Could someone describe what a contraction/tightening feels like?

[victoriascrumptious]

I've never had one. Had an c-sec with no labour last time.

Can you describe them to me so I can live vicariously?
I'm sad that I may never know what they feel like-expecting another cs due to bp this time round.

[Em3]

I found the 3 births of my kids painful after about halfway the contractions become full body consuming toe curling excruciating pain absolutely unbearable towards the final stages I would scream with the contraction which fitted the experience perfectly. Each time I optimisticaly thought I would get an epidural but each time they decided I was not deserving enough. Why would I go for 3 births then? Well I have a much longer term plan than the birth and we thought the more the merrier. I would suggest be strong, go private if you can the mobile epidural sounds great and focus on the helpless gorgeous bundle of joy on the way. You are only a vessel there is much sacrifice to come for your kids.

[Em3]

You know what they say 'If it was man who had to give birth it would be absolutely pain free for everyone!'

[Longtalljosie]

"Everytime they asked if I was pushing I giggled, shook my head and thought in my head (in a very high pitched voice-must have been the G &A) 'I am a spy heeheehee'"

ROFL!

[NinthWave]

Mine felt like someone was trying to pull my womb out through my chuff, while simultaneously squeezing and shoving it through my pelvis from the top.

But I only had G&A so maybe that's clouded my judgement a little...

[NinthWave]

Oh yes and the 'vomiting downwards' description is really spot on! I was amazed at the sheer force of the cramps.

It was all fine once he was out though (despite a shoulder dystocia crisis) - I was up and walking after an hour, back home after five hours

[weliveonpastaandtoast]

I found transition horrible and was desperate to climb out my skin/a window anything to get away from the pain...but like some others found the pushing stage better, though I was making more noise.

I kept thinking 'oh I must tell DH that actually this is dealable with now' but never quite managed to get around to that.
Though I did manage to shout 'I'm going to punch the f*cking consultant' who'd decreed that my labout wouldn't progress and chucked me out of the labour ward, so I ended up doing most of it being pushed around various crowded post-natal wards. Once I got into a labour ward (for the last hour) was able to get into it and fell asleep between contractions.

Couldn't believe I was expected to push out baby and tear myself in half, started demanding epidural about 30 seconds before DD arrived.

And though I had natural (gas and air), swift (4 hour once it really got going) labour, with active positioning, etc I felt awful afterwards - shaky, sick, and really out of it and bad for a couple of weeks. Heard other mums who had a very fast 2nd stage who had the same - think it is too much adrenalin. So didn't feel wonderful and empowered and loved up, just like I'd been on a huge bender.

DD is now 19 months and the love of my life, but think it can be good to know that not all women feel amazing and great afterwards even if they've had what others insist on calling 'a wonderful birth'.

[Donkeyswife]

Didn't really feel any wiht ds1 as I was induced and just had excruciating pain in my abdomen. So bad I had an epidural (topped up 3 times) and 26 hours later, a gorgeous bundle of cuddles arrived. Then i threw up and collapsed in the toilet.

2nd time with dd I did not even realise I was in labour, i again had pain in my abdomen but it was mild. I had gas and air and had 3 really painful contractions where i felt that my uterus was doing all the work and pushing baby out. Baby was born very fast after 55 mins. I have to say that contractions with this birth were just incredibly muscular and although painful I felt totally confident in my uterus being able to push the baby out, if that makes sense.

[jabberwocky]

Not bad at first, mainly pressure. Then came the pitocin and I eventually started hallucinating from the pain. Ended up with crash section. With ds2 I walked in and said "Elective section, I've had enough labor for one lifetime...".

[LissyGlitter]

My waters broke, and ten minutes later i was straight into contractions every 3 minutes or so. They felt like that really bad leg cramp where you just want to chop your leg off, only in my back, bump and bits. Felt like my back was being broken. I couldn't think of anything, apart from I got my mum and DP to take turns counting up to 4 repeatedly and for some reason that distracted me slightly. I couldn't move or talk or anything, I remember wishing I had never got pregnant, that i could die, that everyone in the room would die, anything to stop the pain. The midwife kept trying to get me to do things like get out of the bath so be monitored or give a wee sample or have an internal, and I remember hating her SO MUCH, but trying to be polite in the hope that she might give me some kind of pain relief other than gas and bloody air. (no such luck, apparently I was doing so well without )
I knew somehow that something was wrong, and i kept saying so, but nobody would listen, until I got to 10cm (and I actually told them I was nearly ready to push and they didn't believe me until they had made me walk to another delivery room, and apparently the way I was walking made them think they should examine me again, and lo and behold, one baby almost out but breech and very badly trapped) When they told me they were going to do a section, all I cared about was if there would be pain relief. They could have been planning to cut off my legs at that point, I just wanted it over.

So, in conclusion, I am having a planned section this time Bugger the pain bonding you with your child, I actually hated DD at first for all of that. Obviously I love her more than life itself, and would go through ten nightmare labours for her, but that was not the case at first. I was so sure I would have an earth mother birth, and it went so wrong.

[MadameDuBain]

I'm in a position where I have quite a lot of arguments in favour of an elective CS and have to make that decision with a consultant. (Had emergency CS last time) This thread is reminding me what it was like and kind of helping with the decision!

My contractions were really strong. They started at about 6am and by 8am it was every 3 minutes and agonising. As has been said, like the very worst kind of leg cramp, but all through your abdomen. I had read all about going for a walk, having a bath, birthing ball exercises etc to help with labour - no chance! I could hardly move with the pain. I went to hospital, was sent home to wait there for a few hours, then went again. Those car journeys were agony - every pea-sized bump in the road had me screaming.

Contractions went on for 12 hours until I finally got an epidural, then another 12 before they decided on the CS - I never dilated properly, had meconium in the waters, etc. so they called a halt.

[MrsHappy]

I just had DD2 on Sunday so experienced my second round of contractions quite recently.
They were very different from the first time - not in my back at all. For the first 12 or so hours they were not bad. I knew they were the real thing because they had more bite than BH, but they felt like a belt being tightened around my tummy and extending into my bottom. I could handle even the hardest ones by telling myself that it was pressure, not pain that I was feeling.

A few hours later they became far more intense and the hardest part to deal with was the referred pain down my legs. I found that the TENS was useless during contractions but in between it gave some relief by helping me relax. It was really important to let go between contractions.

The pushing bit - which didn't last long because the baby became distressed - I was really starting to get into. It felt like my whole uterus was trying to move down. I felt some stretching in my tailbone and the most amazing pressure. The pushing was involuntary and my body just did it.

[EssieW]

Gave birth to DD yesterday so this is rather fresh in my mind. DD is 2nd child - first labour was 44 hours so she was quicker than that - 10 hours. DD born at home - pain relief was water and gas and air

Contractions - at first for about 4 hours very manageable. Like a strong period pain but with breaks. But got increasingly toe curling as they got stronger and closer together.

2nd stage - murder. DD had hand by face so was bloody difficult to push out - also was pushing bulging waters out which didn't pop until the last minute. The only wasy I can describe it is like poo-ing a melon while someone tries to rip your tailbone off.

[schmostin]

I gave birth to DS on Monday morning so fresh for me too. With DD1 I had an epidural and syntocinon drip after spending hours at 6cm so never really knew what the end bit was like.

This time, manageable-ish for about first 8 or 9 hours, but when they told me I was still 5 cm after arriving at hospital 5 hours previously at 5 cm I totally lost it.

Not sure how much was being so upset at thought of going through same experience as first time, or the sudden ratcheting up of pain on having my waters fully broken (they'd broken 24 hours before but only partially it seems) or losing my head to the pethadine I then demanded, but I roared like a banshee through each an every one. Felt like every muscle in my body from my chest down to my toes was being twisted and wrung out by someone built like Mike Tyson. I collapsed in a non-communicating, punch-drunk heap between each one. The pushing bit was somehow easier - maybe because there's a kind of focus to it, rather than just all-consuming pain.

And then my little baby boy was out, and truely, almost instantly didn't matter, despite everything I'd sworn to my husband hours earlier. And I haven't forgotten it, but despite knowing it felt like some kind of horror story, its completely gone and I would do it again. Wierd.

[OmicronPersei8yourbrain]

Congratulations on your new little DCs MrsHappy, EssieW and schmostin!

[mamaloco]

Why did I read this thread!
3 hours after water broke, I had 12 hours of mild contractions, can't talk when they are there, but short enough with loads of time in between, felt like bad leg cramps, at home. I went to hospital when they were 5 mins appart and more painful, at 11 pm, mainly because I was scare to spent the night alone with DH, so I forced my way in hospital a bit. Around 1 pm they decided I wasn't a priority so gave me a morphine shot and a room to sleep.
Then around 3 pm waters really broke (like buckets...), went back downstairs, was on gas and air (didn't help a bit except it gave me something to bite in), contractions really bad like someone is reaping you from inside, much worse than leg cramps, till about mid afternoon when they decided it was too slow so had oxitocyne shot...
Most consultant will tell you before that the pain with induction is unbearable and that you'd rather have a epidural, well they didn't.... So lot of screaming, begging, the contractions were 1 or 2 min long with about 10 sec appart (really unbearable), still ashamed , must have scared all the other mums away from hospital...
With the changes in shifts, and students around having to ask consultant what to do, it took more than 3 hours to get the epidural in, which was instant bliss. It takes about 15 sec to have full effect. Then, baby went in distress and had a emCS (37 hours in total, 0.5 h of epidural).
Was v. ashamed of myself afterwards and had something missing like I didn't do it correctly. It tooks about 3 to 4 years to realise that I haven't been taken care of properly, no check up, midwife shouting questions from the door and not waiting for any answers during contractions (you really can't talk during a contraction!), not being informed of progress (or lack of it) and consequences of medical act performed on me... crouching seems to help but I was told off because I was going to breack their chair/bed (whatever it is called) I was hooked to something at that stage so couldn't move away from it.
It doesn't have to happen this way, I keep telling that to myself (26 weeks pg today!), but still hoping that I won't have to decide between VBAC or elCS (baby breech, low placenta and fibroids, waiting to see if any goes away!)
DD was fine in the end, but it didn't take away the trauma. But I had issues with the after care as well, like the nurse told me everything is normal (I was feeling lots of liquid gushing out of me with every heart beat, thought I would die for 10 min, untill I call her back and decided I was heamorraging), consultant yelling at me to make an effort while her hands where INSIDE me trying to get the blot clots out (nice! there wasn't much more I could have done in my position ) otherwise I would end up in theater, another nurse telling me that my swollen back was just fat (grown overnight?)
BTW, DD was back to back and almost 10 lbs so was stucked, I never got any pressure down below, all was in the back, hips and uterus. I also learn recently that if you have fibroids the pain can be (is?) more intense as well.
Anyhow don't be ashamed not to withstand the pain, get proper care for yourself (only you will know what you need), and congratulations if you manage(d) to do it without anything

[1mum1]

I'm due in 4.5 weeks - any other first timers feel like they are about to jump into a black hole? !!

[OmicronPersei8yourbrain]

1mum1 and any other first timers: when you're pregnant it's so hard to see beyond the birth and all the talk of pain etc can be a little terrifying, but believe me the hard work isn't the birth, it's the years of parenting ahead of you.

Going into birth can be a bit of a lottery, so hope for the best but be prepared for complications and interventions, because you just don't know what will happen. You never know, you might be pleasantly surprised.

The best bit of advice I'd give is to loose yourself in it, let go as much as can. It probably doesn't make sense now but hopefully you'll get to that point at some point in your labour.

[ermintrude13]

Good advice there. Believe that your body can do it provided there are no obstacles and that if there are obstacles you will still be OK with good midwife care and medics if needed. If you progress well in natural labour it can be an amazingly basic and intense experience but if that's not possible don't be too downhearted. Good luck with all those new babes .

[tinkisthrillerthrillernight]

2 words - bloody painful- especially at the end stages agree with the explanation of taking breath away and being frightening

[1mum1]

Thanks Omicron.. and ermintrude - I'm a scardycat but will try to remain as positive as possible

[EyeoftheStorm]

2 elective c-sections for different reasons. Happy, calm, lovely births and good recoveries. No problem booking in for third c-section but DS2 had other ideas.

Contractions started at 30 weeks with discomfort and period-like pain. Went on for 3 days while they tried to stop it, sometimes getting more painful but i could talk/breathe through it and didn't want to take anything in case things got worse!?

Fourth day, consultant came. EyeoftheStorm, if anything changes you must tell us. If you dilate, you will have c-section.

Famous last words.

15 minutes after he'd gone, i was groaning, then screaming. Felt as though there was a fire under my bump burning me. Just wanted to hide my face so I could pretend I was somewhere dark.

Rushed to delivery ward screaming all the way. Then, me: I feel pressure! No ring of fire, no pushing. Just my 4 lb baby whooshing into the world and crying. Total relief that pain had stopped.

Nothing like the calm competence of c-sections. No one knew what was going on - not us, not the midwives, not the doctors. But my DH took a photo of me on his phone a little bit later. I saw it recently and said WTF am I doing? A premature baby whisked off to NICU and we don't know what's happening to him. All the panic and real terror of a sudden, unexpected birth. And what am I doing? Grinning from ear to ear. The rush of hormones was unbelievable. I remember shouting to my DH, now I know why people climb mountains.

Sorry got carried away there. Having seen both sides - and we are talking the polar opposites of elective c-section and a VBAC2 with no pain relief - I would have a c-section. Or a well-managed natural delivery with a competent midwife who could explain what was happening every step of the way.

If only we had some small idea of what our births were going to be like eh?

Also, spoke to mum after birth
Mum: you sound hoarse.
Me: I'm not surprised, I screamed myself raw.
Mum: Oh, EyeoftheStorm, me too, me too.
Felt great to have shared that.

Happy to report DS2 is fine.

[schmostin]

Just wanted to add to what omicron said 1mum1. Despite what I sid about Mike Tyson, women do it day in day out, and some of them will actually tell you they enjoyed it . My advice would be to go in postive that you're built to do it, that you'll probably be one of the lucky '4 hour, mild period pains' types, but have an open mind because birth is not predicitable, and there's no right way to do ir. But the outcome - of a lovely bundle of joy and years of parenting pain - is. Good luck.

[schmostin]

And thanks for the good wishes Omicron!