# How much noise did you make while pushing?



## amitymama (Nov 17, 2006)

Just curious how much noise you made while you pushed if you had a vaginal birth and particularly if you had no pain relief. I knew I would be grunting and making some noise but I was surprised at just how much I needed to vocalise at the end of transition and throughout pushing. I wasn't screaming but was saying 'Aahh!" very loudly, almost like I was singing, and then would yell and grunt with each push. I don't know if I made more noise because I had no pain relief this time (had Demerol with first child) or I was just more informed on vocalisation as a way to help me cope with the pain. It really did seem to help met get through it.

What was your experience?


----------



## dpoupore (May 14, 2008)

lots of noise with each push, including roaring and a very loud, "i want this baby ooooouuut!" near the end.


----------



## mags (May 4, 2004)

I was screaming my head off. Everyone in the room was shocked. I'm normally a very soft spoken person. Even I surprised myself with how loudly I screamed. My ob did tell me afterwards that my birth was a, "fun" one to participate in. However, I think that had less to do with the screaming and more to do with the fact that barely anyone in our area has a vaginal birth w/o an epidural.


----------



## amis2girls (Mar 2, 2005)

Enough noise for my OB to ask me if I wanted an epidural.


----------



## nova22 (Jun 26, 2004)

I yelled pretty loudly during some of my pushes. When I was in the hospital, I specifically remember yelling louder than I needed to, because I felt like people expected me to be loud. At home, I was more relaxed and quiet.


----------



## Turquesa (May 30, 2007)

Lots. I screamed lots. It was cathartic.









Thankfully, my doula was there to remind me swap the high-pitched screams for lower-toned yelling. It helped helped relax things so much that I didn't mind that I sounded like an injured cow.


----------



## luckymamato2 (Jun 3, 2006)

I screamed a lot.


----------



## fuzzypeach (Oct 28, 2004)

Hmm, some grunting from sheer effort and maybe pain too (possibly some whimpering







)... I'm quiet by nature, and good at handling pain on my own.

Didn't make noise during the rest of labor, either, fwiw.


----------



## deditus (Feb 22, 2006)

I thought I was very vocal, mostly grunting, but when I watched the tape of dd's birth, I wasn't _that_ loud. I think I was the loudest when trying not to push as she crowned, that was difficult.


----------



## artgoddess (Jun 29, 2004)

Lots of low tonal guttural moaning and roaring. low tone meaning deep, but still very loud. I had a hospital birth and the nurse that I was moved to after the birth said, "oh you were the one we heard moaning OPEN, OPEN, OPEN down the hall."







Hey it worked, I had a completely unmedicated birth.


----------



## purplemoon (Sep 24, 2008)

During transition I started saying "OHHHHHHHHH!" and it just felt better. It wan't a scream, just felt nice to do. During pushing I screamed from effort, but I was at a hospital so they told me to stop. During the ring of fire I screamed that it burns and I wasn't going to push anymore. And I didn't, my body did.


----------



## amydidit (Jan 21, 2005)

I was very loud. I have NO problems vocalizing when I'm in pain.







I would scream, cry, etc. No shame.


----------



## nannymom (Jan 23, 2004)

I was very quiet. Just some low moaning. I used hypnobabies and my labor wasn't painful. I did push for 2 1/2 hours so it wasn't comfortable but i didn't feel like screaming or anything.


----------



## hunterofkyle (Jul 12, 2005)

With one of mine, I was VERY loud - or at least I seemed to remember it that way. When I watch the video, it is more like two or three REALLY loud screamy sounds and a few whiney cries. I remember apologizing to everyone when it was over. One nurse said, "Don't worry, we kept the door closed." With my other unmedicated delivery, I actually stayed pretty quiet.

I really remember being a LOT more vocal during transition with both births. I moaned constantly through all the final contractions. It really helped me stay focused.

edited for typo


----------



## dogmom327 (Apr 19, 2007)

I groaned and talked a lot (mainly asking if he was moving down and begging for him to come out). I really needed encouragement. For some reason I got it in my head that I'd push a few times and he'd come out. Instead it took an hour and a half.


----------



## Vancouver Mommy (Aug 15, 2007)

I had a homebirth in an apartment building, at midnight and didn't get any complaints from the neighbours. So it couldn't have been too bad. I only pushed for about 20 minutes and most of my vocalizations were low pitch.


----------



## _betsy_ (Jun 29, 2004)

I have no recollection. I was totally in Lalalaborland and totally in my own head. Some grunting I assume.


----------



## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

I screamed with DD1, I didn't make a sound with DD2.


----------



## Sparks* (Feb 3, 2008)

I screamed really loud. I'll never forget my husband saying "ggrrrrr you're a tiger!...be a mean mad tiger!"








I guess I sounded like I was roaring


----------



## blind_otter (Sep 22, 2008)

I was in active labor for 13 hours - I moaned during the contractions as they got closer together. After transition I would groan and scream whenever I pushed. My DP's mother was my midwife - when I got to the birth center I was complete and pushing, and I remember her saying "chin to chest, and go low" so I went from a more high pitched scream to a low, gutteral growl.

I pushed for 3 hours...


----------



## mama to 2 girls (Dec 11, 2006)

With dd1 I had an epi but it was starting to wear off and I was very grunty during pushing.

With dd2 I had no pain meds. (at a FSBC) and I kind of just growled during pushing....it's the only way I know how to explain it. It wasn't too loud.

With ds I had a homebirth (so obviously no pain meds) I SCREAMED during pushing, but he also weighed over 2lbs. more than my girls and also had a 11/2" bigger head than my girls.


----------



## paquerette (Oct 16, 2004)

Very loud moaning and screaming. My midwife was trying to get me to put the energy I was putting into vocalizing into pushing, but I tried that and it seemed less effective. I really just needed to make that noise to get her out.


----------



## barefootpoetry (Jul 19, 2007)

Very loud guttural groans. Like "eeeeeuuuuuuhhhhhhhhnnnnRRRRRRRUUUUHHHuhuhuhuhuhuu hhhhhh." I had been moaning very loudly in the latter part of active labor/transition, and I was trying to direct those moans down out through my vagina.


----------



## *MamaJen* (Apr 24, 2007)

I had a really easy labor. I thought I'd be hollering and cursing like a sailor. But when I watched the birth video, I was surprised by how quiet I was. I was totally off in trippy hypnotized trance-like labor land. Honestly, if you just hear the audio, you'd think I was making a baby instead of having one. I made some low moaning sounds, and a little bit of grunting. After I finished crowning, I quietly gasped "oh my god." And when the baby was born, I say "Oh, yeah" in a really relieved voice.


----------



## Mama Poot (Jun 12, 2006)

While pushing? A very high-pitched, loud, frantic, hyperventilating scream that gets worse and worse until crowning, then I calmed down because I knew the kid was gonna come out in a minute or two and the whole thing would be over







I'm super-loud in labor, from the first contraction to the last, I'm making some kind of noise.


----------



## IowaMom (Oct 5, 2007)

LOTS! Baby girl was just born three days ago so it's well ingrained in my mind at the moment. He keeps telling me that I did awesome, but I'm pretty sure I was screaming up a storm. I know I yelled, "I can't do this!" And "Just get her out!"


----------



## Code Name Mama (Oct 5, 2007)

Very loud guttural moaning. dh said I sounded like Louis Armstrong








I pushed for 4ish hours, I had a very sore throat afterward!


----------



## Viola (Feb 1, 2002)

Quite a lot. I can't watch the birth video with the sound on because of it.


----------



## Limabean1975 (Jan 4, 2008)

I made ALOT of noise, before and during pushing. My parents were in a waiting room across and down a large hallway, 5 rooms away, my door was of course closed and so was the waiting room door - AND THEY COULD HEAR ME. I am normally a quiet person. My parents were terrified!


----------



## Limabean1975 (Jan 4, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by **MamaJen** 
Honestly, if you just hear the audio, you'd think I was making a baby instead of having one. I made some low moaning sounds, and a little bit of grunting. After I finished crowning, I quietly gasped "oh my god." And when the baby was born, I say "Oh, yeah" in a really relieved voice.









:


----------



## ChristSavesAll (Mar 27, 2008)

I yelled AAHHHH very loudly, screamed, growled, yelled at myself to stop pushing, oh and crying too (thankfully the pushing only lasted 20 min.)... I really was trying to keep quiet since I was UCing and ds (4) was there and told me before labor his biggest fear was me screaming. I really had no choice, the pain was shocking and took over my body. Poor kid, I ask him about it now and he tells me he went downstairs but could still hear me so he tried going in his room with the door closed and that was better







. My husband tells people he has NEVER heard anyone scream like that before







... He also tried telling me to just moan instead of screaming and it would help, lol I nearly took his head off!


----------



## leila1213 (Sep 15, 2006)

I don't think I had any preconceptions about vocalization beforehand, but I had watched a lot of very very quiet hypnobirths. I just did what I felt like doing in the moment, and it was a grunty, groany moaning sound (kind of like PP describes as a "making baby" sound







). Pretty loud, probably, but I don't really think I could be objective about that. But it wasn't a reaction to the pain, because I really didn't have any. It was just the natural companion to the birth breathing I was doing, and the contracting that my body was doing.

What was really odd and almost embarrassing to me, was that my daughter was very "vocal" in her sleep for the first few months, and the noises she made sounded _exactly_ like I did during pushing contractions!! It was like hearing myself give birth on a daily basis!


----------



## Belle (Feb 6, 2005)

With my first baby I grunted for my first few pushes. The OB on call yelled at me for grunting and said it was counter-productive to me pushing. After a few strangled attempts at pushing without making noise I ignored the "order" to be quiet and grunted.

For my second baby (born at home), I made no attempts to stifle my grunts. A couple of times between pushes I yelled "HOLY S***!".


----------



## elisent (May 30, 2006)

I could swear I was roaring with this last birth, but my husband claims I didn't really make any sound at all.


----------



## barefootpoetry (Jul 19, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elisent* 
I could swear I was roaring with this last birth, but my husband claims I didn't really make any sound at all.

Me too! I felt like I was yellign at the top of my lungs, but my midwives insisted that I "coped so well." I don't believe them though!


----------



## Haselnuss (Sep 20, 2008)

I did a sort of low-pitched yelling or roaring with every push - not from pain, but from effort. With one of my births, I yelled "too big! too big! I'm going to tear!" during crowning, iirc (didn't actually tear at all)







With another, I think I was yelling "out! out!" with the last few pushes. Poor DD, getting hollered at before she was even born!
The only actual screaming I did was during transition, with my 1st and 2nd births. Otherwise, it was mostly moaning in the 1st stage, and some very babyish whining.


----------



## yeahwhat (Feb 10, 2007)

I make a lot of noise during transition/pushing. After my last baby, my voice was raw sounding for a couple of days. Just my way of coping with the intensity/pressure/pain.


----------



## MaterPrimaePuellae (Oct 30, 2007)

I did not find vocalization during my unmedicated (sans slight pitocin at the end







) labor/pushing very comforting







It made me feel like I was losing control/relaxation. I did grunt a little while pushing, but I mostly was silent to preserve air for pushing. I gasped pretty loudly when her head came out, though! _That_ was a happy moment!







:

ETA, I think part of this was also because I didn't want to scare my Dh. I would have thought this would be inhibiting, but thinking about someone besides myself actually kept me a bit calmer, I think-- it was all about love, not fear


----------



## karlugato (Sep 9, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sparks** 
I screamed really loud. I'll never forget my husband saying "ggrrrrr you're a tiger!...be a mean mad tiger!"







I guess I sounded like I was roaring


HAHAHA mean mad tiger







That's adorable!

I had one continuous AHHHH for about 6 minutes before my guy was born. It hurt so much to have to stop and take a breath. While I was pushing though, I just grunted a couple of times. I live in a duplex and later when I talked to the neighbor, she said she just thought our tv was on loud. heehee.


----------



## abaad (Aug 5, 2008)

I screamed my head off. My husband couldn't hear out of his left ear for awhile.







I am usually so quiet. I don't think I've ever really yelled or screamed in my life. It felt good.


----------



## nia82 (May 6, 2008)

I screamed way more during labor/transition (back labor, 5 to 9cm in 60 minutes). I felt pushing was waaaay less painful than labor and only thought it was hard work actually. Between pushing contractions I grunted from exhaustion as if I were running a marathon or doing push-ups. I personally think labor is way worse than pushing, pain-wise and overall.


----------



## Vespertina (Sep 30, 2006)

Hmm, none. I don't recall making any noise. I'm not a noise maker. I remember talking and saying I felt lots of pressure with my second and I said her crowning hurt. It stung, mainly because I was keeping from pushing because they weren't prepped yet. It was a very rapid second stage. She was out in less than a minute.

With DD1, I was speaking to my mom and I told her about the pressure and pushed through maybe 2-3 contractions. It lasted 5 minutes.


----------



## mytwogirls (Jan 3, 2008)

My DH said I sounded like a moose? (What DOES a moose sound like anyway?) while I was pushing, in between pushes I just blew out air and panted a lot.


----------



## rixafreeze (Apr 30, 2006)

No noise at all during the first stage of labor. Growled and roared like a lion or some other fearsome beast during pushing (well, to be specfiic I only made noise during pushing contractions. In between, I was quiet.)


----------



## FiberLover (Feb 6, 2007)

Well, I started making noise after I got in the tub, around 6 cm, and in active labor.

I started with low mmmmmmaaaaaaa, laaaaaaaaa sounds. By the time transition hit, I know I was louder. And yep, with pushing, those final pushes, I yelled! Yelled a lot I think! It felt right.

I let my animal side take over for sure. Cool ride, this birth thing.


----------



## meganmarie (Jan 29, 2005)

I guess I am in the minority. I made no sound at all. Doula and nurse commented on it later, said I was unusual. I was very inward focused during all the active part of labor and pushing, and stayed quiet to focus. My way of coping I guess.


----------



## elmh23 (Jul 1, 2004)

I'm a quiet laborer. Seriously, my midwife was surprised and said I was the quiet mom she ever had. The most noise I made was a little shreak when my son rocketed out of me very suddenly. Other than that, it was a very quiet, peaceful birth.


----------



## Yuba_River (Sep 4, 2006)

I was pretty loud the whole time, I think. During pushing I was saving breath while I actually pushed, but ended each push with growly grunt. In between contractions I remember saying "it hurts so much" and the nurse saying "I bet it does!". He was almost crowning, so the pressure was unbelievable.


----------



## CanidFL (Jul 30, 2007)

I made a lot of growling noises while pushing. Think a lion like noise. While crowing I was repeating over and over "is it almost over? It's really hurts. How much longer? Is it over? It hurts. It he out yet? How much longer?" I'm sure I was pretty darn annoying


----------



## scrapadoozer (Jun 10, 2004)

I didn't make any noise at all. Just never felt the urge to do so. I think it kind of freaked the OB out.


----------



## seaheroine (Dec 24, 2004)

Pushing was SUCH a relief from labor...I just said "Okay" whenever there was a contraction to push and that was it. I found pushing to be the best part!


----------



## thefragile7393 (Jun 21, 2005)

I moaned a lot....no screaming.


----------



## LokiPuck (Jan 11, 2003)

While I was actually pushing...almost none. I was so focused on getting that baby out that all of my energy and concentration went into pushing with each contraction. I was in this zone, all I could do was push.

During transition, I yelled, cussed, cried, etc.

I do remember thinking, that the nurses doing the stupid counting thing while I pushed should just shut up. They were totally messing up my groove, if you know what I mean.


----------



## JennTheMomma (Jun 19, 2008)

I hardly made any noise. I was trying to meditate while pushing. A few times I made noise because I was pushing so hard, and then at the end I made a loud noise for my last push, mostly out of relief.


----------



## MamaRabbit (May 26, 2005)

I'm a silent pusher. Good thing since I live in a tiny apartment with neighbors really close by!


----------



## mayac (Jan 15, 2007)

I just breathed deeply throughout labor and transition, but I recall letting out a cry as my son came out with his hand by his head. Ouch. It just didn't feel quite normal.

Maya


----------



## MissE (May 12, 2007)

I don't think I was very loud. I was humming a lot during contractions and the only time I really freaked out was when my right leg started cramping...THAT hurt, the rest (urge to push) was more of a relief than excrutiating pain.


----------



## leerypolyp (Feb 22, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MahnaMahna* 
Very loud guttural moaning. dh said I sounded like Louis Armstrong








I pushed for 4ish hours, I had a very sore throat afterward!

Hee!

I think that's a good description of how I sounded. Except...really, really LOUD.

I was the only action on the L&D floor that night, and drew a crowd.


----------



## Greenmama2AJ (Jan 10, 2008)

My midwife told me to turn inward and use the energy to birth my child.

I didn't make much noise at all, I was very deep into myself and silent except for the last almighty push.


----------



## septbabymama (Mar 11, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Greenmama2AJ* 
My midwife told me to turn inward and use the energy to birth my child.

I didn't make much noise at all, I was very deep into myself and silent except for the last almighty push.

My MW told me the same thing! I was really loud during transition, but MW told me to save the breath and told me when to let it out. I think I made some low sounding grunts, though, when I was letting it out.


----------



## VeganCupcake (Jun 13, 2007)

I roared through pushes in my homebirth--we closed the windows so the neighbors wouldn't hear. And I was hoarse afterward. But it was what my body told me to do--I don't think I could have stopped if I'd tried.


----------



## K&JsMaMa (May 26, 2002)

I'm a very quiet birther. I always felt like it took more out of me to be vocal.

Same when I'm sick. It's like it fold in on myself to cope and heal.


----------



## xbabymamax (Jun 19, 2005)

i don't remember making any noise while pushing. I was breathing the baby down slowly to prevent tearing.

I made moaning noises 6 cm + I even tried swearing once to see if it eased some tension... Nope didn't work. So for the most part i kept quiet after that.
I remember saying, "Ican't do this. ican't do this." while in transition. thats about it.


----------



## misswerewolf (May 7, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Turquesa* 
I sounded like an injured cow.









I thought I was the only one who sounded like a cow mooing in pain during the pushing stage.

Most of my labor was fine -- a breeze. Transition was more difficult -- I reallyreally had to focus, and entered lalalalaland.

Then the urge to push came, and I couldn't believe the primal noises I made. It was surreal. I sounded like a cow, and initially didn't realize the sounds were coming out of my mouth.


----------



## springmama (Aug 30, 2006)

I was louder during my labors than the actual births. For me pushing gives me something to focus on and my cx's don't seem to hurt as bad at that point. With dd there were a handful of screams and lots of moaning and stuff during labor. During pushing I was grunting from the effort. With ds I was doing a lot of screaming during labor. Quite a bit of grunting during pushing. He was a couple of pounds bigger than dd and needed alot of help coming out from the MW, so she had her arm inside me for the latter part of labor and delivery. But both my babes were born naturally at the birth center.

I felt so ashamed of how loud I was so this thread makes me feel better about it. I thought for sure I would have an easier time coping with the pain with my second but his birth was much harder for me.


----------



## Liquesce (Nov 4, 2006)

I'm the same as K&JsMaMa. With any kind of pain, if I get to the point that I'm not just quiet and still and closed-eyed I'm at the point that I can no longer deal.


----------



## Mama Poot (Jun 12, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *purplemoon* 
During transition I started saying "OHHHHHHHHH!" and it just felt better. It wan't a scream, just felt nice to do. During pushing I screamed from effort, but I was at a hospital so they told me to stop. During the ring of fire I screamed that it burns and I wasn't going to push anymore. And I didn't, my body did.

Those damn nurses....DS1 was a hospital birth and the nurse told me and DH that I needed to "Be quiet because there was a woman in labor next door who was "disturbed" by my screaming because she had previously lost a baby" Well I'm so sorry that happened lady, but that has no bearing on how *I* am going to birth! It was ridiculous....and they never did get me to stop screaming, even with all of the drugs and the epi.


----------



## mynetname (Mar 17, 2008)

Enough that my throat was hoarse for a day.
Fortunately, my midwife kept reminding me to put my chin down and use lower tones so I don't hurt my throat. I did opera for a few minutes there







and I don't care how much of the hospital heard it--baby was quite stuck but 3.5 hours of pushing, unmedicated







, & knowing that I'd be wheeled in for a c-section very soon if baby stayed stuck...so I was quite LOUD. And happy. It didn't "hurt" like I expected actually.
What hurt was afterwards due to stitches etc. but not the actual birth. It was intense, and the intensity made me yell and feel better. I guess it wasn't "screaming" just being very, very loud. But it's the same thing in martial arts, you send your energy to your centre with vocalisation, and that's just what I did (loudly







).


----------



## wrzos (Jan 15, 2005)

I'm pretty quiet right up to the pushing stage - then I'd say I get medium loud. More grunting, pushing with the occasional F#CK thrown in for good measure!









Luckily, I push really efficiently, so this part is over in 5 or 10 minutes (probably just jinxed my next birth







)


----------



## delicious (Jun 16, 2003)

oh man. i screamed and yelled like a crazy person. whatever it takes, though, right? this last time i kept telling dp to help me. like, "HEELLLLLLLLLLLLP MEEEEEEEEE!" lol.


----------



## NokomisThree (Jun 26, 2008)

I grunted a lot and kept everything in the low register, until his little chin popped through. I remember a blinding white light at that ultimate moment and not much else until I looked down and saw it was a boy. My DP tells me that I was grunting loudly but made a loud very high pitched squeal when he came out.
FAst intense labor, active for a few hours, transition in less that one, pushed for a few minutes.


----------



## Bella Catalina (Aug 19, 2006)

My labor was super quick--under 3 hours, first time mom, and I was expecting 12 hours or so. I started the involuntary grunts which made me realize I was starting to push, though I was still in denial (lucky DH knew differently), but didn't really make any noise until he crowned. I listened to my OB and pushed through the ring of fire rather than eased him out, and I let off two high pitched screams as I tore. Not so pleasant... but DH is the one who is scarred by the noise.


----------



## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

Pushing I was totally silent during the ctx though that was another story


----------



## RedPony (May 24, 2005)

Um... lots?







I moaned, groaned, talked, you name it. I remember trying to keep my moaning low pitched and I think I did a good job of it.


----------



## anitaj71 (Mar 1, 2006)

The family across the street heard me pushing. The mama across the street told me later she was going to call 911 until she realized the noises sounded 'familier'.


----------



## Arwyn (Sep 9, 2004)

"Roaring" is definitely the right word.







Totally involuntary. It was nice and low, though.







My throat was still sore for a couple days (kinda like really good sex, just more so). Totally worth it.


----------



## beka1977 (Aug 1, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sparks** 
I screamed really loud. I'll never forget my husband saying "ggrrrrr you're a tiger!...be a mean mad tiger!"







I guess I sounded like I was roaring









:


----------



## JessasMilkMama (Oct 24, 2004)

mine all came out quickly with a couple pushes. For the 2 unmedicated ones, I screamed my head off.


----------



## Avarie (Sep 8, 2004)

I was a hypnobirther, so none. With Spencer, I pushed for an hour and a half. No one counted out loud or anything. They gave me encouragement to get 2 or 3 pushes with eact CTX and let me know how I was doing, but that was it. When he crowned I said, "OK, now THAT hurt." My mom made more noise than I did.

With Colin, I made a few low moans during the four hours I was stuck in transition. Then I got an epi, and pushed him out in less than four minutes. After the first push, I said, "Damn - I could do this all day!" But I didn't have to! He came right on out - no tears or anything.


----------



## Ceinwen (Jul 1, 2004)

I didn't scream or yell, but I cried like a baby from about six cm all the way through crowning and pushing. Mostly because I was shocked at the overwhelming 'feeling' of it. Not just the pain, the actual physical sensation was shocking.


----------



## tjjazzy (Jan 18, 2007)

i made very little noise (maybe a grunt or moan or pant here and there) while in labour (thank you, yoga breath!) and pushing. i was totally internalizing my pain and pretty much shutting out the world. but when he was coming out? then i hollered like a banshee. surprisingly, i didn't swear once.


----------

