just curious?

Question

i wanted to know how it feels like to be in labor :) i know its different to every woman but i just want to hear some stories to those who overcome it... good or bad :) what part of your body is the most affected in labor? thanks for the answers in advance.. im 8 and half pregnant with a baby boy. God speed

Answer 1

very stressful

:> peace
.

Answer 2

Well first congrats! I have two kids and with my first child (it was a boy) It wasn't that bad, like what the second person Karen said it felt like bad cramps. I had an epidural with my son and labor was almost 22 hours. By the time he came thought the epidural was gone and it just felt like a lot of pressure in my lower back and stomach. My daughter was born earlier this year and that was a whole different story, no pain medication at all with that birth. A WHOLE LOT of cramping that felt like I had to push really hard every time I had a contraction but it was fast labor was only 5 hours. Every pregnancy and delivery really is that different but you know the contractions really are about the same. Watch TLC ( the learning channel) for the program A baby story. It gives you a little bit of an idea of how different it is for every woman. Hope I helped! Good Luck and again Congratulations!

Answer 3

Well if you are 8 months pregnant you are already experiencing the low back pain. Everyone has a different threshold for pain and our bodies are built differently so some people can pop a baby out with ease and others, (like myself), had a harder time. Dont worry about it though, you can get an epidural (I had 2 of them) which will numb you from your waist down and you wont feel the pain. Or if you want a natural birth- go to the birthing classes and learn the breathing techniques because they help whether you have a natural birth or not. When you are actually in labor, your mind kind of shuts off the pain to tune in on the event that is happening--- the greatest event in your life- the birth of your child! God bless, and congrats.

Answer 4

I had back labor, it was very painful near the base of my spine. Back labor (as you probably know) is caused when the baby is facing the wrong way. My labor was very unproductive, and so painful that I could not sleep or relax until I got an epidural. Then I finally got to sleep and my body started doing what it was supposed to do! 8 hours and 40 minutes after my epidural (I also had a second one administered) my baby boy was born. I pushed for 45 minutes with all of my might, as there was nothing I wanted more than for it to be over with! 35 minutes into it, he hadn't budged, then he decided to roll over, that was VERY painful, but then he came right out! Unfortunately in the process he wrapped the cord around his neck, but the doctors were great and got him breathing ASAP and he is perfectly healthy now! He is 18 months old and constantly on the move! He is my pride and joy and he was worth every bit of suffering!

Answer 5

you're right, each person is different, and each labor is different. for me, i knew immediately that it was real labor. i knew i was going to go natural. i had a homebirth with a midwife. one important point is to try and stay as relaxed as you can, stress makes you tighten up and will increase the pain. my baby was posterior, which made labor more painful and it lasted a total of 27 hours. towards the end it was similar to a kidney stone. i had no problem standing or walking all throughout labor, but when the contractions hit hard i couldn't speak. i highly recommend a birthing ball. it was a lifesaver, bouncing through the contractions. it was the most empowering moment in my life to not only have my baby at home naturally, but to be standing while i gave birth to her. a great book is "the thinking woman's guide to a better birth" keep in mind that giving birth is what your body is made to do, listen to your body and it'll tell you what needs to be done. i found a site that helped me a LOT, i'll post it below. and congrats :)

Answer 6

God blessed me with the easiest labor ever (I had a VERY harsh pregnancy...spent 80% in bed). I did however get a hole in my placenta at 35 weeks, baby engaged and stopped the bleeding. I was not allowed to be released from the hospital because I was 5 cm. I had NO clue. I never felt a contraction. I went all day sleeping (as I did my whole pregnancy). The doctors checked me about 3 hours later and I was at 7 cm 100% effaced and still napping and not feeling contractions. They broke my water. I was ready for pain and hell. But it never came. The nurses woke me hours later to check me and I was 10 cm. Still not having felt a contraction I was amazed. But after my first push, OMG contractions like no tomorrow lol.

Can't wait to have another labor like that lol

Answer 7

I have three kiddies all vaginal, no pain killer meds, births. I believe that it also depends on how "in shape you are". Me and my girlfriends laugh about our birthing stories, and most of them hate me(3 kids) and our friend Lyn(2 kids), I am a lifeguard, and she is a Tahitian dancer, we are both very active people. When we gave birth it was 0-60 in less than an hour. But our secretary and not so active friends took forever. I have no idea what it would be like to be in labor for hourS. I can only imagine. I was told that pain killers prolong labor, so I figured, who in their right mind would do that. I went Au Natural. But to descride it, and what worked for me. The final contractions of what they call "active labor" are intense. You feel alot of pressure. Feeling like you're going to explode is not an understatement. I just kept focused on my breathing, and the thought that, got me through is that finally after all that hard work, I was going to hold my baby. It help to have a focal point to take your mind off the pain. Have someone with you to talk to and a hand to squeeze. You'll know when you are ready to push you can't stop that urge, no matter what the hell the nurses tell you. Then after a few hard Looong 10 count pushes it's over. Remember to bear down though. Screaming while pushing, is just letting all air pressure out. So hold it in and push. My OB told me that if she can hear me screaming I wasn't pushing. Talk about wanting to kick someone. but she was right. Your body most affected part. well all of it. But mostly your will feel it in your stomach, back, and vagina. When it's all over though the vagina, and butt. Talk about hemoroids. But they will give you an ice pack if you ask, and send you home with a soak. Don't freak out if you get the shakes, after in the recovery room, that is because you did so much work, ask for a hot blanket and it will, pass. The nurses will help with feeding, so don't be ashamed to ask. Make sure you massage your tummy right away, to get the blood out of your uterus, if the nurses do it it hurts, but they will check if you're doing it. Get up and move around as soon as you can you will heal faster. That's about the worst of it. Congrats and Good Labor.

Answer 8

I had a mostly natural childbirth. I was induced. They inserted Cervadil overnight and I was in mild labor by morning. My OB then broke my waters. The labor pain felt like bad menstrual cramps at that point, only a bit larger in scope (because the uterus was larger).

I handled the pain by sitting in the hospital recliner and consciously relaxing when I felt the contraction beginning. Remember, cramps hurt worse when your muscles are tense. I meditated so well that I dropped my heartrate down into the 50's and 60's during contractions and spooked the nurses enough to run a few EKG lines on me.

But alas, my labor didn't progress fast enough for them so I was put on pitocin. I did well for a few more hours as the cramps got worse and closer together, but the nurses made me move from the chair to the bed because my son's heartrate was decreasing during contractions. On the bed, I couldn't get comfy and lost my concentration.

I also believe this was the beginning of transition (the most painful time). I kind of lost it, but since my birth plan was flexible, I was okay asking for Nubain and it helped me get back on track. By the time the 2nd shot wore off it was time to push.

Pushing was the worst part, but overall it didn't seem like it. I was constrained to lying down, but lying on my side helped. When I was pushing correctly, it almost felt like I was straining to have a bowel movement. I was caught up in the task of pushing, so it took over an hour but didn't seem like it. Yes it hurt, but I was so focused on the goal that I barely noticed.

By the time everything was said and done, the actual birth wasn't that painful because everything had stretched and my cervix had numbed by that point by the pressure of my son's head. No episiotomy, only a minor tear.

After birth, I felt wonderful for a few hours. I had my 10 lb son at 1am and I really didn't feel the internal bruising and swelling for several hours. But then it kicked in and my vagina was very upset with me for at least a week (it took 8-12 weeks before I even felt like sex)

If you have a chance, look for Childbirth Without Fear by Grantly Dick-Read. It completely changed my viewpoint on labor. I also liked the Bradley Method books, although I didn't attend any classes.

Answer 9

Just imagine nine months of no bleeding and then combine them all together to explode at once. That's labor! It basically feels about 9 times greater than the average menstrual cramps. The abdomen is the motherboard of the painful source. But it doesn't last forever and when it's over you have won the most precious gift imaginable... to have a beautiful baby. It's soooo worth it. Just have to be a big brave girl and do it.

Answer 10

All three of mine were the worst paine in the world untill I got the epidural I cant beleive how muh pain we go through The vagina bit with them coming out wasn't that bad as I didn't tear or any thing but just the pain from the contractions were so painful But I will do it again as We are trying for number 4 now. I just hope I get a girl so I can stop my house will get too small lol
You will soon forget any pain once you have that bubba in your hands

Answer 11

everyone feels different things, most of my labor was in my lower back and it was no fun, it lasted for 12 solid hours, every 3 min, i began to pass out between pains after a couple of hours. thankfully.