Anyone give birth when they were really tired?

[Lizbiz89]

This might sound so silly but I read somewhere that giving birth when tired makes labour more difficult and longer. This has made me freak out slightly as I'm not sleeping well at the moment and hearing this has made my sleep even worse worrying. I'm worried I'm going to go into labour really tired and then have a horrible labour. Has anyone been tired when they went into labour and was it ok still?

1st labour I was in slow labour for 3 days so I hadn't slept maybe 5-10 mins here and there. So the day I went to labour ward at about 8pm was a shock when Ds was born next morning at 6am found out difficult to push but once he was born I managed to sleep

Twice. First time I’d been awake for 48h straight, and had an epidural as I was so exhausted (and it was an induction/augmentation). It ended in an instrumental delivery, which was regrettable but necessary. Second time I’d been in labour for 21h, since late afternoon the day before (so no sleep since the previous morning, awake 30h or so). That was actually fine, the adrenaline and endorphins get you through. To be honest, tiredness would not be very high on my list of worries. But whilst you’re still low risk then jelly babies in labour are very helpful!

Everyone. I slept badly during pregnancy then had 3 hours sleep in hospital night 1 (noise) followed by 1 hour night 2 (contractions) then was in full labour by night 3. And that's pretty normal I think. You'll be fine.

So tired. I’d had a month of 30+ degrees including 3 heatwaves. I was barely moving because of pelvic pain.

I ended up being induced and when I realised things might start happening I realised I’d better conserve what little energy I had an lie down. I had my waters broken and gave birth 18 minutes later.

I think I was exhausted with my first. I'd had really bad morning sickness for the first 4 months (signed off work, throwing up 24/7 multiple times) and had barely eaten for most of that time.
I then caught whooping cough at 6 months so was feeling very ill for a couple of weeks and coughed continuously for about a month. I was still coughing occasionally when I went into labour.
I was in labour for 29 hours - no sleep at all. No surprise it was a difficult labour which ended with DS in SCBU, and me requiring a blood transfusion.
Strangely, I didn't feel nearly as exhausted when I went into labour with my second, having looked after a very lively toddler throughout. It was a much better labour.

When you are in labour no matter how tired you have been you get strength from somewhere! Maybe adrenaline or just finally seeing the light at the end, but especially with my third I really was exhausted, and I managed to power through, in my case I wanted an end to the spd I think!

Yes I'd missed two nights sleep due to being in very painful early labour, took me 2 hours 40 minutes to push baby out.

I was well rested with my second, my labour was quicker but I was still pushing for over an hour.

Everyone who ever gave birth. But adrenalin wakes you up.

Have you looked into hypnobirthing? Might help you think more positively about labour instead of worrying.

Everyone is tired by the end of pregnancy. But I think you can be more or less rested - as in, spending your days in a non-stressed state in preparation and trying to feel calm and prepared. If you spend the last bit worrying and rushing around you'll be in a worse place for labour.

FuzzyShadowChatter I had the same with inconsistent contractions. Everyone (including me) assumed it must be early labour until I turned up at hospital desperate for pain relief and it turned out I was 9cm

With my first, my waters broke on the Monday morning but contractions didn't start. Was told to come back in 24 hours for induction if they didn't. Got zero sleep that night thinking every twinge was it starting. It wasn't.

Was induced the next day. No sleep that night too until my wonderful epidural at 3am. Was woken at 6am on the Wednesday to be examined and start pushing. DD was born that afternoon (after many interventions but that's another story. It wasn't because I was tired though).

Second baby was an ELCS so not physically exhausting but I'd still had no sleep the night before because my toddler had us up half the flaming night.

I've basically been dog tired since about halfway through my first pregnancy. We're three years down the line. I've given birth twice in that time. You'll be just fine OP.

I woke up at six am, worked for 8 hours, waters went.. went to labour he was born at 3pm the next day. I hadn’t slept the night I was in labour.
I had a spinal and forceps in theatre, the consultant kept telling me not to close my eyes and that I could go to sleep ... I was arguing with my eyes shut I wasn’t. I was fooked! I’ve spent the past four years in the same boat of tiredness reAlly!

*couldnt not could

yup, just popped on to say EVERYONE gives birth tired!

As you've heard, most people go through labour tired. My early labour was days long and when it stopped progressing they admitted me for pain relief just so that I could get the sleep my body needed. I woke up 4 hours later with enough energy to move into active labour and did the rest fairly quickly on just gas and air.

Ah OP try not to overthink it, although easier said than done. No one hits the ground running, you just got to make the best of it. Congratulations, I wish you well and I hope you get some good blocks of sleep in.

Thanks for all of the replies. I went into labour with dc1 in the morning and had her in the early hours of the next morning so I know all about being tired in labour. Was just happy that before I went into labour i had a good nights sleep, as that's the last good night sleep I had for a long while! I guess I'm just very aware of the sleep deprivation coming my way. But it's good to hear there are ladies who have had sleep deprivation before labour started. Makes me think how amazing we all are! Anyway no sign of labour today so I might just be able to catch up on some sleep 😂.

Makes me think how amazing we all are!

Totally 💪

Most women are tired but there are different levels I guess.
I was induced at 8pm both times so had been wide awake since 5am on both occasions after 12weeks of getting next to know sleep. Then contracted immediately throughout the night, got into labour after 18hours of contractions and laboured for a further 12hours ending up with a CS first time and a normal birth second.
Then he difficult times immediately after birth with both and didn’t sleep for a couple of days afterwards.
It’s all so cruel.
I definitely think my tiredness made me struggle a lot more with the pain

No there aren't different levels. We are all absolutely knackered by then.

I think she means to say we don’t all deliver a baby after 20 hours of labour. I agree that must be the end of it.
I too got an epidural at about 5am and promptly managed some sleep!

fazackerley I can assure you there are different levels. Not everyone is tired by the end I can assure you, some people are horrifically exhausted because they have been in early labour for days/long induction and some people sleep all night and wake up fresh and start labouring. I see this everyday in my job thanks 👍

Burrito... and when you've delivered a baby and are reeeeally knackered/sore etc, they expect you to look after a baby