MN Bumpfest: How did you feel about giving birth? Tell MNHQ for a chance to win £50 voucher! NOW CLOSED

[MichelleMumsnet]

In the run-up to Bumpfest - our event for first-time mums (or second/third/fourth-timers in need of a refresher) - we thought we’d try to find out about how labour was for you.

Giving birth can be an extremely unpredictable affair, and as a result it’s shrouded in myth and mystery. If you’re soon to be doing it for the first time, trying to get a sense of what to expect can be nigh-on impossible - which is why we’d like to hear the truth of the matter, directly from the front line. How did you really feel, when you were in labour - and was the experience, for you, an empowering or disempowering one? Did you feel you were involved in the decisions made by the midwives and doctors? If not, was this because medial priorities took over - or did you feel you were unnecessarily kept out of the loop? Did your birth partner act as your advocate throughout the process - or did you do it all yourself? In short: how was it for you?

Thanks in advance - we hope it’ll help those about to go through it themselves to have a realistic picture of what to expect. Everyone who adds their thoughts to this thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £50 John Lewis voucher.

MNHQ

P.S. If you'd like to find out more about Bumpfest, please click here.

Above sound kinda similar to me.
I've already posted on this thread, but in relation to the post above (cote d azur)....4 months on I'm booked in for a little correction down below after infected stitches. This has obv severely affected my sex life and thoughts about that area of my personal life.
A c sec next time did cross my mind, but I might want 3 kids in total and don't fancy a vbac or 2 c-sections.

I truly didn't know what to expect. I felt like I was pestering the labour ward if I called too many times with contraction questions. In the end I just wanted to get to the hospital and get looked at so in we went. I did feel that they kept me waiting too long to be triaged and I was in absolute agony and the midwife had problems examining me. It was disappointing to discover I was only 4cm dialated but they agreed to keep me in and not send me home. Good job really as I had a realatively quick labour and was moved into teh delivery area within an hour.

I've been lucky in that both my labours were pretty textbook - waters breaking, contractions like period pain getting more and more intense, staying at home as long as poss, then that 'needing to poo' (soz) feeling and getting to the hospital just as I started to want to push.

18 hours start to finish with ds1, 6 for ds2.

Key things for me - ds2 was 14 days late, and I was really glad to have a midwife team that explained all my options, so I felt confident to hang on that long for things to happen naturally (I was booked for induction the next day, think that scared him out!).

The other thing - I found it quite scary at times, even though things went well. I think some of that may have been that 'transition' phase of labour. I can't say I really enjoyed it and after each time said that I'm never doing it again. I did feel like superwoman afterwards though :)

I had to learn that my mind was not in charge during labour, my body was. My mind was along for the rude, and could help or hinder, but not control.

I also had to learn to be open to help, especially physical help, and to ask for it.

My first labour was fine and actually easier (if I dare use that word?!) & quicker than I thought it would be.
It was 12 hours from start (initial contractions) to finish (placenta out).
I didn't have anything other than gas & air which is what I wanted / had planned.
I was offered use of the birthing pool but there was no time for that in the end (but I wasn't overly bothered by this).
The midwife was amazing - very calm, not patronising at all, did & said the right things and when it was all over actually said we had restored her faith in midwifery which made me smile!
DH was fantastic too - he stayed at my head end (!) and held my hand throughout. He was encouraging without being 'too much' / annoying and didnt tell any of his rubbish jokes!!!!
After he was born, DS was handed to me and latched on straight away for his first feed which was wonderful!
I had no stitches and no complications and we were all back home 6 hours after delivery
I realise we are very lucky and it could be completely different with DC2 who is due in 3 weeks!!

After a very negative experience with hospital birth - induced 2 weeks overdue, uterus going into hypercontractions, ineffective epidural, 2 male HCPS pressing on me to get the baby out, masses of stitches - I had a homebirth 3 years later that turned out to one of the most empowering experiences I have ever had.
Wonderful midwives, soft lighting, no pain relief whatsoever, all done and dusted in 2 hours. I had to fight for my home birth (due to cuts in services locally) but it's the best thing I ever did.

I was terrified each time and still feel sad that I wasn't able to have a natural birth.

My labour (20 years ago) was long and arduous. I was told by 3 different doctors that I wasn't in labour - which I guess as I was only 8 months pregnant wasn't too surprising. The third doctor only had me admitted to hospital because my blood pressure was sky high (I had pre-eclampsia).

Half way through the labour I was so addled on gas and air I decided that it was time to go home as 'I'd had enough and this wasn't fun anymore!'. Closer to the actual birth I was told by the midwife that my breathing exercises were paying off as I was doing really well - told her that I hadn't been to any classes, had learnt it all off Eastenders!! Slightly embarrassing!

My son was born at 2 minutes past 1, on a Sunday morning - he weighed 8lb 8 3/4, the doctor who had been called in from his home was very unimpressed that he'd been called out at all! My son was delivered with the 'waters' still in their bag - it was all very surreal.

I had to have stitches - I remember trying to convince the doctor who'd come to stitch me up that it really wasn't necessary - he just commented that this was a really good way of meeting young ladies - I was mortified (although slightly flattered too!!).

Later that day, the family came to visit. My husband's mum walked in just as my blood pressure was being taken, for some reason (read into this what you will), my blood pressure suddenly went sky high and I was told I had to turn over on to my left side immediately to try and lower it! Was slightly mortifying to say the least.

Strangely enough, I decided there and then that one baby would be more than enough for me!!

I think it's really different for everyone. My friend had both her children in a real hurry, she was walking around town doing the shopping with her contractions and then both times got to the hospital with only a few minutes to spare. She said it hurt but at least it was quick. I don't know how I feel about it but it doesn't seem that scary to me.

First one horrendous, the second - the larger- easy. I still get nostalgic when I smell toast!

My six were all premature and labour came on suddenly and didn't last long. Even with my last two girls where a c-section date was set, they still came early with a med rush to reah the hospital in time so all of my pregnancies were anixious times for me, especially in the final 3 months.

My labour was a nightmare from start to finish and ended in a Caesarian section. It stopped and started from the Saturday morning with eventually my son being born on Monday. I wanted pain relief early on but was talked out of it. It was a very frightening time for me and my husband.

I was very lucky with my labours and they both went pretty much to plan. I stayed at home for as long as possible each time which allowed me to have an active labour at home and then this continued at hospital. I felt listened to, which was very empowering and very lucky in that everything worked in my favour.

I felt a bit sorry for my Husband though, who didn't really have anything to do. I'd gone into my own little focussed bubble of pain and so there was none of the stereotypical hand crushing or back rubbing!

was terrified and excited, things were not straightforward, so it was a mixture of every emotion all at once. It was a very difficult pregnancy and a prolonged labour. So it was painful, scary, exiting and exhausting all at once!

i was so scared. It's a scary time and you can feel very lonely. But as long as you have support from family and good friends all was fine! x

I've had 5 children and labour is painful but easy enough. Trick is to put up with the pain and go to hospital when about 8cm dilated as I did with mine. Then a couple of hors later it's over. Animals do it on their own without painkillers or assistance so it can't be that hard.

considering i was 17 on my own i did research in books and mags and was surprisingly calm

4 of my 5 children were born in hospital. My youngest but one daughter I opted for a home delivery as all my pregnancy's were problem free and I wasn't happy with the way hospitals dealt with my feelings and that of partners. I didn't even know I had gone into labour with her it was just coincidence the midwife popped into our home to check on me. Within 2 hours family were all downstairs, bedroom was a very relaxed atmosphere and me and husband accompanied by 2 lovely midwives were all ready for her arrival. This time I did exactly as asked and did my breathing and listened to what they said. We all laughed right up till the last 5 minutes and I only had gas and air right at the end. Midwives were telling jokes and giggling with us both and I cant explain how a home birth felt apart from bloody amazing. The bond I have with my daughter is so close and no one down stairs knew she had actually been delivered till my husband went and told them. Family came straight in and met her and I went and ate my sunday dinner lol. Not only me but husband also coped better and in a relaxed atmosphere, I didn't feel like I was being herded in and out of hospital in a hurry. I then oped for my last daughter to be born at home but unfortunately I had Polyhydramnios and doctors and us wouldn't risk it so she was born in hospital but Home birth is the most amazing experience in the world and I am so glad we did it.

My first was lovely, a planned homebirth on my due date and all over in 6 hours, was a wonderful experience. With my second had pre-eclampsia from 30 weeks, and had an emergency caesarian at 35 weeks after a placental abruption at home, he was born less than 30 minutes after I arrived in the hospital, he had to go to SCBU and I found the whole experience traumatising (although absolutely necessary).

I was very lucky had a fantastic midwife both times and an amazing doctor, but I was terrified all the way through, I think it is the loss of power/control over what is happening to you than is so frightening

Had elective sections both times. Sometimes feel a little cheated out of the labour experience but have seen plenty in line of work.

really didn't know what to expect first time & thought i had a high pain tollerance but i was so wrong! although having a natural water birth with no pain relief makes me very proud of myself after & would rather that than another c-section!!

I didn't have a very good time, I was induced and the labor took forever. I was in hospital for days due to complications. :(

I had two very easy, quick labours and would have loved to have been a surrogate mum as my pregnancies were also easy.