Labor compared to MC?

[jenrett]

Hello! A little background on me. I am due with babe #1 in late May. I have had 2 miscarriages (one at 9w, one at 5 or 6w). Both of them were short, incredibly intense (think sitting in the bathroom not knowing whether to throw up on the floor and mess in the toilet or vice versa....sorry, that's gross, but that's how it happened). I recall thinking at the time that there's no way I could ever do childbirth because this isn't even a baby and it hurts like heck! However, I think it has more to do with the fact that a MC is sad, wrong, and not "supposed" to happen....know what I mean? (on a side note....I am confident in childbirth, the MC were scary because I didn't know what was going on - especially at 5w, could have been ectopic.....very scary)

ANYWAY, I'm wondering if there is any correlation drawn between what a MC is like in terms of predicting what labor is like. My MC were so fast and short and intense and then....just OVER suddenly, I'm wondering if that means I might have a fast labor? Or, because they were such early MC, is it unlikely that I could draw a correlation between the two?

Anyone have any experience with this or thoughts on the matter?

[Storm Bride]

I've never given birth vaginally, but I have been in labour with four children. I've also had three miscarriages (one at 7-8 weeks, and two at almost exactly 12 weeks).

I laboured 21 hours with my first. My second miscarriage lasted about 7. I'd take the 21 hours of labour over even an hour of the miscarriage, any day. My miscarriages were all between my first and second child, so I can't tell you whether they signal anything about your labour, though.

For me, at least, the miscarriage was pain was more relentless than the labour pain. The contractions of labour gave me a chance to breathe in between (mostly). The contractions(?) of miscarrying didn't. I just hurt like heck until it was all over with.

Honestly, even though the contractions are a very similar kind of pain, I don't think miscarriage and labour are handled by the body the same way. I have nothing to base that on, except my own experiences, though.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

For me the m/c pain was more intense and was more of a solid pain where ctx came and went.

[RedOakMomma]

I had a m/c at 5/6 weeks and it was nothing like either of my laboring experiences. Labor felt as if it approached from a mile away....yes, it got intense, but there was plenty of built up to it.

[jenrett]

Oh, thank you Mommas! That is so good to hear We're still not sure if we can draw a correlation between labor and MC but it seems like ya'll would rather have a baby than a MC anyday (for reasons other than the obvious.....)

[MiaMama]

I had regular "contractions" with my 10wk miscarriage. To the point where I knew what was going on before I started bleeding. It lasted most of an entire day, and was one of the most terrible things I have ever experienced. I am also not sure if it was because of what it represented (psycologically painful), but it hurt more than my daughter's birth about a year later.

I can't say if the pattern would have predicted labor patterns, because she was induced, so labor did not go the way it *would* have if uninterfered with.

I am very sorry for your losses.

[limette]

I think my miscarriage (14 wks) was bad in that it lasted a month. So endless nights of really bad pain.

But the actual labor of a 40 wk posterior baby was more painful.

[rparker]

I've had one natural vaginal delivery and two first trimester miscarriages (4+ weeks and roughly 8 weeks). Both miscarriages were way, way more painful than childbirth and lasted longer.

The 8 week one was the most painful and occurred a few days before a planned abortion, so I really don't think emotional/psychological issues were what made it more painful than childbirth. That miscarriage took maybe 48 hours. I spent most of it curled up in bed surprised at how much it hurt.

The 4+ week miscarriage was about as painful as a really awful period and took over a week to complete. This was a planned pregnancy, but honestly it was early enough that (for me) it wasn't that traumatic psychologically. It was hard physically because there was a lot of blood loss.

My labor was 6 hours, at times uncomfortable, but never really what I'd describe as painful. It was, however, gross. The early stages actually were mostly spent on the toilet and I did puke before leaving for the hospital. The cramping with my both of my miscarriages though was both more painful and uncomfortable than actual contractions. I did have a lot of blood loss in the days following childbirth and ended up taking medication (methergine) to help my uterus return to normal, so in that respect it was like a more intense version of miscarriage.

I know it's easier said than done, but try not to let your memories of pain during miscarriage influence your mindset going into childbirth. The contractions associated with delivering a healthy, full-term baby are a very positive natural physiological function and fear can inhibit them and/or make them more painful. If you can let go of fear and envision what it is the contractions are doing (helping your cervix to dilate so your baby can be born) I think that makes them a lot more easy to deal with. And sometimes painful contractions have a function too, like encouraging you to change position in order to help the baby be born easier. I think the biggest difference between a first trimester miscarriage and childbirth is that a full-term (or near-term) baby is actually sentient and aware and experiencing the contractions with you... knowing that my daughter was feeling every contraction that I felt (and understanding what they meant a lot less!) helped me keep my labor in perspective.

[cchrissyy]

I had 3 mc and 3 live births and still can't come up with any generalisation for this, sorry!

[mommyfied]

Originally Posted by MCatLvrMom2A&X

For me the m/c pain was more intense and was more of a solid pain where ctx came and went.

This was my exact experience. My m/c was 2-3 hours of relentless pain. For me, it didn't even compare to a contraction.