several times and in and out of consciousness (due to tiredness, not any medical issues) whilst they stitched me up (did get tonnes of pics of ds actually being born though which is lovely albeit gory!), didn't see ds after initial cuddle for about an hour by which point I was completely dazed and confused about what the hell had just happened!

But actually, it wasn't awful, it was an experience and a journey... however enjoy is definitely not the word I would use!

ohhi · 08/12/2018 19:32

I'm still traumatised almost a year later

Monkeynuts18 · 13/12/2018 11:02

I am absolutely dreading having to do it again. I really wish I didn't need to.

Sorry to hear this. Could you opt for an ELCS? Don’t know your circumstances but could that make it any easier for you?

PoshPenny · 13/12/2018 11:33

God no. Two EMCS following failure to progress. The first was harrowing enough, the baby was in distress and it turned she was stuck fast. Second time the epidural didn't work right so when they opened me up I hurt like fuck felt everything. I could never had gone through with it a 3rd time.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 13/12/2018 11:35

I found it amazing and very exciting. Obviously painful but amazing at the same time.

Adorelabradors · 13/12/2018 11:51

I loved labour but I had 4 very easy labours. I had very short active labour with all four. Dilated to 10 centimetres and delivered within a few hours of arriving at the hospital. No panting and pushing with any of them. They all just took one push and I had to wait patiently until the midwife said push despite fact I had overwhelming urge to push. With my 3rd baby the cord was wrapped around his neck and there was no midwife in the room. One who was passing with a cup of tea rushed in. Every time I told the midwifes they would be quick. I was assured each time it would be hours before delivery. When I had my youngest I was not deemed far enough on to be in labour suite so when they saw the head I was rushed through the hospital corridors on all fours swearing like a trooper covered in a blanket which kept falling off!!!

She was pushed out just as we arrived in the room!! I delivered all between 4am 5am in morning after arriving at hospital in early hours of morning. I had gas and air which did nothing for the pain but I loved it anyway. I swore throughout. Had a shower and went home a couple of hours after with each one. Had mastitis with youngest. Worst pain I have ever had. Way worse than labour. I would have happily been re admitted to the hospital I felt so bad!!!

Alltootrue2u · 13/12/2018 17:22

I had my DD via Emergency section at 34 weeks at the Lindo Wing. It was an amazing experience despite a difficult pregnancy. I wasn’t in labour when my spinal wa solace’s so have no idea what a contraction feels like. DD small bit fine even though she was early. I had a mobile epi in place for 4 days post op after my section so I had nomoajn but full mobility. D d went to the nursery at night so I got 5 full nights sleep to recover from my section. Lots of post natal
Support with DD so was confident by the time we left at 5 days old. The. Eat money we have ever spent! I only have one but if I had chose to have another I would have done the same again without a doubt.

Alltootrue2u · 13/12/2018 17:23

Sorry for typos. My nails need doing and I keep hitting the wrong key in my phone Smile