Can you please describe the pain?

[McSnail]

Hi everyone. Bit of a masochistic question here, but I believe forewarned is prepared.
Could some of you describe the physical sensations you had in the three stages of labour? I know pain is involved, but what kind of pain? And is it 'good' pain or really, really bad pain?

Thanks in advance.

Is there such a thing as "good" pain??

In my case, DS1 - epidural, no pain at all but also no sensation of anything so I would definitely not want one again

DS2 - happened v.quick, so no time for any drugs (well a bit of gas n air). It was bad pain, the worst you can possibly imagine, BUT as soon as the baby is born it is completely gone - it's not like if you break a bone and there is the initial agony then a lasting pain while you recover IYSWIM.

Good luck!!

The trouble is, everyones experience is different. And I don't know about anyone else, but the pain is instantly forgotten the minute it stops, so IMO/E it's not an easy question to answer. I know it did hurt me, but I did it naturally(a little G&A only)and in water. It's not as painful in a pool though ~ that I can remember.

I do know that the worst bit for me once Dd was almost there, was when she was right in the lower part of my belly if that makes any sense at all...her back was probably below my naval iyswim.

Hop that's not too confusing.

Not sure if the answers you'll get are going to help at all. Pain is so subjective. some will have found it excrutiating and others not.

Ultimately it's pain with a purpose - getting that baby out - but how do you define good and bad pain?

People love to tell labour horror stories ime so any responses may scare rather than prepare you.

Good luck with your labour - you will find your own way through it

*hope

DS was back to back...which didn't help.
Will try not to focus on how painful it may or may not have been, as it is subjective and unlikely to help anyway. Suffuce to say, it did hurt.
The 'type' of pain, for me was like mega-mega-period pains, all around front and back of bump, or like really, really, really bad constipation/trapped wind.
Later in labour I had epidural so missed alot of it, but it didn't work completely so I had a patch on my lower left side that still felt all the pain, but I was also on G&A to tackle that patch, so I can't remember it exactly [woozy].

very sore, but also very bearable ime. it was like the pain bit was happening at a more primal level, iykwim? i loved my labour, loved it loved it, even though it was pretty medical etc. much preferred it to the (necessary) cs i had with dd2.

i suffer badly from ibs and was worried that i would have to endure hours of "that" kind of pain (which i would not have been able to handle)

was nothing like it though, more like the worst back pain you could imagine that swept round in bands to my stomoch.

Thanks everyone. I know pain is a subjective thing - just really wanted a heads up on what to (generally) expect.

I'm not sure I could describe the contractions in my first stage. I felt them all in my stomach and within each contraction they get to a peak and then ease off.

The second stage was very different, the contractions didn't seem to hurt so much, but I think that's because you are able to push against them (unlike the 1st stage where you have to let the contraction wash over you). When I was pushing it truly felt like my arse was going to turn inside out, but I was aware that that was a good sign so it didn't worry me. If I hadn't been aware of that I would have worried. I didn't have the ring of fire during the crowning either as ds sort of shot out.

No pain at all during the 3rd stage. I don't remember any contractions, the placenta just plopped out with gravity (I sat on a bucket, ot looked like I was going to the loo!)

1st stage - mild cramps building to earth shattering splitting my pelvis apart pain. the odd thing is though the second the contraction ends you forget how bad it was and are willing the next one to come.

2nd stage - contractions continued accompanied by almost painful bearing down sensation... feels like you have to do the biggest most painful poo of your life but rather weirdly you actually want to push it out. crowning is exactly like what it is... someone stretching a small hole into a very big hole... ever done one of those weird big poos that rips your bum? like that. you also feel when you rip if you do so

3rd - stage... mildly crampy but not much else really... some people have more contractions, i don't... in fact it took and hour last time for me to realise i wouldn't (or rather the mw to take a look and say 'the placenta's right there at the entrance, i think if you pushed it would come out now'.... which it did

4th stage - afterpains... worse than the worst period pains i've ever had... and that was for the first, with my second and third they were horrific... i thought i was dying at one point with ds2

"When I was pushing it truly felt like my arse was going to turn inside out,"

Haha!

"ever done one of those weird big poos that rips your bum?"

Yes! That's kind of how I imagine it'll be. But obviously a bit worse....

I found the worst thing was not knowing were the bad pains the start of many, whereas it turned out I only had about 2 really bad contractions. And in hindsight that was bearable, but at the time I was so scared it'd be getting worse.

But the surprise for me the first time, was how very physically tiring it was. The pain I was prepared for, but the physical effort of pushing was a surprise. It was like running a long race, but whereas normally I could stop when exhausted, I had to keep going. However I have always been unfit, and usually avoid all streneous exercise. {grin]

The fear of the pain before hand has always been worse, in all three of my labours. Once labour kicked off, the fear disappeared, and I kind of went into the zone. It hurt, a lot, but I wasn't frightened. 1st stage - several hours of tightening, strong period pains, getting stronger, longer and closer together. Breathing helps, mooing, roaring, rocking, drugs etc. Transition, you go a bit bonkers, then second stage you have an urge to do a big poo, but of course it's the baby's head. This bit is less painful in my experience, when you're pushing. Important to relax and let it all go down there - open up like the petals of a flower. Sort of the reverse of pelvice floor exercises. Then the ring of fire as the head crowns. That stings a lot. Third stage, that's the placenta isnt it? Can't even remember that bit, so it can't have hurt.

Like period pains x 1000. Dragging sensations in your pelvis and as though your womb is about to fall out of your bum.

When you get that placenta out of you, you will feel so empty and light, it's fantastic, like the biggest poo that's been inside of you for 40 weeks has come out. Magic.

ime when you hit the 'oh shit it's too much i can't do this any longer' stage you're in transition (even if they told you 5mins before you were 5cm!) and it's almost over.

My pains were intesified period pains and an aching back.
The worse thing for me with dd1 was after 20 hours of 'agony' and every hour thinking This is it! This MUST be it! I can't take any more! being told I was only 4cm and to stop making a fuss

I have a very low pain threshold so take no notice of me....

I agree that after the baby is born you completely forget the pain and even wonder if it was truly that bad!

Well, I have thought about this. First I will say that my third labour was far easier than this! But to describe my first, I would say, consider the difference between letting a cube of chocolate melt on your tongue and, well, a good orgasm, which suffuses the whole body with pleasure. Then replace the mouth and chocolate bit with, say, dropping something really heavy on your foot - it's an overwhelming pain for a moment or two, but you know you still have the rest of your body that is ok. Now replace the orgasm with intense pain that doesn't stop at the limits of your physical body. There literally is nothing beyond the pain.

Um, sorry.

Second stage is a breeze by comparison! I expected someone to say 'Not good enough, put more effort in' - but then they were born. And crowning just was a slight stinging sensation, like a paper cut. (The episiotomy I had with the first child would have been more painful than that probably, but I had a local anaesthetic.)

However, with my third labour as I say I finally got the hang of it and the pain was far, far less.

McSnail I started a thread a while ago trying to find out what other people had experienced sensation-wise during their labours - it's here

Just wanted to add good luck with your pregnancy and birth - when are you due?

amputation or open heart surgery without anaesthetic. i'm just being honest i couldn't get the hang of the gas and air and just cried and screamed inconsolably from start to end!

i was in shock for the next 10 years or so, 15 year gap between my dc's

the pain was so intense that i didn't focus on the 'badness' of it. it was so all consuming, that my body just took over doing what it had to do to get that baby OUT. i didn't have any pain relief, but did spend a bit of time in the bath. I remember near the end saying to my doula that if this was going to keep up like this for hours, I might not be able to do it, but bless, I was just about to give birth then!
And like everyone says, as soon as you hold that gorgeous babe, the pain is completely gone.