Being a wimp about 'Giving Birth'....?

Question

Apart from the fact that welcoming your child into the world is one of the happiest occasions in your life, Is Labour and Giving Birth the absolute most horrible thing you have ever gone through in your life?
What was your experience?

Answer 1

I don't think I could ever call a woman a 'wimp' when it comes to childbirth. They say it's like a bloke passing a tennis ball through his old chap.

Ouch.

Respect all the way.

Answer 2

You're not being a "whimp", it's scary and it is painful. It's completely normal to be scared. I would be worried if you weren't even a little scared. My own personal experience on child birth is that is wasn't as bad as people make it out to be. But that's just me. I found having my wisdom tooth pulled out was WAY WORSE. It was horrible. I had 3 nerves, 2 more than usual so felt EVERYTHING. The roots were longer and deeper than they though and joined together. When they tried to pull it out it broke in half. What was meant to be a 15 minute minor procedure turned into a 2 hours and 45 minute of absolute torture. I said that day and still stand by what I said "I would rather give birth EVERYDAY for the rest of my life than go through that sort of pain again" I won't lie, giving birth was painful, but for me it was bare able. And that was with 3rd degree tears and tearing deep inside. Mind you I'm 18 weeks pregnant with 2nd baby and will let you know in 22 weeks time if I still feel this way,lol.

Answer 3

pain wise, yes it was the most horrible thing I have experienced.
Emotionally, the absolute best thing I have experienced.

My first was an induction at 40wks due to pre-eclampsia and it was a hard, quick and painful birth to a 9 pound baby girl. I had 'piggy-backing' contractions (no break for 5mins at a time instead of 90secs, just continual contracting). However once I got her out after 2hours of pushing I was over the moon and soon forgot about it.

Second time around it was all natural labour that didn't get 'bad' till the last hour (and it only lasted 9hrs all together) and even then it wasn't quite as painful or as intense as the first but still hurt like all buggery! The pain is unlike anything you can explain but worth the struggle.

No woman should be called a wimp for being apprehensive about giving birth, its a natural reaction to the unexpected.
No-one can tell you what it is going to be like until you have been and done it yourself.
It hurts, its uncomfortable and its the fear of the unknown but when the head pops out it is worth EVERY second of pain!


best of luck and don't be scared. Be confident!!

Answer 4

I was absolutley terrified before i went into labour, probably for the last 2 months or so, about the birth!! However, we all get through it. I had a 35 hour labour, i was so exhausted by the end of it - they were going to give me an emergency cesar, but all of a sudden my little boy was ready to come and i had dialated to 8cms, so we went to the delivery suite - finally!! I didnt have an epidural (i dont know if i would, hey, your paralized from the waist down so someone will have to hold your legs up), only had some gas. I mean, hell yeah, its bloody painful, but i wouldnt say it was horrible. Just think of the worst ever period pain youve ever had and times it by about 10 for your contractions - thats not as bad as it sounds though, because being contractions, your not in constant pain, so at least you get a break between them. And luckily for me, i didnt need stitches or an episiotomy, just had a little grazing. As soon as you see your bub, you forget the entire thing. It was funny with me, cos i hadnt slept for the two nights before as i was in labour, i was so exhausted by the end, but as soon as he was born, it was like someone gave me a shot of adrenaline - was buzzing, wide awake - thats the best drug in the world, that feeling!! Honestly, if i had to go back tomorrow through the whole thing just to get me little boy again, i would do without a second thought. Best of luck, im sure it will all go well - take care and enjoy!!
Oh, and another thing, i dont even know when my waters broke! when i was in the delivery room my partner and i had a shower so it must have been in there because the midwife was saying she may have needed to pop it, but it happened on its own - just thought id say that because i was under the impression that the waters broke first up, then you were in labour. My waters would have only broke about 45 mins before he was born.

Answer 5

Look I dont want to scare you. There are people who say it is the worst pain ever. But then other people say they watched movies through their labour and then pushed their little baby into the world fairly pain free.

I was somewhere in the middle of those two.

The most important thing I think, is to get mentally prepared. Read up, choose your preferences after reading and asking (well done for posting this question!)

My tips are: (and this is after having three!)

1. Sitting on a fit ball (you know those big balls that people do sit ups and exercises on). Sit on one with legs about should width apart and when you get a bad contraction just rock from side to side. Rocking really helps ease the pain.

2. Use gas as pain relief - later in labour when the contractions get painful that you cant handle. The most important tip is to start breathing the gas at the start of the contraction. Because it takes about 20 seconds to start working and then by the middle of the contraction which hurts the most - you will be fine. The gas really takes the edge of the pain and gets you through it. IT is the best form of pain relief.

3. Ask to have the gas when you push as well. During the pushing stage I was not allowed to have it with my 2nd and it really hurt. I asked with my third (at one of my appointments) and they said yes thats fine. IT really helped. I felt a lot happier and it helped me to push. I waited for a contraction then breathed the gas and pushed at the same time. You dont have any side effects from the gas later (just a tipsy, light headed type feeling when you actually have it)

So they are my most important tips.

I hope all goes well and congratulations by the way!!! It is only one day of your life and then you have a beautiful little baby to love and adore for the rest of your life!!

I pray that you and the baby have a great, safe and easy labour.

xx

Answer 6

actually it is the best experience i've ever had! amazing to be frank, and every mum i've spoken to who had a naturl birht has said the same... infact there is a twinkle in a womans eye who has been through it the minute you ask them. every person experiences differently as well so you can't tell how it will be for you in the sense of how much or little pain, how long or how short the labour.
what gave me the guts to go through with it au naturel is a book call 'ena may's guide to natural child birth'. it will tell you every thing you need to know, and tips on how to make the labour as comfortable as possible.
Good luck!

ps. i've just read someone liking it to leg cramp.... well i got leg cramp in the very last stages, and to be honest the pain was completely different and less tolerable.... in a sense more painful.

Answer 7

Well my mom used to tell me it was the best pain she ever had. I have to agree with the others in that, it's all worth it in the end when you have your beautiful baby that you look at, and can't believe is a part of and belongs to you.
I took and demanded all drugs available, lol, but with my first child, I fell asleep after the epidural, a big no no. When I woke up, although it was the best nap I'd had in months, the drugs wore off and I ended up having her "natural" anyway, but I did get a good rest first. I didn't make the mistake with the 2nd and 3rd, I took the nap afterwards, when I got back to my room.
But overall it was totally worth it, a lifetime of joy with your brats, he he. And you have things to throw back at them their entire life....."do you know what I went through giving birth to you?" or "You kicked me so much and never let me get any sleep or rest while I was pregnant, why should you get it now!"
If you want to have children, just do it and know you'll have your own personal experience (hopefully pleasant), and you'll have that to share with all your friends,-- and women have been doing it for centuries....it's what makes us better--a man could not endure a pregnancy and then -- to give birth!!
Anyway, delivery might coincide with "the game"...lol

Answer 8

Contractions feel like 10* leg crap pain. When its coming out it feels like someone has put gasoline down there and lit u on fire. But yeh ... its painfull- Go the epidural . Gas does nothing and peth just makes it a little duller and makes u tired. I had 1st one with pethidene, then epidural & 2nd one didnt have time so it hurt like hell, but as soon as you pop them out its all over ( unless u have stiches - ouch!!) and then u have something no-one els in the world has, thats more precious than life, your little angel. Just dont leave it too late to ask for an epidural (if u want one) because they have to wait for the anesitist to come down and do it, and sometimes they cant straight away so just be aware , and dont let the midwifes give u any %^&^& - sometimes they can be beyond rude and can wreck intamate moments.. Also one more little peice of info: turn off your mobile when u go in cause we had people( family checking up) calling us all the way through the delivery and JUST after she was Born!! This makes me feel guilty to this day as i remember taking on the phone saying " yep im ok , she ok" and looking down at her and she was looking at me like " are you my mummy, do u love me!" I wasn't giving her attention because of my stupid mother in law ringing all the time, and i was too tired and sore to think to say, get lost, u know.. Good luck - i wish u and bub all the best its an amazing thing!take in every moment!

Answer 9

I was in labour for almost six days with my first baby.....I had constant contractions I just couldn't progress any further on my own. My epidural didn't work and my baby girl was posterior.All in all t was a terrible birth but I have my daughter and that is the main thing.
My second baby was an emergency c sec.... I really have a bad time giving birth LOL

Answer 10

hello
i did not even know i was in labour lol
it was my first pregnancy and always had a lot of trouble with stomach pains since i was a teenager, i was 38 weeks pregnant and my waters broke at 10.30 in the morning and all day i just thought i had stomach ache then i was talking to my mum at 3pm and she said she was taking me to the hospital as the contractions were coming every 5 mins n i told her not to be silly but i will go anyway, when i got to hospital and was examined at 4pm i was already 7cm dilated, i was fully dilated by 8pm and my son was ready to come out but i can not push, the midwifes gave me nearly everything they could to help me push but i was not in any pain. at 12.30 am they took me to theatre and gave me a spinal block which was the worse pain ever then they delivered my son by vontouse (suction cap) at 1.20am.
i had quite a big tear an lost quite a bit of blood but after i was stitched up and the numbness wore away then every thing was fine.

and to be honest i would say that toothache is a worse pain than labour lol

Answer 11

im not sure what the experience is yet because i have 15 weeks to go and yes i can say im scared as hell but i know that the drugs are there to take the pain away if i need them. i also have the love and support there too and no one is going to think bad of you if you ask for someone to come in and squeeze your hand. just think its going to be over soon or later and the drugs are there and so is the people you love and who love you. when its all over the pain will go and you wont even think about the pain after anyways. thats how i see it and thats what is going to get me through. good luck