Labor Experiences

tiyashrivasthav · January 2015

I am due in the month of march. I am a bit scare about labor. Please moms share your experiences.

bjwojton · January 2015

Contractions started two days before. Went to the hospital, got sent home because my contractions weren't close enough and the bleeding I had was normal (kinda frightening for a FTM to see though!) was at home for around 20 hours and finally went back around 3am because I didn't feel right and the contractions were getting super painful. They didn't think I was having them close enough so I was about to get sent home again. I asked for them to check and it turned out I was 5cm dilated and was moved to the delivery room immediately. I put up with the pain until about noon before they gave me the gas. Slightly helped but made me feel light headed. After a few hours I couldn't take it anymore and they gave me fentenol and broke my water since it was still intact (which sucked!). My body started pushing involuntarily even though they were telling me not to...and after a few big pushes, at 5:09pm out came my 7lb 2oz 21in baby. Second degree tears so I needed stitches... But was able to get up, shower, and walk around immediately after baby bonding time.

I'd be lying if I said giving birth wasn't terrifying and painful...and you might be like me and be convinced you can't do it, but your body will take over and pretty much get baby out for you.

Good luck!

wmmader · January 2015

With my first baby I had a water birth which was the most amazing experience of my life! My labor lasted 13 hours. And I would say that the first 10 of those were easy until I got into the active stage of labor, then the pain and pressure were very intense. But they always say that labor isn't ever more than you can handle. Once I got I the birthing tub with my husband, I would fall asleep between contractions and moan and groan through them but the water definitely helped keep me calm and relaxed. I even asked my midwife "why do women do this!!!" Well once my daughter was born I knew exactly why! Trust me, I had terrible anxiety about labor and delivery before I experienced it first hand... Every time I would try to watch a birthing video, I would vomit! So I eventually told myself that I would have to wing it. Having my wonderful husband by my side made a huge world of difference. My advice to you would be to have a great support person by your side throughout labor and delivery! It makes a world of difference!

sschwege · January 2015

You should check out the book, "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth" you could probably get it from the library and it's definitely available on your Kindle. The first half has the most beautiful, inspiring birth stories. I actually went back and read some of the stories when I was pregnant with baby #2 whenever I started to feel nervous and I'm sure I will do the same this time around as well.

MrsR11 · January 2015

FTM, had 7 hours of labour, 2 of them were active. I didn't even have time for a shower at the hospital! I don't remember it hurting or anything like that, I just remember it being hard work. Rest between your contractions, and don't be afraid to ask for anything that you think might help you. I remember needing a cool wet wash cloth for my head between contractions to help me relax and be comfortable. Good luck and keep us posted!

TwinsCitiesMomma · January 2015

I second the Ina May's book. The first half are all beautiful stories of women who gave birth naturally. Very inspiring and gave me courage.

KateLouise · January 2015

I've had two natural births.

DD1 was 7 hours of natural birth. Pushed for 1 1/2 hrs. Required 2 stitches. 9lbs 2oz

DD2 was 2 hrs of natural labour. Pushed for 6 contractions. No stitches. 10lbs (born on the bathroom floor, DH had to catch her. Oops

)

Both were really great experiences in completely different ways. I agree with pp who said it was more hard work than painful. In that yes it hurt for me, but it was like the pain that comes from pushing your muscles hard, not like breaking leg.

I also agree to do whatever works for you. I was given a wheat pack for my back, which was great but then it made me way too hot, so my mw got me a fan.

Also I loved being in the shower and bath, made a big difference to my comfort.

Best wishes, and let us know how it all goes.

Amee12 · February 2015

Water broke at 35w+3d just hanging out at home with DH, went to the hospital, verified my water had broken and checked to see if I was dilated. Well I wasn't dilated at all. This was at 7pm, told me to rest up and gave me Benadryl at 1am to help me sleep. Maybe 30 mins after the Benadryl I started feeling my contractions, I breathed through them and tried to relax as much as possible. Nurse came in a few hours later after hearing me moan & groan and asked if she could check me. I was 8cm dilated at that point. She called the CNM and baby's nurse in, I pushed for 1 hour and had my sweet boy in my arms. Wasn't as painful as I thought it'd be, it all happened so quickly. I was extremely scared since he was coming so early. Thank god for my supportive husband.

TwinsCitiesMomma · February 2015

Amee12 said:

Water broke at 35w+3d just hanging out at home with DH, went to the hospital, verified my water had broken and checked to see if I was dilated. Well I wasn't dilated at all. This was at 7pm, told me to rest up and gave me Benadryl at 1am to help me sleep. Maybe 30 mins after the Benadryl I started feeling my contractions, I breathed through them and tried to relax as much as possible. Nurse came in a few hours later after hearing me moan & groan and asked if she could check me. I was 8cm dilated at that point. She called the CNM and baby's nurse in, I pushed for 1 hour and had my sweet boy in my arms. Wasn't as painful as I thought it'd be, it all happened so quickly. I was extremely scared since he was coming so early. Thank god for my supportive husband.

I really hope my labor is just as smooth, relatively speaking. Wait, so what happened between the 8cm and 10cm? How long was that?

Amee12 · February 2015

@TwinsCitiesMomma‌ I'm not really sure. After the Benadryl at 1 to her coming to check me was a few hours and I pushed for 1 hour so maybe an hour or 2? When she told me I was that far along my husband said "holy shit babe you really are going without pain meds?!" And that got me to the end, knowing I was so close to meeting our little man. I also did horse lips through the contractions (read about it in one of the books I read) as silly as it sounds it totally distracted me and got me through. Good luck! You'll do great, just stay positive.

kateslp · February 2015

I had a labor that was 30 hours and a planned low risk fully attended home birth. I'm so blessed for the experience

tiyashrivasthav · February 2015

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences.

smashbaby111 · February 2015

FTM due in May here, but I have been so inspired by Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth too, I would definitely recommend checking it out!

JCWhitey · February 2015

I have my birth story in the pinned post if it's still there. But basically my water broke at 2am, contractions started around 3, got to the hospital around 3:30 and was already in transition. Transition sucked but it was short lived and I started pushing around 6:30. Pushing was amazing, I felt powerful and it was a pain free process for me. DS was born at 7:14. I didn't tear and was up and walking around a few hours later.

Then last Tuesday I went into labor with DD at 32 weeks, 6 days. I had 16 hours of contractions that were 4-8 minutes apart and a minute long. For two hours I was strapped to a gurney in an ambulance on a bumpy road. That sucked. Then for about 6 hours I was strapped to monitors and IVs and getting shots and pills. It was miserable but we got it to stop without much progression. I can say now that, hands down, having the freedom to move and not being on a monitor is sooooo much nicer. We needed to stop labor so I wasn't moving but it was rough. The monitor really seemed to make things worse, it added a lit of pressure during contractions and the strap around my back was uncomfortable. So I'm happy that if I can go to term my doctor will let me labor without the monitor.

So, in my experience, moving around and just giving in to your body and doing what feels comfortable is hands down better than being stuck in bed without an epi.

egyptianmommie · February 2015

I have 2.
First was nice. Contractions started lightly at 11:50am. Water broke 5 minutes later (in a toilet i might add), contractions got stronger very quickly. At 12:15 we headed to the hospital, which was a 3 minute drive from where we were. Pain was pretty good, but i had decided not to het an epidural until i couldn't take the pain. Got checked afyer getti g situated in the room, was at 7cm. i felt a lot of pressure so they checked me again and i was 10. Took 10 minutes of pushing anf DS#1 was born at 1:11pm.

Second was a little different. my entire pregnancy i suffered from HG, and 2 weeks before i had him i fell down my stairs hitting every step with my bum. Damaged my tailbone. So i woke up that day, felt fine. At around 8:45 i started having some contractions. I had been having contractions a lot, including the night before dancing. So i went and took a shower. Contractions got stronger, a lot stronger. Had my son, almost 3 at the time, go to get his father. Daddy told him to go play. Ugh. Got out of the shower and went and woke him up. Told him we had to go right then. Got dressed and dropped DS#1 off at my brother's downstairs and headed to the hospital. Took us 15 minutes. Went on in, got checked and i was only 3cm! Thought it was going to take a while. Had the urge to go to the bathroom so i got up to go, my honey by my side. Contractions got really strong and i wanted an epidural. The nurse told me the anastisiologist (forgive the spelling) was in surgery. I was told the could give me something in my IV to dull the pain, but they had to make sure i wasn't 8cm or more first. Well i was only 3 or so minutes before so i had no worry. WRONG! They checked me and i was 9. So no medicine for me. I felt that i had to push and do it right then, i was pushing before the dr came in, was crowning by the time the dr was ready for me. took a total of 5 pushes to deliver DS#2 AT 10:35am.
Since i have had such speedy labor and deliveries, i have to inform my OB (moved recently) that they are so short so they are aware of the posibilty of the 3rd going just as fast.

WDDCH · February 2015

Preparation for natural birth is essential for many reasons. Firstly I know women who had natural births but not by choice and felt traumatized. It wasn't what they were expecting. They were expecting epidurals and pain-free (or very minimal pain).

Whereas a momma who desires one but is so caught off guard by contractions may opt for narcotics and possibly regret it later (this was me with my first two births!) I told myself that I was going to "try" natural and if it didn't happen then there are drugs there. I had zero preparation for labor and birth. I took baby care and breastfeeding classes but skipped childbirth class because my thought was, "The doctor and nurses will get me through it." False! I was alone 99% of the time.

Okay so all that said check out BirthBootCamp (online childbirth education specifically for natural childbirth). I love the owner/creator. She's a no BS southern gal who really gives you awesome info. If you're an introvert, like me, you'll appreciate online classes you can take at your own pace and re-watch as needed.

WDDCH · February 2015

PS not affiliated with that childbirth course. I have taken it and just highly recommend! I had three natural births after my first two epidural births. You can do this!!!

mistyjewel88 · February 2015

In labor for 2 days but did not no it. Had contractions but when I called doc they said if I can talk I'm not in labor. Got up at 2 in the morning needing to clean the bathroom lol. Drank my coffee and shower, shaved and makeup by 7. Husband said he was taking me in...I thought it was false labor. Got to hospital dialated to 5 had her in an hour with no drugs. Very easy labor. Hopefully this one will be just as easy. Don't let some of these stories scare you. Everyone is different.

jenjenbrassard · May 2015

I was in labour for 34 hours. I'd been to the hospital the first morning after seeing blood after peeing first thing in the morning and was told I was dilated about a fingertip wide. Later that afternoon I went to see my OBGYN and she did a stretch and sweep and my contractions got stronger from there. That night around midnight my contractions were 5-1-1 and I went to the hospital and was told I was only 2 cm dilated. Dh, my mom, my dad and my MIL and I spent 2 hours walking around the hospital trying to further my labour but nothing happened and I remained 2 cms. I didn't sleep at all that night and spent the whole night tossing and turning. I went back to the hospital in the morning and was told I was still only 2 cm dilated and was given a morphine shot so I could get some sleep. 3 hours later the nurse came back and told me to go walk around and eat because DS's heartbeat was a little low (a side effect of the morphine). Once he was ok, the nurse told me I could go home and didnt check my dilation. As soon as I was out of the hospital my contractions worsened and felt like they were never ending. After about an hour at home the pain was unbearable and I told my MIL I was going to take a shower to see if it helped. Well, she wasn't having it and tool me right to the hospital. Once there I was checked and was finally far along enough to be admitted (4-5 cm). They gave me a gown and asked me if I wanted an epidural and I said yes. I was taken right up to my birthing room where my epidural was being prepped. When the nurse checked me I'd progressed to 9 cm (in a matter of 15 minutes) and I was told there was no time. 20 minutes later my baby boy was here!

erashallbe · May 2015

I've had two natural births and I intend this next one to be the same. Both were in the hospital, but completely natural; I had great doctors and nurses.

Both of them I went into labor around 4am then gave birth around noon. I would walk as much as possible and then lay down to fully relax when I was nearing and in transition. They had to break my water both times because I was complete without it having broken yet.

Pushing can be the hardest thing to understand because it's not always necessary. It took me about an hour the first time to really figure out how to push properly. This time I think I'm going to just let my body do it and 'breathe' baby out.

Both my boys were face up so I tore bad each time. Don't know if I'll be able to prevent it next time. It ALL starts with your decision to birth naturally and the mental endurance you gain by knowing that you love that child so much, you want to bring it into the world the best and safest way.

You're gonna be great!

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