Was childbirth the worst pain you've ever experienced? - Page 10

[mom de terre]

It wasn't the contractions that sucked, it was the midwife helping "stretch" my cervix. The worst pain ever! But I'm glad she did it!

[Birth&Bunnies]

Sorry Mamas :(

I'm really sorry for those that felt it was the worst. I know it can be. So many little things can effect labor and pain for the better or worse. I hope it hasn't ruined your opinion of natural birth. Each time can be so different. Hugs to you all.

[Thalia the Muse]

I don't know about sorry -- I'm rather pleased that nothing that hurts MORE than that has happened to me yet!

[2Sweeties1Angel]

An ear infection is 10 times worse than childbirth, either vaginally or by c-section.

[Birth&Bunnies]

Well I just hate how most women think Childbirth is super painful, and then hear "horror stories" from other women. It makes it harder to overcome their fears or to be interested in Natural Childbirth. Much of it is our culture and additudes toward birth in this country.

[cottonwood]

It wasn't the contractions that sucked, it was the midwife helping "stretch" my cervix. The worst pain ever! But I'm glad she did it!

It was the worst pain ever and you're glad she did it?

[Romana]

I don't tell "horror stories," not even about my own birth, but it was profoundly excruciating and I'd rather not ever experience it again. I'm hoping the next time is easier.

I'm honest about my experience with anyone who asks, and point out that it's unusual to have so much pain with an uninhibited NCB. I also always mention that despite how little I enjoyed it (I HATE HATE HATE childbirth), I wouldn't do anything differently the next time.

I just hope that next time, I can say "I loved my NCB!" or at least, "It really wasn't that bad."

Julia
dd 1 year old

[mama to 2 girls]

Nope! For me the worst pain was when I was about 10 yrs. old I broke my foot in half along with 3 of my toes! THAT was the worst pain I have EVER felt! It was definitely a 10+. I would give birth again any day! : ) The only thing that comes close is dd1's birth I was induced with pitocin...but dd2's birth was in a birth center no drugs, no shower, no tub and it was a BREEZE!

I have forgotten about the pains of having my dd's births but I will never forget the pain of my foot being broken and then being set back in place because the dr. who supposed to do surgery and put pins in was in another surgery! HAHA!

[Birth&Bunnies]

Originally Posted by Romana9+2

I don't tell "horror stories," not even about my own birth, but it was profoundly excruciating and I'd rather not ever experience it again. I'm hoping the next time is easier.

I'm honest about my experience with anyone who asks, and point out that it's unusual to have so much pain with an uninhibited NCB. I also always mention that despite how little I enjoyed it (I HATE HATE HATE childbirth), I wouldn't do anything differently the next time.

I just hope that next time, I can say "I loved my NCB!" or at least, "It really wasn't that bad."

Julia
dd 1 year old

I'm glad you make the distinction between it being unusual to be so bad I wish I could switch with you. I've often joked with DH that I would birth for people if I could, not surrogate, but just birth. I like it! But I'm a birth junkie anyway. Hopefully you can work through some of the healing before your next birth, since having a tough birth can sometimes be hard to ignore the next time around. Like "oh I know it going to be bad" and simply that making it worse.

[amityfree]

Yes, it was the worst pain I had ever experienced...

...until I had a bout of gallstones. THAT was the worst by far!

Coming up a close second was my cracked nipples being latched on to. That was worse than labour and delivery as well.

[chandasz]

No way. Definitely not the worst pain. 1st time hurt for sure but jaw surgery hurt much more. My cluster headaches hurt much more. AND I had back labor the first time

2nd time-- I had painless labor! PAYBACK!

[ahdoula]

I can't believe all the posts about this! I have to say that AT THE TIME I thought it was the worst, but I think all pain gets put into perspective at one time or another. I think the fact that my first two were hospital births and I knew the pain was OPTIONAL made it much worse then pain that is just not optional! That kind of pain anyone can cope with better, because you have to.

[dimibella]

Definintely not for me, my cramps are worse with my periods. My MW did accupressure and that relieved so much of the pain. It was amazing!

[Romana]

Originally Posted by Birth&Bunnies

I'm glad you make the distinction between it being unusual to be so bad I wish I could switch with you. I've often joked with DH that I would birth for people if I could, not surrogate, but just birth. I like it! But I'm a birth junkie anyway. Hopefully you can work through some of the healing before your next birth, since having a tough birth can sometimes be hard to ignore the next time around. Like "oh I know it going to be bad" and simply that making it worse.

I've come a long way emotionally and physically since the birth, and I am healed and at peace with the experience. Hence why we're ready to TTC #2.

I realize there's always the potential that my first birth being so difficult/painful will make me apprehensive of a second birth and therefore, by default, negatively affect the subsequent birth. However, I think I have a good understanding of the experience at this point and I wouldn't shy away from doing it again - thought I'd very much prefer to avoid the kind of relentless agony I experienced for that 8 or so hours (the other 13 hours of labor was just peachy - painful but not unusually so).

If I had to do it the same again - exactly the same - or even worse - I'd just do it. It's just that I'd prefer it weren't quite so awful. It was comparable in some respects to the extreme period pain I used to experience, and I went through that many times.

Julia
dd 1 year old

[Birth&Bunnies]

Originally Posted by Romana9+2

I've come a long way emotionally and physically since the birth, and I am healed and at peace with the experience. Hence why we're ready to TTC #2.

I realize there's always the potential that my first birth being so difficult/painful will make me apprehensive of a second birth and therefore, by default, negatively affect the subsequent birth. However, I think I have a good understanding of the experience at this point and I wouldn't shy away from doing it again - thought I'd very much prefer to avoid the kind of relentless agony I experienced for that 8 or so hours (the other 13 hours of labor was just peachy - painful but not unusually so).

If I had to do it the same again - exactly the same - or even worse - I'd just do it. It's just that I'd prefer it weren't quite so awful. It was comparable in some respects to the extreme period pain I used to experience, and I went through that many times.

Julia
dd 1 year old

Hugs and Love

[pinksprklybarefoot]

I would say yes. However, I had pre-e and the contrx were coming one on top of another with no break. I also waited until I was 5 or 6 cm to make the half hour drive to the hospital in rush hour :

Reading the rest of this thread makes me wonder if I may change my mind as I have to have several cavities filled and my wisdom teeth out this month.

Also, the pain is worth it - not only for the babe at the end but the feeling of being a strong woman for doing it without meds. Also worth it to have an alert, happy baby right after birth. The nurses commented on how awake he was (the hospital I delivered at has an 80% epidural rate).

[gwynthfair]

Originally Posted by BetsyS

I read some of the responses on this thread to my dh--he asked over and over again, "are they kidding?" I think my pain made an impression on him as well. Poor guy.

I think my pain made a big impression on my dp as well, my mom told me later that he was sitting in the hall crying. And he's not a cryer.

[caricandothis]

Yes and no. Was it painful? Yes, definitely but to me, the pain of the contrax and birthing the baby and all that good stuff was for a reason...I'm not sure if I can explain it but I'm sure you mamas can understand. I knew that the deeper and longer my pain was, the closer I was to having my baby. I welcomed the pain and fought very hard to let my body feel it. I knew that in the end I would be greatly rewarded for all of my pain.

Now, the absolute worst pain I've ever felt in my life was when I was about 19 wks pg for my 3rd. I had gone to the dentist and he had given me a filling and while he was drilling he nicked a nerve. I was in complete sheer agony, I seriously wanted to DIE 24 hrs a day for almost a complete week. I called every day begging the stupid dentist to please pull the tooth, I couldn't take it anymore, they kept telling me "it'll get better". I wasn't sleeping, wasn't eating, it was HELL. FINALLY I marched back to the office and demanded they pull the tooth or I'd sue. I was instantly relieved of all of the pain the minute the tooth was out. Evil, rotten man. :

Hands down, without a doubt, I would birth 100 babies before I'd ever go thru that tooth pain ever again.

[Shirelle]

Almost. The aftermath of having my impacted wisdom tooth extracted was actually worse. I was under general anesthesia for the actual extraction, but for the next two days I thought I was in hell, and that was WITH the Vicodin. Childbirth was not a walk in the park either, but I'd rather give birth forty more times than have to have a wisdom tooth extraction again.

I said that to a friend the other day. Having my wisdom teeth pulled was horrible! And the healing time was SO Much longer than the healing time after childbirth.

[stacey2061]

in some ways it was, but i knew there was a light at the end of the tunnel. transition and just before transition were the worst parts for me, but i think i suffered more when i had a bout of sciatica 9 months later. that pain was insane ~ at least in labour i was able to walk ~ and there was no end in sight. i truly believed i would need surgery (luckily i didn't but the recovery was long and painful, far more difficult to get through that childbirth)