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...

Contractions were an easy 10, pushing I didn't feel but that may have been down to the epidural (which I highly recommend)

Also having a clear birth plan helped even though I didn't do any of it. But the fact that I was willing to use an epidural and then a ECS if necessary made me feel in control.

Everybody will have a different experience, so don’t focus on the birth to much. mine was okay you forget as soon as it’s over

Childbirth was about an 8. Kidney stones were a 10. Unfortunately I have had more stones than children!

I can only remember it was 10/10 because I remember thinking 'if I died now I wouldn't mind'.

If I couldn't remember that I think I would now think it wasn't that bad. You definitely do forget/get over it quickly.

I found it quite manageable and much better easier than I was expecting and I say this as someone who was absolutely terrified of giving birth and didn’t think I had a high pain threshold at all. The part where the head stretches is painful but it doesn’t last long and once you hold your baby the pain is forgotten.
Go with an open mind, try and try and breathe through your contractions. See each one as bringing you closer to the moment you hold your baby.

If it helps - a close friend of mine just felt like she really needed a big poo and her baby came out whilst she was on and off the toilet. No pain at all she said :)

My three kids have been pockets of 10 with other lower numbers for the majority of child birth. Child 2 was the best birth and was fine until the last 1 Hour - 1.5 hours which then turned into a ten so not a long time at that number Xx

This sounds really stupid but I think alot of it has to do with mindset. Ill explain so I dont sound woo. When u had my first, I was pretty young and panicked in labour so the pain was 100/10 from about 3cm dilated. I had ALL the drugs.

With my 2nd I was older, had watched videos about how to breathe in labour ect. I made it to 7cm at home then went to the hospital. I was doing fine, they broke my waters I was just breathing through contractions. They then pressed the emergency button and the room filled with doctors, then I became panicked and then it was agony. I done it on gas and air though.

A 5 during labour, 7 when pushing. All unmedicated.

10 when third degree tears were examined without any pain relief. Then had a spinal to stitch me up thankfully.

Labour contractions: Mostly around 4, ramping up to 8 by 9cmish (though I did have a TENS machine which got me to 8cm at around pain level 7)
Transition stage where your body forces you to push: 10 (sorry, but it is over quickly at least!)
Crowning: 9 (Very burny and if you do tear you can feel it happening, yet know you have no choice but to continue what you're doing and that is horrifying)

So yeah, not exactly a fun day out but it is only one day, and the worst bit is only an hour or so. Very pleased I'm done having kids though, so I don't have to do it again! You'll be fine.

I would say 10 but I got to 7cm without pain relief. I had a home birth so was breathing/tens machine. I did get to the point where it was unbearable though and begged for pain relief. At that point the midwife examined me and yes 7cm! So it was unbearable but I think if I had pain relief earlier it'll be more like a 8/10. Also my gas and air ran out and they didn't have time to change the canister as I was mid contraction and pushing. So no pain relief pushing DD out, again I would say around an 7/10 if had pain relief. Although I found the labour harder than the pushing.

10 / completely off the scale for me until the epidural. Felt like a tortured wild animal- not even human.

I am a wimp when it comes to pain, honestly I stub my toe and end up doubled up in pain! I found childbirth was very painful, but something (hormones? Adrenaline?) helped it feel managable, and you know it will end at some point which helps.

10! I did manage without pain relief though so could have been worse. I was lucky though and had a very quick, induced labour, if it had been longer I'm not sure I would have managed without pain meds. Everyone and every time is different.

10 - but managed it with just water and gas and air!

6 for contractions

10 for transition at 10cm

I remember panicking slightly and feeling like I could climb the walls and excellent calm midwife told me to relax in exactly right voice

That was Labour with no pain relief. Others were different

If it’s any consolation my gallbladder attack/gall stones was more painful than childbirth! I’ve had 2 DCs, long labours with emergency csections at the end but you soon forget. I’ve been trying to have another DC for 4 years so it hasn’t put me off!

10/10 but I think this is because I had the oxitocin drip. Was awful, no break from contractions right from the beginning

Try hypnobirthing. Both of mine were a 1. Literally no pain and both beautiful experiences.

I had an ovarian cyst burst which was a 10 , that's with morphine
Childbirth, no pain relief , a 5
But I do have endometriosis so a monthly period can sometimes be an 8 or 9

Depends on your body. If everything goes smoothly it can be a 2. If you need surgical intervention because things are going badly it can be a 10. Some women like myself have ongoing pain and disability for years caused by childbirth going badly.

It's a 10, but I found it manageable as it wasn't a constant pain, and got little breaks in between (if only a few seconds) a couple of my friends who were also induced said they got to a point where they got no break.
When I had the urge to push that got rid of the pain!
As soon as baby was born I was like... yeah I'd do that again!
My advice is to go with the flow and no expectations that's you need epidurals and stuff! Just know you have the options there if you need them and that your partner knows also! As you can see everyone is different!
I found being mobile in labour and spending it on a birth ball helped lots!
The thought of an epidural terrified me!! Xxx

It’s a 10 plus, but you do forget it quite quickly. I’ve found that a lot of the not so nice memories of giving birth get filed away and almost forgotten about. Just like the lack of sleep for 6 years! Now I’m just to bloody grateful for any sleep and I try hard to forget my boasting to others and saying “as long as I’ve had a 2 hour stretch of sleep I feel fine to drive”. I really wish someone had stopped me.

Every birth is different and so many factors come into play! Position of baby, length of labour, whether or not there are complications etc. I’ve had three babies and I am aware I’m probably in the minority and very fortunate but I have had relatively quick labours which I got through on paracetamol and hypnobirthing- the pain was intense but because of the relatively quick nature of labour is was bearable with these pain relief techniques. Two of my three births were water births. However, if my labours had been prolonged, the above wouldn’t have been enough! I’d give the pain a 7/8.

I felt just like this with my little one. I’d say 10 when contractions start and begin to get stronger, but gas and air was good (although made me very dizzy) and an epidural is an option too (i had one as i went to theatre). I think the wee after birth was worse than labour to be completely honest! But its SO worth it 😀