The pain during labour

[kungfubecca]

Ha Ha, lollies?? sure he wouldn't want some popcorn??

the hospital offered us some enya, Nathan and I just looked at each other and asked the midwife, if the radio worked and we put it on triple J.

Nathan decided he would wait untill well after the birth to tell me that a song I really hate, and haunts me, (litterally, comes on everytime we get in the car I hate it so much) was playing right as Xavier was coming out.
Thankfully I was otherwise occupied.

[July Mum]

I was induced and so my contractions come on hard and fast. The only way I can describe them is like a REALLY long and intense leg cramp but in your pelvic area. As for the pushing stage I felt no pain, couldnt even feel the contractions by then as I had had an epi.
But it's all worth it in the end, the very second that your bub's is in your arms you will have long forgotton about all the pain.

[brooke1]

I liked "chinese burn" thats the closest I have come to describing the pain- my pregnant friend is infuriated I can't exactly describe labour, and each one is different but I would ABSOLUTELY recommend Birth Skills by Juju sundin. I had 2 days of early labour and was to be induced day 3- was 5cm on arrival and after 4 hours (of intense contractions) and 5 pushes (read the coffee plunger part!) and AHH ing like there was no tomorrow (I wasn't going to do that bit, only use the stress balls SO glad I AHHed you get over it!)My darling son was born, after 18 months of trying! Only used gas and had no stitches this book got me through, otherwise I believe the pain would have been too much and I would of ended up with an epidural.

[Kitt3n]

lol- you know how you didnt have to put up with period pain for a whole 9 months?

well, whack it on all at once, x 10

but.... its not that bad! i mean, we go back and do it again, dont we!

such a wonderful thing that the mind forgets the feelings of pain.

[frazaled1971]

i know just aboyt everything that could be said has,the best advise i can give anyone is to go in with an open mind sure almost all of us want to do it with no p/r and as active as possible but it just isnt that straight forward for everyone yes i am having number six and had all of them vaginally and have been induced 4 times and probably will be again had an epi with number 1 as he was postierior and after 14 hours of having my waters brocken and nothing happening they wanted to induce me and thry told me they were going to speed it up big time and sugested the epi wich i didnt want at all but hey had the other 4 without any pain rel not even gas that dosnt make me great just very lucky i watched my sister in labour for 4 days and because they didnt beleve her by the time she got to delivery she was exhusted and not for the life of her could she get that baby out so they had to use forseps and the guilt she felt ,dosnt help that it was fairly easy for me and she kept compering but i go in everytime with the thought that if it gets to much i will have a bit of everything thanks i have nothing to prove to anyone and i will be going in with the same thought this time as it dose hurt well for most of us i had my 4th baby in 28 mins from first contraction till birth and i thought it was the most painfull of all and she was the only one had without being induced so who knows.

[Neenee Jellybeanie]

I hope this doesn't scare anyone, but I found the pain of labour quite a surprise. I kept reading and hearing, "The first stage of labour is often painless and you might be able to sleep through the contractions", but this wasn't true for me at all - I found this stage quite uncomfortable. My contractions were long and close together so I thought I was quite advanced, 3-4cm. So I asked the midwife to check me and I was only 1cm dilated. That FREAKED me out royally, which multiplied the pain by a thousand.

So yes, it's painful, but if you stay calm and have good support, you'll be fine. You need to stay calm though. And I recommend not getting the midwife to check you! There's an 'Advice for Labour' thread in the labour and birth section you might want to check out.

Labour is an AMAZING experience, I didn't realize beforehand but now I think of it as being the most important day of my entire life. Cherish it! Enjoy it! It'll be an experience that will stay close to your heart for the rest of your life.

Good luck!