Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Childbirth

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

Flip

1 2

Original poster

What did pushing stage of Labour and baby coming out feel like?

44 replies

EveroysMum · 18/03/2023 22:16

I had DC2 a couple of weeks ago and ended up having a failed epidural, so I continued to feel the contractions and pushing stage.

As I'm not planning on having any more (and also had an epidural with DC1), I keep thinking over the birth and wondering if what I felt was actually the full thing, or whether the epidural worked a little bit, if that makes sense.

When it came to the pushing stage, I suddenly felt like I had to do a massive poo (sorry tmi) and like I couldn't help but push it out. And then a big relief once DC2 was out.

But I didn't feel crowning/ ring of fire or the second degree tear or the baby moving down the birth canal or a splitting in 2 feeling or a slippery feeling when DC2 came out...
Was this the same for anyone else?

I should say that the pushing stage was very, very quick for me this time round with just a couple of pushes (lasted just 1 minute according to my birth notes 😯and complete opposite of DC1 who took forever). So maybe everything just blurred together with the quickness of it and so I didn't register different parts of it...

I'm just trying to make sense of it, so wondered if others had felt similar in the pushing stage, or if maybe the failed epidural had worked somewhat to dull the pain... 🤔

OP posts:

bombemma · 19/03/2023 00:20

Well kept secret that it feel like your gonna split two. Everything telling you to stop, but you can't stop nature. It's hell but rewarded with heaven

Rinkydinkydoodle · 19/03/2023 00:29

Two births, gas and air with number one, bugger all with birth two (gas made me vomit and there was no time for pethidine). Had the ring of fire with DC1, actually remember feeling like my fanny was stretching like a swimming cap and begged DH to intervene (busy night, first baby, midwife left us, thought I had longer to go than I did). Tore and yowled like a banshee, complete with blasphemy, embarrassing expletives. Also very fleetingly contemplated suicide at the swimming cap stage so yeah it was nippay 🤪

I felt DC2 turn from back to back coming down the chute. Not good. Also knew I had torn again with DC2, felt myself split and a draught whistling surprisingly high when DC2 hit the bed (was on all fours). I remember pushing though not as an act of will, birth happened to me. Third degree tear with DC2 was slightly less sore than the first time, which tore sideways, into my buttock. Uncontrolled but blessedly brief shitshows😂

I do have friends, a cousin and a SIL who had decorous and cope-able labours with only gas/no relief so could be either your epidural worked somewhat OR you have a high threshold for pain?

neilyoungismyhero · 19/03/2023 00:39

bettynutkins · 18/03/2023 22:29

I didn't have any pain relief with first and only gas and air with second. No epidural. I didn't feel the ring of fire or the tearing with either of them. They did come out pretty quickly, which is why I think!

Exactly the same for me.

LennyThePenny · 19/03/2023 00:50

MissMaple82 · 19/03/2023 00:19

Like I was being ripped in half!

This. I felt like I was being torn to death. Literally. It was horrific.

bellsbuss · 19/03/2023 00:54

Only ever had gas and air despite begging for an epidural, always too late to have one. For me the contractions are the worse part , the head coming out is what I call a stinging burning feeling but bearable. I've always found the after pain worse than the actual giving birth.

Coughingqueen · 19/03/2023 01:46

Just gas and air with both of mine first one was pushing for 4 hours coached pushing in the end in stirrups, ring of fire just felt like needing a poo, I had episiotomy which I did feel but then no pain below after that was done just contraction pain and the episiotomy didn't hurt while she was coming out. Second time pushed out in 2 pushes definitely had the reflex thing that time, still didn't feel tearing or any pain like that just the contraction pain.
Both times my tears needed stitching up too so not insignificant. I feel like if more people knew you wouldn't necessarily feel that bit then they wouldn't be as scared!

Drinkinggreentea · 19/03/2023 02:26

I had a failed epidural for my first and no pain relief for my second. I felt the ring of fire both times. It was the worst pain imaginable but didn't last very long. I think your epidural must have worked at the end if you didn't feel it x

breakfastbagel · 19/03/2023 07:41

Only had gas & air and loved the feeling of baby coming down the birth canal, crowning did hurt but it was quick, not like being ripped in half. I tore quite badly and I didn't feel that at all weirdly!

Spudlet · 19/03/2023 07:47

It was a massive relief because finally I could actually do something instead of being totally out of control of what was happening to me. I don’t remember if hurting, although it must have done, I just remember putting everything I had into shoving that bloody baby out so it would be over! I also don’t remember what crowning felt like, but I do vividly recall the weird, slippery feeling of the rest of DS coming out in a big rush once his gigantic head was finally through. I expected that I was going to be pushing for a bit longer, so I was really surprised by it all happening at once 😄

Nursemumma92 · 20/03/2023 13:28

Had 2 babies, one with gas and air and the second with nothing and definitely felt the ring of fire and like I was being torn in half. Didn't tear with either just a perineal graze with first one! I would say epidural probably took the edge off a bit x

rubygiz · 02/04/2023 14:22

I felt pressure in my coccyx but as I was planning a c section I had no clue this was my sign to push and before we knew it I was 10cm doing it all with just gas and air it happened very quickly 10 hours from waters breaking to her arrival

CultureAlienationBoredomandDespair · 02/04/2023 14:29

I felt much the same as you, I didn’t have an epidural but I’d been going to the toilet for ages (tmi sorry) and only realised later Id been pushing but the midwives didn’t believe I was that far along as it was very quick. DS’ heart rate dropped so they made my lay on my back and told me when to push, which felt completely wrong and I temper begging them to let me kneel up and lean forward. The actual pushing didn’t hurt it just felt like a poo, I remember a mild sting sting and wondering if that was the ring of fire. I was really surprised when they said I’d had a second degree tear as I didn’t feel it.

I hated contractions but I actually loved the pushing stage, the pain suddenly felt purposeful and my body took over and I became very focussed and knew I could do it. Afterwards I felt on a huge high, like I imagine people running a marathon do.

bluebird3 · 02/04/2023 14:36

I had two failed epidurals and both times felt the ring of fire and like I was being ripped in half. They failed in the sense that they didn't hit the nerves that were where the main event was going on 😂. Placed too high. So I had some relief initially but none at all as the baby moved down. It was excruciating and could also feel being stitched up after.

MushroomQueen · 02/04/2023 15:46

I had an epidural with all 3 of my DC. All my births are fast first 2 had epidural at 6cm no pain when pushing 20 mins dc1, 5 mins 3 pushes DC2, however i was already at 5-6cm with DC and not in labour so when it started it was fast got to hospital at 8cm v strong contractions had epidural and contraction pain stopped so assumed it would be like last 2 births. However 40 mins later I needed to push and body completely took over I could feel everything it was so painful I could feel her going through me inside and tearing (later found out she was 97th head percentile so I think i needed more epidural bur didn't have time. Veer pleased not having more and glad she was last not 1st

annlee3817 · 03/04/2023 02:05

First time I felt a weird click in my pelvis and then all of a sudden a strong urge to push, like when you have a bad stomach and get that sense of urgency to get to a toilet! It was such an overwhelmingly strong sensation, I was pushing for around 90 minutes, the crowning bunt.

With DD2, I was examined and told I was just 3cm, they went out of the room to discuss next steps due to issues with her heart rate and the pain suddenly changed and I had really odd sensation, thought something was wrong, they checked me again and I was 10cm. Had been five mins since they last checked, again pushed for 90 mins, don't remember the crowning this time though, but remember the absolute relief on the final push.

Roundaboutabee · 03/04/2023 03:43

My third birth in particular was like yours. I didn’t really have to do any pushing - I felt her come through my cervix and then tumble down to the entrance of my vagina, and then I instinctively put my hand down on my perineum as she crowned which I think helped the sting. And yes, like a huge poo. My pushing stage was a minute according to my notes but I think that just is a number made up, the midwives had no idea she was coming and had their back to me when she was born!

In contrast with how long her brothers tool to get down my vagina (where I felt distinctly where they were with every push, for quite some time) it was very efficient. Lots and lots of intensity of pain though, and nothing else is coming down there now!

Mumma · 03/04/2023 04:11

I didnt get the ring of fire on baby2 either and pushing lasted 15 mins rather than the hour it lasted with baby 1

marblemad · 03/04/2023 04:29

This makes me so anxious to have a baby, I am planning on getting pregnant within the next year or so hopefully and have previously had 2 late m/c's one normally, one surgically and the one where I felt everything was the most intense physical pain I have ever felt ie feeling like a donkey kicked me in the stomach and repeatedly vomitting etc, it makes me nervous for how much worse a full term baby will be

PopsicleHustler · 13/04/2023 07:41

I've got 6 children. 5 kids delivered naturally and last baby delivered by c section. It was an emergency as my poor darling was getting stressed and heartbeat going through the roof and I wasn't progressing past 4cm for bloody hours.

The pushing stage to me isnt as bad as the contractions and I have terribly long labours so when it comes to the pushing, I just get it over and done with in a few minutes or even less! To me it's a heavy feeling pushing down and your body kicks it to it and to go with it.
Obviously the ring of fire is your vagina stretching isnt great but I just wanted it over and done with that I just kept focussing on my husband face and breathing through with gas and air and pethidine only. I wanted to be in control and didn't ever want epidural so in all 6 labours including one with a drip, I have never taken it. Just battled on through.

I would much rather have a natural labour than go through c-section again,planned or emergency. It was bloody awful :( the recovery is horrendous compared and I am still numb and sore in certain places and still struggle with bending down almost 14 weeks on :( he was worth it though but vaginal birth is a bloody breeze compared to both the emergency surgery and recovery. It's actually incredible we are planning to have number 7 in a couple years, but i really hope it won't be a csection:( god willing

Totally rate water births :)

Flip

1 2