Worst part of giving birth?

Question

Hi, i am 15 years old and 38 weeks pregnant with my first baby.

I no longer live with my parents - they kicked me out when they found out that I was pregnant. I now live in a youth hostel, and I do not have many people I can talk to about things.

For those of you that have been through it, could you maybe take some time to answer my questions?

What is the worst part of giving birth?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how high would you rate the pain?
What does it feel like as the baby is coming out?

Thank you

Answer 1

I know you might not want to hear this from a man, but, I want to say I am proud that you are giving this baby a chance at life, too many young ladies in your situation, especially without their parents support, would have taken the easy way out and aborted this child. I obviously can't advise you on pain in childbirth,even tho my wife and I had three and it didn't bother me at all. LOL Don't worry about it, just take the epidural and follow their directions and you will be OK, This has been going on ever since Adam and Eve and I'm sure you will make it just fine. I'll shut up and let the women with experience have the floor. Good luck.......########

Answer 2

I'm sorry your parents were so lousy. 15, so young! Good luck to you. Hopefully you'll find some good supportive people to surround yourself with soon. (Sleep lots now!)

One of my friends had her 3rd child in under an hour with no drugs and said it "wasn't bad at all". My other friend said "thank god for epidurals! I couldn't feel a thing". Another friend swam half a mile every day right up until 2 days before she delivered her baby, and she said she pushed 4 times and out popped her baby with a wet woosh, a feeling of "pressure", and a stretchy feeling that "didn't hurt"- and she was 42!. Everyone is different, but I think you'll be ok. You have the internet, so look up some exercises you can do now to strengthen yourself up for labor. That will make it easier. I recommend water aerobics or some sort of water exercise since floating makes you "weightless" and it feels so good to take the weight off your feet- especially if you can find warmer water (a tub works too)

You're at a youth hostel. What country are you from? Nationalized medicine? I'm willing to bet your community has some programs to help young mothers. Motherhood can be a real blessing, so don't let it scare you. Enjoy it and cherish all the crazy feelings that you'll be experiencing in the next few months. You're not alone.

Just think- 266 women give birthevery minute in the world! Isn't that amazing?

Answer 3

The worst part is the labor! It feels like your worst ever cramps multiplied, but focusing on the baby to come rather than the pain can help you to tolerate it better. If pain meds are offered, then you will have relief from the contractions.
Your labor will probably begin with what feels like cramping that may or may not be accompanied by leaking amniotic fluid. (I thought I was wetting my pants in very tiny amounts for thirty minutes before calling the doctor with my second child.) You will have the contractions as your cervix opens and the baby moves down. Once you are fully 10 cm dialated, the doctor will have you begin to push. Once the head is out, the doctor will help the shoulders to come free. After that the baby slips right on out. You will still have to deliver the afterbirth which is uncomfortable.
On a scale of 1-10, I have had a 5 with pain meds, a 1 with pain meds, and a 7 without pain meds.

The feeling is almost indescribable. I was so relieved to be done each time, and so anxious to see my babies, that I was more intrigued with the baby than the actual delivery. You can feel the head progressing out, there is a brief moment with a bit of ease before the shoulders are angled out, then it is done. My pushing stages were all extremely short with the longest being about 15 minutes for the first and largest baby. I didn't push at all with my second baby and only twice with the first so that may be why I have so little memory of something so amazing!

Good luck to you!

Answer 4

The worst part is being afraid. Take Lamaze classes for sure- they help immensely. Try to find someone to be your couch- maybe an adult from the hospital.
It's hard to compare different painful experiences, because they are often very different than each other. My gall bladder deciding to turn on me was the worst pain I've ever had, much worse than labour. Women I know who have had kidney stones and babies say the stones are much worse. Breaking my leg was worse, but it didn't last as long.
The thing about labour pains is that you get a break to compose yourself (even if it's a short one) . I can't recommend Lamaze enough- it helped me 'rise above' the pains.
I didn't start feeling like the pain was controlling me rather than the other 'way around until the Dr. told me it was time for my epidural. Be warned, though, they won't give you one until you are 50-75% dialated because they are concerned that if they give it earlier, it might stop your labour altogether.
Talk to your doctor in advance,and, if you want one (an epidural is when a Dr. injects-with a smallish needle- something that's like lidocaine just inside the bones of your back. It doesn't hurt, you just feel a weird kind of pressure. That way, the pains are gone, but you can still push.
I wish I knew what it felt like to have a baby come out! I had twins though, and tried to have a regular birth, but ended up with a c-section.
Good luck, you can do this! (billions have done it before...)

Answer 5

The worst part about giving birth is knowing your jeans still wont fit you for awhile yet.On a scale of 1 to 10 i'd rate the pain about 9 but i didn't have any pain relief theres all kinds on offer from gas and air to total pain relief of an epidural she how well you cope with labour and see how you feel on the day remember no ones going to think your a whimp if you ask for pain relief it's what it's there for! The sensation of the baby coming out actually feels like your having a number two sorry but thats the only way to describe it.When the baby's head crowns you get a stinging sensation much like a chinese burn down below and the feeling is intense but it soon passes then after the head is born your baby's body will follow with the next contraction and it's over quickly and then the pain is totallly gone and you've done it your baby is born and there is no feeling like it.Believe me I've had 5 children good luck with the birthx

Answer 6

Being pregnant young is really difficult and I think you are really brave to be going thru this without the support of your family. Every pregnancy and birth is different and everyone has different experiences but the best thing you can do is not to focus on the worst part of giving birth but to see what you will have after it - a beautiful baby that you will have brought into the world. I found that midwives etc seemed to focus on the actual labour and birth - which there is no denying - it does hurt but not as much as some people make out so try not to worry. The thing that shocked me was the few days after the birth - the heavy bleeding which felt like a gush every time you move and when your milk comes in -bout 2-3 days after (that hurts but you do look like Jordan for a few days tho!!) and be prepared for being tired like you have never been before! I was led to believe that you should instantly bond with your baby - i didn't with my first, it took a few days (was completely in love with him afterwards tho!).
The contractions feel like very, very strong period pains going into your back and they do hurt but its a pain that stops as soon as the baby is born. As the head crowns it feels a bit like a burning sensation but once the head is out, the hard work is done and the body slips out really quickly, its a strange sensation!
I really wish you all the luck in the world and hope that your labour goes well and hope your parents realise how much they should be supporting you at the moment......x Take Care x

Answer 7

Hi

Sorry to hear that you are so alone when you could really do with some help and reassurance.

To be honest giving birth is not very pleasant, but the joy of having your baby will make you forget the whole thing very quickly. The worse part for me has always been (I have three children) the first part. It seems to take ages and ages and you just have to wait and wait. Accept any form of pay killer you are offered and if a friend can stay with you, all the better. You will know when the baby is about to come out as your body will tell you that you want to push very hard. When the baby comes out, I felt a burning sensation but it was no more painful than during the previous contractions.

Before I had my children, I always wondered how I would know, but believe me, you cannot miss the difference in your body. Attend relaxation classes and listen to your midwives, they will help you and do not panic. Remember women have babies all the times and if it was so bad, would we have more than one???

Good luck and enjoy your baby.

C

Answer 8

I had my daughter at 17, it was a while ago so of course my memory of the pain is a bit duller.

1.The worst part for me was the back cramps and labour, I couldn't get a comfortable postion and laying on my back was torture.

2. Well I've had kidney stones as well, and having a baby hurt no where nears as bad as that. So I would rate it about 7-8. And this is natural child birth no epidural or pain medication.

3. Its a really odd feeling. I tore b/c I went so fast the doctor didn't have time to cut so that hurt. The head coming out wasn't that bad its when I had to push her shoulders out I tore and it flet like a burning pain for a few seconds then you could feel her slide out.

Once you see and hold your baby though all the pain and sweat and blood will be worth it. Hearing that cry for the first time is the most sound in the world.

Answer 9

First of all.. big respect to you! I'm 38 weeks with my first baby and the prospect of giving birth anytime soon is really scary, and i have my husband and family supporting me. Advice i have been given to cope with the pain is that you should not try to be a hero.. it is a long process and if you need pain relief take it. The most re-assuring thing i have been told is that your body is designed for this process and it will cope. You think how much your body has been able to do over the last 38 weeks, clearly trust nature! Make sure that you ask your midwives any quesitons, you want to know what is happening at all times. Hopefully you have a friend, or the father, to be with you through the birth? Good luck!!!

Answer 10

The worst pain for me was getting checked to see if i neeeded stitches. The rest was just soar, about 9 but it varies at different times, you cant actually feel the baby come out as such, perhaps just some stinging thats about it. The pain comes from the contractions.

You will be fine, millions of woman before you have given birth and got through it, it is a very exciting time and you should try and look forward to it. If it was that bad i would be doing it again (20 months pregnant) children bring you so much joy and the pain all goes away once you know your baby has arrived. good luck :)

Answer 11

Honey to be honest with you, your probably going to get people on here critising you for being 15 and pregnant, but at least you are someplace safe.

To me the worst pain of my birth was afterwards when they were stiching me up and the epidural was gone.

Before I got the epidural the pain was a 10, because I was induced and they say getting induced hurts worse than normal labor. Take your worst period pains and times it by 10, then you are close to what contractions feel like. But, once you get an epidural things change dramatically in just a couple mins.

When the baby starts coming out you feel a lot of pressure as the baby goes further down, but to tell you the truth I would rather push out another babies head than get stiched up again.

Reading some of the other responses...not everyone has a bowel movement while giving birth I didn't.

I was in active labor for 2 hrs went from 5 cm dialated to 10 in an hour and only pushed for 40 mins. And I didn't take any birthing classes at all and they said I was a pro, lol...I just hope you have someone there with you when you have this baby, it makes it a lot easier when you have someone there to encourage you.