Labour and birth pain compared to other types of pain

[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.

[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.

[Yeddi]

A lot of how you will experience labour will depend upon bubs position. For the first 5 hours of my labour DS was in the LOT position and I was coping very well. The contractions were powerful but I wouldn't call them painful. It was a bit like when you lift something heavy ITMS. When contractions were 3 minutes apart lasting for over a minute we decided we better get to the hospital (so not far from the end). Bub decided to turn posterior on the drive there. The difference was huge - and it sucked BIG time. For me it changed everything, contractions slowed down and became less efficient because I simply couldn't relax through them because now there was pain, all in my back as bub pressed on my nerve endings there. It took a lot to encourage him back into a good position, and it seemed that every time we did, the hospital staff would insist on using the heart rate monitors (because I was a VBAC which is akin to a chemical bomb apparently) which he hated and would turn back to get away from them - Gah!. It took me another 29 hours of posterior labour (and hiding from nursing staff in the shower so they couldn't use the monitors or harass me about not using them) before I got to 10cm and could start pushing. Bub's position makes a huge difference as to how easy (or hard) you both labour.

[onthefly]

Totally! DD came down my pelvis with her head sideways (thus the feeling that my pelvis was being torn apart).
Well done hiding from them that long

[HotI]

Yep! My DD was posterior and arrived that way (induction didn't help) Still got through it just using gas. Check out the Spinning Babies website for ways you can sit etc to get bub in the optimal position for birth, just 2 try 2 make it easier on both of you.

[LimeSlice]

Totally! DD came down my pelvis with her head sideways (thus the feeling that my pelvis was being torn apart).

Had the same thing with DD2...refer pulled apart chook comment above

[Livinthedream]

I reckon its fine, so long as things are progressing nicely. For me, that pain was totally bearable (with gas LOL) right up to 10 cms and that was with a posterior baby. But it progressed nice and quickly (4am, 5cm -9am, 10cm)
Then bubs got wedged and for 2 hrs I pushed. The pain wasnt any worse, but OMG the feeling of doing all that work and not getting anywhere, that was painful LOL.
So I caved, got the epi and then they pulled him out.
But hell, if he had come out in a more timely fashion, then it would have been totally bearable, just like the worst period pain ever,but bearable KWIM?

[Yeddi]

Hmm... I found posterior labour to be quite a sharp pain all in my lower back and I normally have a very high pain thresh hold. Granted he was my first vaginal birth, 4.5kgs and had a big head, so his size on top of his position most probably had a lot to do with it. I think the pain or pressure or whatever is all very relative, and there are so many contributing factors that can change your experience. As they say every labour is different, even for the same woman. I think the important thing is that you are educated and empowered to make the decisions you feel you need to make, whether that be doing it drug free, using alternative therapies, or using pain-relief, and be willing to change your mind. I know I had planned on going drug free and only take gas if I absolutely had to, but the gas did nothing for me but make me feel sick.

[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!)