What does it feel like to give birth?

.45auto

Could I ask you ladies a question? What does it feel like to give birth? Obviously its painful but there must be more to it than that?

Neyite

Why would you like to know OP?

Why not tell us about you first before asking us about our most intimate moments, eh?

And why would you put a title like that on your thread in a forum full of pregnant women?

.45auto

Neyite wrote: »

Why would you like to know OP?

Why not tell us about you first before asking us about our most intimate moments, eh?

And why would you put a title like that on your thread in a forum full of pregnant women?

Just curious is all im not trying to offend.

Neyite

Then I'll amend your thread title. I'll also move it to Newborns and Toddlers because at least then, you'll have people in the forum who have given birth, rather than asking a forum where many may not yet have had the experience of birth and may prefer not to hear birth stories. Particularity difficult or traumatic ones.

If people want to share their birth stories they are free to do so but without offering any input as to whether you yourself are expecting, or your partner is, or your reasons other than curiosity, you might not get a lot of replies.

Lucuma

Good points Neyite I wouldn't have even thought of that aspect. Having looked at the previous posts of the OP I don't think I'll be adding my twopence worth.....18yo and into guns and porn hmm.

endacl

I haven't given birth myself, but I'd imagine it's the physical equivalent of the embarrassment of looking back as an adult in years to come at all the stupid threads I'd started when I was too dumb to know any better?

LegacyUser

Are you a male?Then my honest answer is that I can't really explain it to you, because it's pain that most women know anyway,from years of monthly cycles, magnified.It's not a pain that men know.(yes I know that sounds sexist, but it's not meant to be.It's just biology)
But we're built to do it.So we do.
If you're female....really, I wouldn't worry too much about it.When the time comes, there'll be plenty of people there to explain it and get you through.

Fluffy Cat 88

Sure it's grand. Look at all those women with more than 1 child. Loved it so much they did it again!

It's a truly wonderful miraculous experience. A peaceful feeling envelopes your body. Birds sing, rainbows fill the sky. The euphoria hits as you give that final push.

Yes I'm child-free.

I'll get me coat...

eviltwin

No one can answer because no one birth is like another. So much depends on how you give birth, the circumstances, the state of mind of the mother, the people around her. It's a very personal thing.

Leogirl

I've only had 1 baby, 10 weeks ago so it's fresh enough. Yes it's painful, contractions really really hurt!!! :-) but with an epidural, it wasn't so bad. It's hard work pushing with all your might too, an epidural doesn't mean there's no work to be done!!

Then there are all sorts of things that can happen to mean it's not smooth sailing. I was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 weeks before giving birth so they had to do everything possible to avoid c section (would delay treatment). That's not so bad but unfortunately I got group strep b + both baby+I were in danger. I never worked so hard in my life to get this baby out on time- I had just a few minutes before they would go for section- ended up with suction+bring cut. I was in bits, thought I just couldn't do it. It's absolutely exhausting.

Within a few hours I was showered+ refreshed+ within days, I was fine- honestly fine. A week later I could not remember the pain. I couldn't describe it now, it's completely forgotten! So as hard+ painful as it is, it doesn't last+ personally speaking, it's forgotten quickly.

It can't be that bad if I'm missing being pregnant+ would be delighted to do it all over again :-)

javagal

I don't feel In anyway comfortable describing it to a male stranger as my first Labour was complicated and I had a very traumatizing time but yes there is more to it than pain.
It's amazing what you realise you can achieve and the emotions flying around are just phenomenal.

Mink

Is it just me or does this all seem a bit creepy?

Leogirl

I didn't read all posts, I thought it was a woman :-(

gillymuffins

Leogirl wrote: »

I've only had 1 baby, 10 weeks ago so it's fresh enough. Yes it's painful, contractions really really hurt!!! :-) but with an epidural, it wasn't so bad. It's hard work pushing with all your might too, an epidural doesn't mean there's no work to be done!!

Then there are all sorts of things that can happen to mean it's not smooth sailing. I was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 weeks before giving birth so they had to do everything possible to avoid c section (would delay treatment). That's not so bad but unfortunately I got group strep b + both baby+I were in danger. I never worked so hard in my life to get this baby out on time- I had just a few minutes before they would go for section- ended up with suction+bring cut. I was in bits, thought I just couldn't do it. It's absolutely exhausting.

Within a few hours I was showered+ refreshed+ within days, I was fine- honestly fine. A week later I could not remember the pain. I couldn't describe it now, it's completely forgotten! So as hard+ painful as it is, it doesn't last+ personally speaking, it's forgotten quickly.

It can't be that bad if I'm missing being pregnant+ would be delighted to do it all over again :-)

So sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I hope you've recovered well from giving birth and wish you all the best on your treatment. Congratulations on your new arrival!

Leogirl

gillymuffins wrote:

So sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I hope you've recovered well from giving birth and wish you all the best on your treatment. Congratulations on your new arrival!

Ah thank you. I'm well recovered from the birth. I honestly feel+ look like I never had a baby :-) I'm halfway through my chemo+ baby is thriving. Guess it's going well even if its a pretty c*ap situation.

Lisha

Congrats Leogirl on your baby. I hope you get to enjoy your baby so much.

Best of luck with the treatment too.

I really admire you for managing to avoid the section. It's not always easy but seriously well done.

Hope you and your family have a fabulous Christmas .

Toots

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b81Cr97ANrk

OP if you're so curious, you can 'simulate' labour pains for yourself, you just need to go get one of those muscle stimulation machines and crank it up as high as it will go, and attach it to your abdomen, back, and gooch. Then get naked from the waist down and invite some people who you've never met to get in there with you, and pay an inordinate amount of attention to your nether regions. Then when the pain gets so bad that you think you're going to die, get them to hold your legs up to your chest and scream manically at you to push!

I've no idea how you'd go about simulating an episiotomy, you're on your own there.

Leogirl

Toots wrote:

I've no idea how you'd go about simulating an episiotomy, you're on your own there.

Toots wrote:

OP if you're so curious, you can 'simulate' labour pains for yourself, you just need to go get one of those muscle stimulation machines and crank it up as high as it will go, and attach it to your abdomen, back, and gooch. Then get naked from the waist down and invite some people who you've never met to get in there with you, and pay an inordinate amount of attention to your nether regions. Then when the pain gets so bad that you think you're going to die, get them to hold your legs up to your chest and scream manically at you to push!

Toots wrote:

OP if you're so curious, you can 'simulate' labour pains for yourself, you just need to go get one of those muscle stimulation machines and crank it up as high as it will go, and attach it to your abdomen, back, and gooch. Then get naked from the waist down and invite some people who you've never met to get in there with you, and pay an inordinate amount of attention to your nether regions. Then when the pain gets so bad that you think you're going to die, get them to hold your legs up to your chest and scream manically at you to push!

Toots wrote:

I've no idea how you'd go about simulating an episiotomy, you're on your own there.

Brilliant :-)

Leogirl

And you forgot to mention get someone, even a few people, to give you a battering down below for a few hours-then try to sit, lie, walk, go to the loo etc. The pain doesn't stop once baby comes out :-)

IvyTheTerrible

Leogirl wrote: »

And you forgot to mention get someone, even a few people, to give you a battering down below for a few hours-then try to sit, lie, walk, go to the loo etc. The pain doesn't stop once baby comes out :-)

And for the extra authentic feeling, he must wear those disposable net underpants!

Leogirl

IvyTheTerrible wrote:

And for the extra authentic feeling, he must wear those disposable net underpants!

I never had those! Bought them but never bothered. Cheap black granny knickers from penneys did the trick :-) oh thank God those first few weeks are over. :-)

madeinamerica

Lol I'm sure the OP wasn't expecting a discussion on disposable underwear and granny knickers!!

Whispered

Leogirl wrote: »

I never had those! Bought them but never bothered. Cheap black granny knickers from penneys did the trick :-) oh thank God those first few weeks are over. :-)

My baby is a year old. *tucks granny knickers bought for "the few weeks after birth" down below waistline*

Toots

Whispered wrote: »

My baby is a year old. *tucks granny knickers bought for "the few weeks after birth" down below waistline*

Once you go granny you never go back! Pure comfort!

Oh, we forgot to discuss the fear of the first post-labour poo. I'd say you'd need a whole lot of LSD to simulate terror on that scale!

Lashes28

Whispered wrote: »

My baby is a year old. *tucks granny knickers bought for "the few weeks after birth" down below waistline*

Hahaha me too!!! Two pregnancies in a row, a thong looks like a foreign object to me now!!! I'm only 30, children what have you done to me lol lol

mirrorwall14

Oh God the post labour bathroom visits.... Thanks be to God for the internet and the advice online to bring a squirty bottle.....

Neyite

And the worst part?

The hormones incessantly telling you that you'd do it allll over again. Before the stitches of the first birth have even healed!

Hormones are mad yokes altogether.

But joking aside, giving birth is pretty intense, but at the same time, awesome. You've so much more respect and admiration for your body and what it can do after you have a baby.

Penny Dreadful

Neyite wrote: »

And the worst part?

The hormones incessantly telling you that you'd do it allll over again. Before the stitches of the first birth have even healed!

Hormones are mad yokes altogether.

But joking aside, giving birth is pretty intense, but at the same time, awesome. You've so much more respect and admiration for your body and what it can do after you have a baby.

Hormones are responsible for a lot:eek::D They've tricked me into getting pregnant again and its so lovely I had to pull the car over this morning on the way to work to throw up. Again.

Giving birth is a pretty amazing thing to do. Its hard, intense, difficult and part of you thinks "WTF am I doing". It is the most basic primal thing I think I have ever done and it was and still is the most difficult thing I have ever willingly put myself through. It was also the most fabulous thing too as it gave me/ us our funny, cool, little girl who is just the best thing ever.

Lucuma

Toots wrote: »

Once you go granny you never go back! Pure comfort!
!

OMG so true.....I wore thongs only before no.1 and I had a whole collection of slippery, silky, lacey little numbers which I recently finally threw out (might as well face facts...they will never be worn again!) I couldn't look at a thong now either! I mean apart from anything else thong + piles = not a good mix. Did anyone mention post-pregnancy piles yet...... :-D

pooch90

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

Oh God the post labour bathroom visits.... Thanks be to God for the internet and the advice online to bring a squirty bottle.....

Hang on, what's this now???

Oryx

pooch90 wrote: »

Hang on, what's this now???

Eh... rinsing effect.

They say the pain of labour fades, but the pain of the first post-partum wee... never

mirrorwall14

Rinsing effect is a waaaaaay more polite way of putting it than I could have come up with. Abrasions and tears or in my case cut and stitches sting like a mfkr. Water is soothing after that....

Whispered

Suddenly glad I was sectioned. :pac:

endacl

Whispered wrote: »

Suddenly glad I was sectioned. :pac:

Mental Health Act, or caesarean?!?

Toots

Oryx wrote: »

Eh... rinsing effect.

They say the pain of labour fades, but the pain of the first post-partum wee... never

Do what I did - hobble to the bathroom before the epidural had fully worn off! Didn't feel a thing for the first wee! Couldn't really feel my legs either though, so make sure you've got someone to haul you off the can when you're done!

Worst thing for me was the fear of the first no 2. Three days post partum and nothing. They wanted me to go before going home so they gave me suppositories to make me go. I still get cold sweats thinking about that!

IvyTheTerrible

Toots wrote: »

Do what I did - hobble to the bathroom before the epidural had fully worn off! Didn't feel a thing for the first wee! Couldn't really feel my legs either though, so make sure you've got someone to haul you off the can when you're done!

Worst thing for me was the fear of the first no 2. Three days post partum and nothing. They wanted me to go before going home so they gave me suppositories to make me go. I still get cold sweats thinking about that!

Ah, in the clinic where I gave birth they make you buzz for someone to go the toilet with you for the first time just in case!

angeldelight

Whispered wrote: »

Suddenly glad I was sectioned. :pac:

My thoughts exactly! I was super lucky though, had practically no pain after the section and was off painkillers before leaving the hospital. Knowing I have a choice next time due to previous section I know which way I'm leaning!

tickingclock

Whispered wrote: »

Suddenly glad I was sectioned. :pac:

Agree with you!!!

Leogirl

I was so sick with strep b during labour+ had temp of almost 39° that i drank litres of water, vomited, more water, vomited etc for hours. Resulting in needing to pee about 30 mins post delivery+ I didn't feel a thing. The dreaded #2 was terrifying - I expected agony, it was nowhere near as bad as I expected. Still hurt+ I was literally shaking with fear going in.

Poor op, I wonder did he expect quite so much info. :-)

Neyite

You can still get the poo fear with a section -probably on a much smaller scale though!) The thought of straining on the loo with abdomen stitches brought me out in a cold sweat. Luckily whatever drug cocktail they gave me also gave me very loose bowels so no straining necessary.

smarty_mcfly

Leogirl wrote: »

Ah thank you. I'm well recovered from the birth. I honestly feel+ look like I never had a baby :-) I'm halfway through my chemo+ baby is thriving. Guess it's going well even if its a pretty c*ap situation.

wishing you all the best for a speedy recovery Leogirl!

Lucuma

pooch90 wrote: »

Hang on, what's this now???

You need to keep the stitches clean. A few drops of tea tree oil in the water in the squirty bottle works wonders in this regard. I had a friend who had to be readmitted to hospital with infected stitches - not nice!

Oryx

This thread should come with a warning, Do Not Read If Expecting First Child

IvyTheTerrible

Oryx wrote: »

This thread should come with a warning, Do Not Read If Expecting First Child

Oh I think it's helpful (once it's not exaggerated horror stories!)!
I wish I had known more about what happens after the birth, it would have made my life easier if I had been able to prepare.
Buying the right pads that don't irritate stitches.
Eating to prevent constipation in advance of the birth.
Having lansinoh on hand to help with soreness in breastfeeding straight away.
Knowing about how much you bleed (and for how many weeks after the birth).
Just simple things like that would have helped the first month be a bit easier.

Lucuma

Toots wrote: »

Do what I did - hobble to the bathroom before the epidural had fully worn off! Didn't feel a thing for the first wee! Couldn't really feel my legs either though, so make sure you've got someone to haul you off the can when you're done!

Worst thing for me was the fear of the first no 2. Three days post partum and nothing. They wanted me to go before going home so they gave me suppositories to make me go. I still get cold sweats thinking about that!

That sounds dangerous!

I didn't have an epidural but the midwives still made me do my first 3 wees into these cardboard bowl thingys?! Is that just a CUMH thing?! It was very difficult to co-ordinate! I was cursing those bloody things

Diamond Doll

I had stitches but didn't experience any of the stinging or discomfort that a lot of people seem to. As for the first bowel movement afterwards, the fear of it was terrible, but it was actually fine.

Digs

Diamond Doll wrote: »

I had stitches but didn't experience any of the stinging or discomfort that a lot of people seem to. As for the first bowel movement afterwards, the fear of it was terrible, but it was actually fine.

Yeah the psychological fear for me was much worse than the experience. I was actually grand!

LegacyUser

Haha!Great thread (as I face into baby number 2!) I was so paranoid about keeping stitches clean AND the bowel movement thing.It was actually fine but it didn't happen til about four days afterwards (gas and air seized everything up, it happens!!!), and I drank so much water and orange juice it was ok (TMI!!!).I didn't have an epidural or anything but I didn't have any problems with the first pee...

Odd Lucuma, I was treated for strep b during labour and was fine.Baba and I were kept in for five days afterwards as her temp rose slightly, so she was treated with antibiotics.
Rotunda make you pee in a jug too once afterwards.(why??....)
The bleeding thing got me actually.They kept asking what the blood was like and I kept saying it was fine (sure it had been so long since I'd seen that, I couldn't remember!!)I had a small haemorrage the following week though and had to go back in-some tissue was left insode.Not the biggest of deals but after I had a d&c to get sorted and saw the bleeding then I realised that I had been totally wrong about what I thought it should look like!!

Are you getting a good picture of what birth is like OP?As a male friend of ours said after the birth of their first "I've a whole new level of respect for you women after that!"

Whispered

Neyite wrote: »

You can still get the poo fear with a section -probably on a much smaller scale though!) The thought of straining on the loo with abdomen stitches brought me out in a cold sweat. Luckily whatever drug cocktail they gave me also gave me very loose bowels so no straining necessary.

Oh absolutely. No stitches so peeing was no problem but I lied to the doctor who was signing me out and said I had had a bm because I really wanted to be home with my husband and my dogs and my bed. I had lost a lot of blood during the section so I was on tablets for that too. Which is probably why my baby was 6 days old before my first bm.
Honestly, it was worse than labour, worse than anything I've ever experienced. The fear and the pain. I thought my stitches would burst. I'll never forget it. I totally wasn't expecting it at all. I wish I had known so I could have taken something.

angeldelight

Oh that sounds horrific! I didn't have any issues thankfully, I asked to be prescribed lactulose and because it was only on chart as required nurses didn't offer it but I asked for it regularly and was fine, not even too nervous!

Toots

I asked could I get another epidural for the poo......