For those who have gone natural

[FreeThinkinMama]

This might be a dumb question but I had an epi with my first(I was induced and although I had planned on going natural the pain became intolerable) so I have no idea. Did pushing the baby out hurt a lot more than the contractions? Or were they about the same? I'm particularly interested in hearing from anyone who had a tear without meds

[Guest*]

With dd, contractions hurt more than pushing/crowning. I tore, but did not feel it until I started to recover.

With ds, pushing/crowing hurt more than contractions. I didn't feel the tear until afterwards. There was a slight sting a few minutes after I birthed the placenta.

DS's birth hurt a lot more than dd's because it was so quick and intense, but both were tolerable and the pain was never really bad for me until the end.

HTH,

[lola731]

My first birth was induced, and like you, I wasn't planning on the epi. but got it. I pushed for 3 hours, and my baby was delivered with forceps. My next baby was natural, and I pushed twice and she was born. I did tear where I had the episiotomy for the first birth, but didn't notice it at the time because I was focusing on getting the baby out. The tear just needed a stitch, but no big deal to me because I was holding/nursing my new baby. The same situation with my third baby- pushed twice, natural (home) birth, tore at the darn episiotomy site again. Still didn't notice as it was happening, and held/nursed baby again as it was being stitched.

To answer your question, pushing the baby out without meds was MUCH better. I hated the epi., even though it "worked" like it's supposed to. I LOVED my natural births because I got to move around. I definitely felt the pushing ctx., but it was so fast. Pushing for me did hurt more than labor ctx., but after my intense induced first labor, natural labor ctx. aren't a big deal to me. And I've had posterior babies with all 3 labors (just the way I carry them, I guess), and all my babies have been about 9 lbs. I hope you're able to go natural- SO MUCH nicer that way!

Carrie, mama to Jake (4), Lola (2), and Ike (3 months)

[sweetfeet]

I had an epidural with my first as well. I was so nervous about the pain factor this time. I had an extremely painful labor due to some malpositioning of the baby. It was bearable though, I didn't feel tortured or anything. I was at home with my mw though or else I may have been tempted into getting an epidural at a few points. I was really tired on top of it all so it made it hard to cope towards the end. I did end up transferring and showed up at the hospital and pushed him out in under 30 minutes. The pushing actually felt good to me, when he was born I felt relieved because he was not in a cruddy position and causing me pain any longer. I did have a second degree tear. I had no idea that I tore until I saw the doctor grab some suture material. Overall it wasn't bad, there is a big difference though in how I felt immediately pp and how my baby acted pp. My first was so sleepy and lethargic and my second, the non medicated birth was so alert and aware.

[stacyann21]

Originally Posted by jlpolzin

With dd, contractions hurt more than pushing/crowning. I tore, but did not feel it until I started to recover.

That, except with ds Pushing didn't hurt, crowning hurt but not as much as contractions. However, I did feel more "out of control" during pushing.

[ndunn]

Pushing the baby out was actually really a relief and felt great compared to the contractions!! It felt good to be able to push, or to feel the urge in my case as I wasnt told to push. Crowning felt a bit like major stretching for a few seconds but it was nice compared to the rest of labour.

[BelgianSheepDog]

Hmm I don't know how to answer this one. I had heard that pushing would feel like a relief, but it didn't. It wasn't more painful, per se, just a lot more intense. It really felt like nothing else. The urge to push felt a lot like the kind of intense pressure/nausea that comes with throwing up, actually. FTR I never did throw up during labor, either, so it's not that I was just confused, hehe.

I had a second degree tear. I couldn't tell you when it happened for sure but there was a moment as her head and first shoulder came through that really hurt. That was probably the tear. But, it only hurt for a few seconds and then...slip slither WOW! Baby! And I felt no pain. Seriously all the back pain from late pregnancy, all the contraction pain, all the pain from having another human being squished through part of my body...gone! It came back later and I was sore 2 days afterwards, but wow, the chemical rush plus knowing the baby is there and safe, that makes it go away for a while.

[amityfree]

For me, contractions were painful. When my body finally started pushing itself, it felt like a relief. The pushing was making the pain of contractions go away. Crowning was the worst for me, but it was an instant pain, and then numbness. I think the stab of pain was caused by tearing. I tore upwards instead of through my perineum (I find out now that that was probably due to my horseback riding and having a 'tough' perineum) I had four stitches total. Crowning pain was pretty mild with my second, but since I had gone through it the first time, I knew to slow down and push gently and allow his head to stretch me slowly. I didn't tear at all that time. Just a skid mark which healed pretty fast.

Honestly, when you're birthing without medication, it's an odd experience. Your body just does it's thing and you're there for the ride. I went into a zone and I honestly don't remember much of either birth. Any pain I experienced paled the instant I saw my sons.

[Lynski]

For me contractions were totally bearable although painful. Her crowning was very painful, to put it mildly. 2: I tore a tiny bit and got "skid marks" near my urethra. I could feel the tearing very acutely, but that was the least of my worries, it was more the stretching and the actual descent of her head down the birth canal at lightening speed.

[phoebemommy]

I don't know how to describe it -- the pushing was WAY more intense than the regular contractions. I made noise like I didn't know was possible, completely unrestrained. I almost want to say more painful, but no, because there was relief. Contractions felt like a holding pattern; pushing was like coming in for a landing.

I tore pretty good (never learned the degree of tear, but it was right on the line of needing stitches... I declined) but I didn't really notice. It was like nothing after the intensity of pushing, just a little sting in a big swollen area.

[FreeThinkinMama]

For those who had stitches, did having those put in hurt?

Also, if it was really painful during the pushing stage for you did it make you want to stop pushing to avoid the pain?

One more question (LOL I feel like I've never given birth before I have so many!) What were some of the techniques you used to get through the pain? I know about water, the birthing ball, changing positions, music, massage...any I'm missing?

[IdentityCrisisMama]

I had a largely unmedicated hospital transfer from a planned home birth. I remember the hospital doctor telling me to “push past the burn” and I was thinking that there wasn’t any pain or burning from pushing. The contractions were worse for sure. I did tear and don’t remember it. I was given a local during the time that I was being stitched so I can't really say what that would have felt like. For me the worst part was being exhausted from vomiting and pushing for so long.

[phoebemommy]

Originally Posted by FreeThinkinMama

For those who had stitches, did having those put in hurt?

Also, if it was really painful during the pushing stage for you did it make you want to stop pushing to avoid the pain?

One more question (LOL I feel like I've never given birth before I have so many!) What were some of the techniques you used to get through the pain? I know about water, the birthing ball, changing positions, music, massage...any I'm missing?

The reason I declined stitches was because I couldn't handle anything else happening down there. They would have given me something to numb the area but even the idea of a quick shot was just too much to bear at that point.

Water was MARVELOUS for pain relief, once I was far enough to get in the water. Before that I found that after the first hour or so, I had to be standing up and kind of marching in place during contractions. Then I added moaning to the deep breathing I was doing. Moaning really helped me work through the pain. Then I added hanging from the top of the shower doors (the metal track thing they're on), not with my full weight, but just enough to feel like I was pulling on something. This was good for me, but scared my dh. He thought I'd pull the whole thing down.

ETA: For me, pushing was involuntary. It wasn't me doing the pushing, it was my body. I couldn't stop.

[BelgianSheepDog]

They numbed me up with lidocaine for the stitches. The first couple pokes for that stung, but the stitching itself was fine. Just pulled a little and stung just a tiny bit as the local wore off at the end. Nothing compared to contractions.

Maybe not "PC" to say, but screaming like I was dying really helped me get through the painful parts of labor.

[alegna]

I would say that pushing hurt *different* than contractions.

I did tear- in an odd manner. I refused stitching and am glad I did.

Coping? Being at home. I was in charge. I was in my own space. I was comfortable.

-Angela

[gwynthfair]

I DID end up getting an epidural, but the crowning/pushing was still painful in my "bottom." I don't think anything can eliminate that. I had a 2nd degree, and the stitches were quite uncomfortable. I was sore for about a month and unable to be on my feet for long periods of time.

[mamatoElias]

Honestly, I thought pushing was the most painful part of my labor. I had a cervical lip and I think that might have made it more painful, though. I had a few stitches, but they were no big deal. I was numbed with lidacaine, so they didn't hurt going in and they really didn't bother me at all. I think I was too in love with my son to even notice any pain or discomfort after his birth- they probably could've stitched me up with no meds and I truly don't think it would've bothered me much.

[thefragile7393]

Originally Posted by FreeThinkinMama

This might be a dumb question but I had an epi with my first(I was induced and although I had planned on going natural the pain became intolerable) so I have no idea. Did pushing the baby out hurt a lot more than the contractions? Or were they about the same? I'm particularly interested in hearing from anyone who had a tear without meds

What hurt really bad for me was the crowning. The contractions hurt, the back pain (ds face up) hurt, and I got sterile water injections to deal with what...which helped sooo much....focusing on the front pain only helped a lot. The sting from each of them hurt like crazy but man....they sure helped! Once ds's head was out it was somewhat less painful. I had a second-degree tear.....and the stitching of that hurt the worst out of all of that! I should say it was the lidocane shots that hurt the most...although I could feel the thread...kinda felt like a light rope burn.

Also, if it was really painful during the pushing stage for you did it make you want to stop pushing to avoid the pain?

One more question (LOL I feel like I've never given birth before I have so many!) What were some of the techniques you used to get through the pain? I know about water, the birthing ball, changing positions, music, massage...any I'm missing?

No I never wanted to stop pushing, I WANTED HIM OUT! Then again though, the pushing wasn't so bad for me.

I was in the water the whole time...never could get out..didn't want to. It did help, but not as much as I was hoping. my husband did a hip press which helped during contracting..stood behind me and pulled my hips back and towards each other. The sterile water injections, although nasty, helped soo much with the back pain...having front and back pain was just getting to be too much for me. I tried to change position but because of ds being face up it hurt too much to be in any position except my hands and knees.

[RockStarMom]

Hmm...pushing did hurt more, physically, but it was much easier to handle, mentally, than contractions were. I guess at that point I was used to labor and just got down to business and my body had completely taken over. I had second degree tearing, but didn't feel it at all- I had no idea until the CNM told me.

[sweetfeet]

For those who had stitches, did having those put in hurt?

I felt really numb down there from the birth itself. I probably wouldn't have felt the 2 numbing shots if I hadn't been watching what the ob was doing. The shots pinched a bit but it wasn't so bad, and I could feel him tying off the sutures. Then again my first was a c-section and all the stuff that I watched them do to me and all of the sensations I felt during the section seem much worse. I was on such a high after he was born that I really did feel much pain or discomfort.

Oh and my coping mechanism, at the worst times I said the f-word. A lot. I feel really bad about cussing so much, it was almost involuntary. To me its a powerful word and I was feeling pretty powerless at points. It just worked.