You know what scares me?

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Spose I don't really have much to worry about at this time, considering I'm not even pregnant Jeez, this anxiety thing is really rad!

[Fleur]

This is going to be such a copout answer, but... You just cope. (ignore Amelia's birth story ) It is a lot like period pain, but it's different too itms? Period pain is just the closest approximation because it's so different to anything else you'll ever feel

I agree. My early contractions in some labours felt a bit like period pain, but not the whole way through. And it's different, too.... that mindspace thing. I wouldn't be surprised if you cope better with labout than with period pain.

[Cassius2]

So many birth stories say that the pain is similar to period pain, only worse. That scares me, because me period pain is insane - I've been chowing down on Panafen every 3 hours on the dot for the last 2 days, and I'm still right at the edge of being able to cope. How the frick would I ever be able to go drug free in labour?!

i had bad endo and trust me labour is AWESOME in comparison (well, ok, labour is awesome full stop, but you get my drift lol).

[Shanti]

It's really important with labour pain, to try to focus on the 'wave' of the pain and it's progress with each contraction, I call it "riding the wave" and when I was in labour, as a contraction started, I'd imagine riding up a wave and reaching the top of it at the most painful point then as I felt the pain disappearing as the contraction left, I would ride the wave down and enjoy that feeling of relief and the 'break' until the next wave came. HTMS!!
I truly think that helped me with each one. And I'll do that again this time.

And yes, having fear of the pain, only makes it more painful. Rather, try to embrace the pain. It's absolutely amazing and wonderful how powerful our bodies are.... you have to let your body take over really. Don't fight it

[ubba82]

I liken my contractions to a bad case of gastro, you know when you get the waves of pain. That's the best way I can describe it. Except at the end of it you have a bubba :-)

[Babyluv]

I've always had excruciating period pains that would have me vomiting, fainting & shaking in pain & for the most part labour was more manageable than this. I would say it's similar up until transition. Transition for me was when it got tough but you need to breathe calmly. I found moaning helped me to distract my mind from the pain. And moving my legs helped too. Labour is an amazing experience. Ppl love telling you horror stories when you're Preg but I do believe it's alot to do with how well prepared you are as in knowing what your body is going to be doing and why so that you don't panic. It's about confidence and being in a good head space.

[onthefly]

Period pain is 'yucky', labour ... I dunno, it's different and not 'yucky'.

[Babyluv]

MadB is right it's not a yucky pain, you know with the increasing intensity it's bringing your baby closer.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

Keiks, I had horrendous period pain. Labour was not painful. It was uncomfortable, but I could walk, talk... think! And it actually served a purpose, unlike period pain (unless the purpose of period pain is to make us feel crappy, in which case it succeeds). And because contractions aren't continuous, it isn't 24-hour period pain.

Best thing - post Liebs, very little period pain!

[Heaven]

Don't worry Keike. Yes it is like very bad period pain I thought but it's also different. With period pain you just feel crap, you don't get anything out of it, it just feels like a bad pain. With labour, it's a strong kind of pain, it's your body working and you think about it differently. Your body is working really hard to get your baby out and at the end you get to meet the little one you've been carrying around for 9 months. You can think about it differently because it has a purpose and that makes it much easier to cope with. You'll be fine

[Jellyfish]

Spose I don't really have much to worry about at this time, considering I'm not even pregnant Jeez, this anxiety thing is really rad!

Always good to be prepared and I know this is something you will have a need to think about hopefully soon