# How Painful Would You Rate Your Labor (PRIOR TO ANY MEDICATIONS OR DRUGS)



## MrsMoe (May 17, 2005)

How painful would you rate your labor? Curious... the difference between home, birth center, and hospital.

Going to allow multiple votes in case you had multiple pregnancies. Only answer multiple vote if you had more than one labor and delivery.

Please do not include any pain medication you may have had - *only rate your labor pains without any pain medications and pain level -before- pitocin or other drugs.*

If labor was induced and if you had pitocin - please add note in thread. Thanks!


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## stafl (Jul 1, 2002)

On a scale of 1-10, ten being the worst pain I've ever experienced, my labor itself was about a three or four. Pushing would rate a nine, though. But by then, even if drugs had been available, it was too late for them. Honestly, it never even crossed my mind that I might need something for the pain. Not like being in the hospital before DD1 was born and having them come in offering me drugs and I wasn't even in labor yet!

With DD1, even after being given Cytotec, my contractions weren't as painful as my menstrual cramps (but I have endo). I never did really go into hard labor before the cesarean, though.


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## sistermama (May 6, 2003)

I had both a homebirth transfer to hospital birth and a homebirth. I had to be honest with myself and rate them both as horribly painful. In retrospect, they don't seem that bad and the homebirth seems very enjoyable and as something I'd do again in a second, but for both at the time, I just wanted to die. Also complicated by the fact that with the first birth I had horrible back labor and the second had this weird upper thigh labor thing that I have never heard of before.

I do want to add that I found the pain transformative and my ability to work through it has strengthened my view of myself. I think I would have been a little disappointed if my labor was pain free. Is that bizarre? I really felt as if the trials and tribulations of both my labors connected me to years of female ancestors and that I was able to draw down from that line through time and add their strength to mine.


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## meowee (Jul 8, 2004)

hey, you stole my poll!! :LOL but I was going ask "how painful was your last birth?" to eliminate the multiple birth thing.

I have had three moderately painful hospital births and one horribly painful homebirth.


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## meowee (Jul 8, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sistermama*
Also complicated by the fact that with the first birth I had horrible back labor and the second had this weird upper thigh labor thing that I have never heard of before.

whoa... I've had "leg labor" with my last 2. With the last one, the horribly painful one, it was totally unmanageable no matter what position I was in, or in or out of the water. For me it started out in upper thigh and then went down to my knees as labor progressed. I felt the contraction from my belly button to my knees. I was completely paralyzed by the pain.

A friend of mine had an epidural that just took on her legs, but gave no relief to her abdominal/ back area. I joked with her that I would have taken just the leg epidural







to not have felt that!


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

I had 3 homebirths. All were intense, but my UC was by far the least painful. I didn't have a completly painless birth, but I did have several painless contractions, which didn't happen in my first 2 births.


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## momto l&a (Jul 31, 2002)

The worst pain I have ever had is my thumb nail being ripped off. Second was having a tooth drilled. Third was a mc.

I have had 3 hb and they have been moderate. Of course the joyous bundle you get at the end really helps the pain :LOL


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

I voted "Not painful at all". My contractions never got really painful for either labor. Pushing dd (my first) out wasn't even painful. I had some mild burning, but that's it. With ds, no painful contractions, but getting his big head out hurt a bit. He was more than 2lbs heavier than dd. The afterpains were almost more than I could handle, though! Yeeouch!


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## FitMama (Jul 20, 2003)

Moderately painful hospital birth. It felt like really bad menstrual cramps. Maybe I just have bad periods?


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## sistermama (May 6, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *meowee*
whoa... I've had "leg labor" with my last 2. With the last one, the horribly painful one, it was totally unmanageable no matter what position I was in, or in or out of the water. For me it started out in upper thigh and then went down to my knees as labor progressed. I felt the contraction from my belly button to my knees. I was completely paralyzed by the pain.

That's exactly how mine was. It was a little better in the water, but I knew from my first birth that I couldn't spend too much time in the water, because it really slowed my labor down. I spent most of the time writhing on the floor.


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## Aura_Kitten (Aug 13, 2002)

you know, i can't even rate my labor pain on the "pain scale" because it doesn't even compare.

the worst pain i've ever had was having glass shards lodged in my cornea.

second to that (and a close second) is my endometriosis.

third were the miscarriages i had (which really had a huge psychological component, which i think is what made them hurt so much, if you kwim?)...

whereas labor ~ it's kind of achey, and then it's really achey, and then it's really intense, and then it hurts like a SOB *and then it's OVER.* *poof* no more pain. just afterpains (which, ok, sure those can HURT but they're intermittent, and you KNOW they aren't going to keep on hurting. they'll go away) and a beautiful smiling baby.


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## MrsMoe (May 17, 2005)

I've broken bones and had surgery. My surgery was a bi-lateral breast reduction where they removed tissue (not fat) and relocated my nipples. I didn't take any pain medication for the surgery because it kept making me vomit!

The level of pain I felt after surgery for the first 3 days was the same level of pain I felt giving birth. I rate my labor moderate - UNTIL they gave me pitocin - then it became a complete and absolute nightmere. But I rated my birth moderate because I am looking to find average levels of pain without drug interventions.

Every woman has different levels of pain in childbirth. My GF said all 3 of her labors were cake walks - like bad periods.


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## MamaMonica (Sep 22, 2002)

Both my labors (homebirths) were less painful than some of the dental work I've had done! Transition was the only time I was in extreme pain and that was very short each time- about five minutes. It was all manageable.


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## Charles Baudelaire (Apr 14, 2003)

.


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## Lucky Charm (Nov 8, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sistermama*
Also complicated by the fact that with the first birth I had horrible back labor and the second had this weird upper thigh labor thing that I have never heard of before.


G*d, I thought I was the only woman on the planet that had thigh pain, on one leg! I wanted to cut my own leg off, at the hip, with a butter knife!

Back labor was the absolute worse, and i prayed to die. When i had "front labor", i felt like i could whistle it was so easy.


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## mrspeeper (Jun 27, 2004)

oops! before pit= 3-4
after pit through pushing with a posterior babe (back labor)= 9-10
after c-section anesthesia didn't work and I felt the incision= 15
after they put me to sleep= 0, THANK GOD!
So much for my hands-off waterbirth, ugh! My peaceful birth vanished into my nightmare...I wish I could replay it again differently! Sorry my story is such a downer.


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## bobandjess99 (Aug 1, 2005)

My only birth, a homebirth, was so far beyond the worst pain i could ever have imagined. It was horrible, tortuous, unbelieveable hell. I had about 5 hours of early active labor (1-4 cm's), which was painful, but manageable, then about 4 hours of active labor (5-7 cms), which was horrible, the worst pain i could have imagined......and then SEVEN FREAKING HOURS of transition, which was just so far beyond hell, i really never would have believed a person could endure that kind of pain and live, let alone remain conscious..i honestly believed a human would pass out before experiencing anything likethe hell i went through. Then like 15 minutes of pushing (involuntary, my uterus was all about expelling that baby!) which was ...there are no words...excruciating hell doesn't even come close to describing it.....like being run over by a train and somehow staying conscious....absolute horror. A screaming nightmare.
Dang, can anyone tell i absolutely HATED giving birth, lol?
But, i was rewarded with the cutest baby ever, so I guess it's all even, right?
Oh, and for the record, I've had broken bones, horrible burns/road pizza from an ugly motorcycle accident, and all my wisdon teeth removed at once, none of which compared at all to giving birth..I'd get all the skin burned off my knee by a motorcycle exhaust pipe again in an instant rather than go through labor again.


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## MrsMoe (May 17, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Charles Baudelaire*
I could barely think or see.

I have a good tolerance for pain, generally speaking. I'll pick up glass, walk across a Nevada sidewalk shoeless, take martial arts with sparring, get hit in the face, whatever.

That was nothing. Nothing compared to this.

That is what pitocin did to me. I wasn't aware of what was going on around me - everything was a haze. Not to say it didn't hurt prior to the pitocin - it did... a lot - but I could cope even tho BP was 210/117. I can cope with just about anything you throw at me... After the pitocin - oh boy. Felt like I was gonna die.


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## Lucky Charm (Nov 8, 2002)

Jess, I am sorry....but I am laughing at your post!! Why? because it sounds alot like my first birth!! I stayed at 9cm for 7 hours, because of crevical swelling and "a little lip". All in my back. I felt like someone was jumping up and down on my fractured spine.

Pushing felt good, and she was out in 20 minutes.


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

I voted moderately painful- home. I did transfer to the hospital, but I did the majority of my labour at home- more than 24 hours of a 36 hour labour. I did get an epidural at the hospital, and getting it hurt worse than labour. It took more than a half hour because the anesthetist couldn't get it in right. I completely regret it. It made me feel physically and emotionally disconnected, made my bp crash too low, and it caused a whole slew of problems. I only got it because I had been too keyed up to eat or sleep or even rest during my long labour and was utterly exhausted. It wasn't that my labour was unbelievably painful. IT was just so long. I know better for next time hopefully.


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## sarathan (Jun 28, 2005)

I voted Moderately Painful/Homebirth to describe my 2nd birth. My 1st birth was in a hospital and horribly painful, it was AWFUL!!! I wanted to die!!!!


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## bobandjess99 (Aug 1, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Charles Baudelaire*
I have never experienced anything so unbelievably f*ing painful in my entire life.

Seriously.

I
After then, it was literally excruciating. I've never been crucified, of course, but this really hurt like living hell, like everything in my body wanted to come out. I was going through transition, throwing up, attended only by my poor husband in the bathroom of the room they'd decided I deserved after I amnioed all over their waiting room hallway.

That was nothing. Nothing compared to this.


Oh my god..im sorry for you, but you are the only person i have ever had describe birth as anything near as painful as what i experinced. Makes me feel a little better, especially since most homebirthers i know make it sound so wonderful, and say thing like they had no pain, or very little pain....I felt like a freak admitting I'd experienced horrific pain.

And then of course, my daughter-in-law, who'd had a baby about a year before mine, keeps blabbing







about how she had painless contractions up until she was 10 cms..then she had *one* that hurt and so she got the epidural, ---when she was 10 cms and the baby was at +1 station. And people wonder why MIL's hate their DIL's....**joking** Anyway...glad to know im not the only one!


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## wannabe (Jul 4, 2005)

I put horribly painful, but I was induced with pitocin after my waters broke.

Now people *say* that makes it worse, but to be honest I just think I'm a wimp.

It felt like my hips were in a vice and each side was being in a different direction. I started each contraction with a full-bore scream, and my husband was literally fighting me off as I tried to bite his shoulder. I couldn't even stand still long enough to have my doula put pressure on my hips from behind. I was shuddering convulsively, throwing up everywhere. I have never even imagined that pain that bad could exist. I was totally and utterly convinced I was in transition.

I was 3cm.


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## PuppyFluffer (Mar 18, 2002)

My labor experience was not painful at all. I took a hypnobirthing class and was very focused on my meditations through out the entire labor except for 2 contractions in the car on the way to the birth center. I lost my focus and pulled my knees up and tightened up my whole body and the 2 contractions I had before I could get back into my mental groove hurt a bit but not excruciating at all - more like a menstrual cramp -sort of achey.

I walked in the door to the birth center at 9 cm and was told I could push when ever I wanted to. I laughed and said "WHAT! You're kidding me! This has been so easy!" The midwife said "Great, I'm glad....but you have not pushed yet. That might get a little harder."

I got in the tub and loved it. I might add that my water did not break until I started pushing in the tub. I couldn't get the hang of pushing in the tub so got out and tried the squating bar. No luck. I ended up sitting on the toilet and was able to move her down there. I moved to the bed to birth her. I didn't feel the "ring of fire" that I have heard about. My midwife had several warm washcloths and massage oil for my perineum so maybe that is why.

I did feel a little sting when I got a tiny tear as dd's shoulder was coming out. After she was born the midwife was assessing the tear and deciding whether to stitch it or not. It was an odd little flap on the side of my inner labia. She thought it would hold a stitch and I immediately said "I want drugs." She said "oh, are you feeling pain now?" I guess she thought I might be having afterpains. I said "Oh no, I feel fine but you're not coming near me with a suture needle with out anesthetic!"

I sum up my labor experience by saying "It was a piece of cake".


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## MrsMoe (May 17, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *wannabe*
I put horribly painful, but I was induced with pitocin after my waters broke.

Now people *say* that makes it worse, but to be honest I just think I'm a wimp.

It felt like my hips were in a vice and each side was being in a different direction. I started each contraction with a full-bore scream, and my husband was literally fighting me off as I tried to bite his shoulder. I couldn't even stand still long enough to have my doula put pressure on my hips from behind. I was shuddering convulsively, throwing up everywhere. I have never even imagined that pain that bad could exist. I was totally and utterly convinced I was in transition.

I was 3cm.

No, I don't think you are a wimp. My labor was very painful but the pitocin brought it to a whole new level. Pitocin is a very nasty drug. I wish the OBGYN's that admister that junk were on the other end just for once... they would be a lot less likely to reccomend it IMO.


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## Destinye (Aug 27, 2003)

Really was not that bad - then with hypno-birthing and homeopathy was great! I birthed in a very basic birthing center as it had a very nice tub! I had to push for 3 hours as DD was helping pull herself out with her hand but went home 2 hours later.


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## LoveChild421 (Sep 10, 2004)

Homebirth- horribly painful due to the fact that I had a condition called cervical stenosis caused by previous cryosurgery of the cervix- basically I had so much scar tissue on my cervix that it wouldn't open no matter how hard my uterus was trying to contract- contractions were intense and 1 minute long, 1 minute apart for about 18 hours- my midwife had to break up the scar tissue and still I didn't dilate fully, had to push ds past the cervix I had left.

Also my water broke as labor began and I know that tends to make things more painful. Luckily I won't have to worry about this issue in future births- really the only thing I've ever experienced in my life that was more painful was the cryosurgery.

Still a very positive experience overall, I felt I overcame a lot and felt very empowered.


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## Persephone (Apr 8, 2004)

You mamas with thigh labor: Ever had thigh menstrual cramps? I get them nearly every month (only the left thigh, always the left), and I've always felt like if labor pain is much more than that, I don't know how to deal. Anyway, thigh labor is a fear of mine, but it's so unusual that no one I know has ever mentioned it before.


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## Aura_Kitten (Aug 13, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *wannabe*
I put horribly painful, but I was induced with pitocin after my waters broke.

Now people *say* that makes it worse, but to be honest I just think I'm a wimp.

It felt like my hips were in a vice and each side was being in a different direction. I started each contraction with a full-bore scream, and my husband was literally fighting me off as I tried to bite his shoulder. I couldn't even stand still long enough to have my doula put pressure on my hips from behind. I was shuddering convulsively, throwing up everywhere. I have never even imagined that pain that bad could exist. I was totally and utterly convinced I was in transition.

I was 3cm.

don't forget ~ fear and pain like that can make you close back up. so... it might even be likely that you were more dilated, and the stress of the exam simply was too much for your physiology.







s what an awful experience, mama.


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## applejuice (Oct 8, 2002)

On a scale of 0-10

1








girl: *-12-*
2







: *-50-*
3







: *-1-*
4







: *-3-*


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## Artisan (Aug 24, 2002)

I voted moderately painfull for both births -- hospital and birth center. At the time I thought my hospital birth was horribly painful pre-epidural, but now I know better. I chose moderately painful for the unmedicated birth. It did hurt quite badly, as I had back labor and was constantly nauseated. But I chose moderate because it was a fast labor. If it had dragged on at that level of intensity for 24 hours, then I would've classified it as horribly painful.


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## sistermama (May 6, 2003)

After being one who voted horribly painful, I feel like I should tell pregnant mamas to go and read the sticky, "Tell me great things about labor"








http://69.20.14.30/discussions/showthread.php?t=316454


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## JesseMomme (Apr 6, 2002)

In a nutshell:
ds1, hosp birth, it was the horrible, pray for death, + back labor. I was so exausted, I slept between pushes.

ds2, hosp induced, (not with pit but cervical gel) faster, more intense labor, but I managed a lot better. My Dr. couldn't believe I didn't want an epidural or that I wasn't screaming , etc.

Ds3, solo unassisted, moderately painful, transistion sucked though.

Dd, couples unassisted, moderately painful, I did beg for a break though in transistion and screamed into my pillow pushing her the rest of the way out. (Saying something like "_Get out_!!")


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## Sagesgirl (Nov 22, 2001)

1) Hurt like heck, but nothing I hadn't encountered before. I have always had horrendous menstrual cramps--the kind where you want to not get out of bed or move--and I have scoliosis, so I'm also used to excruciating back pain. Compared to the backaches I sometimes get, my thought was basically "Huh, this is _it_?" And that was after being induced with Pitocin & having to be flat on my back because of the magnesium sulfate.

2) Never got that bad, because I knew she was breech & so had a section within maybe four hours of getting to the hospital (went in because my water broke). The contractions just felt like flexing a muscle.


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## scrapadoozer (Jun 10, 2004)

DD was posterior so all my labor was back labor which is supposed to be worse. I still rate my labor a moderate on the pain scale. I really enjoyed the whole process and the pain was never bad enough for me to forget that the contraction would be over in a matter of seconds. The pushing stage (drug free) lasted about 20 minutes and was completely without pain. It was one of the most awesome sensations I have ever experienced.







I labored at home (on and off for 60 hrs) and transferred to the hospital about 1/2 hr. before she was born. I am one of those weirdos that liked pushing on my back.


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## amyjeans (Jul 27, 2004)

dd1- hospital , moderate discomfort in restrospect. At the time I was terrified.
DD2 UC, little or no pain. The best part were the urges! Oh it was awesome and so powerful. Plus I knew things were happening!


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## Full Heart (Apr 27, 2004)

I have had 2 horribly painful homebirths, 2 moderatly painful and one virtually pain free. 1 of those horribly painful homebirths was a transfer. My last labor which I would say was moderatly painful and I had that wierd thigh pain too. I couldn't sit with my legs straight they had to dangle.

Michelle


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## wendy1221 (Feb 9, 2004)

I voted moderate. I remember it hurt a lot worse than I expected w/ my first (I was very optimistic! ROFL!), but not unbearable. I have very intense fast labors, so it's pretty much like transition from start to finish, only I start puking during actual transition, only difference. LOL! I've never had a contraction that was less than a minute and a half long, 4-5 min apart. Neverbeen able to talk through one. My first labor was 4 hours from beginning to pushing, and really wasn't that bad. I WAS begging for drugs, but that was mainly because I didn't realize I was going fast and there is NO WAY I would have been able to do that for another 10 hours or whatever it is they tell you is average length of labor. As soon as someone told me I was almost done, I calmed down and was fine. He was posterior, but I didn't have back labor. He also had a hand up at his face and I tore horribly w/ his shoulders and elbow. I didn't feel the tearing, but the post-partum recovery was MUCH worse than actual labor, IMO. I also had 2 gallbladder attacks when I was pregnant w/ him and was in a terrible car accident and both of those were much much worse than labor.

My second, I was at 9cm after an hour and a half of labor, and it was painful, but not too bad at all. I thought that was easier to handle than my first, but that may be b/c I had done it before and knew what to expect. I had back labor w/ him (which IS awful!), but he wasn't posterior (go figure?). He was asynclitic, so that's probably why. Then the hospital was so awful, I stalled at 9cm and was there for about 5 hours till I finally got an epidural. I handled it for about 2 or 3 hours at 9cm, still having transition contrax before I completely lost it and they started trying to drug me (the shots didn't do anything, they never do at dentists so why would labor be any different?). That was the worst hell I have ever been through, but I don't think it was normal and shouldn't have happened.

I think the worst pain I have ever had was the absessed tooth I had about a year ago (wasn't rotten, but just decided to die about 12 years after being hit w/ a softball--I lost a tooth to that ball and had to have a root canal on another next to it when it happened. It's kinda weird this one waited to so long to die, but the dentist said that's fairly common.) At first, they weren't sure if it was realy dead, I thought it was just suddenly extra sensitive, so he put this stuff on it and sent me home over the weekend. OMG! It got so much worse! Anyway, that was the worst 3 days of my life. And then when I got into the dentist for him to file it out or whatever it is they do, I told him shots don't work on me. He insisted his new pump worked much better than shots and I wouldn't feel a thing. Well, it didn't work (maybe a little), but I didn't say anything cuz I just wanted to get it done and over with. I have a pretty high pain tolerance, I think. I also had those gallbladder attacks and they were really really bad, but didn't last more than an hour or 2. And I had my toenail ripped out when I was 17. All of those were worse than labor, IMO.


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## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

I put horribly painful-hospital birth. My first was induced so doesn't really count I guess. I was fine till they broke my water and then I lost it (I was barely feeling ctxs by then). I caved and asked for the epi then, I was 3cm. I went on to have a c/s.

This last birth was easy till transition? I was contracting about every 3 mins when I got there and then it moved to every 1min w/ extreme pain even w/out ctxs in my pelvis. It was awful. I caved and got the epi again (5-6cm this time). I had to wait 1.5 hrs though for it and I got it and he was born an hour later. I was dialted the same when I got the epi as when I came in. The epi finally helped me relax so I could dialte more. I'm going to work harder this next time on having a med free birth, it's something I really want.


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## meowee (Jul 8, 2004)

sistermama and sweetbaby, if you are still reading-- did your "leg labor" result in residual leg pain and weakness for a long time after the birth? My legs didn't feel normal for nearly a year after giving birth to DD after intense leg labor. When they warn you about the risk of residual back pain after an epidural (which I've never had), I think, crap, I've had resisdual leg pain from just an unmedicated birth.

CB, I also have never been crucified, but I would take the risk of saying my last labor came close. I'd had 3 births by that point, and had had more painful non birth experiences (tearing a muscle in my back, double ear infections), but after the last birth, nothing I've experienced tops it in terms of pain.


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## Lucky Charm (Nov 8, 2002)

Meowee, I had no residual leg weakness or pain. I was fine.

With my epidural, I had not residual pain or weakness.

I did have a friend though, that had right leg weakness to the point of foot drop. she had to wear a boot cast thing-y, and go for physical therapy. It resolved within 12 weeks.

I know a few women that have OK births as far as pain goes, but no horror story ever told to me could have ever prepared me for the reality of back labor.

I can say, though, that my labors were never a marathon of agony. Even my first baby, i labored only 9 hours....7 of em at 9cm. My second and third were 4, then two hours long. So, yes they were horribly painful, but not for a very long time. And as horrible as my pain was, the pain had purpose, and i had a baby at the end!


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## wasabi (Oct 12, 2004)

I had all my babies at the hospital. Prior to pit with my first two I would say was not at all painful. I felt my contractions but could breathe and relax through them quite easily. Honestly if I had known better I would have just stayed home but I was dilated enough that they let me stay and I didn't know about the whole cascade of interventions effect. Even after AROM and pit the contractions were still manageable using full on Lamaze breathing and relaxation. With my first I got an epidural because they were threatening me with a c-section for failure to progress (you know after a couple of hours







: ). With my second I got stuck at 8cm for about 4 hours and then gave in and got the epidural really more out of exhaustion (mental and physical) at that point (only had it for the last 1.5 hours). I was hallucinating and hyperventilating a bit and both my mom and I were falling asleep between contractions and waking up mid-contraction. My next two I labored at home as long as possible so while I voted hospital birth they were definitely home labors. I voted moderately painful but there were definitely spots that were incredibly painful. I had back labor with both and especially towards the end all that kept me going was knowing how close I was to the end. I never considered the epidural but yeah wow that was painful (though less painful than the pit contractions if I wasn't working through them). It did not become more painful to me once I got to the hospital so that was definitely not a factor. I was 8cm with DD#1 and 9cm with DD#2 upon arrival at the hospital after laboring for hours at home. Pushing which I never felt with my first two was incredibly incredibly painful. That's really what would put it close to horribly painful in my book. It was almost a good pain because it did feel so much like I was working towards something rather than helplessly suffering but wow so painful. So much burning.


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## beansavi (Jun 26, 2005)

I thought the more children I had, the less pain I would experience.

Ha Ha.

My son was born in 11 hours and with a moderatel level of pain. The contractions were major, but I would describe them as "round" "achey", etc.

With my daughter, it took 10 hours, and the contractions were "pointy", "sharp", "jabbing" and I actually screamed my head off like I was getting attacked during the last contraction. My midwife said "don't push yet", but I yelled "fu**" that!" and pushed her out, anyway.

She was out after 10 minutes of painless pushing.

For me, If I can get to pushing, the pain of contractions instantly end (until after pains).

Now I'm pregnant with number three, and I am hoping s/he will be smaller (DS 10lbs 6oz, DD 9lbs, 10 oz) and that my labor will be shorter and (relatively) easier due to the relaxed feeling of being at home.

Please send me positive vibes and prayers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## mamacatsbaby (Jul 27, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sistermama*
After being one who voted horribly painful, I feel like I should tell pregnant mamas to go and read the sticky, "Tell me great things about labor"








http://69.20.14.30/discussions/showthread.php?t=316454









so much for leading me here! It was really inspiring to me, especially being a first time mama, to see that there are lots 'n lots o' ladies out there whose birth experiences have not been horribly excruciating! Was starting to get a little







there!
the fantastico







wife of mr. sweet buns


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## meowee (Jul 8, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamacatsbaby*







so much for leading me here! It was really inspiring to me, especially being a first time mama, to see that there are lots 'n lots o' ladies out there whose birth experiences have not been horribly excruciating! Was starting to get a little







there!
the fantastico







wife of mr. sweet buns









I'd have to sit down with a calculator, but it looks like your chance of having a horribly painful labor are about 20%, no matter whether home or hospital (remember this poll accounts for multiple choices so you can't heed the percentages given). So the odds are in your favor that you won't get a horrible labor!







It took me four tries before I got my killer labor.


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## tower (May 31, 2005)

I had a hospital birth with Pitocin and no pain meds. Labor wasn't painful, just very uncomfortable. Pushing was painful. I was mobile and initiated my own positions for all but the last two pushes.


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## wannabe (Jul 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *klothos*
don't forget ~ fear and pain like that can make you close back up. so... it might even be likely that you were more dilated, and the stress of the exam simply was too much for your physiology.







s what an awful experience, mama.


Hmm, that's interesting - I didn't know it could close you back up. That's certainly possible, because the pain got very bad, very fast, with no apparent reason (I'd already been on the pit for ten hours at the time).

The other possibility is that I started MOVING in dilation terms - because four hours later I was complete.

I'm just taking so much heart from hearing others' horror stories! Especially the ones who had only one horrendous labour among many labours.


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## MrsMoe (May 17, 2005)

I wish I could equate my last childbirth with torn mucles, extractions, period cramps and ear infections! I have had broken bones, torn muscles, busted knee cap from severe fall, bad lymph node infection requiring hospital stay, wisdom and molar teeth removed (crowded mouth,) and major surgery all without painkillers - the recovery from major surgery without painkillers in recovery was comparable to my labor *prior* to the pitocin... but otherwise not even in the same league as any other pain


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## Belle (Feb 6, 2005)

The worst pain I ever felt was when I hurt my knee the previous summer. That pain I would rate a 10. Labor, I'd only rate a 4 or so. I could cope with the pains I had, and then I got a break for a few minutes. I posted moderate pain in the hospital.


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## JesseMomme (Apr 6, 2002)

:
from people with no post counts that is...


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## amyjeans (Jul 27, 2004)

no pm's here....what happened?


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## EmmalinesMom (Feb 9, 2003)

With my natural birth at the hospital (no drugs, no iv, free mobility, etc) I rated it as moderately painful overall. Transition was more than moderately painful, but it lasted a short time, and it was pain with a purpose. Then, after her head was born, there were some shoulder dystocia issues, and that was very intense pain, but it's not a super common scenario. Even during that pain though, I would not describe it as a 10 out of 10.


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## JesseMomme (Apr 6, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *amyjeans*
no pm's here....what happened?

nak - weird PM this am from someone with no post count and no sig. I just got a red flag feeling from it. It clearly was in regards to this thread. I fwd'ed it to a mod, so if anyone got one, you should probably do the same.


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## USAmma (Nov 29, 2001)

I have an irritable uterus and had strong bx cx through both pregnancies. The second one had preterm labor at 23 weeks and a few times after that until she was born at 38 weeks. It was already fairly painful, like strong menstrual cramps and back ache, with the pregnancy cx. Once labor started, which was instantanous with first one and almost so with second one, it was so, so painful. I could not see straight or breathe. I tried to relax throug the second labor until I got to the hospital but I literally coudn't think. I have past abuse issues and I'm sure that the pain of labor triggered all kinds of really bad feelings and fight or flight. Since I couldn't fight it or run from it, I panicked. I got the epidural with dd1 at 4 cm and with dd2 at 5 cm.


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## shalena (May 31, 2004)

Moderately painful / Birth Center

I arrived at 7 cms and thought i was closer to 1. I didn't feel overwhelmed with the pain during contractions until I was close to 9.


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## Kirsten (Mar 19, 2002)

I have had three births - one in hospital, one in a freestanding birth center, and one homebirth (all three attended by midwives). I voted "not painful" in each of those three locations. I think I MIGHT have voted "slightly painful" if that had been an option, as there were moments in each of them - transition, though very quick for me, was harder to handle; also that whole "ring of fire" thing does burn... and my third was posterior - not the right way for a baby to come out! But I really didn't perceive much of my labors as painful. Intense, yes. Requiring attention to relaxation, yes. Amazing, yes. Painful, not really. As long as no one is poking or prodding me or making me feel disrespected or out of control of my choices, my labors are really very doable. I think it is a combination of good labor support (dh and midwife), positive attitude, safe place, tons of knowledge about my choices, and good childbearing hips! :LOL


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## Angierae (Aug 17, 2004)

I voted Horribly painful--at home. But I think the word Horribly makes it sound worse then it is. I definitely felt extreme, exhausting pain, but there was nothing "horrible" about it. Actually I would rather vote for "Awesomely Painful"!


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## sarahlynne (Jan 21, 2005)

I voted moderately painful (hospital-midwife) I had some pretty painful back labor and no tub available but lots of helping hands. Back labor plus long labor plus 3 hours pushing really equalls somewhere between moderate and horrible, but I went with moderate. I think it could have been horrible if I and my family went into labor uninformed about how to cope or if the hospital staff weren't so understanding about my desire for no meds (I wasn't asked once," now are you _sure_ you don't want anything for this pain?).


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## soulsistah (Apr 21, 2005)

Ok, so I gave it a moderate...labor was soo tolerable, I was in the water @home 90% and had three midwives and mom and dh....Pushing, well that just SUCKED. On a scale of 1-10, ten being the worst it was 9 I hated it, but I LOVE my little man!


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## chiro_kristin (Dec 31, 2004)

I said moderately painful/HB.

What made mine worse was labor being 55 hours. But it wouldn't have been nearly so bad had labor been in the more "normal" range. I was just exhausted.


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## heldt123 (Aug 5, 2004)

Moderately painful/hospital
My first hospital labor was almost painless/to moderate with about 4-5 really bad trasition contractions. Without my consent or knowledge they gave me a cervical block and local for an episiotomy so pushing hurt, but not that bad.

Horribly painful/hospital
Second labor was at home for the most part and was extremely painful, but I doubt that it would have been any different had I been in the hospital or anywhere else. I ended up in the hospital and pushed for about 10 minutes--I screamed my head off as it felt like I was ripping my arm off with my bare hands.

Even though the second labor was much more painful, it was the most rewarding and empowering experience of the two. Med and intervention free--yeah! In the end, the pain didn't matter (of course when it's all done with!).


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## natashaccat (Apr 4, 2003)

Yup Awesomely painful, definately the strongest pain that I can ever imagine experiencing. An alien clawing it's way out of my belly sort of pain....It was so worth it though for a healthy baby. I only with I'd know enough to make the same choice for my first baby (she ended up in NICU from labor intervention complications).


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## cottonwood (Nov 20, 2001)

I voted "horribly painful" but that's not really the whole story.

In each of my births I've had an excruciatingly painful transition, maybe it's because of the way my pelvis is shaped, or maybe the baby is posterior up until the last second, I don't know, but I always get awful back labor at the very end, regardless of the environment.

HOWEVER, if we're talking pre-transition, labor for me has been so much more comfortable and enjoyable and less painful when undisturbed than when managed/observed, and that goes for postpartum as well.

Meowee, I had leg labor this last time too. I did have some residual intermittent pain for a few months after, very minor though. Funny, I'd forgotten about that until you brought it up.


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## TeaBag (Dec 18, 2003)

Hospital,1st labor, moderately painful, induced due to Pre-E, pitocin about 15 hours in after I'd been stalled at 7cm for about 5 hours. 22.5 hour labor total. no pain meds.

2nd labor, mildly painful, hospital, 3.5 hour labor, no interventions of any kind

3rd labor, hospital, not painful at all (honestly!) and about 3 hour labor, no interventions of any kind, I caught her!










All in all, I agree with other people who say I've got it easy in this respect. Like my grandmother and now my dh say "you've got those baby makin' kind of hips!" :LOL! Guess that was their loving way of saying I'm wide?


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## dukeswalker (Feb 1, 2003)

1st - hospital birth - ok before pitocin NOT ok after

2nd- - induced hospital birth - HORRIBLY PAINFUL until I had an epidural

3rd - MUCH wiser - NO induction, NO interventions (Nothing - no IV, etc...) I wouldn't really describe it as painful but more like intense, consuming, taxing, hard, tough - but not like painful. I mean a paper cut really "hurts" more but labor was definately more work and all...does that make sense?? And in comparison to the 2 previous (1st ended in cs, 2nd VBAC) this was a cake walk - no wonder so many women have begun to describe it as "painful" that pitocin stuff sucks!

(btw - did you know that american women describe labor as painful but most other cultures don't? and along that same line - american women have more interventions, pain meds, etc...)


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## sarajane (Oct 20, 2004)

I had a home water birth going but got transfered to the hospital. I was in labor for 18 hours without any drugs and I rated that as horribly painful. My labor contractions actually got better in the car on the way to the hospital and while in the hospital (by better I mean less painful and less often). After being in the hospital for about an hour received an epi and pitocin then had completely knocked out c-section. I think I prefer the labor pains to what it was like right after surgery though....

My baby was apparently turned the wrong way, face facing my front. I never dilated past 4.


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## earthmama369 (Jul 29, 2005)

Horribly painful. Excruciating. Seriously the most intense pain I've ever experienced. I went in thinking "hard work, hard work, hard work," rather than anticipating pain, and was extremely surprised at how painful that hard work was.

That said, I felt AWESOME afterward. I recovered very quickly and was ecstatic at having birthed the way I wanted to (no pain meds) and having worked through the pain. In retrospect, I think I had some back labor in there, but at the time I wasn't verbal/higher thinking enough to realize it. After Qualia was born, I felt like I could have climbed a mountain, no problem. I'd do it med-free again in a heartbeat.


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## Peppamint (Oct 19, 2002)

I didn't vote for my dd's birth because they put in the pitocin to start my labor since I was already at 3-4cm.







That birth was horrendous and they were amazed I didn't take the epidural. I did take Nubain which made me drunk.







:

Second birth... I voted moderately painful. Really though,only pushing was moderately painful and over really quickly. My labor itself was not painful. I was 9cm at 4am and at 4:36 both the baby and placenta were out.


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## ZeldasMom (Sep 25, 2004)

I stayed home and labored a long time, which was great. Labor was very managable. It seemed like things slowed down a bit during the car ride to the hospital. When I got there I was 9cm. At the hospital the pain was worse, but not so horrible I couldn't handle it. I didn't have an IV and did not sit in the bed for EFM. I did most of my pushing on the toilet. During transition when I was in "laborland" I moaned "I don't like this!" I remember it feeling very uncomfortable, like my hips were coming unhinged. DP and I had a codeword I would say if the pain was unmanageable that meant I was really suffering and needed help coming up with something different. I never used it and it never occurred to me to ask for drugs. I think I was so in the experience that high of a level of thinking was beyond me! :LOL

Pushing was nice because then my head cleared and I felt more like my regular self. It was difficult and exhausting though. But had an amazing ending!

I didn't answer the poll cause I wasn't sure which category was right.


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## MamaFern (Dec 13, 2003)

i voted modertely painful-homebirth..

i laboured at home..had a hot bath for a while.. couldnt get the birthing pool to work. i didnt ever feel like i needed drugs for pain, thoughi did cry and throw up and think i was going to die durring transition, which didn't last long thankfully :LOL
my midwife administered arnica every 10 mins?! i think and it made a huge difference and one i had thrown up i felt much better actually.. my son was born at home in our bed after about 15 mins of pushing..







i guess my labour was 12 of totally manageable labour (i was walking talking eating ect.. ).plus 12 hours of hard labour .

recovery was very fast. i didnt tear at all and i woke up after a few hours of rest and tidied the house and had a shower while elwynn and his pappa slept..


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## Katie Bugs Mama (Feb 1, 2004)

I had my dd in the hospital with a midwife and voted horribly painful.

I was in transition when we got to the hospital and was throwing up from the pain. It was excrutiating back labor, and I thought that I was going to die. In fact, I actually told the midwife that I wanted an epidural and a csection because I couldn't possibly survive labor. Luckily, she new me well enough to know that I wasn't being rational and that that demand was completely at odds with my totally non-interventionist birth plan.

I went on to have dd naturally without so much as an aspirin even though I was in labor for a total of 24 hours and pushed for 3 of those.

Two things saved me: my wonderful midwife who fudged some dates so that I could use the birthing tub even though dd was actually almost 4 weeks early and my extraordinary doula who knew exactly how to apply pressure to my back during the contractions. Once I was in the tub and the doula started doing her thing, the pain dropped from excruciating to manageable.

After that, the only part that I remember being really bad was the final push that got dd out. It felt like my whole body had been turned inside out, but then it was over and everything was all right.

As bad as parts of the labor were, they really were no where as bad as the pain of the pregnancy itself. Starting around 4 months, the muscles on the bottom sides of my belly started to ache. By 6 months, I could barely walk or carry anything. By 7 months, walking, standing, moving in bed, carrying a purse, etc., was as painful as the worst of the labor. In fact, it's the memory of those long months of absolute agony that really make me hesitate about another pregnancy.


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## annakiss (Apr 4, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Angierae*
I voted Horribly painful--at home. But I think the word Horribly makes it sound worse then it is. I definitely felt extreme, exhausting pain, but there was nothing "horrible" about it. Actually I would rather vote for "Awesomely Painful"!

This is sort of me. I had 2 homebirths both were very painful, but doable. My first labor was back labor, which pretty much sucked and labor was very dark for me during transition. Labor hurt, transition made me want to crawl out of my skin, pushing hurt alot - it all pretty much hurt. My second labor was very short and very intense. I was really glad when it was over. Intense is the word I'd choose over painful, but I still voted horribly painful.


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## Crunchier (Jun 26, 2003)

The first 12 hours were painless and actually pretty fun, though tiring. 5 minutes after prostaglandin gel, it was horrible. It got worse with Demerol, and worse still with pitocin. Then I had a single dose epidural, which was very nice. It wore off after transition and before pushing, and that part didn't hurt at all either, besides the tearing


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## 2+twins (Apr 20, 2004)

Both mine were homebirths and I voted Moderate for the first one and Horrible for the 2nd one. The pain from the first wasn't really that bad on it's own. It was just the consistency of it that made it seem so bad (like one contrax wasn't a big deal but hours of them were). With my 2nd birth it was just too fast I think (90 minutes) which is why I believe the contrax were so horrible (and yes, to me they felt horrible). I was so quite and inward during my first and during my second i just said "this f***ing hurts!" a lot. Pushing was a very miserable sensation both times although it was the involuntary style pushing, so my body was definitely ready for it. I think I'm just not the type who gets a good feeling pushing stage.


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## KnitterMama (Mar 31, 2005)

Either I was "born to birth" or I just got lucky ...

My pain was very manageable. I totally thought (and prepared DH for) me like, swearing at him and being really mean ... but I was totally serene. Never swore once (which is unusual, even in my daily life :LOL), and DS was born in under 3 hours, in a jacuzzi tub, naturally, med-free, with his Grandma, Auntie and Baba looking on.

I can't wait to do it again!


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## DevaMajka (Jul 4, 2005)

I wouldn't know. lol My water broke before I got to the hospital, and ds's heart rate went down to like 30 bpm (before any meds or anything other than external moniter) so they hooked me up to pitocin and *epi before 3cm*. Yep- in case we needed emergency c-sec (had vag birth btw). I thought it hurt at that point







I'm such a wuss.
The most painful part was AFTER he was born, and I was hemorrhaging (hmmm... do ya think it could be related to all the drugs?) and the doc kept shoving his hands in me. I was pretty sure the pain would kill me.


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## Neldavi (Jun 28, 2005)

I voted horribly-home only because it was the most intense pain I've ever felt, but agree with pp that "horrible" isn't the best word to describe it.


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## loraxc (Aug 14, 2003)

I voted horrendously painful birth center birth, although I transferred (very reluctantly) to the hospital after 24 hrs (labor was 34 hours total) because I was GBS+, my waters had been broken the whole time, and I had only dilated 4 cm.

However...I would rate approx the first 12-14 hours as "moderately painful." It was those last 8-10 hours before transfer (note: I did not dilate AT ALL during those hours) that were horrendous. DD was posterior (did not turn till pushing) and I had back labor (and also the "leg labor" others have mentioned). I continue to describe the pain as equivalent to being hit in the spine with a baseball bat every 3 minutes.

I never was even AWARE of the contractions in my abdomen. Couldn't even feel it there because my back hurt so much. When I had afterpains while nursing, I was like, "Oh, how interesting. A contraction in my abdomen!"

Worlds and worlds worse than any other pain I have ever had, including having my wisdom teeth removed, oral surgery, and a root canal. Like, not even on the same planet.

After I transferred I had Pitocin and an epidural. They let it wear off for pushing because I needed to be able to be very active to help get her anterior. Pushing hurt--I tore, and I felt that tear--but it was not even close to unmedicated back labor.

I will try for another unmed birth the next time, though. I am hoping it will be one of those anterior-after-posterior births where the mom says she didn't even know she was in labor at first because it was so different.


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## jane-t-mommy (Mar 24, 2004)

Labor with dd was moderately painful for the first 25 hours, and the next 13 or so were horrendously painful, probably due to the transfer to hospital, extreme exhaustion, and fear that it would never end. But all pain was completely gone the moment she slipped into my arms.

Labor with ds never occured as he was in distress with NO amniotic fluid and a plummeting heart rate. I was a week post dates and attempted induction, but went with an emergency c section. I'd take my daughters labor and delivery over an unplanned c section and it's recovery any day.....


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## Ellien C (Aug 19, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tower*
I had a hospital birth with Pitocin and no pain meds. Labor wasn't painful, just very uncomfortable. Pushing was painful. I was mobile and initiated my own positions for all but the last two pushes.

This is my story, too. I had great labor support with a hospital-provided doula. My labor stopped after I got in the shower and I was REALLY resistant to the pitocin. If wouldn't let them do it for a couple of hours. I was very afraid that the pitocin would put me over the edge and make me "need" an epidural. Then I was afraid that I'd be in so much pain from the pitocin that I wouldn't be able to sit still for the epi.

My doula understood all of this and was able to describe my concerns to the nurse. The nurse explained to me that since I'd been at 9.5 cm for the last 5 hours, most of the hard part was already done. The pitocin would just start my contractions again, but it probably wouldn't hurt any worse. And they'd start off with a low dose and slow drip. And that's just what they did and I was just fine. I was very much afraid of the pitocin. But it my case, they were right and it didn't make things hurt any worse. I never felt l needed an epi (and I was pretty set against one anyway).

All told, I labored in the hospital for about 18 hours and at home for 6 hours. I was 6.5 cm when I got to the hospital. I won't say it was great. But it definitely wasn't that bad, even after 18 hours. Having a doula and great labor support really helped.


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## desertpenguin (Apr 15, 2005)

I voted moderately painful-hospital. I was in labor for 10 hrs *I think? lol* It felt like menstrual cramps until the last hour, when my OB broke my water at 7 cm, then I had the "OMG MY BODY IS BEING RIPPED APART" for an hour, then pushed for 15 min. No meds. I wonder if it would've continued feeling just like menstrual cramps until I was completely dilated if I didn't have my water broken. Next time-home birth, and not having my water broken.


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## Peppamint (Oct 19, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *desertpenguin*
I voted moderately painful-hospital. I was in labor for 10 hrs *I think? lol* It felt like menstrual cramps until the last hour, when my OB broke my water at 7 cm, then I had the "OMG MY BODY IS BEING RIPPED APART" for an hour, then pushed for 15 min. No meds. I wonder if it would've continued feeling just like menstrual cramps until I was completely dilated if I didn't have my water broken. Next time-home birth, and not having my water broken.

I think having your waters artificially ruptured does add to the pain. With my first the OB broke my water at 4cm (all I can say is thank G-d my body responded to the pitocin or I'd ended up with a c/s)... with my second I had the mw break my water at 9cm because I'd been walking around with a bulging bag of waters for over three weeks so it was pretty apparent I had one strong bag. :LOL That was the first real pain I had but since I was immediately pushing it didn't matter.


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