Was childbirth the worst pain you've ever experienced? - Page 2

[Cinder]

My labour/delivery of my first was the worst pain I've ever experienced...I went natural for almost 48 hours, then an epi for the rest...but even with the epi it was the worst pain I've ever experienced.

My childbirth with #2 could not even begin to compare to that...I went all natural with him, and even the kidney stones I had 6 years ago hurt worse than that!

[wordmommy]

Yes, it was the worst pain I'd ever felt. BUT--I knew it would be over at X time with a baby on the other end and as long as I remembered that, I was okay.

Migraines suck and you don't know when they'll stop. Same with anal fissures and a UTI. I've had all three and I would say that the experience of those was much, much, much worse. The experience of childbirth, even with the horrible pain, was beautiful with a lovely outcome.

[Twwly]

Pain varies so much.

8 hour long tattoo sessions on my ribs was like torture.
The accidental amputation of a finger hurt a lot (the next morning).
Trying to pee after catheterization was excruciating.
Contractions when breathed through properly were totally manageable, but when my situation changed and I 'lost control', I was not able to keep on top of the pain.

None of it hurt bad enough to make me never want to do it again (in the tattoo and childbirth department anyway!)

[Nicole77]

No. I would say it was a definite 7 or 8 on the pain chart (probably more like an 8 or 9 towards the end) but it was nowhere near as bad as the pain from my broken leg or the pain from my herniated disk. Both of those were sheering, horrible pains that did not let up and had no happy end point. At least labor I got breaks in between contractions and things built up fairly steadily. Of course, labor was much more tiring overall than the broken leg pain (although not the disk since I could not sleep or get comfortable for days and days).

[Mystic Mama]

Actually I have never felt anything as intensly and painful as a crowning babe, to me its more then just the physical pain it is the whole ball of wax! Especially the afterpains! With my second birth the after pains lasted three days after and it felt like labor, I was like what the heck! I am so over this! not looking forward to this part with #3 I swear I was pissed noone ever really said how bad it would be! And no herbs touched it or made it better, I just had to get through it!! I really feel like the amnesia thing with labors keep some moms from truly remembering the pain, however with my second when he was crowning I remember saying to myself, Dont worry Youll never do this AGAIN! And here I am doing it again, sooo That amnesia must be an evolutionary survival skill!!

[Kirsten]

Childbirth was NOT EVEN CLOSE to the worst pain I've ever felt. I really didn't perceive labor as painful. It was hard work. My muscles ached; I could feel intensity might be the best way to describe it.

For me, as long as I was hydrated and calm and limp, labor was very doable.

I took Bradley classes, and they worked like a dream three times in a row!

Worse pain - breaking my little toe when a Corian cutting board was dropped on it (by my friend - she still feels terrible about that to this day, poor thing). Various burns on my fingers over the years - from curling irons or the stove. Thrush with dd2 - that was definitely worst on my personal pain scale.

[BennyPai]

Originally Posted by myhoneyswife

I'm thinking having hemorrhoids is more painful

I have said this before. The hemorrhoids were far worse than labor. When our first daughter was born, I found that the pain was different than I'd expected. I can't describe this really - less intense, more like an ache, and not constant. The exhaustion left more of an impression on me, and hunger and thirst.

Specifically pushing did involve stinging sensations for me, as I had a tear.

I also second burns as one of my worst pains. And the aftermath of my pitt-bull dogbite nightmare when I was a kid.

[Mama Poot]

No, well, sort of, its #2. My first birth was the most painful experience of my life, not just physically but emotionally- and because I am still healing from those emotional wounds, THOSE are #1. THOSE are the worst pain I've ever dealt with in my life. My second birth hurt, but not that bad- and that was an unmedicated home birth I gotta say, giving birth WITHOUT drugs hurts LESS- THAT is the dirty secret doctors won't tell you.

[MelKnee]

No way! Passing several gall stones was much worse. I wanted to die.

[momto l&a]

I have had 3 homebirths.

The worst pain I have ever had was my thumb nail getting ripped off.

Second would be having my teeth drilled

[JamieCatheryn]

About 2 years ago I had a stomach virus that gave me GI cramps all night, I think that was the worst pain I ever had. Labor was just exhausting. In the moment it probably hurt pretty bad, I was definately miserable the last 8 of my 38 hours, right up until I was fully dialated. But those endorphins are some good stuff, I can't understand why anyone would want to interfere with the process since it messes up horomone production!

[greenjenny]

for me, childbirth (all three times) was certainly no match for kidney stone attacks or wisdom teeth removal. I would give birth every 9 months if I had to, to avoid any more dental work

[popbaby]

Originally Posted by JanB

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.

Me too!!!!!!!

[mothragirl]

the endurance and intensity was way harder for the pain for me. i had back labor and it hurt, but it wasn't anything i couldn't handle.

[ashleep]

nak

Originally Posted by the_lissa

It was for me, but I have never really had anything else painful in my life, except menstrual cramps, and my cramps were only slightly less painful than labour, so saying it was the most painful thing doesn't really say much for me.

:

I agree with a PP. It's subjective. It depends on your frame of mind, your support group surrounding you, your fear or lack thereof, etc, etc. I don't believe it has anything to do with pain threshold.

and that

[~Megan~]

No, the gall bladder attack was much worse and the external version was nearly as bad.

[Ellien C]

Not at all and I consider myself a pain weenie! I had great labor support in the form of a hospital supplied doula. 12 hours of labor in the hospital and 4 prior and I was ready to go at the end of it all. It was a good kind of pain, I knew I was on-my-way to having a baby. And really - the doula helped tremendously. I thought clipping that clothes pin to your ear in birth class was way more painful than actual birth!

[doctorjen]

I have been very lucky - I would describe all 4 of my births as uncomfortable and full of pressure, but not terribly painful except for the few seconds of crowning. I also never labored more than 7 hours, and felt like a million bucks within an hour all 4 times. I'll be forever grateful that that was my experience!
I had a toothache last year, and needed a root canal in the end. The night I was up with the toothache, which felt like something was inside my right cheek bone trying to peck it's way out, I kept thinking to myself "Wow, I've really never been in pain before!" I kept thinking about people (childbirth and other situations) I've taken care of over the years who described the pain the way I was thinking about it (specifically that I would have let someone cut my head off if they promised it would end the pain) and I felt bad that maybe I never previously understood how bad unrelieved pain truly could be. I'm more sympathetic now, I think!

[afishwithabike]

Tooth pain is WAY worse for me that birthing either of our children. Although my sciatic nerve acting up is a close second. Still WAY worse than the birth of either child.

[ecoteat]

No way. Childbirth wasn't painful, exactly, but it was intense! Pain was the infection I got after having my wisdom teeth pulled. Or how I felt the day after I was in a car accident. Or dropping something heavy on my foot. But not childbirth.