How painful is childbirth on a scale of 1-10?

[Blackitty]

1 being a breeze
and ...
10 being the absolute worst pain imaginable?

I am due in March. First baby and would like to know what I’m in for...

Ermm 10. Sorry! But totally worth it

10! But you get through it.

I had an epidural with my first but unfortunately it didn’t work properly and I had pain on one side- but it was manageable, I’d say around a 7 or 8.

With my second she came so quickly there was no time for any pain relief and I’d say the pain was around a 9- but it was a weird pain, like the worst cramps you’ve ever had with a dodgy stomach amplified x 100! The actual delivery part, which I was expecting to be the most painful, was fine - I found the stitches afterwards worse.

There are lots of pain relief options so don’t be afraid to ask for it if you need it! Most of all remember that even if it’s agony it won’t last forever and it will be worth it when you have your baby

1. Both of my labours were fine and very manageable. In fact, I really quite enjoyed them. Far less painful than I was expecting. Wisdom tooth pain, on the other hand, is far worse a 10 for me. The stitches following labour were about a 6 (birth 1) and a 5 (birth 2).

It's bad but it's not every single second so mayb a 9 but 10 when the head is stretching your bits beyond what seems humanly possible. But it ends and you have a baby.

10 or maybe 100. Just kidding but do take all the drugs op. Seriously though someone told me that when you are in agony in labour, look at the time and tell yourself, this time tomorrow I will have a lovely baby in my arms. The pain has an end it won’t last forever.

Honestly about an 8, but that was only when the contractions really bite. I’ve had long term chronic pain, and I have had toothache that was a 10 and constant which was sheer hell. I can’t really remember the delivery pain.

11!

It depends on how lucky you are really. First DC probably about a 5. Painful at points but bearable. Second DC was a ridiculously long back to back labour with no respite between contractions so I would put that one at a 10. Gas and Air with both. Spinal given at the very end with DC2 as intervention was required for delivery.
My advice would be don't plan ahead too much as every labour will be different and in many cases different to what you might have planned for.
In terms of pain relief gas and air was pretty ineffective for me so if you want pain relief with a bit of oomph ask for something stronger.

Well, it depends on lots of things... the position of the baby, the length of labour, whether it's an induced birth, the woman's personal tolerance to pain... you get the picture.

As for mine - 8, 6 and 4 out of 10. The main reason for the 8 is the length of time it went on for. The epidural I had eventually was bliss.

The odd thing about labour is that you are pain free between contractions, it's not like you are in constant pain. It comes over you in waves. At least, that was my experience.

There are loads of pain relief options so read up on them, but go into it with an open mind as you may need lots of pain relief or you may be one of the lucky women who doesn't.

Sorry but I have to say it's a 10 from me.

As per previous a PP, sooo worth it though! 😀

If you have an epidural you won’t feel a thing also c section is OK ( well it was for me ) but otherwise it’ll make your eyes water a tad. But you’ll have a beautiful baby so it’s worth it.

The Contractions were a ten, but I had the hormone drip so they were back to back and more intense than natural ones I've heard, the pushing and birth bit however were a 3 and stitches a 2.

I was extremely lucky and had no pain down there after at all whist healing, but the after pains used to take my breath away.

Sex is still sore 11.5 months later and can no longer use tampons but I think that's down to my scar tbf.

I would say overall 5-6. Mostly intense but manageable, lots of endorphins with the earlier stages of labour! Got more painful towards the end. Crowning was 10 for sure but it lasted a couple of minutes, then my baby was on my chest! Incredible experience & totally would do it again. Used tens in early labour, pool for some of labour but didn't deliver in it, some gas & air but not at the end as I needed to concentrate. It is totally manageable, and I really recommend hypnobirthing

4 DC' and 4 vaginal births here. Contractions for me were absolutely 10/10, completely took my breath away in a way I had never imagined possible. Actual pushing 8/10 but equally felt like the largest yet peculiarly most satisfying shit of my life.

Once you have your baby in your arms that’s all that matters then, not the pain you went through.

That would depend on which childbirth I was rating.
DC1 and DC3 would be 11 at the very least. Bloodbath gruesome births from hell.
DC2 would be a 1. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Didn't even need paracetamol.

7, but I had an epidural when I got to hospital since I'm pretty scared of pain, so a 4 after that (I still had a lot of back pain for some reason).

Breaking my wrist and having a doctor manually put my bones back in place was definitely a lot more painful than contractions.

Oh dear. This all sounds horrific. I definitely want an epidural now. Yes please!

Get the epidural! It's bliss. The last bit is still a challenge when the head and shoulders are out and was the worst bit of it all but it doesn't last long. Before I got the epidural it was very manageable. Had to grit my teeth with each contraction but I remember it being more exhausting than painful, I'd probably put it at a 5.

I kind of naively expected it to not be so painful because I'd bought into all that our bodies are made for this narrative. 10/10 for me. I was pulling out bloody clumps of my hair at one point until the epidural kicked in. And then it was bliss.

In my case though I went from nothing to waters breaking to contactions less than 2 min apart all in the space of 15-20 minutes though. I've been led to believe that most labours progress more slowly/manageable though.

Oh yeah, the birthing the head bit really does feel like the most massive unbearable shit you've ever taken lol sorry. Most uncomfortable experience of my life.. Like I said though. Over quickly xx

10 seems too mild somehow

7-8. Pushing is more extreme un-comfort than pain.

The pain comes and goes so it isn’t a constant. You really do feel nothing in between. For that id give it an 8. Tooth aches et al are awful as they are unrelenting. Childbirth isn’t

First baby I’d say a 9, but I’m only saying that because my second was definitely a 10 (he was a much bigger baby and his shoulders got stuck). Both labours I just had gas and air in the later stages. The pool definitely helped with the pain but after DS was born I did say to DH ‘I am absolutely never doing that again’ and I will be sticking to that for the remainder of my fertile years.

I suppose it’s all relative though, someone who lives with chronic pain may well find it more tolerable and obviously depends on the position of the baby etc etc.