did you enjoy your labour?

[Olive]

just wanting to know how many people actually enjoyed their labour!

leading up to my labour i was scared of having a quick labour and not getting to enjoy the build up of contractions,sounds wierd but i really wanted to have the gradual contraction build up, waters breaking transition etc... i wanted to experience proper labour! it was 17hrs from when i first woke with period pain and 8 min contracions to birth- around 4 hours of active labour, but i can look back and say in enjoyed it!!!

did you??

[The[cookie]Doctor]

I loved labour. Until about 10 mins before i went to hospital i spent the day laughing, it was an amazing experience, and I honestly can't waiit to experience it again. Maybe a few hours shorter but otherwise it was awesome.

[LaDeeDa]

*shudders* I didn't enjoy it at all ......

but that might be because i had such a horrible mismanaged birthing experience

[Lisa]

I didn't enjoy my first labour at all... like Dee it was horribly mismanaged too.

I loved my labour with my DD and honestly felt like I could have done it all over again straight away. I also enjoyed my labour with DS2, although it wasn't exactly how I would have liked it (ARM due to cord around his throat) it was still a fun & beautiful labour.

[Willow]

Looking back, my first labour yes, I did enjoy it (wouldn't have said so at the time probably!)

My second, the early stages were pretty good but the rest, no. I didn't enjoy it. It was very fast and intense (5 hours total) and very different from my first labour which was very slow and drawn out but much less intense and painful.

[Nelle]

Not at the time with my first, I wouldn't say enjoyed is the right word. I was satisfied with it, at peace and happy with how it was going, encouraged and excited at the thought of what the outcome would be...and a whole lot of other things.

But it hurt, and while it was a constructive, progress and hope filled pain...it was still pain.
I guess you could say I enjoyed and still enjoy the fact that I had the labour I did.

With my second, no way, UNTIL I realised it was time to push, and then I was so happy and cheerful and excited, and the pain disappeared when I pushed. So I enjoyed that part immensely.

Interesting question Jols!

[Olive]

dee i know you had a terrible time hun

[catherinemoses]

Yes, I did enjoy it. I was surprised to find that I was in labour the day before my EDD and I was thinking that it was going to be a false alarm (I'd convinced myself all thru the pg that I would be overdue!!!)! It hurt (don't get me wrong it hurt a lot!!!) but it was a good pain...if I can call it that. Maybe it is that amnesia that you get after birth but I didn't think it was that bad! I found getting stitched up after my episiotomy to be much worse!

[~clover~]

My first labour was ordinary. I was drugged up to the eye balls, OB trying to push for ceaser, I was young, niave & scared.
With DD2, it was amazing. I stayed at home for as long as I could. Headed off to hossy thinking I was nowhere near that far along, then worked my way through it naturally. It was amazing!
DS I think was too hard & fast. 5 hours from 1st twinge to end. Not too bad though.

[Oorki Galoorki]

first one definatley not but my second was the most incredible wonderful experience and virtually pain free to so thats even better..

[alioops]

My 1st 2 I did!! If my Ob gets his way and continues to refuse a CS even though Orthopaedic physio says no way I can do a VB without damage then I doubt I would enjoy my 3rd, but if he does his job sometime in the next 4 weeks then I might enjoy the birth (I won't be labouring then though)

[Heaven]

No freakin way Mine was pretty awful. I'm scared to do it again.

[Jakabella]

I did enjoy it - even though I was induced for 3 days - had 16 hrs of pain as Bella' head was on the side and she was posterior so my bum felt like it was going to explode and it ended in a emerg C that I felt half of the cutting coz the epi was botched!. I would still do it all again as I got Bella at the end of it! I would like to have a VBAC for next bu if it had to be the same as Bella's birth then so be it!

Kate

[Cassius2]

ooooh what a great thread!

hmmm, overall the birth of DD was not enjoyable, like Dee and Lisa have mentioned, this was due to the external factors of the birth attendants and not to do with how Leila and I were travelling and experiencing together.

what i did enjoy however, was having my waters break niagra falls style (just like in the movies). i loved the mad dash with a million towels wrapped around me to the hospital with my best friend and i in hysterical laughter. i loved that we raided the OB gowns cupboard and played dress-ups...

but one the most enjoyable things was when i was starting to get the fevered 'i really can't do this anymore, i'm so alone feeling' and a contraction hit (proper, get ready to push one) and Leila kicked and squirmed so hard that i realised that she was there and helping us to get through this birth with me. to me, that was priceless.

[Willow]

DS I think was too hard & fast. 5 hours from 1st twinge to end. Not too bad though.

Exactly the same as my DS....I'm a bit scared about #3!!!

[Cassius2]

No freakin way Mine was pretty awful. I'm scared to do it again.

i remember sooo vividly wondering in the first few months how on earth ppl could ever do that to themselves again and again LOL!

[AliBaby]

YEs, looking back I can say I really did enjoy my labour and the birth of DD.

I had great midwives, a very supportive DP of my wishes and was in a good state of mind. I think staying at home as long as possible helped as well as reading up on hypnobirthing. I also found the shower so wonderful and helpful.

That expereince of transition will never leave my head. It just astounds me that all of a sudden you know its time to push...

I didnt do antenatal classes, I just believed in myself that I could do it and armed myself with info from everyone at BB.

I really wish that everyone could have had a positive experience with their labour.

Also at the time I was thinking to myself there is no way I can do this again, but it hasnt put my off having more children. The pain has gone from my head.

[~Kaz~]

I "enjoyed" the first 28 hours of labour (12 active). Even though it was painful, I felt positive and capable and so proud to be doing it without drugs (except gas in last 2 hours which didn't really do much). I really hated the last half hour before J was born when I ended up in theatre for a C-section. Also, I hated all the post c-sect/birth complications I ended up with.

Although I'm scared about doing it all again and would love a VBAC experience, I'll definitely be back for more and never went through that "never again" stage.