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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Has anyone had a labour that wasn't horrific?

179 replies

Leleophants · 03/05/2019 18:42

There are so many horror stories and I feel like some women like to scare others who've yet to go through it. You only hear about how bad it is.

Anyone think it WASN'T as bad as they thought? Or found really good ways to cope?

Helpful advice is better than fear!

OP posts:

BertrandRussell · 03/05/2019 19:28

Yes, I had two. I remember someone wanting to put horror birth stories into Room 101. She said if people have to tell horror stories to tell them to someone like her who’d had her babies, not to someone w who hadn’t had hers yet. Davina McCall -that’s who it was.

Seniorschoolmum · 03/05/2019 19:32

Ooooh yes. pirate weasel I was STARVING by the time I woke up.

MissConductUS · 03/05/2019 19:33

I had an epidural for both and neither were particularly bad. I think the horror stories are like bad on line reviews. When labor is okay you don't tend to tell the story.

Tunt · 03/05/2019 19:34

I had two wonderful labours that I actively enjoyed. First was a home waterbirth and the second was an induction but a normal vaginal birth. I felt so fabulous afterwards, I was on a high for months.

WatchingTheWheels85 · 03/05/2019 19:34

My first I was 18 I had no pain relief not even a puff of gas and air. No stitches not even a graze. My second was 2hrs from first contraction to delivery. Two pushes and no stitches again no pain relief. Same with my third. Honestly yes it hurts but I would give birth every day over having recurring neuralgia.

Mallowmarshmallow · 03/05/2019 19:35

Yes, me.

Second labour, a few hours at home labouring and eventually went to the birthing centre just to get checked out. Baby was born 25 minutes later, 15 minutes after getting in the birthing pool.

I was so incredibly amazed at what my body could do, it was the best feeling ever. Even during the process i was pretty impressed with myself.

User11011 · 03/05/2019 19:35

Yes. My second was a beautiful, calm home birth. It was childbirth but it was totally fine and easier than expected. Hypnobirthing and a bit of gas and air at the end. Good luck! X

BillywigSting · 03/05/2019 19:36

Mine while on paper wasn't ideal, induction, epidural, constant monitoring, two second degree tears and two sets of stitches, in reality it was fine. I had a nap once my epidural kicked in and so had the energy to push when the time came.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't the most fun way to spend a Tuesday night but I'd far rather give birth again than be pregnant again

SolitudeAtAltitude · 03/05/2019 19:40

Mine were fine.

The first one, I started walking around the house, then walked to hospital (pausing for contractions), I felt this strong desire to walk (mad?!) Doc said I was 8cm straight away.

I found out later that walking speeds up labour. Lying in a bed, on your back, is not that "natural", it's just for easy access for midwife/docs

With my second one I paced around the hospital, until I was 10cm, only then did I lie down. The pain is big, but it's a positive pain, it's not illness, it's life, which imo makes a huge difference. Every contraction brings your baby closer

Less than 2 hours. Do-able and fine. Very very lucky.

BattenburgIsland · 03/05/2019 19:42

I had an horrific first one so was really scared about the second. Had booked a homebirth to try and avoid the same type of medical intervention as the first... but due to growth issues ended up having to be induced. I was so afraid that when they told me this I had a full on panic attack in front of loads of people and was sobbing and begging for a section...
Well in the end I did get induced and it wasnt as bad as i though at all... nothing like my first induction.

The only horrible thing i actually think was trauma from my first labour being so long.. i expected the second to be similar so when it got really painful only an hour in, i was screaming and terrified because i thought i had days of that level of pain ahead.... but it actually turned out that i was just about to push and my daughter was born only twenty minutes later. If I'd known that I think it actually would have been bareable. She was also born completely unassisted and I didnt tear at all. I was walking around the next day like nothing had happened! A huge difference to my first. I didnt realise some labours can be so easy! I had no pain relief at all for that one I never really needed it... the only really painful bit was right before I started pushing so I didnt gave time to even think about asking for pain relief! Also I'd been afraid of the crowning but I did not even notice it when the time came.

countrymousesussex · 03/05/2019 19:47

Induced on Friday after waters breaking on Thursday. Pessary caused cramping but no dilation, so was given an epidural before being put on drip. Napped on and off for 6 hours with no pain, three pushes at the end and a minor internal tear.

I’m aware I was very lucky, and will absolutely request an epidural again next time.

beeswax2014 · 03/05/2019 19:48

I had 3 great births

DD1: Went into labour midday on due date, popped to hospital at 7pm, was 7cm dilated, had gas & air then water birth and delivered just before midnight. Just slight grazing.

DD2: Was overdue a week, had a sweep at midday. Started labour at 5pm, popped to hospital at 6.30 in the birthing pool and delivered at 8pm - home by 11pm! No damage.

DS1: Went into labour early hours, had paracetamol and woke at 6am ready to deliver. Mad Ambulance dash to hospital and delivered in his amniotic sac just as I entered maternity ward. No damage.

Would do it all again! I kept really active with all pregnancies and know I was lucky as I only ever hear the bad stories but good ones do exist!

whatsnewchoochoo · 03/05/2019 19:50

Again on paper not ideal, longer induction process, epidural that didn't work, emergency c section. But actually it was fine, no trauma, no stress

AnneElliott · 03/05/2019 19:51

Me. Three hours and 20 mins Labour from start to finish. Two quick pushes and that was it!

It doesn't sound very exciting though - so I guess that's why the horror stories get such an airing.

fblake · 03/05/2019 19:51

My second wasn't horrific. I had a retained placenta and hemorrhaged, but the birth of my DD itself went well. Try not to listen to horror stories or it might put you in a negative mindset. I listened to positive affirmations during my second pregnancy and it helped. I didn't with my first and was scared during that labour which I think slowed things down, wish I did and not the horror stories I was told x

Calixtine · 03/05/2019 19:54

My second and third were fine, especially the third, which was very quick, straightforward and honestly not as painful as the others (very short sharp contractions). And three of my babies popped out pretty easily once I got

LIVIA999 · 03/05/2019 19:55

My second was glorious. In fact for the first few hours I just thought I had bad constipation and didn't want to make a fuss. He just popped out after a few pushes at hospital after DP had said I was making a fuss and we should go home.
When I feel stressed it's what I think about to calm down as it was so lovely and funny and crazy.

Calixtine · 03/05/2019 19:55

Posted too soon!

... once I got to the pushing stage. I’ve never had to push for longer than 10-15 mins, and their heads were all out in one or two pushes.

It can be totally fine!

SheChoseDown · 03/05/2019 20:01

I don't talk about mine in RL....
2nd was a breeze. In the pool. Born after a couple of hours labour.
Barely felt a thing. Super relaxed. Gas and air. Sipping mint tea.
Was wonderful!!

SheChoseDown · 03/05/2019 20:02

Livia999 omg same! 😂

BertrandRussell · 03/05/2019 20:03

“I don't talk about mine in RL....”

That’s the problem though, isn’t it? People talk about the horrendous ones but not the OK or good ones. That’s how perceptions get skewed.

MissyPG · 03/05/2019 20:10

Both mine were fine, first one induced so was longer but only gas and air. Second time, got to hospital at 9cm told not to push as needed a drip in (had group b strep) and baby delivered less than 1.5 hrs after arrival. Gas and air for pushing. Both my sisters, mum, both grans, aunties etc all had similar experiences xx

Merename · 03/05/2019 20:12

Both of mine were wonderful. First was two days, second two hours, and I loved both. First time I had an epidural after being given syntocin to speed it up, so it was obviously painful, but it wasn’t horrific, it was amazing. Try not to focus on horror stories. I loved a book ‘stand and deliver: and other great ways to give birth’ - full of positive birth stories which I found really helpful.

SingingSands · 03/05/2019 20:14

I had two "normal" deliveries. Pretty textbook with no drama.

That's not to say it was a walk in the park and I sneezed them out, but it wasn't a horror show.

IntoValhalla · 03/05/2019 20:14

The first time, I psyched myself up for labour and birth to be the absolute worst thing the human body could possibly experience - turns out that yes, it hurts like hell. There is no skirting around that. But it wasn’t anywhere near the absolute horror show that I was expecting I was induced (with no pain relief), and while the hospital experience and the way I was treated by the staff was utterly horrible, the actual labour and birth weren’t anywhere near as bad as I’d prepared myself for.
My second baby was born at home and I can honestly say that again, it hurt like crazy, but it was overall a calm, relaxed, relatively easy experience

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