this is something i've always wondered as women say it's the most painful thing they've ever experienced and all i've ever seen is women in soaps and films screaming away in agony! my mum said that the screaming is a real exaggeration (she's had 4 kids) although i haven't spoken to her in depth about this as i've only just become pregnant, i also have 3 sister-in-laws who i could speak to but haven't yet as they don't know i'm pregnant yet!

i was always adamant up til now that i'll have a c-section to avoid all that pain and the after effects (weak muscles). but now that i'm actually pregnant i quite like the idea of doing it more naturally (although with as many drugs as they can give me)! the other thing is that i may have to have a c-section anyway as i have a twisted pelvis from scoliosis.

also - with the natural birth my main concern aside from the pain is the state of my lady bits after! is it all a bit loose? can you feel anything when having sex? can your partner? sorry if these are personal questions and seem a bit trivial but they're important to me!

if anyone can let me know about these issues please feel free!

Laura (9 wks + 6 days)

x

But I think it depends on the individual.

My labour last week was so quick that I didn't have time to feel the pains. I had nigglings for about 2.5 hours, like period pains but they were bearable. Then, I had contractions that were like very bad period pains and cramps from my back to the front for about half hour then about 6 massive painful contractions and wee man was born. I didn't have time for any pain releif at all apart from 2 puffs of gas & air before the midwife whipped it away for me to push. Got to the hospital with 10 mins to spare.....

I can honestly say I would do it again. But I am prone to having quick labours, my first was only 6 hours from start to finish and the second last week a total of 3 3/4 hours from total start to finish. Next time will probably be an hour!!!!!!

I won't lie though, they are like the worst period aching crampy pains that you can ever imagine but be strong girl, you will be fine when the actual event happens...

xxxxx

well....i had my twins naturally and i could honestly not think of anything worse! especially as my daughter was head down but my son was lying width ways-so i had to deliver Evie and they then turned Louis around and then i had to deliver him!

i was in labour for 12 hours but i had an epidural that worked really well and helped through my contractions....
when i started to push however the pain well and truly kicked in!lol i was pushing for 40 mins and although the midwifes could see the head the consultant interviened and i was cut and forceps were used( i didnt know at the time). Louis was then delivered 12 mins after his sister naturally.

the pain is awful and i did cry like a baby!(but i was only 20 and giving birth to 2 children is a scary thought!)

however after i had Evie i just decided to shut up and get on with it!! it was much quicker and easier and less painful than lying there moaning about it.

i would have been a typical candidate for a c-section....and i was NEVER offered one, even though one was transverse. my worse fear was i would have one and they would not be able to turn the other and i would end up and having one natural and one section!!!

i very much doubt you would be offered a section out of choice unless you go private?

i would go natural over a section as my friend had one in feb and she is still not fully recovered-having probs with her scar and pains... you cant drive for a min of 6 weeks of lift hardly anything, think they are ok in the celeb world where they have nannies to do most of the work but in reality if you dont need one for medical reasons i would def go natural

rachx
8+5 weeks

hey
congrats on being pregnant!
i had my daughter just 2 weeks ago so its all still fresh in my mind

i can honestly say the contractions are worse than the acctuall giving birth but they arnt so bad
i had a brilliant labor my contractions didnt start untill 3pm and i wasnt in full labor till 6pm of which i went to the hospital and was only 5cm dilated she wasnt born untill 3.42am but aparently 7 hours labor is quick so thats good

my plan was to go totally natural no drugs but i must admit as soon as i got there i wanted everything they could give me....they gave me parocetamol first ( which was to help with my high blood pressure too)then i tried gas and air which made me violently throw up after inhailing it only 3 times so i didnt use it ,
i chose not to have pethodin as it goes into the baby and an epidural as the thought of it being in my spine scared me more than the labor pains

so in the end apart from a parocetamol i did it all natural and i am so glad i felt so good and womanly afterwards for it

no one can lie and say it doesnt hurt because it does but just keep calm and try to not tense up through the contractions ( i found talking/singing none stop through mine helped)and have a hot bath ( or 3) the dont feel astho they do much when your in but its relaxing and its not till you get out that you realise just how much it did help

as for it being the most painful thing they have experianced is extreemly over dramatic and yout mum's right about the screaming, the woman in the room next to me was so loud and it is scary when your about to give birth but afterwards i was thinking ..honeslty she must have been giving birth to a bus!

my daughter was 9lb7oz so shes not a small baby and her head was 36cm which is alot to stretch espesh seems your only 12cm when labor kicks in, but listening to the midwife helps , when she says stop pushing ...stop pushing its not easy when you have half a head sticking out and the burning pains are there but it beats having stiches =]

ive not had sex or even thought about it yet as i dont feel ready and still bleeding from the birth, and i must admit im rarther scared about it

but i carnt wait to have another baby in the middle of giving birth i was thinking never again never again but after that last push and the baby comes out its amazing how the pains just go i didnt beleive anyone when they said it and thought they its just because they are too involved with the baby , but i let my partner have the first hold as i didnt feel physically up to it with having the shakes and was too impressed with how huge the placenta is ! but as soon as she was out i wanted to go through it all over again it really is amazing
dont go for a c section unless you have to because giving birth is so amazing !
x

Hi Iam now on to my third child and if it was as terrifing & painful as alot of people tell me then I would have stopped at one. My expeiance with my first labour was very slow a steady build up( i was actuly laughing through most of it) the midwife was telling me to scream but i felt that would have been over the top. My baby came after 36 hours i managed with gas and air only he was a healthy 8.1 lbs and i tore badly . For me i found the pain nice in a very intense way it hurt but it wasnt as bad as i expected but didnt enjoy the stinging of the head crowning but this was over in secounds and the relif is amazing. I expected my 2nd labour to be the same however it wasnt. labour was much faster about 3 hrs and i was quite shocked at the pain i managed with gas and air again but i think they herd me scream in every ward in the hosp. i didnt enjoy the labour this time round at all but however felt no stinging and did not tear also i was a lot less tired and recovered quicker. I think from talking to other mums about subject that there is no way of determining how painful it will be. I think that you either deal with the pain of labour using whatever pain relief you need as its no competition and be aware it will hurt or go for a section and spent 3 weeks in pain and not be able to drive etc after all the stomach healing will be painful too but last for days as oppose to been over in a few hours.PS if i can do so can anyone my pain threashold very low cry when i stub my toe. About sex after : Well it will take a while after to feel like it( too tired due to night feeds etc) anyway and by the time you do you should be back to norm, pelvic floor is essentail to keep as before and if sex dosent feel same it will in time with pelvic exercise ask your midwife if you not sure how. good luck whatever you choose. Take care and CONGATULATIONS X

I can honestly say there is no other pain like it! I dont want to scare you but towards the end its bad. You dont thrash around screaming like on soaps cos the more you tense the more it hurts.

Its like very very bad perod pains (i mean like times it like a 1000!) But there is pain relief. I had a epidural and all the pain went. I loved that i did it natural and i was so proud of myself.

Afterwards you get really bad after pains but cos you have your little one you dont really notice them as much. Also i actually feel alot tighter down there (and my partner has also metioned that sorry if tmi!!)

If you get to do it natural its the best thing in the world. I would do it all over again tomorrow and i cant wait for baby no2!!

Good luck and take care
Syacey & 19wk old Olivia
x x x

reading this made me giggle, i had exactly the same thoughts when i first fell pregnant!!

there is no way i would want a c section if i could avoid it because it is after all major surgery.

my labour was fine. 9 hours start to finish and yes of course it hurt, one of the worst pains i have ever known, but i am a complete wimp and i found it bearable without any pain relief so believe me, it cant have been that bad. it is true what they say - as soon as you have your baby in your arms, you forget it anyway. but honestly, if you stay calm and dont panic, its fine.

in as far as sex is concerned, my hubby tells me it is no diff to before, i was petrified of having sex afterwards as i had stitches after my little boy was born, but just take it slowly and you will be fine. i do actually find sex more enjoyable now than i did before i had a baby.

enjoy your pregnancy, it goes soooooooooo fast!!

kelly and oliver, 13 weeks 4 days
xxx

im now 31 weeks pregnant with my 3rd and i can honestly say yes it is painful yes it is probably one of the worst pains ive ever experienced but its not all the time its not like your in pain for 1 week constantly it comes and goes and you do cope with the pain i had a 21 hour and a 20 min labour both times only with gas and air and breathing tecniques id learnt in ante natal classes, ive watched a c section and personally i would be petrified id much prefer a natural birth unless there was a real need to have one whatever is safest for bubs, as far as my lady bits both my girls have been decent sizes 8lbs 1 and a half and 10lbs 1 and a half ive never had 1 stitch nothing, and as for sex after to me and a lot of women ive spoken to everything feels a bit tighter after birth don;t knwo why but it does nice for me as i never experienced an orgasm until id given birth the 1st time * sorry tmi* hubby says he can;t feel any difference. thing about child birth is its really daunting as you have 9 months and you get closer and closer but by the time your massive and not sleeping etc you really want to make yourself go any way possible and its a relief when it actually starts plus the pain goes as soon as the baby is born and you dont care anyway as you have your son/daughter in your arms.

thanks for your reply nicki, strange that you and some other women actually felt tighter - although obviously that's good!

looks like i'll have to wait til i know if i can have a natural birth or have to have a c-section. don't like the idea of having another major operation, another scar etc.