In my experience, there isn't much that hurts worse than childbirth. I'm pretty sure the 'forget the pain!' hormones have done their job, because the pain in my jaw/teeth from a sinus infection a few weeks back had me in constant tears for days... but I do remember saying after giving birth to DD that it would take 'five years of therapy, and at LEAST that many bottles of straight tequila' before I ever considered doing it again...
But then, I was induced and my body tends to overreact to certain things (there was the time my orthodontist put elastics on my braces and my gaps closed in less than 24 hours instead of the intended period of 4 weeks, I was in excruciating pain and he just about had a heart attack the next day when he saw how fast my teeth had moved), and they do say that induced labour is more 'intense' than natural labour... I went from 'hooking up the drip now' to 'HOLY CRAP YOU'RE 10CM ALREADY!?!' in about ten minutes, and then the next four hours were the worst of my life lol... I don't know whether the worst part was the back/hip pain, or that awful cauterising sensation as DD's head pushed against my perineum... but either way, it frickin' hurt and I admit I panicked - I was prepared for a lot of pain, but then I just lost my mind and freaked out and that didn't help anybody.
Going into labour, I wasn't afraid at all - I expected to be in a whole world of pain but figured 'it doesn't stop women going back for another round or five' so I didn't think it could be *that* bad... I didn't listen to the horror stories from other women because I have a high pain threshold and they were all wusses lol so of course they were big sooks about it
I'm sure if I had a spontaneous labour it would be much easier on me, because not only do I know what I'm in for this time around (and am planning on 'mind over matter' when it comes to the pain), but I won't be chemically 'forced' into labouring and therefore my body will be able to prepare itself, kwim? It will be slower, gradual, not go-to-whoa the way DD's labour was.
It doesn't hurt quite as bad as labouring, but my hips think they're in second-stage labour (and have been for the past six weeks, same as with DD), and have softened and spread, causing really intense, constant pain in the tops of my legs, lower back and pelvis. It's horrible, and the worst thing is knowing that the only way to stop it is to get the baby out - in the meantime, I can't sleep, can't walk properly, can't pick DD up, can't do housework, push a shopping trolley, or sit down without jarring something.
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