how to explain to dh how painful labour is

[Mum2SweetCs]

So dh often asks me how painful labour is.

Usually I respond with, imagine tying your weights to your balls, thats how painfull it is.

But now im thinking, is there a better way to describe the pain? Lol

[Santosha]

For me what was most painful and overwhelming was the sheer power of it. My body was exerting forces that were far beyond any strength I thought I had within me. Can't think of a great analogy for you, but I guess something like being pounded by a powerful surf or pushed along by a truck...??!!

[blessedatlast]

CAN"T POSSIBLY EXPLAIN IT!!!! Just (insert expletive here) AGONY!! Then show him all the replies in this thread and let him see how many women try to explain it, but just can't

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Oh i wish there was a way... DP missed DD1's birth but was at DD2's he says to me "it was the easiest 8min of your life"
If only they knew.

[Mum2SweetCs]

The only issue is cos he thinks I have a low pain tolerance lol so I need a bettwer way of expolaining it to him

[~Hestia~]

It's tough! I didn't have to elaborate too much to DH as he saw how much pain I was in, but I do remember trying to explain the feelings. I think I said contractions for me felt like a vice in reverse, like a vice was inside me but was pushing, pushing, pushing against my skin. Crowning I said felt like someone had just ripped me open!

[*Beema*]

The biggest hardest No.#2 that you have ever done, that takes xx hours to come out

[Calluna]

Like when you have really bad diarrhea. It's like the cramps you get with that except about 50 x more painful, comes in waves and lasts for hours. That's how I described it to DF anyway.

[Muffy]

Like when you have really bad diarrhea. It's like the cramps you get with that except about 50 x more painful, comes in waves and lasts for hours. That's how I described it to DF anyway.

exactly. everytime i get diarrhea it reminds me of labour.. ohh those cramps

[sweetgloss]

I said it was like someone was giving me a chinese burn to my body and spine. A bit dramatic really but I cant think of another way of explaining it, it burned.

[~MummaBear~]

i cant explain it but these other replies are funny lol

[sasha]

Like when you have really bad diarrhea. It's like the cramps you get with that except about 50 x more painful, comes in waves and lasts for hours. That's how I described it to DF anyway.

:yeahthat:

Actually, M said that after seeing my in labour the first time. And said it reminded him of having gastro, especially towards the end (when the contractions are coming thick and fast) when you finish one and think, 'oh, thank god that's over with', but you know it's going to happen again soon...

We were talking today about marathon running and I said I'd like to do a marathon at some point, because people often compare them with childbirth and he said, "There's no comparison! At any point during a marathon, you can stop!"

He's a clever guy

[delphmoon]

Like when you have really bad diarrhea. It's like the cramps you get with that except about 50 x more painful, comes in waves and lasts for hours. That's how I described it to DF anyway.

I describe it similiarily to my DH. I say its like poo cramps times 100. I even go as far as to tell him to imagine he really really really needs to poo but has a cork in his bottom and it won't come out but the cramps stay there He agrees that would hurt...ALOT

[Loula]

Tbh I find this hard to explain. I don't know if it's because I did calm birth classes but I didn't have much pain. Sure my labour ended in EC but I was fully dilated in 4 hrs (thanks to the drip) and was for nearly 40 min before anyone picked it up but DS was too high to come down. I did have back ache almost like I had done a big workout for a week straight lol

[Lisa]

I told my DH that contractions are like bad constipation/dihorreah cramps. Then, it is like there is a bowling ball shoved up your butt that you have to somehow push out... and in the end, it would be like him being kicked in between the legs a few times for good measure.

[Nelle]

I think crowning could be like chinese burning their member?

Maybe contractions are like your head being shoved underwater, and knowing you need to hold your breath for however long before you can breathe again. You can see it coming, and prepare for it, but there's no avoiding it, you just focus and ride it out, again and again.
That could help explain any potential temptation to panic near transition, when you feel the breaks in-between aren't long enough and it's just very intense.

Pushing is definitely like pooping.

[little_mrs]

Havnt had the experience yet but DH had to have a catheter not long ago, he was whinging about how much that hurt and realised he was complaining to the wrong person when i just sat there looking from him to my growing belly with an eyebrow raised!!!

[human bean]

Like pooping a rockmelon