What do you think of the pain of labour after giving birth?

[WhatIsPink]

Ive just had my third child, labour was wild and as anyone who’s been through it knows the pain. I was lucky to be fast and furious with very short active labour but quite a few stitches.

Every time I was surprised that I was doing it again, especially when I am in active labour , as it was not traumatised enough enough, however I seem to forget what happened last time and only see that beautiful child.

Just an after delivery though and what’s on your mind after all that painful delivery?

Short term pain is perfectly doable, I would rather that than chronic long term pain, no one expects you to carry on with normal life whilst giving birth, they do when you’re chronically in pain.

I had two c sections, so no pain. Really easy recoveries, as well. So, pretty minimal discomfort overall.

I absolutely detest being pregnant, but getting the baby out has been a breeze! 😂

Girl, same!

I was in labour for 40 hours. Then they lost ds' heartbeat and I don't remember what happened after that. A needle in the back of my hand because theatre wasn't available, and then episiotomy and forceps.

We both came home fine which is the main thing but I would not have had a second child then, and 18 years later I am still happy with that decision.

To be fair to the medical team, I suffered no long term pain (after 6 weeks) or any other damage I am aware of.

I've had four with no pain relief. All utterly horrendous, but the pain with my second was so bad that if you'd have handed me a gun, I may very well have shot myself in the head. Still went on to do it twice more.

The elective c women are the smart women.

I remember after I gave birth to my eldest the absolute 100% certainty that I was never, ever doing it again. I was pregnant again 18 months later. Then when I was in labour with my 2nd, just before they put the spinal in for the emergency c-section, I remember thinking I could not manage even one more contraction and I knew I wasn't going to be able to keep my cool any longer and I was going to start panicking. Currently weighing up whether to TTC baby number 3. Obviously I never learn, haha

I thought you meant After Pains. They were bad. Everytime my 2nd baby nursed it was pain for 10 days. Like intense contractions. Was horrendous.

Natural labour was intense but managable. BUT Syntocin was disgusting and I would never do that ever again. Natural all the way.

I found it bearable both times and had no pain relief. Crowning yes, was painful the first time, less so the second, but second birth was very quick. TBH I just thought it was worth it to get my beautiful babies.

pain forgotten immediately!

@MixedBananas oh yeah, the after pains with my second were worse than birth.

My second birth was a water birth with gas and air. I had a few contractions with no pain at all.

I’ve also had a kidney stone which was worse than birth.

I didn't mind labour; it felt like the worst ever period pain followed by the worst ever constipation. Juju Sundin's Birth Skills book really helped me cope.

The reason I couldn't face a second child was the endless day after day pain and trauma of breastfeeding with a bad latch. I'd happily give birth every day for 3 months over the 1st 3 months of breast feeding (I know I could have quit, but for various reasons rooted in my past I couldn't let myself).

I remember being absolutely convinced the contractions were going to snap my spine.

It’s not the reason I won’t have another. That would be the postnatal depression, suicidal thoughts and being left in pain and bleeding every day for 9 months afterwards while doctors shrugged and told me to wait a bit longer and see what happened (eventually- TMI - something like sand or small gravel came out of me with a load of blood and green stuff and then the pain stopped and I got better. My mat leave had finished by then).

I was in hospital having contractions for three days, baby was back to back, gas and air did nothing at all, and a consultant had the nerve to tell me to be quiet. After three days at it, getting angry with the pain and being vocal about it was the only thing keeping me going! Ended up with a forceps delivery on the operating table while being prepped for emergency c section. Then I haemorrhaged just short of needing a blood transfusion. (“The blood won’t get here in time!” Is not a phrase you want to hear being yelled across the room!)

Everything was so swollen and damaged afterwards that I was sent home with a catheter in as I couldn’t wee by myself for a week. I then promptly got double mastitis twice, it went septic within about 3 hours of symptoms starting both times. So I basically failed to dilate, failed to manage the pain, failed to give birth, failed to recover afterwards and failed to breastfeed.

If It would magically get rid of the depression I still have I’d go through it all again. I’d do it again with no pain relief at all if it would give me back that first year with my baby that depression and ongoing pain stole from me.

(well that was longer than I thought it was going to be, and I’ve had a good cry writing it!)

I struggled hugely with my dc1 birth, I was in shock for months after and felt like such a failure because it should be natural and mine ended up with such medical intervention.

dc2, I just held my hands up and went for an epidural. It was a fantastic birth.

First was painful, and awful but manageable.

Second, I hoped for death.

Third, more like the first.

I had no pain meds with either. DD’s labour was actually quite pleasant. DS? Well, it was fine until the midwife broke my waters as she assured me doing so he’d be here in 15mins. I was begging for an epidural (was too far), c section anything got offered paracetamol.. 7hrs later he made his appearance and I think I am still traumatised now from that labour

I had 3 sections - last 2 elective for medical reasons but the first was an emergency section and the pain traumatised me for a long time. If it hadn’t been for 2 elective sections I’m not sure I would have done it again

I’ve had 2 children. Both different labours and births. Both spontaneous and natural. The first was long and painful in my back. I had gas and air and was hoping for a water birth but couldn’t continue with it after 4 hours then needing my waters breaking. The second I managed at home with a tens machine until the last minute- the pain was not bad, like a bad period cramps and it felt like a totally different labour. Had a water birth within the hour of arriving at hospital. Gas and air. The only painful part was crowning as I could manage contractions with breathing. Baby in different position (stargazer) it is amazing how I instantly forgot the pain as soon as each baby was born but the difference wasn’t just experience. Nature’s way of ensuring we do it again!

Oh no I remembered it and refused to do it again.

i had an awful first birth: thank god I had an epidural because I was in labour for 2 days and eventually wheeled in for emergency c section, which didn’t happen as the episiotomy/ forceps worked. Then I got infected stitches. It was an all round shit show.

2nd labour was bad in a different way as I was told I wasn’t in labour, sent home from hospital, then had to come racing back when it was apparent I was all along, but not enough time for any pain relief, so did the whole thing with no drugs, which hadn’t been my plan.

i would say the 2 nd drug free labour was marginally better as it was a bit less chaotic/ stressful / medicalised during the actual birth and the recovery was quicker, but the last 40 mins of Labour were very bad pain wise. I was never going to do it again anyway after number 2, but it wasn’t so much the labour as the logistics of 3.

I found early labour quite difficult (tens machine did NOTHING) so was quite happy to get pethidine on arrival at hospital. Had gas and air for the pushing stage in the bath. I seem to remember that I didn't find the pushing stage actually painful per say, it was more like being squeezed by an anaconda and getting the wind knocked out of me. Gas helped with the breathing.

Next baby due in December. There's no gas, no pethidine, and no on demand epidural at my Japanese hospital. I would have to be induced for an epidural and I want to avoid that if possible as I've heard it can make labour worse?

Feeling apprehensive. Last time was over and done with start to finish in about 7? hours. Maybe I can survive 7 hours of torture.

Check out Melanie the midwife and the great birth rebellion podcast. She sells a guide on giving birth without pain relief which might be useful to you.

Don’t get me started on withholding pain management unless women agree to an intervention …. 😡

Dc1 was a nightmare but at least the second epidural worked. DC2 they didn't listen to me and I didn't get the early epidural the consultant had arranged so I did it with only gas and air. It was so intense that I didn't realise my coccyx had fractured until a week later...I could have happily not experienced that level of pain (I desperately wanted an elective CS but there wasn't that choice 16 years ago). Still have issues with my coccyx now.

I've had one child. The pregnancy and birth were very straightforward. I didn't want more than one anyway. The experience really cemented that thought. Quite how anyone chooses to go through that more than once, especially if it's more complex I have no idea.

I've had two (so far.) I know it was extremely painful, but I don't really remember it.

Second time, I ended up holding out too long and giving birth in the car though. I'm sure being sat up in a moving car didn't help to make it less painful.

The after pains were definitely way worse! I will be dreading those much more than the labour, when we decide to go for number 3.

My first two were intense with contractions one on top of the other with no break but they were so fast. 1 hour 10 being the longest. Pushing was really fast for me as well. With my third, I woke up pushing involuntarily and never felt one contraction pain.