How did your first vaginal birth turn out?

[littlemisssunshine247]

If you aimed for a vaginal birth for your first baby, how did it all turn out, particularly if you have a low pain threshold?

Did you have pain relief? Did you find hypnobirthing/deep breathing helped if you did that? Did you need forceps or a c section in the end?

I'm just trying to decide on the type of birth to go for, from real experiences. Worth adding in an absolute wuss with pain!

I planned one but ended up with emergency section as baby was breech.

I needed forceps in the end but she was in a bad position so it was never going to happen without help. I did it without pain relief. I thought I had a high pain threshold... I was no match for birth pain. But I've had some friends who said their pain was like "really bad period pains" (mine was not...) so I think it's dependent on so many factors. I had 8lb baby and she was in brow position so bumping against my pelvis, causing most of the pain. I should say this presentation is pretty rare and usually caught earlier on, at which point they usually refer for c section for safety.

First labour, at age 40, went very well. I managed to stay completely relaxed which I think helped a lot, and I was also fortunate to have had a complication free pregnancy. Used hypnobirthing along with TENS machine and gas and air. And used birthing pool for a couple of hours (obviously had to remove TENS for that). From arriving at hospital to baby being born was around 12 hours. Pushing stage very quick. Did have 2nd degree tear but I was completely unaware of it until midwife said she'd need to give me stitches. Unbelievably I had zero pain post birth from tear or anything else. Not a twinge.

I really recommend the book 'practical ways to make your birth better' - it really helped me to relax and not be scared of what my body was going to go through. And I wrote a detailed birth preferences plan so felt assured that my partner and all the staff knew my wishes in different scenarios.

I had a water birth for my first and also used gas and air. Yes it really hurt but she was 8lb 3oz! I really didn't want any other pain relief though as I was adamant on a water birth, being in the birthing suite and not the ward. My second was just gas and air and she was too fast for the water birth. She was 6lb 13oz and much easier!

I loved the hypnobirthing and the breathing plus tens machine made labour..bearable! He was back to back and didn't descend down due to weird position though so ended up with EMCS but still look back on it positively.

I was induced and it all happened quite quickly. It turned out that ds’s cord was around his neck so there a was some quick and not at all gentle intervention to sort that out as soon as it was realised.

That meant that I suffered a vaginal tear, lost a lot of blood and ending up in surgery, having a spinal anaesthetic so that I could be stitched up, a catheter and internal packing and antibiotics.

Ds was fine though.

I'm one of the "labour was like a bad period pain" people, but I'd had some awful periods in the past! Mine was quick, some gas and air but nothing else, stitches afterwards were uncomfortable (but not at the time - I had no idea I had torn) and I recall being very nervous about using the toilet.

Mine was four weeks early, 1 hour ten mins labour. No pain relief excluding gas and air. Never found it as painful as I expected, except the crowning but was over quickly. Didn't need any help with forceps etc. I was 19, had a small episiotimy and some stitches after. I've never done a hypnobirthing class but having read up on it since, it was similar to what I naturally done anyway in terms of the breathing and visualising holding my baby. So I'd recommend it as it does seem to have helped those I know who babe done it.

I had a water birth with DC1 - used hypnobirthing and found it great, also really rated the TENS machine which made a big difference to my pain levels.

However he came shooting out on the first push and as a result I suffered bad pelvic floor damage; he'll be 8 this summer and I still pee myself when I sneeze or cough, and have a grade 2 rectocele prolapse that might need surgery at some point...

With DC2 I was advised to go for ELCS due to the existing birth injury. The damage got no worse with that pregnancy. My DSis who had 2 planned CS for medical reasons has no PF damage at all and has never kegeled in her life!

If I had known in my first pregnancy how bad it would be I would have chosen an ELCS for both my births. I did feel strong and proud in the moment of birthing my child, but no way is that moment worth the years of discomfort.

I think women are often given bad information about the long-term health impacts of vaginal birth and didn't feel I was able to give informed consent since I just didn't know the risks I was taking.

Wish you all the best whatever you decide.

My first vaginal birth just went on too long. I had contractions from 3am until 8pm, which got more and more intense and painful, and I got very tired. Into hospital I went and begged for an epidural. That stopped the pain but slowed everything down, and at the end I couldn't feel to push and needed a forceps delivery. He arrived at midnight so 21 hours in total. So it was not quite what I wanted but both of us were fine, I bounced back very quickly, and my memories of the birth are very positive.

My next two were also vaginal births but at 12 hours and five hours they were comparatively quick. Also a lot less painful, I coped with gas and air, and didn't need forceps.

Don't go in with fear, easier said than done but there is so much scare mongering of first time mums.

Your body is made to give birth, remind yourself, this is meant to happen, this is OK or some other kindness to repeat to yourself.

It hurts, it's overwhelming and it's intense but the pain? it's normal and safe. Breathing really does make all the difference. And I would advocate being upright or bouncing on a ball as long as possible to avoid being on your back.

My first (and second) was vaginal with no intervention except a heart monitor at one point. It was quick and manageable with no pain relief, I was offered gas and air but that made me feel sick.

For me personally, interventions such as forceps frighten me more than being left alone. Obviously in a hospital you have to just put your trust in the professionals but you are still allowed to advocate for yourself if something doesn't feel right. I would encourage you to labour at home as long as bearable.

Took forever. Ended up in EMCS. But all great, and baby super alert from the get go!

I've had four vaginal births, all went fine, even though when it comes to pain, I tend to be delicate flower. I'm the type who grips the chair for dear life at the dentist for basic checks. With my first, I was a scared 19 year old. I feel I should point out in none of those was I induced - I've heard that makes a big difference, but I have no experience of it.

I did not much medical pain relief - I tried gas & air with my first, but didn't get on with it. I have a medical condition that is contraindicated for epidurals/spinal anaesthesia so never considered it as an option.

I mainly used heat packs - so many heat packs, they were amazing - and changing positions. With all four of mine, during the second/pushing stage, I ended up on all fours, pressing my head against a surface while I pushed. I did some deep breathing, but never did anything like hypnobirthing.

I found the pain after the third/placenta phase injection far more painful than normal birth contractions; however, I had them with an enlarged placenta each time (they don't tend to cause more issues though can take longer to come out) and my disabilities may have played a role in why I found them so bad. With my first, it took well over an hour - I would have been taken in for manual removal normally, but things were busy and my blood loss wasn't such that it was urgent enough compared to others, much to the annoyance of the midwife. With my fourth, a very enlarged placenta (they couldn't fit it in the normal disposal bags so it had to sit covering the little table where the implements usually are & there was a lot of talk between the midwives and other staff on how big it was), I had a natural and highly managed third phase until after the placenta passed, then had the injection to help prevent high blood loss & I had none of the pain I had with my first and third (no injection with my second, hers came out quite quickly).

I ended up being induced at 39weeks, 25 hours into it ended up in theatre and had an episiotomy and a forceps delivery. Can’t even lie and i wouldn’t want to - it was barbaric and quite frankly horrific. The whole experience (think it came from being induced tbf) but all in alll not good.
Currently pregnant with 2nd child and opted for c section as i can’t even think about going through it all again.

No pain relief (including gas and air as made me feel sick) until the 79th hour.

Gas and air made me so sick it was horrific.

They gave me an injection of pethadin (I think) - this stuff was amazing!

I had no pain relief at all apart from 2 paracetamol I didn’t even have gas and air, I would of loved some but I got to the hospital too late and he was already crowning 😬 it was so painful but I obviously managed and went on to have another child (although I had a C-section 2nd time around)

my pain was probably worse as I had a 3rd degree internal tear, but I still would have given birth again!

I had a very quick and easy birth (under an hour from when waters broke). Just gas and air as pain relief. No tearing. I think I was just really lucky.

First and only vaginal birth. 2 weeks early, arrived at hospital 8cm dilated (went from first contractions at 6am to arrival at hospital at 10am). No time for pain relief other than gas + air and told to push. After over 1 hour of pushing the contractions virtually stopped as she got stuck so ended up in theatre with spinal block + forceps. Delivered at 2pm.
Didn't realise at the time but the speed and lack of control massively contributed to my PND. Forceps left me partially incontinent even with physio etc.

9 hour labour, no anaesthetic, had a small tear (no trouble healing). Second one was 3 hour labour and no anaesthetic. My mum said she had her third baby on her own as the midwife had left the room.

Really well, it couldn't have been better for me really. Straight after I said I'd do it again and that it never got as bad as I thought giving birth would. I was absolutely terrified beforehand, so I did do an online hypnobirthing course in the hope it would help me with my fear. I didn't think I had a high pain threshold tbh, but maybe I do - the birthing team all told me I must have. I did tear 4 different places, but didn't realise until they told me. Just 2nd degree tears which healed up no problem. The birth was just 4 hours and I only felt like I needed gas and air for the last 20 minutes, whilst I pushed (and then gas and air again for stitches). Baby was a neat little 6lb 7oz so perhaps this helped to make it easier for me too!

Water birth with gas and air. The pain was indescribable. I am a wuss though. Still went ahead and had a second the same way so clearly got over it 😆

Long. Very long. Savage. Like, Stone Age savage. Nothing could have prepared me for it. Epidural, forceps, ventouse. C-section narrowly avoided. Healthy baby safely delivered.

HOWEVER second labour- short. Very very short. Basically fell out. A bit of gas & air. Effective use of hypnobirthing techniques.

(Just to be clear, hypnobirthing would have been as useful as a chocolate teapot with DC1, but rather helpful in an already-easy labour).

I didn't particularly plan anything as I had no idea how I would handle anything. My waters broke at 2am, by 5am there was a bit of blood so I called triage they advised to come in, I started having very mild grapes wind type pain at 6, arrived at the hospital at 9, cervix fully closed. 12:30pm the contractions started really bad, after an hour I asked for something they gave me pethadine. I do not recommend I could still feel everything and felt like I was drunk/zombie so couldn't focus on distraction or breathing through contractions, I kept asking for an epidural they kept refusing as I wasn't dialated enough, used tens machine, found it very annoying if anything didn't help. Again begged for an epidural, they eventually agreed at 5pm but when they checked me I was already 9cm, took me to delivery and gave gas and air, DD was out by 6:30pm, no interventions.

Trapped wind not grapes wind haha