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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

bracing myself for labour

45 replies

Laurad04 · 17/09/2017 20:43

40 wks and sitting here thinking ... i wonder what hurts more the contractions or pushing the babies head out..? any tips would be great if anyone has any xx

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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asongforthelovers · 17/09/2017 20:46

I'm 37+1 with no.3 and I'm asking myself the same. I think the pushing stage is what's making me terrified again 😰

BexleyRae · 17/09/2017 20:53

Crowning hurts, a lot. But its not for long.
Contractions get worse as labour progresses.
I didn't really push to be honest, it just felt like stronger contractions and then she crowned, and then her head was out, and then she was born

YodellingMama · 17/09/2017 20:54

Never got to the pushing stage but the contractions were bad enough!!

Most women I know tell me the contractions are worse.

daimbar · 17/09/2017 20:55

What I wish I'd known is when the pain suddenly ramps up and you feel you can't do it anymore means the baby is about to be born any second... I thought I still had hours of labour to get through but if I'd known it was a matter of minutes it would have been much more bearable. Good luck! As soon as you see their little face all pain will be forgotten.

YodellingMama · 17/09/2017 20:55

What I wish I'd known is when the pain suddenly ramps up and you feel you can't do it anymore means the baby is about to be born any second

This was most definitely not true for me

As soon as you see their little face all pain will be forgotten.

And nor was that

ricepolo · 17/09/2017 20:56

Contractions.

Pushing is satisfying, and you're having a contraction whilst you're pushing so all I've ever felt is the contraction: the baby coming out just makes me feel really 'full' down there, rather than being painful per se.

It's a relief when I get to pushing to be honest.

JennyBlueWren · 17/09/2017 20:57

I'm now pregnant with second. First is 2.5 now. I don't remember any pain from labour although at the end I had to have local anesthethetic and forceps but it was the long drawn out labour that got me. I thought it would take a while but it was sooo long! Take comforts for your partner especially if you don't live near the hospital.

ricepolo · 17/09/2017 20:58

And I agree that you don't forget the pain. It continues after the birth as you deliver the placenta (and with the afterpains for a day or two after birth, particularly with subsequent pregnancies). Nobody ever tells you that - contraction pain doesn't end when the baby arrives..

Pickleshickles · 17/09/2017 21:00

Pushing. I had 21 hours of unmediated contractions with my third and would cheerfully have gone longer but the 8 minutes of pushing was utterly terrifying hell on earth. Same with my second baby (10 minutes of pushing).

My first was 2 hours of pushing and that wasn't nearly as bad as the other two. Probably because it was much slower.

Either way don't let it worry you. Stay on your feet, sway, drink lucozade sport and if it's all too much there's lots of pain relief options.

Wonderflonium · 17/09/2017 21:00

Crowning hurts briefly but then the head cuts off blood supply and the vagina goes numb-ish.

Contractions hurt but they're caused by the uterus doing its job properly, rather than how pain usually tells you that something bad is happening or is broken.

You got this!

shittyshitybangbang · 17/09/2017 21:01

Contractions

For me the pushing stage is when I get relief from the pain.

melissasummerfield · 17/09/2017 21:03

39 weeks here with no3 and think im starting to go into labour today, from memory ( 3 years since ds2 ) the contractions are deffo worse that the pushing as at least when you are at the pushing stage you know you are close to the end!

Urglewurgle · 17/09/2017 21:06

Contractions! But mine weren't what I expected, I didn't feel anything 'contract' as such just a horrendous back pain.

The pushing thing was weird, I'd only just got into hospital and felt like I needed to push and my body just did. It was a bit like when you're I'll and you vomit, the way your muscles push up? But downwards obviously!

I progressed quickly and was 9cm when I got to the hospital, if I'd been told the end wasn't imminent I'd have had to have an epidural or I don't know what I would've done with the pain. Pushing actuality relived the pain.

user1471495191 · 17/09/2017 21:14

I'm 40+3 with my second and wondering the same! As a PP my labour was long and drawn out but tens and gas and air made contractions manageable, crowning and pushing was painful but over quickly. Afterpains were also bad for me but again, as soon as I had the baby in my arms I forgot the rest of it almost immediately. Personally I think the uncertainty and waiting is the hardest bit

Original poster

Laurad04 · 17/09/2017 21:30

wow some mixed reviews there. I think mostly people are saying contractions are worse than crowning. I guess its different for everyone and thats what makes it more unknown until you experirnce it yourself ☹! I just hope i can manage the pain. Having no indication of labour so far and i am 40 plus 1 tomorrow.. hoping the sweep kick starts it. wishing everyone lots of luck!!! xx

OP posts:

Babyblues14 · 17/09/2017 21:32

Gave birth yesterday morning. Contractions are worse. Couldn't wait to push and my body was telling me to do so when I was only 8cm gone. Cue being screamed at by the midwife. But when I was finished she said I was the best pusher she had seen. Only took 3 goes

Misspilly88 · 17/09/2017 21:33

No one can tell you how Labour will feel. With my first the contractions in latent phase (the beginning, which lasted for 70 hours) were much, much worse than active labour and once I got into pushing it didn't hurt at all. My second the initial contractions were absolutely fine and the (quick) pushing bit was excruciating.

Original poster

Laurad04 · 17/09/2017 21:34

wow go you @babyblues14 and congratulations 🎊🎉🎊🎉

OP posts:

asongforthelovers · 17/09/2017 21:35

Every labour is different and different for everyone. Good luck op, it is very worth it.

Original poster

Laurad04 · 17/09/2017 21:35

@misspilly88 so could all depend on the baby too. oh gosh, not knowing what to expect is the worse feeling in the world!!

OP posts:

Logoplanter · 17/09/2017 21:58

Crowning hurt like hell, but at least that means it's almost over.

Try not to stress though; it's all better than being pregnant for 9 months

Enjoy your new baby when they arrive.

starsinyourpies · 17/09/2017 22:02

Also do remember the pain relief is available and it works, I ended up having an epidural both times (long labours) and in no way think this makes me a worse mother. Didn't hurt at all after those and particularly with the first I wouldn't have been able to keep going without it so would have ended in c section. Good luck!!

GummyGoddess · 17/09/2017 22:09

Crowning was the worst, it was stinging so horribly I actually considered headbutting the cistern to knock myself out (leaning forward with upper body resting on the loo lid), I was trying to maintain it as long as possible to give skin time to stretch and avoid tearing (it worked! A tiny graze only and no stinging while peeing!).

I quite enjoyed pushing, it was like finally scratching an itch. I didn't get the sudden increase in pain that others told me about and after having dc, the contractions for the placenta were almost unnoticeable and it appeared very quickly with no injection. I also didn't get any after pains at all, even while feeding.

Dc was back to back for most of labour and pushed my coccyx out of place which made the recovery period more painful than the labour as I couldn't even climb the stairs or walk upright but this is apparently very uncommon.

I also refused all but one examination as I didn't want them and the one I did have hurt and was ultimately pointless. It confirmed that dcs head was indeed in the birth canal which I could have told them.

If you can possibly relax and try not to have any expectations for how it will go, it will go better. Do whatever you need to do to make sure you're both ok physically and emotionally.

tinymeteor · 18/09/2017 19:02

I had an epidural so I have no idea

Good luck OP, you'll do fine

Rachie1986 · 18/09/2017 19:03

I found pethadine meant I didn't care how much it hurt really!

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