Painfree labour

[Indadhanu]

I just did part one of a four part Hypnobirthing course (which made complete sense) and am interested to see how others who have experienced pain-free surges describe their labours ('birthing processes'). We watched some birth videos and were startled (in a good way) at how calm and relaxed they were! Not that I want horror stories or stories to the contrary, but I am interested to hear from people who would describe their surges as painfree (which doesn't necessarily mean sensation free of course, as most on the videos used words like intense, tight, pressure etc.), but tell me about your experience of a pain-free labour?

[Arcadia]

I found the majority of dd's pain free. It was intensely physical, but the most painful parts were the transitioning times from prelabour to active, and then first to second stage. I think transition times are challenging because it's the times your consciousness changes. The first real contractions i thought 'i cant do this' but then found my groove. In the thick of beautiful labour endorphins I felt great, then when they started changing toward those pushing feelings, I remember gaining consciousness, and being focussed on bum pressure. The only really painful bit of second stage was crowning. I felt do much intense stretching, but it's like a few seconds and then suddenly you have a baby in your arms!

Ds was unusual- lots of short painful contractions and I never went to labour-land. It was easily manageable though because the contractions were so short and five mins apart.

I think anything that activates oxytocin helps with the pain. I rubbed a sheet over my bare breasts and kissed and hugged Dh lot. It was all instinctual, but the sexual connections really helped make it feel intensely physical, visceral but not painful iTMS? I remember thinking...this is just me, my body...there is nothing to fear.

Hth

[Traveller]

My labours were very intense and for the most part painless. There was some discomfort in my thighs and crowning was painful but once I got into the swing of relaxing with contractions I was able to sleep between and doze during contractions. My last birth story is in my sig if the link still works.

[~TT40~]

i wouldnt say mine were painful. was all pressure, stong intense pressure that at times were uncomfortable but deff wouldnt describe them as painful (fwiw i only did the first 2 chapters of hypnobabies..)

sent via my vortex manipulator!

[PumpkinZulu]

I'm very interested to read all of these replies. DD' birth was intensely painful. I was only afraid in the time i had to transfer to hospital, the rest of the time was calm, relaxed and fantastic. I coped 1000% better with the pain when I was not afraid, but yes, even then, when I was breathing through, not making a noise, it was intensely painful. I'm going to take a hypnobabies/calmbirth class this time, I wonder if that will change the way I experience this labour? (or, just the fact that it's a completely different labour and birth?)

[Cassius2]

For me the surges were feeling like tightenings or pressure (and this was ONLY towards transition and during transition). not pain. This was the case for every surge except one just as i entered transition which, as Arcadia mentioned is a key time for your conciousness to kick in (this is where the hypnobirthing/calmbirth training that you do really really kicks in as you bring yourself back to your zone). But, even then, with that one contraction there was no panic or intense pain, simply a 'oh crap, let's not have another one like that' lol.

Note of warning: when you have done a hypnobirth or calmbirth course and training it can be really hard to actually realise how imminent labour is up until my waters broke and DD2 was born 45 minutes later i thought i was having BH or a bit of prelabour hahahaha.

[Traveller]

Note of warning: when you have done a hypnobirth or calmbirth course and training it can be really hard to actually realise how imminent labour is up until my waters broke and DD2 was born 45 minutes later i thought i was having BH or a bit of prelabour hahahaha.

A few years ago I was chatting to a heavily pregnant friend on MSN and she said she was having contractions 5 minutes apart but hadn't called for the midwife yet as they weren't painful. It was her 3rd baby but her first with hypnobirthing. The other two she was in hospital and needed an epidural for the pain, this time she took some persuasion to call the midwife who barely arrived at her home in time to catch the baby!

[MulwareeRainbow]

I think the best I could describe mine were "discomfort pressure". It was very tiring, and between each contraction DH put a wet washer on my neck or my forehead.

We also used acupressure - just a PDF we found on the Internerd. It was a good distraction and I'm sure it helped me focus on something other then the discomfort of the contractions.

Crowning stung, but she came out quickly and all at once like a big waterside.

We did Calmbirth. I recommend it to anyone!

[Indadhanu]

LOL Cassius, that is what the instructor said! I giggled, because it is also what the midwife at the hospital said, especially when I told them I was staying home as long as possible because my last one was quite long and being at the hospital didn't help. The midwife almost wet himself with panic and informed me of all the reasons why second labours and particularly Hypnobirthing labours, can be quicker and I shouldn't be too complacent!

[SweetPea]

I did calmbirth for my second and third labours - was the best thing I did! My second labour was under 2 hours and was not what I considered painful, to me contractions felt like a tightening sensation but were not painful at all and totally manageable using the breathing techniques. At transition there was a brief moment where I said I'm not sure I can do this and my dh said yes you can you are doing it and de2 was born about 15 minutes later. I didn't get that ring of fire sensation, just felt like intense pressure and opening, when the head stretched the perineum it felt like a rush of hormones were released that numbed it, anyway thats how it seemed to me at the time.

My third labour was totally different and longer. Once again contractions felt like tightening and releasing but not painful. Second stage this time for me was more challenging as it was a lot longer and he had a much bigger head than my first two with his arm up next to his head which I think slowed things down. Once he finally moved down he came quickly. I think that if I hadn't used calmbirth I would have had a lot more difficulties with this labour. I also laboured quietly with all my labors, just focused on breath, which threw the midwives as they didn't think I had progressed as far as I had.

Highly recommend calmbirth, minutes after giving birth I said I want to do that again! If we go for number four (need to convince dh!) I would do calmbirth again, my dh said he felt like one of the couples in the interviews!

[Novella]

Mine were strong, but not what I would call painful, for a about two hours. Then for the last 45 minutes to an hour before second stage I felt pain, during second stage I didn't feel pain but did feel the burning of crowning. I had three analgesia free births my last, I made it to term and was able to have a water birth. I found the water and pressure on my back (thanks DH) eased the pain in the last hour of my labour compared to my first two labours and the crowning was no where near as 'burning'. I enjoy most parts of labour, its such an exciting time with the hope of a beautiful baby at the end of it.

I have not done calm birthing/hypnobirthing as after looking in to it I decided it wasn't for me. I did enjoy reading birth stories particularly the ones in Ina May's books, I found positive stories got me in the best frame of mind for birth and removed a lot of fear. After working as a nurse for 9 years I believe that fear often compromises a persons ability to cope with pain so managing fear is a huge issue in pain management.

Your almost halfway there yay!

[~Trish~]

I used calm birthing techniques during my last two labours and I had painless contractions. They were just strong surges that I knew were doing something good and bringing me closer to meeting my baby .

And yes, the problem is that you don't realise how far along you are! When I was in labour with DD, my waters broke almost as soon as I walked into the hospital and I said something like "Wow, my waters don't usually break until the end of labour!" DD was born 15 minutes later . If you'd like to read DD's birth story you can find it HERE .

I highly recommend reading through this thread: Why we feel pain in labour and pain relief methods while doing your research - I give it a heck of a lot of credit as to why I had great labours

[AndiE]

I hypnobirthed DS1 and DS2 and as others have said, it was less pain, more pressure for me. The number one thing hypnobirthing taught me was to relax my body completely during contractions/surges and I'm convinced that not "fighting" them made for a more comfortable, easier labour.

[Indadhanu]

Thank you everyone I really am feeling awesome right now, cried a lot in relief last night after the first class, in letting go (the course instructor was able to give us 30 minutes beforehand to debrief and she put a lot of things into perspective, wasn't afraid of telling me how it is which I needed) and my partner also felt that the course was sort of like common sense, instinct put into words, and we are on the same page with it, united rather than separate. I love that Hypnobirthing joins us as a team.
Please do put birth stories here of your painless labours, I am soaking up the inspiration right now! xxx

[~TT40~]

That is great!! I think on of the most important things is you and your partner are on the same page, that way she has a better idea of what you need and can help you more =) YAY!!!!!
My birth story is in my sig too, I reread it last night again after this thread and got lots of warm and fuzzies =)

[Cassius2]

mines in my sig (the second birth...homebirth one).

[Babyluv]

I didn't use hypnobirthing or calmbirth but I read and re reade Juju Sundins book Birth Skills and it was invaluable. I felt prepared and educated going into labour and knew what to do to harness those pain relieving hormones. I found labour to be really manageable, more discomfort than pain. It wasn't until transition between 1st and 2nd stage that I felt pain, so for about an hour before pushing and it was more of an intense pressure than pain. Once I was ready to push the contractions were not uncomfortable and pushing her out was a very intense sensation. I loved giving birth to my Daughter and I can't wait to give birth to my baby boy. I was told so many horror stories and had plenty of ppl laugh at me when I said I wanted a drug free birth. State of mind definitely plays a huge part I believe. For me it was about staying calm, being in control, focus and knowing what my body was doing at every stage and how to utilise the body's natural hormones. Good luck

[Three Graces]

I used the calmbirth skills through my first, induced labour. I was able to breathe through the contractions and meditated my way to the bottom of the sea. I had to keep 'coming up to the surface' to use the toilet and to talk. It was the toughest thing I've done and I was surprised by how tough it was mentally. Mind you, I was induced and it was cranked up to the max and was relentless from the start. I also didn't react well to the drug and vomited the entire time I got up or moved, which didn't help me to have an active birth! I was so calm that the midwives didn't believe me when I requested pain relief (this was after it was decided that it was going to be a c/s birth and I had to wait a few hours).
Main point is, when I tried VBAC with our second, I couldn't be induced and I experienced 'normal' contractions and they were like a walk in the park compared to being induced. I remember thinking 'oh I can deal with these ones'. I also did the hynobirthing with DS2 and had a doula with us.