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

Original poster

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

457 replies

Blackitty · 28/12/2020 01:33

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...

OP posts:
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Oly4 · 28/12/2020 22:13
  1. It’s agony. Take the drugs. Whoever said it’s not as bad as getting their ears pierced is having a laugh. All worth it though!
emmetgirl · 28/12/2020 22:15

25

TyroTerf · 28/12/2020 22:25

10 being the absolute worst pain imaginable?

It was unimaginable. It remains indescribable.

It wasn't the pain itself that was so hard to bear, though - it was the way it went on and on with no end in sight, no rest or tea breaks, no way of backing out. Utterly relentless, and the only way out was through.

It got easier (though no less painful) when I stopped trying to mentally control the pain and just let my body do its thing.

Absolute doddle compared to what comes next though!

LoveYouHoneybear · 28/12/2020 22:30

@snowisfallingallaroundus

Not going to lie, stings a bit
Crying laughing 😆
TheChristmasPrincess · 28/12/2020 22:30

DC1 - (6) went into natural labour (although had a cervical sweep 1 week before due date because baby measuring small), had gas & air then went on to pethidine. Quick labour and baby literally shot out, I barely remember it.

DC2 - (11!) Had to be induced 3 weeks before due date (again due to small size) and had 2 pessaries inserted. Labour went from 1 to 8 in the space of an hour, wasn’t allowed any pain relief other than pain killers as all the medication was on the labour ward and I was still on the antenatal ward waiting for a delivery suite to become free. Then got caught up in the evening hand over so had to wait even longer. By the time I was transferred it was too late to offer me any pain relief (except gas and air, which did nothing) and essentially gave birth naturally. It was horrific and I was barely breathing during contractions due to stress and anxiety. The crowning didn’t hurt but it really stung and burned, if that makes sense.

Minnie6078 · 28/12/2020 22:33

On a scale of 1-10 I’d say about 1000999647...but seriously I’d live to do it again the adrenaline rush you get is amazing and I was so proud of myself afterwards!

Jowak1 · 28/12/2020 22:53

10 !! But as soon as the baby is placed on your chest the pain stops and it's been sooooo worth it- you soon forget the pain.

Original poster
Blackitty · 29/12/2020 02:42

Why do so few women in this country get an epidural? I don’t understand.

OP posts:
fastwigglylines · 29/12/2020 02:46

@Tyranttoddler

10 and I thought there would be respite between pains... But the bastard drip.
This. Yes, the bastard drip.

DC1 - 11 (never knew pain like that existed, epidural failed).

DC2 - 6 (no bastard drip, pain managable)

sobsanta · 29/12/2020 02:49

DC1 - 9 (just gas and air)
DC2 - 7 (just gas and air)
DC3 - 0 (epidural that worked exactly as it should)

StopSquirtingBleachOnCaneToads · 29/12/2020 02:50

For me it was a 10, but I had an induction that went wrong (long story) and was left alone having very intense back to back contractions for hours with no pain relief. That is not normal. Once a new midwife came on shift and saw the state I was in I was rushed to birth suite and given an epidural, at which point my pain level dropped to about a 2.

fastwigglylines · 29/12/2020 02:52

@GameSetMatch

6, it’s not that bad, if it was people wouldn’t have more than one, I’d prefer to give birth than have a severe UTI and it was more painful when I had an anula tear. I had a grad 3b tear and had surgery straight after birth but I’d still say a 6 out of 10 for pain. It’s bearable and it’s so short it’s only going to last a few hours not weeks, just keep that in your mind.
Sorry, but this just isn't true. Your experience may not have been that bad, but for some of us, it really was. Lasted longer than "a few hours" too.

I didn't have a second child because it wasn't too bad the first time but because I wanted a second child so badly I was willing to risk going through that again.

Please don't minimise what women go through or think you can speak for all of us based on your - naturally limited - experience.

FestiveStuffing · 29/12/2020 02:55

@Blackitty

Why do so few women in this country get an epidural? I don’t understand.
I can't speak for others, but for me it was the risk of complications from it (ranging from the quite common- severe headache requiring blood to be taken and injected into the puncture site to repair damage) to very rare (permanent nerve damage). It also increases the risk of instrumental delivery, which can also have a severe and lasting impact on the mother. Finally, we've got gas and air in this country, which many countries don't use, which means it's manageable without an epidural, though not fun.

I felt I'd rather suffer a couple of hours of pain than risk a couple of months, or even years, of increased damage. I did say though, that if ever put on the hormone drip I'd have an epidural because I'm aware that can be far more painful and harder to manage.

FestiveStuffing · 29/12/2020 02:57

All the fun of the fair:

www.nhs.uk/conditions/epidural/side-effects/

fastwigglylines · 29/12/2020 02:59

@Blackitty

Why do so few women in this country get an epidural? I don’t understand.
I went into childbirth wanting to avoid an epidural as I'd been told that once you start intervening, there are more chances of further interventions being needed,which may ultimately end up with an emergency C-section, which I really wanted to avoid.

I wish someone had explained how much the induction drip can hurt, though, and that's it's pretty unrealistic to go through induction without an epidural.

I asked for an epidural as soon as I realised how painful it was going to be, usually that would have been the end of the pain but unfortunately for me it just didn't work (I think it was sited wrong).

Second time round, I wasn't induced and didn't ask for an epidural, even though I had no qualms asking given my experiences the first time, but it was totally different, the pain was manageable and the whole thing much shorter.

sessell · 29/12/2020 03:19

7-8. Practically no pain relief (gas and air for the first one, tens machine the other 2). Last 2 were home births and quite quick. Like a few pps have said, a bad tooth ache is worse and unrelenting.

WinterRose92 · 29/12/2020 03:38

With my first I had gas and air and diamorphine- contractions were around 7-8 and pushing around 8. It’s when the head crowns! Bloody ouch! At the same time I felt very calm and knew it would be over soon!
With my second I had just gas and air. They took it away as I started pushing cause I wasn’t breathing enough. Contractions were 9-10. Pushing was 11! I felt like I went out of my body for a while, so strange. But again, I knew it would be over soon and the thought of my baby finally being in my arms got me through.
It’s the worst pain I’ve ever felt but it really was worth it.
Everyone is different, you won’t know how it’ll be for you until you’re in the situation unfortunately!
But you’ll get through it. Good luck!

20viona · 29/12/2020 03:41

2000000000

Clockstop · 29/12/2020 07:17

If they put you on a drip,.definitely ask for epidural there and then. With my second the midwives were astounded I hadn't been given an epidural at the start of the drip with dc1 rather than collapsing hours later and begging the anesthesatist to marry me Flowers

Clockstop · 29/12/2020 07:18

Not Flowers!

RadGlags · 29/12/2020 07:38

Went into labour naturally, spent most of the time in the pool but gave birth on the bed so no induction / assisted delivery to complicate matters.
I found the relentlessness of it hard (27 hours from waking up in labour to birth) and the contractions were painful but no shouting, screaming or wishing for death. Can’t really put a number on it as it was a gradual build up. Up until around 6/7cm I was watching films and chatting then things got more intense and I had to sort of ‘go into myself’.
I definitely wasn’t the type of person who thought ‘I could do that again tomorrow’ and now I’ve had the experience of labour I’m not fussed about doing it again but I’m very glad I got to experience it and have no regrets about having a drug free birth.

Tyranttoddler · 29/12/2020 09:40

Yes if you have the evil drip, get an epidural. I didn't know to do that until a good few hours in. Then my epidural failed but I had about an hour where I had a nice nap.

Benjispruce2 · 29/12/2020 09:42

I’m post Labour by 17 years so time does dull the memory. It was v painful in parts but not constant so I’d say 7.

Benjispruce2 · 29/12/2020 09:47

I didn’t want an epidural as I was a bit Hmm about having a needle inserted into my spine. Childbirth is normal and I coped with gas and air. I think pain is different when you know it’s supposed to happen and not a sign of something being wrong.

winterbabythistime · 29/12/2020 09:53

It's not a 10 all the way through but I found it did get there.
I highly recommend a tens machine, I stayed at home until 2 hours before ds2 was born by using a tens machine and bouncing on my ball

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