How painful is it (honestly!) to give birth ?

Answer 1

It's definetely painful. It's the most pain I've ever experienced in my life. I've always though that I had a pretty high tolerance for pain, but about 4 hours into my labor I was a complete mess! If you've ever had menstrual cramps, just imagine the worst cramp you've ever had, then multiply it by like 100! That's pretty much what it feels like. It feels like your uterus is being squeezed soo tight that's it's going to rip into. It's pretty bad, but the pain is worth it in the end =)

Answer 2

i have had two children 20 months apart, both natural births. One with an epidural, and 1 without any pain relief.

That actual labour of my first was very painful, after 13 hours i had an epidural, then it was a breeze. I let it wear off a bit before birth, and i felt a slight burning sensation when pushing. I was very lucky, only had to push for 20 mins and only slightly tore.

My second baby, i had 6 hour labour from start to finish, and didn't have time for pain relief. It was painful, but its more the pressure that is uncomfortable (on your back passage - you feel like you need the biggest turd ever!!) I had no stiches or bruises and was having drinks in the garden 24 hours later. The key is being relaxed and having an active birth - don't lie down!! Keep moving and gravity will help!! good luck, how ever painful it is, it is worth it when you consider the end result.

Answer 3

I've had two completely natural labours, including one at home and one hospital transfer. My first wasn't painful at all, it was incredibly long but not painful. The contractions overrode my thoughts, not that they were painful, just all I could think of was "WALK" and if I tried to sit or lay down then I wasn't in pain but I had that queasy "this is wrong" feeling you sometimes get when injured. My second I had pelvis problems(SPD) and the day before I went into labour I had gone walking for 8 hours after being on semi-bedrest for 2 months, so my pelvis was very sore. But when labour started I honestly didn't even know I was in labour, I couldn't sleep and was very restless. I honestly think I was in labour around 1 am. Then around 3am my water broke and I was vaguely concerned that I wasn't having contractions. After about an hour I realized that there were gushes of more fluid every 5 minutes or so (ok so apparently I'm not that smart). So I did what you are supposed to do and rested a hand above my belly button and one below and sure enough I was having contractions. It was painful for the last 3 hours or so, but only in my pelvis, if you've never had SPD I can't really explain but there is a searing pain that happens when you do something dumb like spread your legs too far or lift one too high -I had that pain with every contraction and nothing else. When my contractions doubled up after transition I never got a rest from the searing pain and really thought I wouldn't make it, of course the baby was born within half an hour.

Answer 4

Every birth is different so you can get as much advice as possible and none will be like yours. Its not called labour for a joke either, its hard, its painful, but look at the reward you get in the end. Just stay calm when you're in labour, that really does make all the difference. oh and don't write a birth plan, cos u will not stick to it. I said i wanted a natural, no pain relief birth with my daughter and had every drug under the sun! with my son i went with the flow and just had gas an air!

Answer 5

I wish I could be pregnant forever. There is nothing in the world like feeling your child move inside your belly and watching your belly grow. As for labor and delivery, it wasn't bad. I took it with a grain of salt, I had to do it, why stress and panic about it? I thought of it as I did everything else I had to do...I had to pee everyday, I had to eat, go to work, sleep, and give birth. It was not bad at all. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I know most people don't believe that you can be as easy going about labor and delivery as I was...but I honestly was, and I'm so glad. It really made things A LOT easier. The more you stress, panic and worry, the worse it's going to be. Try to relax, and picture yourself going through it. Do you want to be freaking out while your bringing your beautiful baby into the world? Probably not.

Try to stay as calm about it as you can, and when you begin to have contraction pain that is too uncomfortable to you ask the doctor for an epidural. It will help take a way the pain, and it will also help you relax and move your labor along faster. If you want to try to go natural...go for it. I waited as long as I could for the epidural because I wanted to go without, but it just didn't happen...and that's OK.

I can honestly say that I would rather go through labor and delivery everyday for a week than have a yeast infection.

Remember that every woman, pregnancy, labor, and delivery is different. Talk to your doctor and ask all of the questions you have...you'll feel better and more prepared.

I wish you peace, luck, health, and happiness.

Good Luck!!

Answer 6

Okay honestly... I have had both ways with an epidural and then naturally it wasn't suppose to happen naturally but it did, now of course my first baby that we have it went off awesomely, I went into labor drove down to the hospital told them that i was uncomfortable and they gave some pain meds then when i went in 4 dilation they came in gave a an epidural and then put me on the drip and I didn't feel a thing, well with my second child it didn't work out that well, I wasn't so blessed, everything went the same and when the epidural came everything went okay and the drip quit working, by the time that doctor came back by it was too late we were already delivering, It burn but a control able burn, I didn't feel like just kill me, i could deal with it and when she started coming it was over so fast and as soon as she came out all the hurt went away, that just completely blew my mind way that how could you go from hurting to nothing with in seconds, So yes it did hurt but nothing that one person cannot endure like I said it not a just go ahead and kill me kind of pain, it is just a hurt but it goes away as soon as you give birth and to be honest with you I would have a natural birth again, because you have complete control over your body and you don't have to get an cather, this is as honest as i can be about what to expect when giving birth.

Answer 7

I found with my first child it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I went into hospital thinking the worst and at the end of the day it wasn't that bad, but everyone is different. My one memory of it was as soon as I was told I could push that it did hurt (like a stinging sensation), but as soon as I got it into my head that if I pushed as hard as I could and go the baby out it would be over and wouldn't hurt anymore.

The other thing that I thought when I went to have my son was that I would like the most natural birth possible, however I wasn't going to be too proud/scared to have an epidural if I needed it. In the end I only had gas and air, so had the natural birth that I wanted.

It couldn't have been too bad as I am will be going through it again hopefully within the next 3 weeks.

Good luck.

Answer 8

well i know it was really painful and it was like no pain ever imagined, but to be honest i dont remember the pain anymore. once my son was born the pain went away, or at least it did for a few hours then i remember gettig up and feeling very bruised and then when i went to the toilet it felt like vinegar in a cut but ten times worse coz of the stitches. at the end of the day there are drugs there to help u cope with the pain i only had gas n air and pethaine and they wore of by the time i came to push. but seriously u do forget the pain. plus each woman is different u neva no u might have a really easy birth and not much pain.

Answer 9

ever one experiences different pains , it may be over in 1/2 hour and you might think was that it !!!! I took an epidural with 1st baby as the contractions were really uncomfortable at my bum area and it was great all the pain vanished but my labour was dragged out because of it BUT baby number 2 was natural & quicker and I am a wimp and was crying it was sore.
remember everyone's labours are different u cant compare what we all say to what u will experience.

all those women who had natural births for all these years should be commended, I wont do it again with the drugs.

Take all the drugs they give and gas&air it all works - You will be fine it's all for a good cause - To meet your beautiful baby ! Good luck !

Answer 10

Honestly, it's really not as bad as everyone says...and I was induced, too, which is supposed to hurt worse. No, I didn't have an epidural-I had Demerol, which just makes you feel dizzy. It feels like your worst cramps when you had your period. Since mine were always kinda bad, and I can't swallow pills, I just had to suffer through them. So, actually, the labor wasn't as bad as those because I was prepared. The worst part is the night after when your uterus starts shrinking back-you're sore from the delivery and now it's like cramps on top of that! But, that really was the worst of it. Trust me, don't bother with an epidural if you can grit through it or have someone's hand to squeeze. You won't want to be woozy when your baby comes to rest in your arms...and you don't want your baby to feel drugged up either. Birth is a miracle and blessing-I'd do it again the same way. Congrats!