Did anyone else feel like a wild animal during birth?

[~Megan~]

I remember that just before my water broke and especially after (before I got in the birth pool) feeling a bit wild. I was pacing and didn't seem to know what to do or where to go. I felt surrounded and unsure of myself.

Once I got into the water it was heaven and I could sleep between contractions but that time right before was interesting.

[SublimeBirthGirl]

Birth feels very animalistic to me. I am not a centered, quiet, zen birther. I make noise and it's all very physical. I felt like you did for my hospital birth, but for my UC it was all good animal stuff. I never felt surrounded, obviously, or unsure.

[Jilian]

I felt the same way with my homebirth before I got into the water. I felt completely out of control, things were going so fast. I needed the water to slow it down so I could feel a little more in control. I probably could have had a 2 hour special if I stayed out of the tub

[~Megan~]

I had a homebirth. I didn't feel surrounded by people just by walls.

I had only my dh and midwife there. dh was shortly sent out to sit with dd and my midwife just sat quietly by the pool and occasionally offered me water.

[Novella]

I remember feeling slightly like a bear and wishing I could just roar at the medical staff to intimidate them into leaving me and babe alone since they weren't following my wishes. It seemed that since they weren't listening to me, perhaps all they would respond to was something more primal.

. . . unfortunately, my skin stayed relatively hairless and my nails did not turn into serious-looking claws.

[ColwynsMommy]

I don't know if I felt like a wild animal, but my last birth was very primal. It amazed me how instinctual the whole thing was.. how my body showed me what I needed to do in order to birth my baby. I had 50 hours of early/prodromal labor, but my active/pushing stage was only an hour. I was quite loud during that hour--not because it was overly painful, just very intense--and even while I was hollering, I was thinking how incredibly animalistic those sounds were.

[lovingbeingmom]

No I didn't feel like a wild animal but it is a wild and anamalistic experience. The whole process is pretty amazing really and this is what makes us (meaning women) awesome.

I think the noises we make can sometimes be involuntary, some of us can be noisier than others but I found by keeping quiet I could focus and save my energy.

[rocknrollmama]

I just thought that I had to poop like a wild animal. I would NOT get off the toilet. I gave birth on my hands and knees on my bathroom floor. hehe. My midwife was cracking up.

[seaheroine]

Originally Posted by rocknrollmama

I just thought that I had to poop like a wild animal.

YEAH THAT!

[ColwynsMommy]

Originally Posted by rocknrollmama

I just thought that I had to poop like a wild animal. I would NOT get off the toilet. I gave birth on my hands and knees on my bathroom floor. hehe. My midwife was cracking up.

I had to stand for every contraction, but after each one I sat on the toilet, thinking I had to go the bathroom.. but I didn't. Once my labor turned active (the last hour), I sat on the toilet and wouldn't get up. I felt really bad for my husband because the midwife didn't make it and he knew he was going to have to catch the baby, and he was just begging me to get up and move to the bedroom, and then when she was coming, he was begging me to pleasepleaseplease lift up off the toilet a little.. too funny. I've never loved my husband more.

[StarMama]

At my stupid hospital birth I felt like a caged bear. It was awful. I would imagine feeling like a free animal at home would be much much better.

[veronicalynne]

I felt more primal also. Just going inside myself and not using my thinking brain.......very much instinctual I found.