How Painful Would You Rate Your Labor (PRIOR TO ANY MEDICATIONS OR DRUGS) - Page 3

[Lucky Charm]

Meowee, I had no residual leg weakness or pain. I was fine.

With my epidural, I had not residual pain or weakness.

I did have a friend though, that had right leg weakness to the point of foot drop. she had to wear a boot cast thing-y, and go for physical therapy. It resolved within 12 weeks.

I know a few women that have OK births as far as pain goes, but no horror story ever told to me could have ever prepared me for the reality of back labor.

I can say, though, that my labors were never a marathon of agony. Even my first baby, i labored only 9 hours....7 of em at 9cm. My second and third were 4, then two hours long. So, yes they were horribly painful, but not for a very long time. And as horrible as my pain was, the pain had purpose, and i had a baby at the end!

[wasabi]

I had all my babies at the hospital. Prior to pit with my first two I would say was not at all painful. I felt my contractions but could breathe and relax through them quite easily. Honestly if I had known better I would have just stayed home but I was dilated enough that they let me stay and I didn't know about the whole cascade of interventions effect. Even after AROM and pit the contractions were still manageable using full on Lamaze breathing and relaxation. With my first I got an epidural because they were threatening me with a c-section for failure to progress (you know after a couple of hours : ). With my second I got stuck at 8cm for about 4 hours and then gave in and got the epidural really more out of exhaustion (mental and physical) at that point (only had it for the last 1.5 hours). I was hallucinating and hyperventilating a bit and both my mom and I were falling asleep between contractions and waking up mid-contraction. My next two I labored at home as long as possible so while I voted hospital birth they were definitely home labors. I voted moderately painful but there were definitely spots that were incredibly painful. I had back labor with both and especially towards the end all that kept me going was knowing how close I was to the end. I never considered the epidural but yeah wow that was painful (though less painful than the pit contractions if I wasn't working through them). It did not become more painful to me once I got to the hospital so that was definitely not a factor. I was 8cm with DD#1 and 9cm with DD#2 upon arrival at the hospital after laboring for hours at home. Pushing which I never felt with my first two was incredibly incredibly painful. That's really what would put it close to horribly painful in my book. It was almost a good pain because it did feel so much like I was working towards something rather than helplessly suffering but wow so painful. So much burning.

[beansavi]

I thought the more children I had, the less pain I would experience.

Ha Ha.

My son was born in 11 hours and with a moderatel level of pain. The contractions were major, but I would describe them as "round" "achey", etc.

With my daughter, it took 10 hours, and the contractions were "pointy", "sharp", "jabbing" and I actually screamed my head off like I was getting attacked during the last contraction. My midwife said "don't push yet", but I yelled "fu**" that!" and pushed her out, anyway.

She was out after 10 minutes of painless pushing.

For me, If I can get to pushing, the pain of contractions instantly end (until after pains).

Now I'm pregnant with number three, and I am hoping s/he will be smaller (DS 10lbs 6oz, DD 9lbs, 10 oz) and that my labor will be shorter and (relatively) easier due to the relaxed feeling of being at home.

Please send me positive vibes and prayers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mamacatsbaby]

Originally Posted by sistermama

After being one who voted horribly painful, I feel like I should tell pregnant mamas to go and read the sticky, "Tell me great things about labor"
http://69.20.14.30/discussions/showthread.php?t=316454

so much for leading me here! It was really inspiring to me, especially being a first time mama, to see that there are lots 'n lots o' ladies out there whose birth experiences have not been horribly excruciating! Was starting to get a little there!
the fantastico wife of mr. sweet buns

[meowee]

Originally Posted by mamacatsbaby

so much for leading me here! It was really inspiring to me, especially being a first time mama, to see that there are lots 'n lots o' ladies out there whose birth experiences have not been horribly excruciating! Was starting to get a little there!
the fantastico wife of mr. sweet buns

I'd have to sit down with a calculator, but it looks like your chance of having a horribly painful labor are about 20%, no matter whether home or hospital (remember this poll accounts for multiple choices so you can't heed the percentages given). So the odds are in your favor that you won't get a horrible labor! It took me four tries before I got my killer labor.

[tower]

I had a hospital birth with Pitocin and no pain meds. Labor wasn't painful, just very uncomfortable. Pushing was painful. I was mobile and initiated my own positions for all but the last two pushes.

[wannabe]

Originally Posted by klothos

don't forget ~ fear and pain like that can make you close back up. so... it might even be likely that you were more dilated, and the stress of the exam simply was too much for your physiology. s what an awful experience, mama.

Hmm, that's interesting - I didn't know it could close you back up. That's certainly possible, because the pain got very bad, very fast, with no apparent reason (I'd already been on the pit for ten hours at the time).

The other possibility is that I started MOVING in dilation terms - because four hours later I was complete.

I'm just taking so much heart from hearing others' horror stories! Especially the ones who had only one horrendous labour among many labours.

[MrsMoe]

I wish I could equate my last childbirth with torn mucles, extractions, period cramps and ear infections! I have had broken bones, torn muscles, busted knee cap from severe fall, bad lymph node infection requiring hospital stay, wisdom and molar teeth removed (crowded mouth,) and major surgery all without painkillers - the recovery from major surgery without painkillers in recovery was comparable to my labor prior to the pitocin... but otherwise not even in the same league as any other pain

[Belle]

The worst pain I ever felt was when I hurt my knee the previous summer. That pain I would rate a 10. Labor, I'd only rate a 4 or so. I could cope with the pains I had, and then I got a break for a few minutes. I posted moderate pain in the hospital.

[JesseMomme]

Is anyone getting weird PM's because of this thread?

:
from people with no post counts that is...

[amyjeans]

no pm's here....what happened?

[EmmalinesMom]

With my natural birth at the hospital (no drugs, no iv, free mobility, etc) I rated it as moderately painful overall. Transition was more than moderately painful, but it lasted a short time, and it was pain with a purpose. Then, after her head was born, there were some shoulder dystocia issues, and that was very intense pain, but it's not a super common scenario. Even during that pain though, I would not describe it as a 10 out of 10.

[JesseMomme]

Originally Posted by amyjeans

no pm's here....what happened?

nak - weird PM this am from someone with no post count and no sig. I just got a red flag feeling from it. It clearly was in regards to this thread. I fwd'ed it to a mod, so if anyone got one, you should probably do the same.

[USAmma]

I have an irritable uterus and had strong bx cx through both pregnancies. The second one had preterm labor at 23 weeks and a few times after that until she was born at 38 weeks. It was already fairly painful, like strong menstrual cramps and back ache, with the pregnancy cx. Once labor started, which was instantanous with first one and almost so with second one, it was so, so painful. I could not see straight or breathe. I tried to relax throug the second labor until I got to the hospital but I literally coudn't think. I have past abuse issues and I'm sure that the pain of labor triggered all kinds of really bad feelings and fight or flight. Since I couldn't fight it or run from it, I panicked. I got the epidural with dd1 at 4 cm and with dd2 at 5 cm.

[shalena]

Moderately painful / Birth Center

I arrived at 7 cms and thought i was closer to 1. I didn't feel overwhelmed with the pain during contractions until I was close to 9.

[Kirsten]

I have had three births - one in hospital, one in a freestanding birth center, and one homebirth (all three attended by midwives). I voted "not painful" in each of those three locations. I think I MIGHT have voted "slightly painful" if that had been an option, as there were moments in each of them - transition, though very quick for me, was harder to handle; also that whole "ring of fire" thing does burn... and my third was posterior - not the right way for a baby to come out! But I really didn't perceive much of my labors as painful. Intense, yes. Requiring attention to relaxation, yes. Amazing, yes. Painful, not really. As long as no one is poking or prodding me or making me feel disrespected or out of control of my choices, my labors are really very doable. I think it is a combination of good labor support (dh and midwife), positive attitude, safe place, tons of knowledge about my choices, and good childbearing hips! :LOL

[Angierae]

I voted Horribly painful--at home. But I think the word Horribly makes it sound worse then it is. I definitely felt extreme, exhausting pain, but there was nothing "horrible" about it. Actually I would rather vote for "Awesomely Painful"!

[sarahlynne]

I voted moderately painful (hospital-midwife) I had some pretty painful back labor and no tub available but lots of helping hands. Back labor plus long labor plus 3 hours pushing really equalls somewhere between moderate and horrible, but I went with moderate. I think it could have been horrible if I and my family went into labor uninformed about how to cope or if the hospital staff weren't so understanding about my desire for no meds (I wasn't asked once," now are you sure you don't want anything for this pain?).

[soulsistah]

Ok, so I gave it a moderate...labor was soo tolerable, I was in the water @home 90% and had three midwives and mom and dh....Pushing, well that just SUCKED. On a scale of 1-10, ten being the worst it was 9 I hated it, but I LOVE my little man!

[chiro_kristin]

I said moderately painful/HB.

What made mine worse was labor being 55 hours. But it wouldn't have been nearly so bad had labor been in the more "normal" range. I was just exhausted.