Moms: Can you describe labor pain?

SeaSoul

I don't mean the severity of the pain, but the type of pain.  Is there anything you can compare it to (e.g. menstrual cramps), even though it's undoubtedly 1000 times worse?  I know they say contractions are similar to braxton hicks except with pain on top of the uterus tightening.  But since my BH contrax are painless I can't quite imagine them with pain.  And as for your cervix dilating - does that have a pain of its own?  Does your cervix actually hurt? 

I guess I've never really heard anyone even try to describe the pain other than vague references to the severity of it.  If you have a way with words, please enlighten me as best you can! 

lolalillie

For me they were like the Braxton Hicks mixed with bad period cramps.  They really did come in waves.  The worst for me was when I would have contractions in my back.  They were the same sensation except in my lower back and that made me feel really weak.

Overall though, for me, it was not as bad as I thought it would be. GOOD LUCK

InACitySoNice

I never had BH contractions, so I didn't know what to expect.  I guess it was like really bad menstrual cramps, like pp wrote, but I also had another feeling ... It felt like the baby was trying to claw her way out of my uterus and cervix.  It was a bad feeling.  But it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be.  The clawing feeling sucked, though. 

Mrs.Reem

To me it felt like a charlie horse in my uterus. It started off like when you feel yourself pull a muscle but then it continues to get tighter and tighter and then it starts to ease off.

jsusann

Okay...I'm really being honest here...but keep in mind that my baby was not dropping and couldn't make it beyond a certain point b/c she was sunny-side-up. Also, my epidural would not work at all. So when people ask....honestly ask...I tell them how it felt to me. At the height of the worst contractions it felt like someone took a hammer and smashed me as hard as possible right down the middle of my pelvis (sorry if it's tmi). You know the feeling when you crack your head on something when you stand up really fast and hit a shelf or something like that. It stuns you for a second before the pain slowly subsides? It's kind of like that but it takes a while for the pain (contraction) to subside. Then put non-stop contractions together and you have just plain torture. It's the most intense pain I can describe to you. But remember my dd's head was stuck and face up...hence the intence pelvis pain. Hopefully you will not endure such awful pain..some people don't. Also I highly recommend all pain medicines and hopefully they work well! Sorry to be so explicit.

roaringrock

my belly felt like it was going to explode. the intense pressure and pain was horrific and with no relief! but remember, I had lots of pitocen which is evil. very evil.

I'm working on my birth story -- part 2, btw.

 

roaringrock

oh, and she was sunny-side up as well. ridiculous pain.

(and not typical.)

jsusann

Oh, I'll add to roaringrock's response too...I was induced and on lots of pitocin which I will agree..is PLAIN EVIL! My water had broken and I truly believe my dd was not ready to be born that day.

dundasgirl

For me the pain of contractions was like menstrual cramps but alot worse and sort of like the feeling you get when you drop in a roller coaster?  Well it was like waves of pain like that.  I didn't have an epidural and I definitely felt the ring of fire...it was like a ring of burning burning burning.  But the good thing about labour pains is that in between contractions you are actually okay.

My whole labour from first contraction to him being born was only four hours so lots of people had it waayyy worse than me.

crystalgirl

I can't describe it...To me it was not like cramps at all.  But I did want to say that for the first 6 hours or so, the pain went away between contractions.  After that though, nope.  It would subside, but in no way was I "okay" between contractions.  I was still in a lot of pain.  DS was not sunny side up, but I still had contrax in both my front and back.  I couldn't find any laboring positions that helped to be honest.  I was constantly changing position trying to find one that helped, and then I finally couldn't take it anymore and got the epidural.  The contraction that came on while getting the epidural was super fun, lemme tell ya.  I was sooooo glad I finally gave in.  I'm convinced I would have been too exhausted to push and would have ended up with a C, if I hadn't.

pirate-elle

Bad menstrual cramps and so much tightening around the belly it hurt. But it did ebb and flow, so in between contractions, I was not pain-free, but was okay.

The pain in my pelvis was like an intense pressure, which finally got so strong I couldn't fight the urge to push.

And the 'ring of fire' did indeed burn, but pushing through that pain was kind of a relief (and without epi or meds).

Good Luck - you'll be fine!

Livvie's Mom

First, Sea Soul, what a good question!  I wish I had asked that before I delivered my daughter. I had invisioned it being pain up high since by that time, that's where your belly is.  But like mostly everyone else for me it was like menstrual cramps but on a new level that you can't even imagine at this point.  Also, I'm on team "Pitocin is the devil".  There weren't really any breaks between the contractions etc.. 

I've heard other people that have had great labor stories that the pain was minor and the baby was out quick.  I think when you go into labor naturally it's much better.

Oh and one last comment.  When the baby's head comes out... ouch!  Even with epidural and it's over relatively quickly but OMG, no good.   Again, my body was NOT ready to deliver my little peanut so I think that's why I ran into problems.