I was wondering if any new moms could give me a brief summary of what labor was like for them?

Answer 1

I had two completely different experiences....

with number one (now almost 11 yrs old) IT WAS HORRIBLE!!!! My water broke at 530a and I went to the hospital.....SEVERE pain already. I asked for an epidural and the nurses talked me out of it. Now, I was young and dumb and let them talk me into getting IV drugs instead of the epidural. It was horrible. SO PAINFUL and the thing is....I do not remember anything BUT the pain. I don't remember him actually being born and I don't remember holding him for the first time, or his cord being cut...the drugs just messed with my head but didn't help the pain.

Now with number 2 (she is 4 1/2 months) it was a totally different experience. It was wonderful. I was enduced 2 weeks early because we were moving out of state and she had to be born before we left. They enduced me at 730a. I just relaxed...ate...watched tv...talked to my husband and mom...went for a walk...went to the gift shop...(you get the picture)....At noon when the doc came to check on me I was 4 cm and she decided to break my water. The nurse said that she would call the anesthesiologist right away because I was going to need my epidural VERY SOON. I had HORRIBLE contractions for the next 20 minutes until I got my epidural...Then once again everything was wonderful. Crazy feeling in the legs. Could barely move them...very, very weird but worth it. I went from 6 to 10 cm in 1 hour and I only had to push for 24 minutes until my little girl was born. The pushing didn't hurt until the very last 2 or 3 pushes it got slightly uncomfortable but not even painful. I totally remember the whole experience and it was wonderful. If I had more kids, I would do it this way (but I am not having more got tubes tied cause I have horrible pregnancies but that is a different story). So I am an advocate of the epidural. I was smiling and laughing while in labor and even while pushing. It was great.

I wish I could of had the same experience with my son 10 years earlier but I was dumb and listened to the nurses because I figured they knew best. Now I am older and wiser and did research and talked to my doctor before hand....and made it very clear the moment I met my nurse that I wanted an epidural and that no one was talking me out of it. She said they don't do that anymore but 10 or so yrs ago a lot of nurses did try to discourage it and now almost all nurses encourage it.

So, enough from me...sorry I went on for so long. I hope you have a great experience like I did. Do what you feel is best and don't let anyone talk you out of it (unless it is due to medical necessity of course). God bless you and your new little bundle of joy!

Answer 2

Beautiful! I used the Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth and even with vomiting every 2 hours, I was able to relax enough to sleep (lightly) through several hours of first stage labor WITHOUT ANY PAIN MEDS. Once I hit second stage it was more uncomfortable, but not unbearable in the least. I did push for 9 hours, but my little guy never turned so he was stuck at -1 station for 9 hours - finally I had a c-section. At that point the spinal drugs were a relief because I was absolutely exhausted. My next baby I plan on going all natural again. Do research about the drugs they give you during labor - the drugs and the methods of giving them to you are not 100% safe like docs would like you to believe - and an epidural does not always speed up labor - it can slow it down.

Answer 3

We stopped having children after the second. My wife was in the expulsion phase of labor for 11 hours. That's like doing and holding a sit-up every other minute. Our son's head was 14-cm. Full dilation is 10-cm. You do the math. Hes spine cracked sometime during the process. Thank G-d, there was no relative movement of the bones and she recovered without permanent damage. Don't let this scare you too much. Most mothers cannot remember the pain to its fullest extent. If they did, there would be only one-child families.

Answer 4

I guess I was lucky you could say! I went into the hospital with contractions three minutes apart and I was vomitting constantly. They gave me a phenergan shot to help stop the vomitting and it knocked me out! I was in labor for 4 hours and I slept through it all, I woke up and(being my first child) I felt like I had to have a bowel movement, after getting up out of bed three times the nurse asked me what was going on. She freaked and told me thats now it feels when you are about to have the baby! she laid me back down and could see the head coming out already. So, basically I slept for my four hours of labor woke up pushed for approx. 7 minutes and it was all over!!!!

Answer 5

Exhausting but a great experience. I handled the pain for the first 7 hours and then after my epidural I dialated quickly and didn't feel anything but pressure when the baby came out two hours later. Good luck

Answer 6

I was stupid and did'nt take the epidural, so pushing out 9lb 10 oz and 23 inches was no walk in the park. It was mind blowing, searing pain. Take the drugs!!!!! And when you start pushing, push like theres no tommorrow. Just remember the pain can't last forever and I promise at the end, when you see that PRECIOUS gift from GOD, all is forgoten!!!!

Answer 7

it is different for everyone. It is painful and you get very tired and hard but before I had my son someone told me you forget the pain and have another and it is so true I have had 3 beautiful boys and the pain seems like nothing now.

Answer 8

After 60 hours of labor that was induced and a C-Section, I can tell you that it is the most pain I have ever been in... My son was admited in NICU. Its not fun... I hope that no one has to go through it...Good luck to you...

Answer 9

Like a menstrual cramp times 10,000. It is just like it is in the movies except a lot longer...take any drug offered to you (as long as it is safe for the baby, of course).

Answer 10

I won"t say it did not hurt but once you hold your baby in your arms it is all worth it and in a few mos you won"t even remember the pain