Ok ladies cut the crap

[titch]

its much more boring a process than you see on tv. Well it was ofr me anyway cos i was in labour for days I didnt find contractions too bad but I had a section in the end which was horrible. Dont want to scare anyone having it, but for me, when they helped me stand up the next day it felt like my guts would fall out if i stood up straight it was awful. Id go into labour tomorrow, if i could, as long as i wouldnt have to have another section. But like everyone said, its different for everyone.

I think the best thing you can do is have a look at birth videos on youtube, thats the straight up truth about it, watch some hospital births and some waterbirths and hypnobirths, you'll see how different it is in each case. I defy anyone to watch those videos and not want to try hypnobirthing though oh and you can see a video of an episiotomy happening too its gross

 

[Sarah13]

I had a quick labour with my daughter, 4 hours from waking up to find my waters had broke until she was in my arms. It was fine at first but the last hour was real agony, you have a mad moment where you really flip out and want every pain relief going, think that's as the head is about to crown. The relief after is amazing though for a few hours! I had a bad tear as she was born sucking her thumb! Didn't even know about it though! The stitches afterwards annoyed me and were sore getting them out.

The after pains can be bad and you feel like a donkey has kicked you between the legs, so going to the loo is horrible for a few days! Bleeding wasn't too bad for me, I expected worse but hated not being allowed to use a tampon, thought I was the one wearing a nappy!

Sex was fine for me after a few weeks, just make sure you do those pelvic floor exercises.

Must admit until now I've really been trying not to think about giving birth as there's nothing I can do about it now, I am scared though, think we all are regardless of previous labours. I'm going to try hypno birthing this time, I think if your mind is in the right place the body will follow.

 

[beckibooxx]

i Think with evey pregnancy is differant.. so you labour will be compeletly differant to mine and other womens, but all i can say is YES it does hurt.. but pain is so worth it and if u have the right pain relief its berible if your worried.. tlk to your midwife for some reason with my lil girl i wasnt afraid at all... i didnt know what to exspect and for some reason after having her.. i said to myself id go through that all over again if i could.. and here i am again and im gonna go through it again! i was pretty lucly with my 1st.. as she was born prem so the pain wasnt as bad but seriously its soooo worth it.. and ur soon forget all about the pain when your hlding your lil one x

 

[natashateale]

My labour story.
I went to bed at 12.30am on thursday morning and was tossing and turning and keeping my partner awake. I must of drifted of and woken up at 2.40am for the toilet and went back to sleep no problem. Woken up at 3.50am with small cramps (a bit like period cramps) went to the toilet down stairs and ha a drink, by that time i couldnt get back up the stair with the contractions. I managed it and then was sick and then my water broke. I woken my partner up at about 4.30 and he rung thw hosp. They told me i would a while yet so get on the bath but as he was ob the phone i had 2contraction so he told them he was bringing me in. I collapsed down the hall of the hosp from the pain and the had to wheelchair me up and when the checked me (this was about 6am i was 9cm. I had gone 9cm with out and pain relief. Then the pushing cam (no pain for this as i just wanted it over with) and for me it felt like i was burning inside. Sorry! Just before 8 i had my little girl.
I bled for about 4days (alot) i had to change a big pad about 5times a day. It slowed for me after the 4th dayto be like a normal period til it stoped.
The pain after was worse for me. For about a week it hurt to sit down, stand up, lay down and walk, even standing for a while hurt. (I didnt have any stiches either)
But currently 3years down the line me and my partner are trying for another and hoping to only use gas and air again at the very end of contraction.
Its an experience thats for sure! Xx

 

[Lois]

My labour:
It was over 40 hours long. I stalled at 4cm, for about, 18 hours? Something silly like that, suddenly went up for 7cm, and stalled for another 10 hours of so again! I was 10cm, for over 2 hours, baby wasn't coming out! I KNEW something was wrong, felt like there was so much pressure on my spine. Then, 2 hours after I had fully dialated, they did their FIRST check of babys position And found that he was coming out, neck first, and then they cut me open (2 epistomies) and use ventouse to deliver him. Then I haemoraged, and lost 4.5 pints of blood, and went into shock. They spent a further 2 hours stiching me up, and I finally got a cuddle with my little man who had STILL not been dressed so at least I got to hold my baby all naked it a fluffy towel like most women do, only, just a little bit later than planned lol. I'd love to say i'd do it again, but my labour was awful.
I also had 4 epidurals. 3 didn't work.

Also... *grabs a breath* I recommend pethadine! I slept for an hour after I had it, (thats when I went up to 7cm, in my sleep!)

 

[titch]

^^^ yeah I had a 50 something hour labour and had 3 hours sleep amongst that thanks to pethidine. Thats when my waters broke, it helped me to relax, i felt so uncomfortable and on edge on the ward.

Lois your labour sounds really traumatic

 

[Toonlass]

All 3 of my labours we're different. First one was 36 hours (15 established) I had an epidural but looking back I wish I hadn't. I ended up pushing for over an hour coz I couldn't feel anything properly, having an episiotomy and the healing took ages due to an infection in my stitches.

2nd baby was a 18 hour labour (5 hours established) Had no pain relief at all until the last hour. MW broke my waters, contractions got intense, I panicked because it was all new to me but I went from 5cm to pushing in 20 mins, 2 pushes and he was born. He was back to back to I found the pain very strong

3rd baby was 49 and a half hour labour (4 hours established) mw broke my waters at 7cm, she took her gloves off and went to leave the room, I grunted and said sorry Nichola I think I just poo'd myself she looked and said no that's the head! Two tiny grunts later out out he came. It was a lovely birth with only g&a for pain relief.

I think all of my births could have been lovely, it was my fear that hindered the first two. I trusted myself and my body with my youngest and it made all of the difference.

Don't be afraid or worried hun, enjoy your pregnancy and look into relaxation techniques that could help you have a nice delivery xx

 

[nadine]

Both mine were horrible,

First was 18 hours to get to 9cm then baby heart beat stopped so had a emergency section but was kept awake -

Second 42 hours slow labor, got to 7cm babys heart beat stopped again so got rushed in for another emergency section this time under genral so knocked out cold, baby took 8 mins to come round,

But got two gorgeous children so all worth every second x

 

[titch]

oh hun that sounds awful