Labour and birth pain compared to other types of pain

[lee09]

Hi everyone

I know that the pain of labour and birth is unlike any other, and I really won't know what it's like until I've gone through it myself, but...

I've experienced the pain of passing kidney stones and I suffer from IBS, which if anyone else has it too, will know it can be quite painful. I'm not saying these things are like labour ... but for anyone who has had these conditions too, are they comparable in any way?

I'm actually feeling really positive about labour and birth. I'm not scared. I'm excited and can't wait to meet this little person growing inside me, but I do wonder about how I'll handle the pain when the time comes. And I often think about how I managed these other pains in the past. Just interested in hearing other people's experiences.

Thank you!

[HotI]

I have chronic pain from a neuro condition and arthritis. Having had years of pain experience and experience in working through pain (mental toughness) definitely helped during labour, but as labour can also have more acute and intense pain it is also a different experience. Maybe passing kidney stones would be similar?

The good thing is that you know the pain has a purpose, and you know it will end. And then you get all the lovely hormones (and baby cuddles) to help you recover.

take care```````````

[minniemouse]

For me the pain of natural labour ie not induced was something I would rather deal with over the several tooth abcesses I have had ! Good luck !

[DANNIIM]

Also depending on what your labour is like as well depends how well you deal with the pain. I found with DS1 the labour was 8.5hrs and my body had time to deal with the ramping up of the contractions where as DS2 alot quick 3.5hrs was alot more intense and my body found it hard dealing with where i was up to and the contractions alot more intense.

[~Stoked~]

Hi Lee!

I've never suffered from IBS or passed kidney stones, so I can't comment on that. Labour, for me, was nowhere near as 'painful' as I expected. I think all the stories had me expecting it to be alot worse than it was!
The best way I can describe the feeling is that it is a similar pain to menstrual cramps, although obviously alot stronger! But as HotI said, the pain has a purpose so was easier for me to deal with knowing it was working towards something wonderful.

[LimeSlice]

How you deal or cope with it and what it feels like are really two different things.
Like if you were to be able to understand the feeling from a description, you would wonder how you would deal with it, but when you actually experience it, you feel it, but you deal/cope with it better than what the description would have made you think... ITMS! lol

Personally, towards the very end of my (28hour) labour, I can only liken the pain to what I imagine a rotisserie chook feels like if I were a rotisserie chook on the branding hot skewer and someone was pulling my hips apart.
But then by saying that you would think it was horrible... lol But it was and it wasn't.

Clear as mud

[Starlite]

Ive never had either. But my sister has two LO and has recently gone in to see if she has kidney stones (not confirmed yet), she says the kidney stones are HEAPS more painful than either birth.

For me, my contractions felt like really really bad stomach pains, like when you've had some really dodgy food and feel painfully queasy.

But like they say, each labour/birth is different, and is totally worth it.

I think that your mind set about the pain when giving birth (compared to other pain) is what makes the difference, knowing your baby is coming is a driving force, and for me, made the pain bearable. DS birth was completely drug free, I actually birthed him at home after being sent home in 'early labour', lol.

[kimmi]

haha LS, absolutely clear as mud!

[nothing2lose]

I can only liken the pain to what I imagine a rotisserie chook feels like if I were a rotisserie chook on the branding hot skewer and someone was pulling my hips apart. But then by saying that you would think it was horrible... lol But it was and it wasn't.

And this week's CONTRACEPTIVE ADVICE message (for women too chicken to give birth) brought to you by Lime "I'm always clucky" Slice....

[onthefly]

The great thing about labour pain is that you're designed to deal with it. And when you're done, the pain is gone and you have a baby!
For me, coping is directly related to the care and support I receive. Altough DD's labour was far, far, more painful (like my pelvis being torn apart, yeah) but I coped better because I had better support.
Now, I remember it hurt, but I can't really remember the timbre of the pain, you know? I had OHSS when I fell pregnant with DS and that was painful. And I remember the pain. I remember it as being way worse (it also lasted longer and I still had to wait 9 months for the baby)

[Lily Dust]

Honestly, for me, it was more uncomfortable than unbearably (sp?) painful. I had OHSS during IVF and that hurt a truck load more than labour. If you are excited and not scared, thats a pretty good place to be mentally imo. Remember the mantra that 'Fear= Tension= Pain', I think that is something that really helps get you in the right 'place'. Good luck, and I hope your labour is everything you hope for

[PumpkinZulu]

(From someone who has yet to experience labour )

I think it's important to remember as well, that labour pain is not a 'sick' pain, it is not a damaging or harmful pain like when you've been injured or unwell, it's a functional, working pain if you can let it be .

I'm 99% sure I have Endo, I was about to have a lap to diagnose when I fell pregnant. But I would experience attacks where I can only describe the things I was experiencing as contraction like. It was the most painful thing I've experienced, those attacks. Definitely not a good or functional pain there

[LimeSlice]

(From someone who has yet to experience labour )

I think it's important to remember as well, that labour pain is not a 'sick' pain, it is not a damaging or harmful pain like when you've been injured or unwell, it's a functional, working pain.

Again, your state of mind will determine how "functional" that is at the time.

[PumpkinZulu]

Again, your state of mind will determine how "functional" that is at the time.

Hey don't laugh at me! I may well come back in a few months time screaming "FARK THAT!" but I don't think I'm being overly idealistic or anything Maybe I should have said, speaking more as a trainee doula.

Having said that...true that! As a PP said before, fear = tension = pain, if you're going into it with a different mindset I can see how that can all change.

ETA I added a bit to my OP

[Mich83]

i know a woman that has had two children and kidney stones. she said they were equally as painful but the births were far better because there was breaks between the contractions - plus you get a better prize at the end she said the stones was a constant pain which made it more unbearable.

[nothing2lose]

I have had gallstones. The drugs are better during childbirth (sorry no-drug advocates!)

[kateo]

I didn't think labour pain was too bad. I think it would have been easier to cope if I had been giving birth to a live baby instead of a full term stillborn DD.
Since I was a teenager I have had a knee that dislocates. This is more painful IMHO particularly if it takes time to "reset" than labour pain was.
I have also broken both my wrists and have broken three ribs including havinf a "floating rib".
Bone pain generally is worse than labour pain.
Many people here have said it's worth it because you get a baby in the end. Even if all you get to do is say good-bye to your baby the pain isn't too bad.
I am pg again and I hope I will greet a breathing baby this time. I am only scared of something going wrong again I am not scared of being in labour again.

[TeniBear]

Yep, a lot of it comes from how you feel about it, I reckon.

Would you believe I had a better birth with Ianto (who, if you don't know and can't see my signature, died before birth) than with Amelia (perfectly healthy)? I was determined to give him the best birth I could, and I was actually happy to be giving birth to him.

I started off happy to be giving birth to Amelia, but (as PZ knows) I was very very UNhappy by the time I got to a birth suite. I was handling it pretty well until I was told they didn't have a room for me yet, and I had to labour for quite a while in a post-natal room with a new mum in it (wtf, hospital?)

On top of that, my body wasn't reacting well to the induction, and I was pretty much strapped to the bed by the heartrate monitor... I ended up in massive pain, screaming for an epidural (which btw was my one big rule in my birth plan - "do NOT let me have an epidural!") which I attribute to my poor state of mind by that point.


Sent from my iPhone so forgive the speelung misstacks