Are labour pains sharp or are they like horrific period pains etc? I'd really like to know any experiences people have had just so I sort of know what to expect
No one can really answer this for you, because it is different for everyone. Everyone has a different pain tolerance. For me, they were really horrible period like pains. I had a friend who literally had no pain at all, and another who was like the women you see on tv screaming bloody freakin murder!
At first I didn't feel them at all. I went in at 40w so they could see where my progress was and they had me hooked up to a machine that showed I was having contractions. I didn't start feeling them until 41w & 6 days. They felt like very mild period cramps that slowly became horrible pain. I didn't scream out because that feels foolish and unnatural for me...I just held on to things, and squeezed with all my might.
Mine, with my first, were like mild period cramps. They became more intense as time progressed, but they weren't unbearable. The only thing I can say is the pain was enough to keep me from sleeping solidly. I was in labor for 60 hours, start to finish, with an epidural the last 12 hours. Wasn't nearly as bad as I had anticipated, but I also have a pretty high pain tolerance. It's different for everyone.
All of those that say it's like tightening or period cramps...you give me hope that maybe I'm thinking this will be way worse than it is! I hope I'm like you lol
Hmm...for me the pain got worse with each child... My third was the worst!!!!! Horrible period pain, lots of pressure everywhere... Pain was so bad I'd tremble and made me wanna vomit!!!! Hopefully this time around its not as bad... Ugh...
@R0xanne1634 it was worse for me with my third as well. I think because it was a MUCH faster labour so things were more intense. I was begging for an epi at 5 cms and with my first I didn't even have one ( and I had back labour with my first because he was sunny side up). I get contractions all the time now that are just a tightening and slight cramping, makes it hard to catch my breath for a second. Labour for me starts with that but in a regular pattern feeling a lot like period cramps that gradually just get more and more intense.
I will never understand how some women don't feel anything! For both of my daughters I had back labor and until I got my epidural, the pain was intense. I had almost no time to rest before a new contraction would begin. My mom and DH had to apply hard pressure and massage my lower back the whole time to get some relief. I had not dilated at all before going in to be induced though so maybe I had to wait longer than most? Who knows? Once you get the epidural you'll be great, but I'm not looking forward to the contractions I'll have to endure in the beginning!
I had back labour with my first 2 and It started out like bad cramps then got a lot more intense and felt like someone was crushing my lower back with each contraction. Thank goodness for epidurals. I wish I could experience what labour feels like when the baby isn't posterior though. My sister had easy labours and never needed anything other than gas. She always described her contractions as pressure rather than pain. Lucky lady.
Re: labour & pains