# Was childbirth the worst pain you've ever experienced?



## Irma Lisette (Nov 6, 2006)

*Was (natural) childbirth the worst pain you've ever experienced?*

Before I had DS I was very scared of the pain, esp. since I'm not very good with pain anyway. We planned a home birth so I knew that pain meds were not an option, which made me even more scared! But I kept my fear under control by reading a lot of books about natural childbirth.

Well when the day came, it wasn't _nearly_ as bad as I thought it would be! It was like bad menstrual cramps (and I've had some really bad ones!), but instead of the pain going on and on, I got a break in between contractions.







I never even thought about pain meds until maybe with the last 2 or 3 pushes.

I have to say I've had worse pains than that, and I'm wondering if there are more moms out there that think childbirth wasn't that bad. Or was I just lucky?


----------



## Herausgeber (Apr 29, 2006)

I have IBS. My IBS attacks hurt more than birth. The thing that shocked me about labor wasn't the pain; it was how exhausting it was.


----------



## slightlycrunchyann (Apr 15, 2004)

Breaking my arm was worse! I broke my arm really badly before I had kids and that become my benchmark for 10 on the 1-10 pain scale. Childbirth hurt a lot, up there at a 9 at times, but the arm was worse. I think, too, there's some of that childbirth amnesia at work for me, maybe something in the hormones, I just don't remember looking back just how that pain felt, but I sure remember exactly how that arm felt!


----------



## straighthaircurly (Dec 17, 2005)

I thought being pregnant was worse than giving birth.







I had a lot of problems with my hips while pregnant and it made sleeping a miserable experience. Contractions weren't bad as you get a break like you said. I also felt like contractions were pain with a purpose and I can withstand a lot of pain if there is a purpose behind it. I didn't use any pain medications although I dislocated a rib head during labor and that hurt the most because it was so sharp and so constant.


----------



## pixiewytch (Feb 7, 2007)

I had an attempted HBAC and for me, yes, it was the absolute worst pain I've ever experienced. I don't consider myself a wussie either. I've had tattoos, piercings, menstrual cramps from hell, and previous c-section, all of which paled in comparison to my contractions. I wanted to die. At one point I was in so much pain I didn't even care about having the baby. I just wanted the pain to end....and yes, it was equally exhausting for nearly 24 hrs.

I am convinced that labor pain is absolutely subjective and individual from what I have heard from others, read, and been through myself.


----------



## myhoneyswife (Apr 30, 2005)

Nope. I don't really know what the most painful thing I ever did was. I'm thinking having hemorrhoids is more painful







I don't remember birth really hurting much, being uncomfortable at times if I laid down or sat, yes, being exhausting, yes, but not really pain. We'll see what the next one is like


----------



## JanB (Mar 4, 2004)

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.


----------



## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

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.


----------



## ani'smommy (Nov 29, 2005)

Quote:


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.

Yep, exactly what I was going to say. I will never in my life forget the pain of those wisdom teeth. I had four impacted ones all extracted at once. It was hell.

I gave birth on cytotec and pitocen with no pain meds and the mouth pain was worse.


----------



## mzfern (Nov 16, 2004)

Yes.

Until a week after birth and I developed an anal fissure.









Now THAT'S the new yardstick of worst.pain.ever. (Still healing, babe is 6 weeks).


----------



## Baby Makes 4 (Feb 18, 2005)

Childbirth was a 9 on my 1-10 scale for sure.

10 was the afterpains while nursing for the first few days. Awful, cramping blinding pain.

10 was also my last miscarriage, the physical pain was slightly less than labour but the emotional pain amplified it to an unbearable level. It also lasted much longer than labour.


----------



## BetsyS (Nov 8, 2004)

I can't imagine going through any pain worse than childbirth. I thought I would die, for hours and hours. An epidural didn't help, narcotics (Fentanyl) didn't help. Nothing helped. I literally cried, "please tell me I won't die" with each contraction.

Yeah, it was the worst pain I've ever felt.


----------



## philomom (Sep 12, 2004)

No. Gallbladder issues were worse. A kidney infection was worse.

My labors are like bad cramps. Nothing serious.


----------



## hapersmion (Jan 5, 2007)

I've felt just as bad when I've come down with nasty syomach bugs a time or too. Labor lasted longer, though, and I couldn't lie down between contractions (or I would throw up - during transition, anyway, which lasted forever). It was completely bearable, though, even though I had back labor. I never wanted pain meds (but I couldn't have gotten them anyway - a hospital would have meant an automatic c/s for breech.)

I think my external version trying to turn the baby was worse than labor. They aren't supposed to hurt if done right, but I had sharp pains like gas pains every time the doctor pushed, and for an hour or two after we were done. (I think people thought I was in labor when I was waiting around the hospital afterwards.) I was supposed to stay relaxed to let the baby turn, and I don't know how well I did - my feet tried to curl up to my knees every time the doctor pushed. It was still not agony, but it was worse than labor because it was useless; the version failed.

So, labor hurt more than I expected it to (I think I expected it to be easy!







) but I'd definitely do it again without pain meds, no question.

hapersmion


----------



## Eman'smom (Mar 19, 2002)

Quote:


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.


Yup, I would give birth right now to not have gone through the wisdom teeth. That was the most awful exerperience ever.

Not to downplay the pain of birth, it hurt something awful. But nothing compared to the wisdom teeth.


----------



## cam&kat's_mom (Jan 12, 2006)

hope. i was in a car accident that was more painful... and i walked away from it... my tattoos hurt more... the nursing afterpains... they hurt FAR more than birth.. labor was more exhausting than painful


----------



## moonfirefaery (Jul 21, 2006)

The worst pain I ever felt was having an open wound flushed with water--and the second worst was slamming my finger hard in a care door. The third was having my arm chewed up by my husband's german shepherd. All of those times the pain was so unbearable that I couldn't think of anything else, couldn't relax, almost passed out. Yes, I felt like I was dying when I was giving birth; it was painful...but I could still speak, screaming made me feel better, I could still eat, and I never came close to fainting. I think the length of time of the labor is the hardest part. If it had just been 15 minutes, like the flushing of the open wound, I don't think it would compare to other pains as much.


----------



## PerennialMom (May 22, 2004)

No, it wasn't the worst pain....I guess I wouldn't classify it as 'pain' either. It was manageable and came in 'waves' that allowed me to rest. I knew I'd get a fabulous, healthy baby out of it, so I kept my heart and mind on the wonderful things to come! I surrounded myself with positive energy that I started to build all around me (DH, midwife, etc) during pregnancy.

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. I have THE WORST pain threshold. I am THE BIGGEST wussie when it comes to things that hurt.


----------



## PortraitPixie (Apr 21, 2005)

NO.

Kidney stones while 7 months pregnant.


----------



## pjs (Mar 30, 2005)

yes, pretty much for me.


----------



## Cinder (Feb 4, 2003)

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 (Feb 19, 2007)

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 (Jan 30, 2007)

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 (Oct 20, 2003)

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 (Jan 27, 2007)

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 (Mar 19, 2002)

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 (Jul 22, 2005)

Quote:


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 (Jun 12, 2006)

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 (Dec 5, 2001)

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


----------



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

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 (Dec 31, 2005)

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 (Jun 13, 2005)

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 (Dec 12, 2006)

Quote:


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 (Sep 10, 2005)

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 (Jul 20, 2004)

nak

Quote:


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.









:

Quote:

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~ (Nov 7, 2002)

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


----------



## Ellien C (Aug 19, 2004)

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 (May 29, 2003)

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 (Jun 8, 2005)

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 (Mar 3, 2006)

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.


----------



## roomformore (Apr 28, 2006)

Worst pain for me was the stitches after my dd was born.


----------



## cottonwood (Nov 20, 2001)

Quote:

Was (natural) childbirth the worst pain you've ever experienced?
Yes, by far. But it's not at all representative of the average unhindered birth, and I think it might have had to do with previous injuries.

Quote:

I have to say I've had worse pains than that, and I'm wondering if there are more moms out there that think childbirth wasn't that bad. Or was I just lucky?
I don't think you were lucky, I think that's normal and average for a midwife-attended homebirth.


----------



## Jade2561 (Jun 12, 2005)

Not the worse pain for me. It was very painful at times but manageable and I knew there was an end in sight so that helped with pain management a lot. The worse pain for me was having a sinus infection that lasted for a week. The pain was so bad I wanted to be shot and put out of my misery.


----------



## tuffykenwell (Oct 23, 2002)

I think childbirth could be the most painful thing except for the fact that you get this small breaks in between which somehow makes it doable. I think if childbirth was one long contraction with no breaks almost no one would be able to do it....nature is a wonderful thing.

Contrast that with getting my wisdom teeth out (the third day after the extration was by far the most painful) where there was no blissful release for even 10 seconds and my perception of that pain was far worse than my perception of my two natural births.

My induction with Rhys was excruciating but I don't think it was more painful than my labours with Niamh and Isla....just that due to the circumstances of that labour I was not able to keep my head and work with my body and through the pain...so my perception was that it was more painful due to that fact KWIM?

Pain is mostly about perception so it is hard to quantify it sometimes. While my two VBACs were painful there was also a certain joy in working with and through the pain and making it to the "other side"....I think that perception makes it difficult to look on the pain of those births in a negative way (at least for me).

Steph


----------



## glendora (Jan 24, 2005)

I'm such a wimp that it hurt to read this thread. GAH!


----------



## Kleine Hexe (Dec 2, 2001)

No, childbirth is not the worst pain I've experienced. I've had pain much worse.

I think that childbirth, since it is a natural thing for a woman's body to do, comes with coping mechanisms. Women birth and so therefore have the ability to cope....unless something is wrong.


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Baby Makes 4* 
10 was also my last miscarriage, the physical pain was slightly less than labour but the emotional pain amplified it to an unbearable level. It also lasted much longer than labour.









:

I haven't actually had a natural childbirth, because ds1 was cut out at transition. But, I did labour for 20 hours....guess it depends how painful pushing would have been (I understand that varies a lot from woman to woman and pregnancy to pregnancy).

Compared to dilating to 10cm...

I've had a couple of migraines that were worse.
One of my three miscarriages was worse.
Tearing the ligament in my knee was worse.
The first few days post-op after my c-sections were worse. At least when I was in labour, I could laugh...and cry.

I wouldn't say any of these were lightyears worse, though...pretty comparable. But, labour felt good, as well as hurting. The other things _only_ hurt.


----------



## Cinder (Feb 4, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *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.


See, I think that was my problem with #1...for the first 30 hours of active labour I was able to tell myself it would be over at some point and I'd have a baby, for the next 18 hours I started questioning that, then for the last 8 hours I had just stopped believing that it would ever end and I freaked out...56 hours is way to long to be in active labour.


----------



## thesimplelife25 (Feb 15, 2007)

Not to go OT but....









As you can tell from my siggy, I have not had children yet....

Can someone tell me about these nursing afterpains? I have never heard of them before!


----------



## sadean (Nov 20, 2001)

Yes, but that isn't saying much because overall I have experienced little physcial pain in my life (no broken bones or chronic conditions). And it was temporary, with a finite end and wasn't as bad as I thought it might be (more intense than painful, strictly speaking).

I would take childbirth over an ear infection/ear ache.


----------



## Benji'sMom (Sep 14, 2004)

My first natural labor is my "10" on the 1-10 pain scale. I was in pain for my second natural labor but when the nurse asked me to rate the pain I was like, "Um... 2 or 3" - because the first labor was REALLY bad for some reason, like being stabbed with knives! Really sharp pain! The second one was not as bad.


----------



## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

You can get afterpains from the uterus contracting back down. They are worse when nursing and with subsequent babies. I didn't feel them at all with my first. With my second, they were generally soothed with a hot water bottle.


----------



## Benji'sMom (Sep 14, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *thesimplelife25* 
Not to go OT but....









As you can tell from my siggy, I have not had children yet....

Can someone tell me about these nursing afterpains? I have never heard of them before!

If we're talking about the same thing, it's contractions you have when your uterus is shrinking back to normal size.


----------



## sadean (Nov 20, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *thesimplelife25* 
Not to go OT but....









As you can tell from my siggy, I have not had children yet....

Can someone tell me about these nursing afterpains? I have never heard of them before!

I didn't really have afterpains. I was told they get progressively worse with each birth, but after three, I haven't really experienced this. Maybe some light cramping for a day or two after, but nothing worthy of taking anything for. I have heard that they can be like really bad menstral cramps







:

Some people have compared contractions to menstral cramps, but that isn't what they felt like to me.


----------



## beckyand3littlemonsters (Sep 16, 2006)

Quote:

Was childbirth the worst pain you've ever experienced?
No i managed 3 labours with no painrelief and was in tears with tooth ache







: yes labour was very painful and the after pains were even worse but the tooth ache all the side of my face, head, ear and eye hurt. It probebly wasn't more painful the tooth ache than the labour, i think it was not knowing if it would ever end that made me cry, at least i knew labour had an end and the more pain the closer the end kwim
soz if i don't make any sence, i never do


----------



## cidercat (Oct 31, 2006)

Not the worst pain I've ever felt (didn't tickle though). Breaking my toes has hurt way worse. Way worse.

It drives me crazy when women say to pregnant FTMs, "It's the worst pain you'll ever feel." I always chime in with, "well, it may have been the worst pain YOU'VE ever felt, but that doesn't mean it'll be the worst pain SHE'LL ever feel. It certainly wasn't the worst pain I've ever felt."


----------



## MotheringHeart (Dec 18, 2005)

Uhhhh, not the worst pain by far. The absolute worst pain I've ever been in was when I was pregnant and had appendicitis. I did not know what the pain was and literally wished for death. Completly true.

I actually like being in labor.....


----------



## beckyand3littlemonsters (Sep 16, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sadean* 
I didn't really have afterpains. I was told they get progressively worse with each birth, but after three, I haven't really experienced this. Maybe some light cramping for a day or two after, but nothing worthy of taking anything for. I have heard that they can be like really bad menstral cramps







:

I got them really bad they were worse than labour felt like i was in labour for 5 days
with #1 they were like strong period pains, with #2 they were like very strong contractions as bad as labour contractions for about 4-5 days, each pain lasting from 5-30 mins depending on wether cameron was feeding or not and with #3 they wre like extrememly painful contractions worse than labour they made me go dizzy.
I really want more lo's but the one thing i'm dreading more than anything is the after pains being even worse.
what do think my chances would be of being able to go to hospital after baby is born for an epidural


----------



## beckyand3littlemonsters (Sep 16, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MotheringHeart* 

I actually like being in labor.....

me too i find it very empowering sought of kwim

although if anyone asked me if i was likeing it whille i was actually in labour i would probebly have a few choice words to say


----------



## beckyand3littlemonsters (Sep 16, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *thesimplelife25* 
Not to go OT but....









As you can tell from my siggy, I have not had children yet....

Can someone tell me about these nursing afterpains? I have never heard of them before!

Its when your womb contractions back down to normal size after haveing baby for some they can be very painful and get worse with each baby as your womb needs to do more work to get back down to the normal size.
mine deffinately got worse each one.


----------



## mommajb (Mar 4, 2005)

I have had 4 children and to this day I have trouble even recognizing that I am in labor until transition. When it is painful you know why and that it will end.

My worst pain ever... heartburn. I was diagnosed over the phone with gall bladder issues, went to the er, and they changed it to heartburn. It was after baby #2 but I can't remember if baby #3 was here yet or not. I had no idea what was going on and I seriously thought I was dying and leaving my children for good. Not knowing what was going on made it so much more painful. I am not sure if it is funny or pathetic in retrospect.


----------



## Cinder (Feb 4, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *thesimplelife25* 
Not to go OT but....









As you can tell from my siggy, I have not had children yet....

Can someone tell me about these nursing afterpains? I have never heard of them before!


I didn't have any with #1, but with #2 they felt like contractions, they hurt a lot, and I had them while nursing for about 4 or 5 days. Supposedly they get worse with each kid, #3 isn't due untill august, so we'll see.


----------



## laohaire (Nov 2, 2005)

It was the worst pain for me, but it wasn't unbearable. I've never had kidney stones or broken an arm or anything. Yeah, it hurt - a lot - but it was only pain. I lived.


----------



## Robinna (Aug 11, 2003)

Absolutely not. I would say the pain I have in this moment from a sinus infection is far worse - unrelenting, no escape, and no end in sight. Labour pain for me is highly mitigated by the fact that you know it's going to end and the worse it is, the closer you probably are to that end.


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sadean* 
I didn't really have afterpains. I was told they get progressively worse with each birth, but after three, I haven't really experienced this. .

Hey - it's not just me. I was starting to feel like a freak. As far as I can tell, I've never had an afterpain, and from the sounds of it, I'd know!


----------



## erika978 (Feb 25, 2007)

My gallstone attacks were far worse, especially since the attacks would last for an hour whereas even the worst contractions only lasted a minute or so.

The worst part of labour, the most intense pain, was the crowning. But the unbelievable feeling of euphoria and relief DD was born more than cancelled that out.


----------



## mom22flowers (Mar 11, 2007)

I'd rather give birth over kidney stones anyday!! Far worse for me!


----------



## erika978 (Feb 25, 2007)

And the nursing afterpains, I was lucky not to experience those at all. But, after I nursed her directly after birth, I didn't get to nurse her again for 24 hours as she was in the NICU. Maybe that had something to do with it?


----------



## MtnCanary (Nov 9, 2006)

Nope. Appendicitis was worse, and so was my broken leg.

Kristin
mom to dd (5 1/2), ds (2 1/2) and #3 due in June


----------



## joy2bmom (Aug 3, 2006)

Childbirth was one of the "best" worst pain i've ever experienced. Kidney Stones was definately the "worst" worst pain i've ever experienced


----------



## MrsTC (Nov 18, 2005)

Headaches (migraines and the sinus headache I had last weekend from a virus we're fighting in our house) are worse for me.

With labor and birth, you get breaks and I remember the INCREDIBLE natural high between contractions and then after baby came out. That totally rocked. They can't sell stuff that good.









And...I remember some afterpains after my first, but after all this talk, I'm dreading what could happen after this baby is born. I'd forgotten about afterpains! My mom has talked about how bad hers were repeatedly, hope maybe I passed on receiving that gene?


----------



## GooeyRN (Apr 24, 2006)

My labor was terribly painful. However, I had pitocin, that stuff is EVIL. I was fine until that started. I wished I would die during transition. Pushing was pretty easy, I pushed her out in like 2 minutes. That part didn't hurt much. I was not exhausted, even after a 23 hour labor. I felt 100% the minute I pushed her out. I had after pains, but they were NOTHING like compared to labor. They reminded me of severe menstrual cramps only.


----------



## hottmama (Dec 27, 2004)

Both of my labors, but especially my second, were incredibly painful. More painful than migraines, broken toes, a prolapsed hemorrhoid (although that was excruciating), food poisoning, etc. The after pains from #2 felt like labor, too, so I'm including that with the labor. Birth itself was quick and painless for me both times, but I never thought I'd survive my second labor. I felt cornered and attacked.
The closest second on the pain spectrum I've felt was the first few weeks of nursing my second kiddo. He had tongue-tie, so I ended up with painful, cracked, bleeding nipples, blocked ducts, and mastitis. My fever went past 104 and I ended up unconscious on my hallway floor before finally going to the ER in incredible pain. My son was 6 weeks old before I could nurse him without crying. After his labor and first weeks, it's amazing we ever bonded!


----------



## sweeetpea (Jun 14, 2006)

Nope.

I had sciatica during a portion of pregnancy #3 that had me in tears







from the pain. Birth NEVER had me in tears.

Oh, and dental work. I HATE dental work!!! I'd rather give birth any day!









Sweetpea


----------



## kristinc (Jan 25, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *straighthaircurly* 
I thought being pregnant was worse than giving birth.







I had a lot of problems with my hips while pregnant and it made sleeping a miserable experience. Contractions weren't bad as you get a break like you said. I also felt like contractions were pain with a purpose and I can withstand a lot of pain if there is a purpose behind it. I didn't use any pain medications although I dislocated a rib head during labor and that hurt the most because it was so sharp and so constant.


Hey straightcurly, you should try chiropractic with your next pregnancy as it can give you an enormous amount of pain relief during pregnancy and birth.


----------



## Brisen (Apr 5, 2004)

Bad headaches are much worse for me. But, as others have said, it has a lot to do with the fact that I can do things to help labour feel better, but for a headache, not much will help. I also enjoy being in labour.

Oh, and for my second and third babies, the afterpains were definately worse than the labour. But again, when I have them, I'm trapped under a nursing baby, and can't do much for the pain.


----------



## DoomaYula (Aug 22, 2006)

My first birth wasn't too bad, it never got to be more than an 8. I'd say birth #2 was a 9, as I definitely felt that ring of fire. YOW.

However, it all pales in comparison to a gallstone attack (3w pp) and having my gallbladder removed. That pain just never let up! And then I was in pain after the surgery. Ugh.

You all make me very glad I still have my wisdom teeth!


----------



## thismama (Mar 3, 2004)

Yes, it was for me.

Giving birth was also a wondrous and empowering experience. But very, very painful.


----------



## marlee (Aug 29, 2005)

That would be a Yes for me.


----------



## dakotamidnight (May 25, 2006)

Nope - when my back goes out due to shermans kyphosis, it's far far worse.

The most I ever felt with DD was just back spasms - but then I did crumble and get a shot of pain reliever due to the muscle spasms {Had I not, they just keep getting worse and worse and would have interfered with labor}


----------



## nandodianenicole (May 31, 2006)

childbirth hurt like hell, but getting my impacted wisdom teeth out was worse, that pain lasted for days....


----------



## _betsy_ (Jun 29, 2004)

It was one day, and I knew it was only for a portion of one day - it would be over. And I'd have a baby at the end of it all, an idea which rocked my socks off. It was the worst pain I've ever felt, but I've never had a kidney stone or broken a bone.

It was manageable for me, even with the Pitocin induction. I never felt a natural contraction - I got to 100% and 4 cms without feeling a thing. I wonder how much more manageable labor would have been without the pit. I'll find out next time, 'cause there's no way I'm letting them talk me into that again!


----------



## Bensmommy (Dec 23, 2006)

I would call DD birth "intense" (fully unmedicated, Bradley birth) and DS birth "painful" (DS was a failed epidural- before I knew any better







). I'd have to say that the pain during DS birth was pretty awful; I think about as bad as my gallbladder attacks


----------



## monkeys4mama (Apr 25, 2006)

Unfortunately for me it was. It really really was. Now I can't really say that I've been in serious other pain all that many times, so take it for whatever that's worth. Birthing was extremely difficult for me and far more painful than I expected. I had convinced myself that if I was just prepared mentally and phsyically and emotionally, then I would sail right through and it wouldn't be painful at all. Or at least that it would be a different kind of pain, a tolerable one that would be different from other pain. Not so! It hurt like h*ll!!!







I've broken my arm before and had my appendix out and neither of those things hurt even close. I've messed up my back bad enough that I couldn't get up from a chair or hardly walk, but that was nothing compared to labor pain. My wisdom teeth weren't a big deal, even though I got dry sockets. Nothing next to birth pains though. I envy those of you who had the kind of mild or moderate birth pains that I'm reading about.


----------



## Flor (Nov 19, 2003)

Absolutely, worst pain ever. I knew it couldn't last more than one day (my ob c-s induced births after so many hours).


----------



## StrawberryFields (Apr 6, 2005)

Yes. By far. I've had some pretty bad pains (kidney trouble, TMI! anal fissure TMI! stomach flu from the devil, and many many broken bones. But none of them left me begging for a hospital and an epidural like childbirth did. And I never, ever ever ever in a million years thought *I* would get an epidural.

Now, all that said, it was still the greatest experience of my life and I fully intend to attempt another unmedicated homebirth with #2.


----------



## MommytoTwo (Jun 20, 2004)

I have had 2 c/s so I never got to pushing and crowning but I can tell you that the hours of pitocin contractions after the OB broke my water were the most painful experience of my life. I thought I was going to die and I was just hoping it would all end quickly. Before he broke my water it hurt (on pitocin) but I was coping.


----------



## zinemama (Feb 2, 2002)

Without a single doubt. Worst. Pain. Ever.

Now, I know that it was "pain for a purpose" and all of that. But that doesn't take away the fact that it was the worst pain I've ever felt in my life.


----------



## guestmama9908 (Jan 23, 2007)

No not even close to the worst pain I have ever had.

The pain from this flu virus I have right now is MUCH MUCH worse







:


----------



## zinemama (Feb 2, 2002)

Without a single doubt. Worst. Pain. Ever.

Now, I know that it was "pain for a purpose" and all of that. But that doesn't take away the fact that it was the worst pain I've ever felt in my life.


----------



## Thalia the Muse (Jun 22, 2006)

It was extremely painful. Probably the worst pain I ever felt, although like some of the other posters, I'm finding my recall of what it actually felt like kind of hazy. Worse than an untreated UTI, worse than pleurisy, worse than the time I cut my thumb to the bone with a blunt knife (bagel-slicing accident ...). After the first four hours, I stopped getting "breaks" between contractions -- it was just steady waves of nauseating pain, that peaked but never completely subsided in between. I think maybe that was what people mean by "back labor"?

I had gone into the birth with a "wait and see" attitude toward pain relief, and I did eventually opt for the epidural, which provided immediate and complete relief.

On the other hand, I never got "after pains" at all. Nursing was never painful; I could feel my uterus contracting, but it wasn't unpleasant.


----------



## mamameg (Feb 10, 2004)

Heck yeah. Worst ever. Hands down.


----------



## Kewpie (Sep 21, 2004)

Yes and no.

First 4 hours were hell. I couldn't relax, throwing up left and right, it was horrible. That 20 minutes spent in the observation chair were pure hell.

Once I got in the shower and could finally focus on breathing and relaxation techniques I wouldn't call it painful at all. There was pain, but it was painful.

ETA - All back labor, start to finish.


----------



## treehugginhippie (Nov 29, 2004)

Absolutely yes. Nothing can compare to the pain of my natural childbirth. I've had back surgery, filling w/out novacaine, food poisioning & 4th degree tear. I'm one of those special unique people who had butt labor...yes butt labor. Someone described it perfectly "a red hot poker up your butt" and I felt it constantly and with regular front contractions too. I welcomed the pain of labor with open arms but the last 6 hours was death pain.


----------



## Full Heart (Apr 27, 2004)

Well depends on what birth we are talking about. My 2nd and my 4th? Oh yeah. Wanted to die type of pain. Forgot I was in labor. Thought I was in some hellish torture.

The other 4? no where even close. Getting my wisdom teeth in was worse (I drank to get through that my whole mouth was swollen). Gallbladder attacks was worse. Getting fillings with no pain meds was worse (which is why I let the wisdom teeth come in in the first place lol). Anal fissure was worse (that I literally clawed my legs to the point of bleeding cause it hurt so bad). Breaking my toe was a blinding pain.

Some labors are gonna hurt more than others. Some women are always gonna have hellish labors some only easy ones. Some like me get a mix. Of course I belive position of baby, dehydration, stress, not able to relax, scar tissue, etc all play a role too.


----------



## Flor (Nov 19, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *treehugginhippie* 
Absolutely yes. Nothing can compare to the pain of my natural childbirth. I've had back surgery, filling w/out novacaine, food poisioning & 4th degree tear. I'm one of those special unique people who had butt labor...yes butt labor. Someone described it perfectly "a red hot poker up your butt" and I felt it constantly and with regular front contractions too. I welcomed the pain of labor with open arms but the last 6 hours was death pain.

I swear I had "leg labor" but I've never heard of anyone else. It was like the most intense burning cramps in my thigh muscles.


----------



## treehugginhippie (Nov 29, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Flor* 
I swear I had "leg labor" but I've never heard of anyone else. It was like the most intense burning cramps in my thigh muscles.

It's wierd that you say this! I was talking with my friends MW a 2 weeks ago and she said she had a woman with thigh labor one time (out of her 600+ births).


----------



## crunchy_mama (Oct 11, 2004)

nope, worst experience of my life was the stomach flu. I cannot say I have had a lot of other experiences I would call painful. No broken bones, gall bladder attacks, appendicitis or etc. I had my wisdom teeth removed, but that went very well.


----------



## savithny (Oct 23, 2005)

Nope.

The suspected appendicitis when I was 12 was worse. The scald when I poured boiling water down my chest while making oatmeal was worse. I had an ovarian cyst rupture once, and that was way worse. For long-term pain, I've had migraines that were harder to cope with.

Labor, for me, was like really bad menstrual cramps, plus a killer backache, right up to the end before my water broke. IT was pretty high on the pain scale, but it wasn't *severe* - if that makes sense? It wasn't unmanageable, it wasn't sharp or fiery. It was serious discomfort, but I didn't sense it as traumatic pain - it was like an abiding pain. That came in waves, washing up on the shore, and left again.


----------



## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

Not even close. The worst pain I have ever been in was a toothach. I would gladly give birth over and over again to never have to deal with toothach pain again.

I was also in more pain when I smashed my finger in the truck door last year. I thought for sure I was gonna pass out.

I didnt have easy labor pains either. With my dd I was in labor for 12 hours 9 of those hard labor. What made that labor unique was the fact that from my first ctx they were 1 min apart and lasting a min. or more. So I was having piggy back ctx along with double peaks. I cant even begin to describe what it was like. But I would still do that over and over to not have a toothach again.

My labor with ds was more normal in that I had 3-5 min ctx and a 10 hour labor with 8 of those being hard labor.


----------



## 2mama (Feb 3, 2006)

i would agree with pp's, wisdom teeth and a cavity from down under were far worse. For me labor and delivery gets easier each time. The last time was not a breeze, but it was very tolerable. Focusing on productive pain and knowing there is an end in sight really helps! I also think being told not to push by far the worse, so I went with my body and not the ob!


----------



## ruhbehka (Nov 5, 2006)

For me, yes, it was. I had a natural labor in a birth center, but my birth was kind of unusual. I was walking around 2 weeks overdue and 6 cm dilated, not in labor. I got to 4 cm, and they thought for sure I'd go within a few hours. Days later, i was at 6, but still not in labor.

At that point, we tried the castor oil and other stuff, but nothing would get things started. I wouldn't have minded waiting longer (who can complain about painless dilation?!). But I knew that the birth center was already pushing the limits of their normal acceptable practise standards by letting me go well past 42 weeks, so I agreed to having my water broken.

I had an incredible wave of pain wash over me immediately. I nearly passed out. An hour later, I was pushing, and an hour after that, he was out!

So, it was short, but... wow. I basically started my labor in transition, and I have no idea what "breaks" between contractions would have been like. Every single contraction was toe-curlingly painful and deep and awful. Oy.

I don't think it's a mind over matter thing, though I'm sure that can have some impact. I was certainly prepared for my labor, emotionally. But nothing could have prepared me for the shock at how incredibly painful the very first contraction was! And the realization that there were going to be a whole, whole lot more of them following...


----------



## Nosebite (May 25, 2004)

Birthing my two sons was painful, but it really was not that bad. I did not have an epidural either.


----------



## momuveight2B (Mar 17, 2006)

Nope natural child birth was not the worst. Like you I found it manageable and I got a break inbetween to cope. Last time I was induced and declined the pain meds too and while it was bad it was not the worst.
The worst was when I had a ruptured ectopic. That was mind blowing, unmanageable, griefstricken pain.


----------



## zjandosmom (Dec 13, 2004)

I had an ear infection at 28wk with #4 and that hurt worse than labor. My ear drum burst and I thought I would die from the pain. I have all new sympathy for the kids when they have ear infections. As other people have stated contractions come in waves, always a break, and we did use the Bradley method which worked SO very well for me. I could labor all day and would do that over an ear infection any day! Now pushing.......another story. I HATE pushing but I guess that's another topic!


----------



## pookel (May 6, 2006)

Basically, yes. The most painful single moment of my life was when they inserted the catheter for my c-section. It took two nurses to hold me down so they could get it in.

The 12 or so hours of labor before I got the epidural were excruciating but not bad enough to make me scream. The 3 hours of pushing with the epidural turned down were bad enough that I was screaming involuntarily at the top of my lungs and fantasizing about dying. At that point I did not care if the baby lived or died as long as the pain stopped. Yes, it was that bad.


----------



## bc1995 (Mar 22, 2004)

Nope. My abcessed tonsil was worse.


----------



## birthjunkie27 (Jul 6, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *glendora* 
I'm such a wimp that it hurt to read this thread. GAH!









:

I'd say, yes, labor was the most painful thing I have ever experienced. I haven't broken any bones, but I have slammed my finger in a car door, and been stitched up "down there" after tearing slightly with a birth with no local anesthetic (nothing like feeling the metal hook going in and out of your girl parts right after giving birth while trying to hold your newborn and trying not to squeeze her too hard from the blinding pain of being stitched), and I've had *killer* menstrual cramps.

My labors START out like killer menstrual cramps and progressively get more and more painful (even through relaxation and having an amazing support system and being at home).

I think some women must have easier births than others (obviously) because I am in awe that some describe theirs as not painful.

That said, I'd give birth over and over again, just for the sheer magicalness (like that word?







) of it and the sweet newborn baby at the end.


----------



## MiamiMami (Feb 1, 2005)

No. 60 hours of natural labor (vbac) was exhausting, but the pain was manageable. I did get an epi at 8cm, but not really for pain. i just wanted to sleep for an hour.

My c-section recovery and subsequent infection was more painful. But not as bad as having gallbladder problems.

Having a gallbladder attack 1 week postpartum was the worst pain I hope to ever feel in my life. I really thought it would kill me. I'm glad its out!


----------



## coobabysmom (Nov 16, 2005)

having a tooth infection requiring a root canal was worse than labor and equal to ring of fire...

but the tooth infection wins: it was acute pain that made my head throb and throb plus it was debilitating for days, not an on and off thing that ended within an hour or so.


----------



## gwynthfair (Mar 17, 2006)

Absolutely, but so worth it. I'm not sure I'm allowed to answer bc I didn't end up having a natural birth, but I did labor most of the time without drugs and I never imagined I could experience so much pain.

I started contracting at about 2 a.m. Tuesday morning, and DD was born at 12:47 on Friday morning. I asked for the epidural on Thursday evening.

I did the hypbirth course and had absolutely no fear of childbirth or any expectation of pain.


----------



## ericswifey27 (Feb 12, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *PerennialMom* 
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. I have THE WORST pain threshold. I am THE BIGGEST wussie when it comes to things that hurt.









ITA.

My first labor was very painful. I think it had a lot to do with the fear I had of birth, mixed with the lack of support for my natural labor wishes. Then add pitocin to the mix, little ability to move around, and it was defiinitely very, very painful. Although with the right encouragement I could have endured the pain much better. I am looking forward to this birth and do not fear it this time. I also have a lot of support, natural comfort strategies and a whole different mindset this time. I'll let you know in a few months...


----------



## Mama Dragon (Dec 5, 2005)

Back labor is right up there with migraines and collapsed lungs for me. Regular labor (which I only had for my first) was very manageable!


----------



## J's Mombee (Aug 21, 2006)

I aveta say YES, but only bc it was big and deep... more surprising than anything


----------



## stanswife (Jul 30, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mzfern* 
Yes.

Until a week after birth and I developed an anal fissure.









Now THAT'S the new yardstick of worst.pain.ever. (Still healing, babe is 6 weeks).









:

44 hour labor with excruciating, exhausting pain. But then the fissure hit. Now, that's a toss up.

FWIW, calendula gel works wonders. Cleared mine up after 9 months of agony. HTH!


----------



## mwherbs (Oct 24, 2004)

NO
and I am a big pain baby-- if I have a hang nail I am in pain all day long









I would say the worst pain I have ever had was kidney stones-- the pain was steady--- labor comes and goes and the pain only lasts a short time -- and because I wasn't sick in labor- most of the time I felt good--- in pain yes but not constant pain-- I moved to live near my mom when pregnant with our first- and my mom went on vacation clear across the country- she did not want to see me in labor (because I have such a low pain tolerance)
------ now I am going to have to read all the other responses- wow what a long thread in such a short time.


----------



## mistisa (Sep 20, 2002)

no - the nursing pains the first day hurt more than the birth itself! I kept wanting to take motrin, but was thinking, what the heck! i didn't even get pain meds for the birth, and I want pain meds for cramping







:

i never even knew i was in labor w/ ds until my water broke, then i pushed him out w/in 15 mins. transition though was a little scary and i do remember thinking that if it lasted much longer, then i might need pain meds!! but it was over very quickly. i educated myself so much more for this pregnancy though, so i think that helps with the pain management. when you understand what your body is doing, it's not so scary.


----------



## PapayaVagina (May 11, 2002)

For me...yes. It was hands down the most excruciating thing I've ever felt in my entire life (dramatic enough for ya?







). I was in labor for around 2 days and at the peak of every contraction my dd would grind her head back and forth - it was agony. When I transported to the hospital I was like 2cm







and then labored in bed on my side for another 4 hours or so (I *think* I had Pitocin on board by that time) before I got some semi-relief with an epidural but it was short lived because I continually metabolized the medication so fast. Sigh. I ended up with a c-section in the end and the first week (especially the first 3 days or so) was terrible. I'm not sure what was worse, the labor itself or the c-sec...it's kind of all jumbled in my brain now


----------



## pookel (May 6, 2006)

P.S. I get really ticked off when I see people claiming that labor pain is only caused by fear or insufficient preparation or whatever. B.S.! I wasn't afraid at all until I actually experienced it - then I found out what torture feels like.


----------



## MamaRabbit (May 26, 2005)

Food poisoning was the worst. I got it a few weeks before this pregnancy, and I told my DH (as I felt like I was dying) "I'd rather be having a baby right now."


----------



## crittersmom (Mar 24, 2005)

My own labors have never gotten as bad as the pain I felt from a tooth infection.I was writhing on the floor whining so bad my cats got worried.I was also in a car accident and 9 months later a motorcycle accident and was in agony for the next year.(I never knew the neck was that involved in walking).I have had one horribly bad menstrual cycle and felt like taking a knife to my insides at the time.None of my labors were as bad as any of those pains partly because I always felt that there had to be an end the baby was going to come out of me somehow and I was lucky enough to be able to move and moan at will.
All three labors were pain med free and my second was an induction by Pitocin.I was more freaked out by being hooked up to one more thing than the pain of the contractions.


----------



## * guest * (Feb 22, 2007)

I've haven't given birth yet but I'd say the worst pain I've felt was my 4 impacted wisdom teeth being pulled while I was fully awake. The dentist had to break my left jaw to get one out. Ow! I think dentists are sadists.

You ladies are all very inspiring. I am planning on an unmedicated unassisted homebirth and I really feel like I can do it! Thank you!


----------



## Jenlaana (Oct 28, 2005)

I think the pain of childbirth is so much different depending on your state of mind and your environment and how energized you are. I had my DD at home and was able to move around and stay calm and not be poked and prodded and it was so manageable that I remember asking my husband minutes after the birth if we could have another baby.


----------



## * guest * (Feb 22, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jenlaana* 
I remember asking my husband minutes after the birth if we could have another baby.

Aw, that is so sweet. I can imagine me asking my husband...he'd look at me like I was nuts. Haha.


----------



## AllieFaye (Mar 7, 2007)

For me, there was no pain. I'm not sure if it was the hypnosis (although I was not in a hypnotic trance,) back labor, or that I'm a chronic pain sufferer. Conveniently, now I have a frame of reference for others, when I explain my chronic pain. Either way, I never felt a contraction, just an intensity.


----------



## JanB (Mar 4, 2004)

You know, I love this thread, because I think that what is most important for new mothers to know is not that labor is painless and a walk in the park (although it is for some) or that labor is a nightmarish experience that is the worst pain you will ever feel (although it is for some), but that it is truly different for everybody. I don't think women do other women any favors by sugarcoating the pain of labor, or by painting it to be worse than it is, you know what I mean? If you are in the worst pain of your life... well, maybe that's what childbirth is for you. If it just feels like strong cramps and nothing worse... then that's what childbirth is for you.

I wish I had known that going into my first birth, because I had very strong back labor and thought that something must be wrong because surely labor wasn't supposed to hurt this much! (Although my wisdom tooth extraction was still totally worse.)

Just some ponderings on a rainy Wednesday morning.


----------



## Belle (Feb 6, 2005)

Hurting my knee the summer before my daughter was born was the worst pain I have ever felt.

Labor pain was different. As long as I was in laborland I was okay. When I came out of laborland to answer a question then labor hurt a lot more.


----------



## mamabearsoblessed (Jan 8, 2003)

Yes. I was induced with pitocin but went pain-med free.
The worst pain of my life hands down.
Before that I thought the worst pain of my life was nerve damage done to my hip from being thrown by a bitchy mare







: . I blacked out from the pain from the fall.
Childbirth was the worst pain of my life and I cannot wait to do it again







!!!!


----------



## BetsyS (Nov 8, 2004)

I totally think that the crazy thing is that even though the pain was bad, I can't wait to do it again!

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

I do think that our state of mind has a lot to do with how we labor. I was completely blown away by the intensity of my labor. I became one of "those" women that was loud and screaming and out of control, unable to get it back. I had attended lots and lots of births (was a L&D nurse, then a CNM), with lots and lots of variables, but I think I responded to my labor in the top 1% of how to react poorly and have a bad experience.


----------



## Jenlaana (Oct 28, 2005)

I think that the important thing is finding a way to ground yourself. Like the PP said, if you let it "get away from you" its a lot harder to manage.

I definitely wont say that labor was a walk in the park. I was up for 2 days and had trouble sleeping the night before that because I couldn't sleep w/ the labor pains. That it came on so gradually though really helped me keep it in check. I "lost it" during what might have been transition, not because of the pain, but because having never felt birth before, the wierdness of feeling my hips shifting to allow the baby to move down was the wierdest and most unexpected feeling imaginable. We were doing ours as a UC and with nobody there to tell me that was how I was supposed to feel, I got really scared for a brief time. That fear made me loose control (not control persay but being able to "ride the contractions" and stay focused).


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MCatLvrMom2A&X* 
Not even close. The worst pain I have ever been in was a toothach. I would gladly give birth over and over again to never have to deal with toothach pain again.

Oh, yeah - when I had an abscessed tooth that the doctor misdiagnosed as tension in my jaw...that was bad. I followed instructions, and kept a warm pad against my jaw all evening. I guess that warmth gave the bacteria a beautiful environment in which to thrive because the pain _exploded_ afterwards. The root canal a few days later was a picnic by comparison.


----------



## Whisper-ma-Phone (Apr 10, 2006)

It was manageable, and I'm ready to do it again, but it was absolutely the worst pain I've ever been in. But I wouldn't really define it as painful, so much as intense. And yes, you do get breaks, which help.


----------



## 2bluefish (Apr 27, 2006)

First time baby was malpositioned and I was in transition labor for 12 hours - yes, it was the worst pain of my life. But the flip side, the second time I used hypnobabies and it was very nearly pain free (even with pitocin)!


----------



## charmander (Dec 30, 2003)

Yep, pretty much.


----------



## RBinTEX (Apr 16, 2004)

I think we need a word better than "pain." It also includes this overtaking of your body, beyond your physical control, to the point that you start to realize your own mortality! I've had this point in every labor where I think I might die. Intense is a word that comes to mind, but it's not the right word either.

The contractions aren't the hard part for me, it's the actual birth.

I like to give birth on my knees on the floor, with my upper body resting on the bed. I remember my arms and legs trembling uncontrollably as the baby's head crowns. Oh, and that "ring of fire" feeling. Your body is taken over at that time, no matter where your head is. There is no turning back! And each time, the thought of my death crossed my mind. I wasn't really afraid, just overcome by the intensity. I probably felt more "pain" with an absessed tooth, but without the (insert word I'm looking for -- intensity + power).

And, on top of all that, I always looked forward to the act of giving birth! Go figure!


----------



## mykidsrock (Jun 21, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *birthjunkie27* 







:

I'd say, yes, labor was the most painful thing I have ever experienced. I haven't broken any bones, but I have slammed my finger in a car door, and been stitched up "down there" after tearing slightly with a birth with no local anesthetic (nothing like feeling the metal hook going in and out of your girl parts right after giving birth while trying to hold your newborn and trying not to squeeze her too hard from the blinding pain of being stitched), and I've had *killer* menstrual cramps.

My labors START out like killer menstrual cramps and progressively get more and more painful (even through relaxation and having an amazing support system and being at home).

I think some women must have easier births than others (obviously) because I am in awe that some describe theirs as not painful.

That said, I'd give birth over and over again, just for the sheer magicalness (like that word?







) of it and the sweet newborn baby at the end.










haha Bethany I was getting ready to quote you- minus the stitches part...and just realized it was YOU!!


----------



## mama_b (Dec 14, 2004)

Yes, it was absolutely the worst thing I have ever felt. It was pure torture.


----------



## WinterBaby (Oct 24, 2002)

My first labor wasn't so bad - there was pain involved, but the words I'd use to describe it are more like grueling, difficult and exhausting rather than painful. It was a longish labor at 33 hrs, but pain meds never crossed my mind. I thought during transition I was near the limits on what I could confidantly handle, but definately manageable.
My second labor was another story - I said at the time I was learning brand new definitions for the word "pain," so yes, I guess probably the worst, lol. Baby was posterior, labor was tougher from the get-go and giving me a way premature urge to bear down while I was at 8, cervix still posterior. So the midwife manually moved the cervix into an anterior position - first new pain definition I got, lol. Then my cervix became badly swollen from the uncontrollable bearing down, so I was about standing on my head trying to prevent to bearing down to see if we could bring the cervix back down. Second new definition for pain - trying desperately not to bear down when that's what your body is doing I find impossible to relax and do, and the whole thing agonizing. Add to that the horrible pain in my sacrum as I swore it was going to fly off when I could feel it lift during contractions and the pain never actually fading between. In the hospital after an epidural - epidural totally wore off after it slipped out of the correct spot - then I had the bearing-down, sacrum rearranging contractions at a high level of pitocin while stuck in a bed. Think I probably left teeth marks in the bed rail, but that part of labor is very much a wicked blur for me, heh







When I got to the pushing, epidural was entirely worn off again, but laboring felt fine again then, and I was able to get up besides. It funny how even for one person pain in labor can be so different.


----------



## DQMama (Mar 21, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Baby Makes 4* 
10 was the afterpains while nursing for the first few days. Awful, cramping blinding pain.


Thank you for saying that! No one believed that my afterpains were worse than labor. I'm not sure if the pain was actually more intense, or if it was just the fact that the afterpains were so unbearably long. The peaks would last for like three or four minutes!


----------



## tinybutterfly (May 31, 2004)

No. Having my knee drained ( 3 times with a giant needle) was worse.


----------



## tinybutterfly (May 31, 2004)

Oh, I will say my first labor was back labor with no breaks.

My second labor was classic, text book labor. I got breaks in between contractions!

I did yell during both labors towards the end...but I SCREAMED at the doctor when I had my knee drained.


----------



## Phoenix_Rising (Jun 27, 2005)

no, the worst pain i ever had was sneezing for the first couple days after giving birth. OUCH!


----------



## BusyMommy (Nov 20, 2001)

Back labor was bad but the mw was ready w/saline injections in case it happened again.

And,um, no....currently have sinusitis and that beats labor hands down....







:


----------



## Amila (Apr 4, 2006)

Labor was THE ABSOLUTE WORST PAIN I EVER EXPERIENCED. But I had Pitocin.


----------



## Snork (Feb 17, 2007)

Heck no. Dental pain is much worse. Having meningitis was my worst ever pain. Closely followed by ripping a toenail off.

On a scale of 1-10, ten being the worst imaginable pain, labour is about a 4. Birthing the head is about a 6.


----------



## monkeys4mama (Apr 25, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Snork* 
On a scale of 1-10, ten being the worst imaginable pain, labour is about a 4. Birthing the head is about a 6.

This makes me chuckle. Not at you, but at how subjective pain ratings are. I used to work in health care and we always had to use that 1-10 pain scale thing to assess patients. Anybody, if they said anything hurt at all, had to have a number. You'd have some young college girl come in for a hangnail and she would tell you her pain was a "10".







All the while she's sitting there looking comfy and smiling and chit-chatting with her friend. And then you'd get a farmer in the middle of having a heart attack and he'd be sweating and panting and grimacing and looking like he might die at any second. But if you asked him to rate his pain, he'd say (between groans and gasps) oh about a "6".







Ime with healthcare, hardly anybody ever rated their pain less than a "7". Didn't matter how insignificant the problem was. I had to wonder if they'd ever experienced real pain???







: Methinks if you came in w/ a heart attack you might be one of those farmers.


----------



## kerikadi (Nov 22, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Irma Lisette* 
*Was (natural) childbirth the worst pain you've ever experienced?*

Yes


----------



## pandora665 (Mar 13, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Amila* 
Labor was THE ABSOLUTE WORST PAIN I EVER EXPERIENCED. But I had Pitocin.









:


----------



## twilight girl (Mar 7, 2002)

It most definitely was _not_ the worst pain. I wouldn't even put childbirth in the top 5 ... even top 10. In fact, it never was the "pain" that got to me, it was the exhaustion and dehydration from a very prolonged early labor.

Even when DD was crowing I said in a very normal, non-agitated voice, "okay, so that's why they call that the ring of fire". Much worse is say, breaking a pinky toe when you kick it on the sofa leg as you walk briskly through the living room! Or a migraine headache.


----------



## AmyJayne19 (Nov 11, 2006)

I had gallstones with my first pregnancy and they were extremely painful but i still say that pushing out the head of your baby is worse, but not by much. Definitely worth it but still more painful. My second pregnancy was worse. I'd had my membranes broken at 3cm. and 12hrs later i was still 3cm and it felt like i should have been at least 6-7 cms. once i actually hit 7 cms, the contractions were back to back. no breaks. that's painful


----------



## ani'smama (Nov 12, 2004)

NO. Ditto those who mentioned wisdom teeth extraction. I was in pain for weeks after getting dry sockets. Hydrocondone didn't even work.


----------



## nimblemama (Dec 21, 2006)

No, it was not the worst pain. Crowning was the worst part, but it only lasted a few moments. At least childbirth is ain with a wonderful purpose. I can't stand headaches, sore throats, stomach cramps. I handle those much worse.


----------



## ruhbehka (Nov 5, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *pookel* 
P.S. I get really ticked off when I see people claiming that labor pain is only caused by fear or insufficient preparation or whatever. B.S.! I wasn't afraid at all until I actually experienced it - then I found out what torture feels like.









:

Sure, fear is a component, but part of it is luck of the draw and genetics, too. And how do you explain a very short and very painful labor? I wasn't scared enough to prolong my labor, just scared enough to make it hurt?!

Some cows are good milkers, and some are not. Some animals labor quickly, and some do not. People are no different.


----------



## hapersmion (Jan 5, 2007)

Ooh, I forgot migraines, I haven't had one in so long. My migraines were definitely worse than my labor, and I've talked to people whose migraines sound worse than mine.

I used to get weird cramps in my belly starting around 2 months, too, when I would sneeze while lying on my back. Those were more intensely painful than contractions, but I would only get them a few times a day.

I think it's different for everyone, depending on a hundred factors. I have a really wide open pelvis, I'm healthy, and I was pretty relaxed, so I think that made it easier for me.

hapersmion


----------



## Thalia the Muse (Jun 22, 2006)

Yeah, I'm sure there's a psychological component but I think a lot of it is just physiological -- how the baby's lying, how sensitive your particular body is to hormones (I used to have killer menstrual cramps, too), how quickly you are dilating, the quirks of your anatomy.


----------



## beanbean (Apr 28, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Flor* 
I swear I had "leg labor" but I've never heard of anyone else. It was like the most intense burning cramps in my thigh muscles.

I had this during transition with my 2nd. It was far and away the worst part of labor. I just couldn't relax my thigh muscles!!

My first labor was only painful at the beginning, then the endorphins and all kicked in and I sailed through the next 30 hrs or so, feeling very bored and very much relaxed. The second was much faster and more intense and I was almost immediately in transition so I couldn't relax.

But to be quite honest, I don't think of it as pain - pain to me is my body shouting "SOMETHING IS WRONG!!!" and labor is normal and natural. So yes, it was very, very intense, and at sometimes painful. But a different kind of pain -- a non-scary, non-panic inducing pain.


----------



## AnneCordelia (Nov 29, 2004)

My gall bladder attacks were worse than either of my natural deliveries.

But, the first 3 hours after I had my son were horrifically painful. The labour and birth wasn't bad...it was afterwards that hurt like a sonofa....


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JanB* 
You know, I love this thread, because I think that what is most important for new mothers to know is not that labor is painless and a walk in the park (although it is for some) or that labor is a nightmarish experience that is the worst pain you will ever feel (although it is for some), but that it is truly different for everybody. I don't think women do other women any favors by sugarcoating the pain of labor, or by painting it to be worse than it is, you know what I mean? If you are in the worst pain of your life... well, maybe that's what childbirth is for you. If it just feels like strong cramps and nothing worse... then that's what childbirth is for you.









:
I remember when I was pregnant with ds1, and everybody had their horror stories to tell the pregnant mom (and WTF is that all about, anyway?). The weird thing was, they were all trying to top each other, but they were still all the same story, yk? They made it sound like labour is the same for everybody, except that it might last longer for some...


----------



## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AnneCordelia* 
My gall bladder attacks were worse than either of my natural deliveries.

But, the first 3 hours after I had my son were horrifically painful. The labour and birth wasn't bad...it was afterwards that hurt like a sonofa....

It is funny how different people are. i didn't have one iota of pain after either of my babies were born.


----------



## pookel (May 6, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *monkeys4mama* 
Ime with healthcare, hardly anybody ever rated their pain less than a "7". Didn't matter how insignificant the problem was. I had to wonder if they'd ever experienced real pain???







: Methinks if you came in w/ a heart attack you might be one of those farmers.









Huh, wonder if that's why my OB was reluctant to give me more pain pills at my 2-week post-c/s checkup when I said my pain was at a constant 3.







I'd usually rate a headache at a 1, a really bad headache or sore throat at a 2, and 3 for me is the point where it's bearable, but just barely. I've felt much worse (like when the anesthesia started to wear off during dental surgery), but to me 3 is pretty bad for something you're living with 24/7.

And on that scale ... my labor was an 11.


----------



## pookel (May 6, 2006)

P.S. Those farmers are TOUGH. A friend's dad had a hay baler fall on his foot and break it, and he finished baling the hay and then drove 25 miles back to town before getting it checked out. I think it was his right foot, too, so he was pushing the gas pedal with it the whole way.


----------



## mikayla's mama (May 22, 2005)

Yeah they are, my best friend's dad run's a dairy farm and he fell off a silo at like 20 foot up and waited to go get checked out.







:

Labor #1 was by far the worst pain ever. Premature rupture of the membranes, back labor, pitocin, meconium, saline pump up my hoo-hah, failed epidural, over 4 hours of pushing, vaccuum extraction, shoulder dystocia episiotomy (all the way down)and a rip into the urethra. It was the most hellish experience of my life, I vomitted from the pain, I pushed for so long my stomach muscles could not hold the weight of my upper body up for about 2-3 days postpartum. To top it all off they whisked my baby away to the NICU before I could barely get a look at her. Recovery was bad as well.

Labor #2 was totally different. Got to the hospital dilated to an 8, jumped up on the bed and pushed her out in 7 minutes. The most wonderful part was they laid her up on my belly, daddy got to cut the cord and I got to nurse and cuddle her for about an hour before I moved to the pp room and the nurses weighed her and checked her out. Painful but not bad.

Even after my hellish labor #1 I went ahead and got pregnant 18 months later. The prize you get at the end is so worth every second of it.


----------



## tintal (Oct 19, 2006)

By far giving birth was the most intense and painful experience of my whole life. Worth it though!!!!


----------



## christacular (Aug 10, 2006)

no. gallbladder disease and the subsequent attacks were by far the worst pain i'd ever experienced. i'd homebirth ten more babies if it meant i never had to feel that pain again.


----------



## amyjeans (Jul 27, 2004)

worst pain for me? throwing my back out. Blinding pain. i would gladly labor and birth 100 times over than have a slipped disc.


----------



## CarolynnMarilynn (Jun 3, 2004)

My labours are the most painful things I have experienced. I have had terrible migraines, broken bones, impacted wisdom teeth, a huge facial injury, major head injuries, etc. I felt like I was just hanging on by the skin of my teeth and that I could take no more. Then pushing the babies out was a minute of pure pain. I have been walking around this pregnancy saying, "I'm going to have to push a baby out of my vagina!" and been really focussed on that moment. I am hoping that this time I can do it slowly and avoid tearing. I had a shot of nubain with my first after a horrendous OP labour, and nothing with my daughter. I don't want pain medications this time either, but I am hoping that I can be more peaceful this birth. I was never able to get to the place before were I felt anything but barely controlled panic and defenselessness. I want a happier labour place this time.


----------



## 2bluefish (Apr 27, 2006)

I had a wasp sting me the other day, and it was *horrible* - wow, I had forgot how bad a wasp sting is! I thought I was going to pass out! There are lot's of things worse than labor.


----------



## 2bluefish (Apr 27, 2006)

I don't remember pain with the pushing phase of either of my kids. Intensity and alot of concern that they were trying to push out my anus!


----------



## 2sweetboysmom (Aug 1, 2006)

I had surgery on my hand to remove a cyst this past fall. I did not want general anastesia so I opted for a "Baer Block" (a tourniquit placed on the upper arm) and local for the surgery. As I lay there about 40 minutes in to the hour long surgery, trying to stay sane, the anasthesiologist noticed I was hardly breathing because of the pain and offered me a dose of moriphine. I thought to myself "this is so much worse than childbirth" I eventually accepted a half dose. The male nurse on my surgery said "she is a tough chick, I've had one of these blocks and after 20 minutes it's worse than child birth!"


----------



## Viola (Feb 1, 2002)

I can't really remember. I do remember at one point thinking that I it was a good thing I was having a homebirth, or I'd have had the epidural by that point. And when she was done, I was so elated because we were only going to have two and I knew I'd never have to do do it again. But in retrospect I have a hard time recalling the pain and I think I'd be willing to do it again now. I remember the sensation of pushing the baby out which was kind of cool, actually, and the burning as I tore which didn't stop after she was born until I got a shot of lidocaine for the suturing.. I do remember right as I started to push how bad the pain was when I thought it would actually be easing up. It kind of scared me, so I pushed really hard, determined to get her out quickly, which was probably part of why I tore. Also she was big, over 11 lbs and a 15 inch head with very little molding and her shoulders got a little stuck, which also might have contributed to the problem. But all in all it was not that bad.

After that I had another abscessed tooth and a ruptured disc in my back. Both of those were pretty bad. The tooth was just horrid, I was ready to do a home extraction. I never want to have another abscess, nor another ruptured disc, for that matter.


----------



## ~Heyokha~ (Nov 21, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Amila* 
Labor was THE ABSOLUTE WORST PAIN I EVER EXPERIENCED. But I had Pitocin.

yup.


----------



## huggerwocky (Jun 21, 2004)

Yes, the pain from my first birth was. The second wasn't as bad, weirdly enough. Nevermind, I still yelled for an epidural or anything to help me


----------



## badgerbaby (Dec 12, 2006)

It was the worst pain for me, but I have never been through anything traumatic before. Probably because I had a posterior, 43 hour labor with nothing but a tub to float in...and that it was my first time. I don't expect to be such a "wimp" this time...though I am a bit concerned about the potential after pains (which I did not experience with #1).


----------



## cidercat (Oct 31, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *2bluefish* 
I had a wasp sting me the other day, and it was *horrible* - wow, I had forgot how bad a wasp sting is! I thought I was going to pass out! There are lot's of things worse than labor.

This happened to me a couple of months ago and I cried. CRIED!!! My husband was looking at me like, "and you pushed our son our of your vagina, without any medication, and you're crying over this?"

Wasp stings hurt!!!!


----------



## Shahbazin (Aug 3, 2006)

With DC #1 my water broke Sat. afternoon, w/intermittant contractions, went to the hospital (over an hour away) after midnight, & by Mon. afternoon, I had been on pitocin for over 12 hours as my contractions hadn't really settled in- I was exhausted, couldn't take it anymore, got an epidural, got to relax for about 2 hours, then it kinda partially wore off & I felt like one of the people in Alien where something was chewing its way out of my body - DD was born at 11:30 PM that night. Of course, here I am, having another 14 months later







so I guess the experience wasn't a deterrant.


----------



## Birth&Bunnies (Jan 3, 2007)

The migraines I've gotten were so much worse than childbirth. With Birth you get breaks, their is a purpose, and I felt to dedicated to meeting my goal of no medication. You can do things to help you be more comfortable, and in the end the difficult part is usually the shortest.


----------



## NiBeKa (Jan 26, 2006)

Two experiences more painful than my childbirths:

13 week miscarriage followed by an unanesthetized (is that a word?) d&c done in the doctors office. I still, 19 years later, have an occasional nightmare about the procedure.

The next was last year with a dry socket from having wisdom teeth pulled. Felt like my head was caving in and I was worried that I had some kind of brain infection as I felt the pain throughout my body.

Neither of these had the wonderful outcome my labors had, which is why we go back and do it again.

Wisdom teeth? d&c no meds? wouldn't go there.


----------



## 4lilfarmers (Feb 9, 2006)

well, i had 20+ hours of intense back labor b/c of a tilted uterus (a 30 hour labor). it was a traumatic experience for me (took over a year to look at birth pictures...etc). BUT i did it...i did it at home...and i actually was rather relaxed the whole time (slept b/t contrax). now, i actually don't remember ANY pain except my back...it's more INTENSE than painful (from my experience...) just do whatever you can to prevent back labor (be conscious of your baby not being posterior)


----------



## clavicula (Apr 10, 2005)

no. kidney pain was the worst. (i passed blood clots) i was about to die.
labor was hard but it is somehow a NORMAL pain, IYKWIM.


----------



## sanguine_speed (May 25, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BetsyS* 
I can't imagine going through any pain worse than childbirth. I thought I would die, for hours and hours. An epidural didn't help, narcotics (Fentanyl) didn't help. Nothing helped. I literally cried, "please tell me I won't die" with each contraction.

Yeah, it was the worst pain I've ever felt.


I'm glad I'm not the only one.
And I've had gallstones, lots of surgery, broken bones, migraines, shoulder dislocation, finger dislocation, impacted wisdom teeth & their extractions, root canal and other.


----------



## mom de terre (Mar 9, 2007)

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


----------



## Birth&Bunnies (Jan 3, 2007)

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


----------



## Thalia the Muse (Jun 22, 2006)

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


----------



## 2Sweeties1Angel (Jan 30, 2006)

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


----------



## Birth&Bunnies (Jan 3, 2007)

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


----------



## cottonwood (Nov 20, 2001)

Quote:

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


----------



## Romana (Mar 3, 2006)

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

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

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









Julia
dd 1 year old


----------



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

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









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


----------



## Birth&Bunnies (Jan 3, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Romana9+2* 
I don't tell "horror stories," not even about my own birth, but it was profoundly excruciating and I'd rather not ever experience it again. I'm hoping the next time is easier.

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

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









Julia
dd 1 year old









I'm glad you make the distinction between it being unusual to be so bad







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


----------



## amityfree (Jul 23, 2005)

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

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

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


----------



## chandasz (Apr 13, 2005)

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

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


----------



## ahdoula (Sep 5, 2006)

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


----------



## dimibella (Feb 5, 2007)

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


----------



## Romana (Mar 3, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Birth&Bunnies* 
I'm glad you make the distinction between it being unusual to be so bad







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

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

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

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

Julia
dd 1 year old


----------



## Birth&Bunnies (Jan 3, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Romana9+2* 
I've come a long way emotionally and physically since the birth, and I am healed and at peace with the experience. Hence why we're ready to TTC #2.

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

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

Julia
dd 1 year old









Hugs and Love


----------



## pinksprklybarefoot (Jan 18, 2007)

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







:

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

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


----------



## gwynthfair (Mar 17, 2006)

Quote:


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

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


----------



## caricandothis (May 24, 2006)

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

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







:

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


----------



## Shirelle (May 22, 2006)

Quote:

Almost. The aftermath of having my impacted wisdom tooth extracted was actually worse. I was under general anesthesia for the actual extraction, but for the next two days I thought I was in hell, and that was WITH the Vicodin. Childbirth was not a walk in the park either, but I'd rather give birth forty more times than have to have a wisdom tooth extraction again.
I said that to a friend the other day. Having my wisdom teeth pulled was horrible! And the healing time was SO Much longer than the healing time after childbirth.


----------



## stacey2061 (Feb 1, 2006)

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


----------



## Neth Naneth (Aug 11, 2006)

Well when you say childbirth I am assuming that we are talking about a natural vaginal childbirth. I attempted that, I ever started to tare but cephalopelvic disproportion was the reason that I needed to have a c-section. Well I know that the healing from a c-section (without pain meds) is way worst than a vaginal birth (I am assuming if I tore than I image that I can base how bad it hurts to give birth). I think it is great that so many of the responses have said no.


----------



## babymakesthree (Oct 6, 2006)

most painful, nope. most intense, yup.


----------



## sogriffin (May 22, 2005)

No, I don't think it really pain I was feeling. It was the most powerful and intense thing I've ever felt.

Getting my belly button pierced hurt worse. And mastitis hurt pretty bad too, although I've lived through it twice and am still nursing both kiddos


----------



## Mizelenius (Mar 22, 2003)

No. My gallbladder attacks were as bad or worse AND they lasted a lot longer AND there was no baby to look forward to.

My worst labor cx were less than 20 minutes total per labor- I'd say more like 5-10 max.


----------



## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

not at all. my (unwanted) episiotomy on the other hand was herrendous afterward. (I used to joke at the time it felt like road rash on the crotch







) ugh.









pancreatitis and gallbladder attacks at the same time were MUCH worse. then puking for 4 days nonstop after having a c/s (ouchie!)

oh and 3x5 inch blister I got on my leg one time from a motorcycle. that one was defintly more painful.

one time I also had what I suspect to be ecoli. it was 3 days of complete hell. labor was a picnic in comparison to the vice like cramps that caused.

my first child's labor was awful due to positioning. (lots of back labor, long irregular contractions and was left alone in a birth tub for 14 hours by my MW's :irk) my second (VBAC and planned UP/UC turned hospital transfer) was very very mild in comparison (good positioning, contractions where like 30-45 seconds apart maybe?). I kept waiting for it to get "worse" or rather more intense up until the very end. for some reason I had it in my head the ending and birth would be one looong and more intense contraction(s) while pushing







my contractions felt the same though from beginning to end of my labor. they never got more painful or anything. I couldn't beleive it when my daughter was born. I was like "THAT WAS IT!?!?!" I did have lydocaine(sp?) for the episiotomy, so I missed out on the ring of fire I guess?


----------



## mikayla's mama (May 22, 2005)

Quote:


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

I just wanted to say that my natural childbirth with my 2nd was so much easier and less painful than my first birth which I had an epidural for... if only I knew then what I know now.


----------



## triscuitsmom (Jan 11, 2007)

Not even close...

Cracking my tailbone and developing an abcress over it, and then having the infected abcess that hurt so bad I could barely breathe cut into with a scalpel with no anesthetic at all... yeah... that will always be my most painful physical thing I think.

Labour didn't even come close.


----------



## applejuice (Oct 8, 2002)

My first two labors were at home and were long and excruciatingly painful because the babies were posterior.

My third was easy. I could have played cards the whole time. The fourth was easier also.

A lot, I feel, depends on "PPP": the size of the "passenger", the size of the "passage", how strong the "powers" or pushing are. The mother's mental and physical "P"reparation for labor are crucial to the ultimate outcome.


----------



## newmothermary (Jan 9, 2007)

*Interesting question.
I would not go as far as saying that labor pain "isn't that bad" However, I found the time I was stung by a stingray during my honeymoon in Thailand more painful...
*







:


----------



## Mavournin (Jul 9, 2002)

No way.

I have an inner debate over which was worse: my gallstones while 7 months pregnant, or the recovery from my ovarian surgery.

I tend to lean towards the surgery because I had the pain of being sliced open, recovering from general anesthesia (which makes me ill), the pain from the gas they used to inflate my stomach that had spread to my shoulders and back making movement impossibl, and all of the emotional aspects of surgery (especially surgery that could have rendered me infertile).

Gallstones are horrific. I usually explain it to people by saying I'd rather be in labor all day everyday than to suffer through another one.


----------



## mchalehm (Feb 5, 2007)

My labor was the worst pain I've experienced--but I was induced and had back labor. I'm not a wimp, either; I've had kidney stones in the past and those are reputed to be worse than labor. But not in my experience.

I think if I had been allowed to go into labor on my own schedule it wouldn't have been so bad. Next time, unless there's danger to the baby, I'll hold firm on waiting.


----------



## BetsyS (Nov 8, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Neth Naneth* 
Well when you say childbirth I am assuming that we are talking about a natural vaginal childbirth. I attempted that, I ever started to tare but cephalopelvic disproportion was the reason that I needed to have a c-section. Well I know that the healing from a c-section (without pain meds) is way worst than a vaginal birth (I am assuming if I tore than I image that I can base how bad it hurts to give birth). I think it is great that so many of the responses have said no.

The recovery from my c-section was a walk in the park compared to labor. I just took a little ibuprofen, and I was good to go. Nothing like labor.


----------



## AnneCordelia (Nov 29, 2004)

Ditto everyone on the gall stones. I know I mentioned it earlier in the thread, but they were horrible. ANd the accompanying pancreatitis wasn't pleasant either. Both more painful than labour.


----------



## redpajama (Jan 22, 2007)

*Induced* childbirth was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. With my second, I delivered naturally, and it didn't even COMPARE to the pain of my induction.


----------



## CalebsMama05 (Nov 26, 2005)

I had back labor both times and up until the contractions settled into my back it wasn't that bad. once it all moved to my back it was absolutely ONE HUNDRED PERCENT teh worst pain I've ever felt in my life.

I felt the need for clarification. it wasn't that bad the worst part was that there was no *break* it just went on and on and on and on...I suffered for almost 2hrs with ds1 before opting for the epidural and almost an hour w/ds2.

i'm glad I got the epidural though b/cuz ds1 tore me inside all along the side of the vaginal wall and also through a muscle or something along that side adn then I had to have an episiotomy, with ds2 i'm ambivalent..i was at 6-7cm when I got it but I did tear with him. next time i'm hoping to be able to find a way that works to make it through the pain without meds.


----------



## Birth&Bunnies (Jan 3, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *CalebsMama05* 
I had back labor both times and up until the contractions settled into my back it wasn't that bad. once it all moved to my back it was absolutely ONE HUNDRED PERCENT teh worst pain I've ever felt in my life.

I felt the need for clarification. it wasn't that bad the worst part was that there was no *break* it just went on and on and on and on...I suffered for almost 2hrs with ds1 before opting for the epidural and almost an hour w/ds2.

i'm glad I got the epidural though b/cuz ds1 tore me inside all along the side of the vaginal wall and also through a muscle or something along that side adn then I had to have an episiotomy, with ds2 i'm ambivalent..i was at 6-7cm when I got it but I did tear with him. next time i'm hoping to be able to find a way that works to make it through the pain without meds.









Try asking for the Saline water injections, they use a needle to put a little water under the skin in your lower back. It usually helps a lot with back labor and no side effects or bed confinement. That may take the edge off enough to labor without pain drugs.


----------



## ReallyRosie (Mar 26, 2007)

Yes. Yes. Yes. I thought I was so prepared for it. And I just . . . wanted to die. It was so awful, I bit my poor DH at one point.


----------



## AugustLia23 (Mar 18, 2004)

I thought I had already replied to this thread. Nope, not the worst pain ever. I have had extremely strong menstrual cramps in the past, which I feel were so much worse than the labor pains. The actual head being born was extremely intense, but now, 20 months later, I don't remember the pain one bit, aside from that it was intense.


----------



## Belleweather (Nov 11, 2004)

When I was in college I was helping my mom move furniture. Long story short, she lifted and I pulled and I managed to rip my toenail off the nail bed, and then get fragments of my big old wool sock stuck underneath when the nail went back down. I had to go to the ER and have them remove the wool fibers from my nail bed.

Worst. Pain. Ever.

I've done completely natural childbirth, I've done back labor, I've done gall stones and an infected gallbladder. All a walk in the park compared to toenails. Now I know why the inquisition used to use that as a way to torture people.


----------



## kkar (May 22, 2005)

Yes it was...unquestionably. But, knowing that it wouldn't last forever did provide some comfort.


----------



## NewMama2007 (Mar 4, 2007)

Not at all. Back labor was horrendous, but compared to some of the self inflicted wounds I have suffered over the years (horribly clumsy), it was nothing









BUT, I only pushed twice, DD was born to a room full of nurses and no doctor because she came so quickly (after 36 hours of labor she decided she was ready to get the heck out of there!).


----------



## AuntG (Apr 2, 2007)

YES & NO.

1st time, Natural labor ---> NO.

2nd time, Induced labor ---> Yes, I _THOUGHT_ was the worse pain ever until I got a botched epidural and ended up with staph-caused MENINGITIS. Spent a week in ICU, had to be told later that I'd had a baby.







The pain lasted a month and the after-effects six months. Worst pain ever.

Never going to a hospital again!!








Too scared!


----------



## Anglyn (Oct 25, 2004)

In a word, yes! But not the whole of labor, just the last hour of my third birth when he kept trying to come down and couldnt break the water, then after AROM, actually feeling like my body was being ripped in half. Ow.


----------



## witchbaby (Apr 17, 2003)

my gallbladder attacks were worse. namely because there was no ebb or flow, no rhyme or reason, just unrelenting pain.


----------



## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

Wow, I've just read this whole thread.

My first labor definitely was a "10" for me. I labored naturally for 36 hours or so before the docs got impatient and wanted to augment (I was already in transition with TRIPLE-peaking ctxs!). Eventually had a totally unnecessary c/s due to the clueless docs and me being waaaay tired and totally out of it. So when the nurses would ask how the pain was a couple of days later, my answers were always about a "4" or so. I mean, I'd just been through the WORST, so what do you expect?! I think I missed some due doses of pain meds just 'cause they totally didn't get that.









I really didn't mind that labor at all, though, until they started messing with it. It was very hard but totally empowering and I DID IT. I talked to my baby through three peaks at a time while I was stuck in transition and it was okay. It was never miserable until interventions started happening and I was out of control.

Fast forward 2.5 years to my homebirth VBAC. Labor was hard but I was cognisant and in control the whole time. BUT when I had a cervical lip AND the urge to push, it got hairy. The worst was not being able to find a good position and then having to have the midwife hold back the cervical lip.

Pushing was actually great once the lip was gone! And the ring of fire? No big deal! I had no idea we were as close as we were (we? I!), so when I felt it I though, "hm, that sort of feels like the ring of fire... but we're not there yet."







About a half a minute later he was on my tummy!

Stitches were also not bad - I got a shot of anesthetic which wasn't a big deal, and did feel the last stitch or two as it wore off. Healing was hard, and the hemorrhoids I get during labor were really tough. But the worst was definitely that part of labor where I couldn't do anything to deal with the pain and started to lose it a little bit, I think. But then we were DONE!!









So honestly, it was the only thing I've ever thought of as "hellacious," and yet I would NEVER do it differently and am looking forward to this next birth. Just praying it's a little easier!


----------

