Labour and period pain, are they similar

[jenjams]

I too had a loooonnnnnngggggg labour. I was so exhausted that when I asked for an epi they let me have it so I can get some rest before pushing. (I ended up being induced) I didnt like the sensation of the gas. I didnt want pethadine. I reckon if I had have had some sleep before having DD (instead of 4 days of none) I would have been able to cope with the pain for longer than I did. Even still DD had to have the vacuum cap to bring her out... and 3rd degree tearing but thats another story.

[catherinemoses]

It felt like period pain for me. It was kinda just achey pains not too long and not very often. It started in the morning about 9 o'clock. It got more intense and closer together but still manageable by 5pm. By 8 pm I decided to take some Panadine. I threw up at about 8:30 (was probably from the codeine) was at hospital by 10 and was in pretty bad pain was having 2min contractions and was 7cm dilated. They gave me the gas which I had heard terrible stories about but found quite good. It doesn't make the pain go away but certainly takes the edge off. The pain comes in waves. Starts slowly, peaks and is quite painful then fades, as labour progresses this pain gets longer. It is certainly a painful experience but not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. It was very manageable until about an 1hr before I got to hospital. Then I had 4 hrs of more intense pain managed by the gas and the last hr was very intense/severe but still just had the gas. I can remember the pain but it really fades very quickly and I was not worried about it at all once I was holding my beautiful new baby! Try not to doubt yourself too much, and definately do as others have already suggested and be as educated as you can be
HTH
I found what I wanted most (more than pain relief) was to go to sleep!!!