When 'Breathe Through the Pain' Stops Working

[Corrinne37]

My first labour and my 2nd labour could not of been more different!!
My first was the worst experience of my life, it was so traumatic, so painful, I had every drug going pretty much, my little boy had an infection and had to be rushed to SCBU. It was just long and awaful.

My 2nd , was a breeze in comparison!! All natural and very quick. Not painless but I handled the pain I was in control, I was totally out of control with my first.

So i agree can be totally different. I prepared myself 2nd time because of such a bad first experience, I listened religiously to hypno birthing cd, I practised deep relaxation and breathing, I read and completed all exercises in the hypno book.

The breathing carried me through, the pain of feeling her and the contractions helped me push out. I had a n epi with my son (1st)and couldnt feel anything, it slowed labour down amd he was 2lbs lighter!!

Anyway, preparation is key i believe.

I felt so better after aswell with the natural, but i needed them for my first i really did, i didnt at all for my 2nd xx

 

[MiniVoid]

Let me just join in before we are judging other people how they experience their labour and their pains.

Remember that EVERYONE experiences contractions, pain and the ring of fire differently.

My first labour was classed "traumatising" and I did not experience it this way, my partner whom witnessed the birth was more traumatized then I was. I kept waiting for the moment where I'd think I can not cope with this but it never came! I do believe that natural oxytocin will make your body produce endorphines and help you cope better. But if this is a fear I would recommend gas & air rather than anything else. But it's not my baby, not my labour so it's entirely up to yourself where you draw the line.

 

[giz]

Hmmmm, I'm worried my first labour was too easy :-S I've had more painful periods than the worst contraction. But I do believe I have horrendously painful periods. Also having a flexible sigmoidoscopy was way more painful than labour and birth.

I'm dreading the thought of having to labour on dry land though!! Water really did make a difference.

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baby giz born 6th Feb 2011
next one due 12th Aug 2013

Haha I was right to fear the worst! I gave birth a week ago and it was the complete opposite experience to my first. I had bearable contractions all day which did nothing (didn't dilate at all) and then it kicked off and I pretty much went from zero to delivery in less than an hour...never experienced pain like it.

I was only at hospital for 10 minutes before giving birth, so didn't have my water birth this time! And did give birth on dry land, at least I got gas and air for those last 10 minutes though amazing stuff.

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dd born 6th Feb 2011
ds born 12th Aug 2013