Please Help! Labour!?

Question

Im 38 weeks + 3 days pregnant and just lately ive been getting worried about labour as i dont know what to expect. I have had lots of people tell me different things e.g. its like bad period pains - then ive had others saying ask for all the pain relief you can get you will need it! Please can some-one give me there opinions on what its like basically going off your own experience and if its so bad why do some people do it again and agian. Also any useful information on the best way to cope with labour? Is it the contractions that are worse or the pushing - when baby is actually coming out? Thank-you and sorry question so long!

TO THE FIRST PERSON WHO ANSWERED MY QUESTION... IM NOT 10 yrs OLD SO DONT SPEAK TO ME LIKE I AM!

Answer 1

most of the pain is from the contractions.i did have epidurals with all of mine.when i start to have regular hard contractions my back really starts to hurt.when im in alot of pain it is hard for me to relax.my body tenses up which is actually worse on me.my body cant seem to dialate but when i get to a 5 they would give me an epidural.within 30 mins because my pains are less and i can relax i jump to a 10 and ready to go.i have never had to push more than three times.you feel pressure but not unbarable like the contractions.i had to be cut down there with my daughter or i would have ripped.i felt movement down there but no pain.everyone is different.you can try it natural if you want.but if they ask you if you might want something for pain when it is time let them know you might but you want see how you handle it first.that way the option will be there.your pain will increase as the contractions get stronger closer and regular. people also have different pain tolerations.my friend has a high tolerece to were with her third child she didnt realize how far along in labor she was til it was too late.within ten min of realizing.she gave birth to her son in her bathroom she thought she had to potty til she sat there.her son is now 3 and very healthy.everyone gets scared but think +. even though it hurts to see them lay your baby in your arms for the first is worth every min. of it.i have been preg.4x posslible 5 but 2 live births.if my body could handle it again i do it again.but it isnt safe for me.good luck and keep a + mind it makes the process easier. + stress isnt good for you or the baby.

Answer 2

Get a copy of "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth," by Henci Goer. It goes over a lot of the risks and benefits of things like epidurals, c-sections, breaking the water, inducing labor, slow labor...that type of stuff. In reading the chapter on epidurals I realized what I have seen in friends and family really back it up. Everyone I know that has vomited during labor has had epidurals and/or pitocin. Those that have done it naturally have not had such bad problems. It is possible that these people were experiencing labor worse than the ones that delivered naturally but I don't think so. If you study the Bradley Method you learn all kinds of ways (positions, methods, homeopathic remedies...) to lessen the pain by achieving a relaxed state. I think to rely on the availability of medication to lessen the pain is a mistake. They can't completely numb you like they do at the dentist. You have to still be able to feel a little in order to push. So it is quite possible that the pain will still be there even with an epidural. I would also like to add that many women...even ones that deliver natural...will stay at 5 cm for a really long time and then just suddenly jump to a 10...it isn't necessarily the drugs that perform this kind of miracle. Most of my friends that have used epidurals had their labor either slow or stop after receiving the drug...then they had to have pitocin.

Answer 3

I had my 2 babies on natural way without any pain relief ever.
The body of a woman is made to give birth and your body will know exactly what to do....trust your body!
Yes, labour is painfull, the woes first come not too painfull and with a rather long pause between them, you will immediately know it when you feel this pain, like a band that's tied around your lower belly and back. The more the labour makes progress, the more painfull the woes will get, but still you can endure them.!!You can, absolutely! Relax, that is the best way to absorb the woes, don't resist to them, let them come. When they begin, start counting the way up, when the pain is increasing, then notice when the pain is decreasing again, and after that you have some minutes rest. When labour is near you should lay down and the woes come very close. You suddenly may feel like you have to push. But you are only allowed to push when then doctor or midwife gives you consent ! Then, when you are allowed, push as hard as you can and with all your power. Your baby will be born soon, the pushing time isn't as painfull as the time before.
When you have you little sweetie in your arms, you will soon forget the pain you had. It's worth it!

Answer 4

Every woman, every pregnancy, every delivery is different. The cause of the worst pain is fear. Labor has many different feelings. There are the menstrual cramps of contractions (for me, I've had worse cramps during periods) and there are cramps in the muscles of the abdomen and back from being used. These cramps can be made to feel better by moving around and laboring in different positions. When you get closer, there are intense cramps like those you get when you have diarrhea. When it is time to push, you will feel diarrhea-like cramps with an intense desire to push that seems to take your legs away. The contractions are worse than the pushing. Pushing is a relief. Some women get a little burning sensation near the vaginal opening if they tear but it happens when the baby's head is coming out so it REALLY doesn't matter. Keeping yourself focused on letting the contractions happen on their own reduces the intensity a lot. Think of it like you would the rain, when you go out in the rain and don't want to get wet, you tense up your muscles and hunch your back, that's bad, that causes more pain during labor. When you take a shower, you resign yourself to getting wet and just let the water wash over you, doing this in labor lets your body do the work and keeps the muscles from cramping as much. Letting the contractions wash over you and letting your body do the work without your mind having to participate is the best way to relax into it and get through without the pain. Some women doubt themselves or are fighting the contractions (like being in the rain) and need/want medication, but you don't need it and it all has risks. Talk with your doctor before labor. Best wishes.

Answer 5

I'll try to answer your questions based on my experience. For my experience, my daughter was posterior (or sunny side up--the wrong way!) and it was excruciatingly painful. I was throwing up from the pain, crying, I could hardly move from the pain--plus my epidural did not work! You ask about pain management... I say, stay open to pain medication or epidurals. It was probably just the anaesthetician and not the medication itself. I wish with everything in me that it worked. By the time my daughter was born, I was so exhausted that I could hardly open my eyes. I had just enough energy to just look at her and to force my eyes open so I didn't miss her precious first moments. I wish with everything in me that I could have remembered it all clearly.
Now, you also ask which is worse the labor or pushing... the labor of course! Pushing was a relief and I really didn't feel too much pain when I could push. It was nice to push!!!
Now, for pain management, I'm sure it's different for everyone. For me, I was in the fetal position and breathing lightly, trying not to talk, and I didn't scream or anything during contractions---that just makes the pain worse!!! I don't know why women scream! It makes it so much worse!!! For some women walking and massage help, but I did not like walking, I didn't like the stupid ball, and I told my husband not to touch me LOL!
Now, you also ask why people do it over and over again (give birth)... It isn't the labor that people look forward to when they decide to have another child, they look forward to holding another baby in their arms... so perfect, so small, so full of possibility, completely reliant on mommy, cooing, new milestones... After having my daughter I swore I wouldn't have another baby for maybe a decade... but now she's six months old and I can't wait to have another baby. I have the hope that next time around won't be so bad and I have the assurance that next time around I will be able to hold another baby--so perfect, so precious, so full of possibility and hope! :)

I hope I helped. My birth experience wasn't that great, but it was worth it to see my little girl... This month she learned how to give me kisses! It's so wonderful!!! I cannot sing the praises of how wonderful motherhood is! It's unspeakably, unimaginably, indescribably wonderful! :-D I cannot imagine ever having a day without her and I cannot imagine a day before she was born! Every day is a blessing!

Answer 6

i think that you should not worry or listen to what others are saying to you as it sounds liek they are scaring you more than helping. this is natural your body will know what to do and most women say that they dont even remember what it was really like because once you get that baby in your arms nothing else matters. the love that you have for someone that you jus met it is quiet hard to explain and you get to experience this so congratulations. i would say that you should keep your mind open and dont have to many expectations as to how it should go or you may end up disappointed. congratulatiuons again.

Answer 7

Sweetie...if you haven't taken a childbirth class, you really should. Either go to the library and get a book about labor and early child care, or get a LaMaze or Bradley Method video.. Something that will give you a clue.

If it was unbearable, you're right.. women wouldn't have more than one child, ever!! It's painful, yes, but well worth it when you hold your little one in your arms.

I would guess you get many different stories from different people, because we all experience labor differently.

Answer 8

My midwife suggested that I use armotherapy and bring my own pillow/blanket/focal point. She said something about the scent of your soap, fabrict softner whatever you use will help calm you as well as the smell of Lavender...and then you choose your own focal point mine might be the picture of my ultrasound. I really cant tell you much about the pain as it is my first pregnancy too but maybe these things will help you if you want to try and go natural which..is what Im going to try and do :) Good Luck....And Congrats!

Answer 9

im say 14. i wouldnt know but my auntie had twins. why dont you get a caesarean. that wont hurt as much. and apparently its a LOT WORSE than period pains. probably 100x worse..
id say when the baby's coming out. that would hurt a lot. but what can i say im only 14.
ps. my aunties friend she wanted a natural birth and 20 minutes into it she was howling for an hepidermal or something.