Haven’t given birth in a while… remind me how painful labour is?

[skipdiddyskip]

Please don’t be afraid to scare me. Dd was born 3.5 years ago and the labour was a blur. It was unmedicated.

Due to give birth in 4 weeks and have no memory of the pain. It will be unmedicated except gas and air (not trying to be a hero, the birthing centre I’ve chose is an MLU unattached to a hospital so no doctors on site, but a 7 minute hospital transfer if needed).

Please be real with me about the pain of your labour. I don’t remember the pain but do remember feeling really betrayed by descriptions of it being just like period cramps (it was a lot more intense for me….).

I want to have more realistic pain expectations this time.

No doctors!? What if something goes wrong? I wanted vaginal, after 3 days I had to have an emergency C.

I found it an ‘immense’ feeling but not agony / extreme pain.

Just having my body taken over by a sort of huge feeling.

But my endorphins were so sky high I felt high. I was leaning forwards on the sofa, the stairs, in a pool. Walking. Very ‘in on myself’

TENS and pool.

The pain of contractions wasn't unbearable, but then once the pressure near the end starts it's unbearable. Get the hang of gas and air during the earlier contractions, and remember to only breathe it without pause throughout the contraction from when it first begins each time. Pausing and breathing normally at all stops it working that contraction.
The difference between labour and normal pain is the gaps between allow you to slightly mentally recover rather than consistent continuous pain.

I found the contractions really tough for both but the actual pushing, "ring of fire" bit much less awful than I had read on MN. And with the second birth, immediately felt totally worth it and forgot about the ordeal after a week or so and just enjoyed the miracle of it.

My experience is it will be easier this time. More intense than period cramps yes by far. But for me the pain was only intense for 15 min and then it was done.

I had a similar gap between mine. Both 10lb babies so no mean feat (I'm 5ftish). My second labour and birth was wonderful. I'm not exaggerating. I really leaned into nesting instinct and being as cosy and happy as possible. I needed an induction at 38 weeks due to some other medical issues but was already in early labour and just had a very slow drip. They had to take me off it as they couldn't monitor baby's heart rate but it was enough to put me into natural labour. I only used gas and air and honestly, I distinctly remember thinking that I couldn't feel any pain. I felt like wonder woman afterwards and I don't think the student midwife had seen anything like it...
I would recommend the positive birth company online course if only for the birthing Facebook group that has loads of wonderful positive birth stories.