Does anything...and I mean anything at all hurt more than child birth?

[amberj]

I have to agree with myson- recovery from episiotomy and major tearing was worse than birth. Yes, birth was exceptionally painful, but fuzzy in memory and it ends. Recovery I recall very clearly indeed and it seemed to go on forever. Try not to have a 9.5lb baby!

[Spring Angel]

TBH birthing my earth baby was a breeze. Almost enjoyable. Emotional pain is much worse IMO.

If you are in the right frame of mind labour is a beautiful thing and isn't painful at all.

Spring xx

[AliBaby]

I agree with Manta... if you focus on the pain you are almost talking yourself into it.. Yes it hurts.. but my advice is not to think about that part.. It is definately a positive pain and I can honestly say that I enjoyed my drug free birth.. Wierd huh?? I guess that because you know that you are going to have a fantastic outcome it makes it easier to push (pardon the pun) through!!

Butr geez.. sounds like I would rather give birth than have gallstones, ruptured appendix and kidney stones anyday!!

I can totally see what you and Manta are saying.

But for me, I need to be informed about pain before I go into something. It doesnt scare me so much if I know that other people have felt it or that maybe I have felt something worse and that psychs me into thinking its okay.

I actually get more scared if I dont know that the pain that I am feeling is normal.

In other words its the unexpected that scares me so this kind of helps me into knowing what I should expect IYKWIM.

[Mad Scientist]

I have to agree with myson- recovery from episiotomy and major tearing was worse than birth. Yes, birth was exceptionally painful, but fuzzy in memory and it ends. Recovery I recall very clearly indeed and it seemed to go on forever. Try not to have a 9.5lb baby!

I'll agree with this one too! And feeling the episiotomy happening because they didn't put enough anaesthetic in. That made labour feel like a walk in the park. Sorry if TMI!

Alibaby - good luck with your labour. To be honest, I loved every minute of it. It is such a fantastic challenge. The whole time I just knew my body could do it. I found the exhaustion is worse than the pain. But it's a bearable pain. I kept waiting for it to get worse and it never did. Not like breaking a limb or cutting yourself really badly. The whole experience just the best and to be totally honest I can't wait to do it again (and I remember clearly what it was like cos it was only a year ago that I was going through it!) ;-) You'll be fine. Probably best to expect the worst so you might be pleasantly surprised :-p

[Ilithyia]

I would call labour intense, at times VERY intense, but not really painful.

We can all add our 2 cents worth here but nothing is going to take away the "fear of the unknown". Until you experience childbirth yourself, your "curiosity" won't be cured.

Try and go in with an open mind. Don't think one or the other.

Have a good support team who know what your ideals are for the birth.

I always give my clients a copy of "A Labour of Love" to listen to in the last week of their pregnancies. They then go on to listen to the CD during the labour. The breathing exercises on the CD give them a focus point.

Don't put to much pressure on yourself. Be open. Literally!

[Lolli]

Bring it on... I'm ready

Ren that so made me smile- I remember being at that point in pregnancy where you know it's goin to happen so soon and youa re just thinking "Yep! I'm ready! I'm tough! Bring it ooonnn!"

And that's when you know you're body is really starting to kick into gear.

You go girls Knowledge is power.

[Evie76]

Nope. I wouldn't say so.

But when it was all over I forgot about how painful it was. I've heard that this is a trick of the brain so that you'll go back and have more. All to preserve the human species.

[Sair]

I always give my clients a copy of "A Labour of Love" to listen to in the last week of their pregnancies. They then go on to listen to the CD during the labour. The breathing exercises on the CD give them a focus point.

That is the CD I was talking about, I loved it!

[Janie]

Um, yeah, pneumonia! I've had it twice, and it is heaps worse than childbirth. Yes, childbirth is painful, but managing it the right way, and going into it with a positive frame of mind, makes it a lovely experience I totally enjoyed it, and can't wait to go back again! And no, mine was not an easy, uncomplicated birth. But I still loved it!

Something to remember with birth is that for much of it the pain comes and goes. So you are not in constant pain for hours on end. Just thought I'd mention that, don't know if anyone else has!

[Ilithyia]

That is the CD I was talking about, I loved it!

Its great isn't it!!!

I highly reccomend it!

[Mum0809]

Even though my post had MY opinion and MY expereince, which I thought the was the post was asking for peoples opinions and expereinces, I have offended someone. Apparently I wasn't meant to feel the way I did when I gave birth and if for some freakish reason I did feel that way I certainly wasn't meant to tell anyone or write it down. I'm very sorry if I upset or offended anyone else.

[Ilithyia]

No I don't think there is nothing thing more painful than childbirth. I thought I was going to die, I was in so much pain.

I totally take into consideration that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. And I value that your experience of childbirth is what it was. But thats is exactly it. YOUR birth expereince was your own. I honestly don't think there is a need to relate the pain of dying to the birth of ones child.

As I mentioned in my last post, everyone has a different experience and feels labour differently. But to post a reply to a woman who obviously has some anxieties about her upcoming labour that you "thought you were going to die". C'mon!

Its these types of comments which can send women down the road to a cascade of intervention.

[Celsie]

I think when your precious little one hurts themselves or is upset and really cries and you can see the tears rolling down their sweet little face... that hurts more.

Don't worry Ali - mother nature has a funny way of making you forget. I was all ready to do it again 24 hours later.

[Janie]

LOL Celsie, I was ready to do it again 5 minutes later - I told the midwives and my ob so and they all thought I was hilarious. I was serious!

[Celsie]

LOL Celsie, I was ready to do it again 5 minutes later - I told the midwives and my ob so and they all thought I was hilarious. I was serious!

Mother Nature must have REALLY worked her wonders with you. I wasn't THAT keen.

[Janie]

Yeah, it was just the happy hormones Gotta love them, it's like being on drugs (not that I would know LOL).

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I didn't give birth, but for me, having both your feet broken then the next day your "little" sister sitting on those feet because they were up on the sofa... that hurt more than anything that happened to me before or since. I found contractions and pushing didn't hurt whatsoever. It's like that bit in your period, just before it starts, when you have those warning pains in your birth canal - that's what pushing felt like to me. So not 100% comfortable but nothing I'd call painful.

[leesha]

I was expecting excruiating pain but it wasn't!!
Seriously I had a drug free birth and I can't even handle a blood test!

Your body tells you what to do when it is ready...
When it came time to have stitches I had double the local anesthetic I was supposed to have cos I could be in control(I was able to feel pain and had the time to think abouut it) and my head was in a completely different space than what it was during labour and birth.

That sounds so stupid but when you are going thru childbrth you trust your body so much that you don't question the pain..you just do it!!

It doesn't tickle but it is pain that makes you proud to be a woman!