Did you forget the pain of birth? - Page 2

[Yummymummy74]

I did not find it that intense.. it was a bit painful but nothing not managable. for a while I did not think I was in labour actually not until there was a head like right there! :LOL pregnancy is hard for me and the afterpains are torture .. now THOSE are 10x worse than labour.. my last labour was just sensations of downward pressure with no pain for the most.

Labour iteself is ok as far as I am concerned, sometimes I think alot of it is headspace.. and where your at mentally ect. ( ya ya dont wanna start THAT debate again) but I think if your left to be primal (read alone) you deal alot different.. I could not imaging trying to birth again with people around me and medicos trying to shove their hands and tools at my nethers ever again after that experience. :Puke

[EmmalinesMom]

Originally Posted by Marsupialmuma

the afterpains are torture .. now THOSE are 10x worse than labour...

I do remember feeling like the afterpains were when I REALLY wanted the epidural!

I could not imaging trying to birth again with people around me and medicos trying to shove their hands and tools at my nethers ever again after that experience. :Puke

Although I had a hospital natural birth, (No IV, no meds, etc) I have to agree with you on the shoving of hands into my nether-regions, lol. My midwife was quite hands-off until I really did need her touching me, but I found the presence of the women around me very comforting. My good friend/bradley teacher was there, and since she had also birthed totally naturally, she had a really good idea of what was going on in my mind and my body. When she told me, "This is good...this will be ok...your body is bringing your baby into the world...." I believed her more than a random nurse, lol.

[applejuice]

I have had four at home and I sure do remember everything and would do it again...it was worth it all!

[MamaFern]

instantly after my son was born i said "i could do that again" just having him in my arms was pure bliss.. my midwife, sister, mom,auntie, partner, doula and anyone else who was there just stared at me like i was totally off my rocker.. i think they were more tired out than i was.. i cant wait to do it again!! only 5 months way now

[DeepGreen29]

I trust how I remember it...and I remember it being *not that bad* ....painful...severely painful...but not unbearable to where I lost control or screamed.

The reason I trust my memory is because a caring nurse came to me and asked, at the height of my discomfort, shortly before pushing, "what is your pain like on the pain scale?"

I thought about it, looked at the chart, and said 6 !!


I did scream as he came out/crowned....mostly I was shocked. Didnt know it was going to happen so fast, plus that was the most painful part!

[kavamamakava]

I remember the pain of this last one. But not the other two.

[EmmalinesMom]

Originally Posted by DeepGreen29

I trust how I remember it...and I remember it being *not that bad* ....painful...severely painful...but not unbearable to where I lost control or screamed.

I was loud. I went from breathing really heavy during contractions, to moaning, to yelling, lol. I didn't lose control, but it sure felt good to me to make noise.

[Maman*Musique]

Some mamas need to be vocal to *maintain* control

My vocal/breath training sure came in handy during my labors

[kate~mom]

Originally Posted by New Mama

Uhh...I'm pregnant with my first, and I'm not sure I should be reading this thread!

no, no, read it! i am completely serious. one of the reasons why i think i perceived my first labor as being very painful was that i was expecting it to be not big deal. my mom and my mil had fabulous, short labors that they told me about, dh's aunt told me "lamaze really works," which i interpreted as "breathing right takes away the pain."

labor DOES hurt, but i think was is sooooo important to remember is the "pain with a purpose" mantra. no labor comfort measure (maybe hypobirthing? i know very little about it) takes *away* the pain - they make them bearable and allow you to retain (or regain?) your focus.

but back to the op questions - i don't remember the pain from labor #1, per se, other than remembering that it did hurt badly and remembering the thngs i was doing. unfortunately, i don't remember a lot of the actual birth and immediately afterwards (i am chalking this up to the epidural). many of the memories i have, i think are more a result of dh talking about his memories and looking at pictures.

labor #2 was a completely different story. i remember everything very intensely. maintaining my focus, not trying to get away from the contractions, actually almost resulted in a car-birth because i kept thinking "this is fine, this is no where near as painful as labor #1, this can't be it."

[cottonwood]

Like others have said, I remember THAT it hurt but not HOW it hurt. Which is probably good or else I probably wouldn't have done natural birth again. Quickening, that is an interesting theory that people tend to forget when it is traumatic but not otherwise. I did remember for a long time how it felt for the baby to come through me -- that part was amazing, and I never wanted to forget how it felt.

[EmmalinesMom]

Originally Posted by New Mama

Uhh...I'm pregnant with my first, and I'm not sure I should be reading this thread!

Everyone's experience is different. And even though it was physically uncomfortable for me, I would do it again in a heartbeat!

Good luck to you! I have a soft spot for August babies... My first daughter was born in August.

[mamacarla]

All I remember about pain is telling my friend after that it hurt so bad and to never let me do it again -- but I remember nothing of it now and want to do it again!

So there you have it.

[mimim]

I can remember exactly how I felt for all three of my births. I wouldn't want to forget; they were the most intense sensations of my life.