Painless labor?

PediRN · Mar 2, 2004

I am due in about 7 weeks and after hearing horror story after horror story this is all music to my ears. Thank you!!

Stephanie D · Mar 2, 2004

Any relation to hight of the mother laboring? In my (limited) experience, taller moms have a much easier time.

Yeah, actually she was tall. Her records said she was almost 5'10.

imenid37 · Mar 2, 2004

Sorry to steal the thunder from you tall gals, but I am only 5'0" and my sister is 4'10"! I have had both tall and short pt's deliver w/ a wide variation in their intensity of pain.

allnurses Guide · Mar 2, 2004

It may have something to do with pain tolerance but I also think genetics may play a part. You may just have been born with a body that has less pain with contractions, for whatever reason.

I did have very painful labors with my first three lady partsl deliveries, so much so that I wondered why the heck I kept getting pregnant. :) I didn't have an epidural with any of them but I hated the feeling of not being able to control my body. There was no way to stop the next contraction and the next and the next and I didn't like that. It was coming no matter what I did and I took Lamaze and used their breathing techniques.

With my 4th, I talked to the doc about an epidural at one of my first appointments. I work OB and I am a firm believer that you should not have to suffer through the pain if you do not want to. I'm not a natural childbirth nazi - nor am I a breastfeeding nazi. Although I think both are good, I would also not ever push a woman to do something she did not want to do.

I did have an epidural and it was blessed peace . . . .

Most of the women I have been with during labor have labor pains that hurt. The ones that don't are few. It is an amazing time with those women as it almost seems like they are made to give birth. I love those deliveries. The one's that are difficult are the women who jump up on the bed screaming for the doc to "get this f&$#%!!ing baby out of me" . . . . I'm also amazed at that . .how can she stand up there like that? :)

Childbirth . . . . its a miracle.

steph

ayndim · Mar 2, 2004

Any relation to hight of the mother laboring? In my (limited) experience, taller moms have a much easier time.

I am short, only 5 ft 4 in. I think it is attitude. If people didn't try to scare women I think they would be less tense and have less pain. And the caregiver. I think CNM's in general have better outcomes.

allnurses Guide · Mar 2, 2004

I am short, only 5 ft 4 in. I think it is attitude. If people didn't try to scare women I think they would be less tense and have less pain. And the caregiver. I think CNM's in general have better outcomes.

I just don't think it is attitude. I prepared by taking a 6 week Lamaze class, practiced with my supportive husband, had a really good attitude and it still hurt with my first. Of course with the subsequent babies, I KNEW what to expect so maybe attitude had a part to play then (fear). But with my first, I was so very prepared. It came as a shock to me that I had nothing to say about the next contraction coming up and that I couldn't say, "nope, not gonna do this, let's go home". I know it might sound silly but the feeling of not having control over what was happening was awful for me. I'm not saying the breathing didn't help me with anxiety but it DID NOT help with lessening the pain of the contraction.

I do not like people sitting around talking about whose pain was worse and scaring pregnant women, so I'm sorry about sharing details here but I don't think it is fair to say that if women had a better attitude, then it wouldn't hurt so much.

I still think it might just be genetics and the way your body responds to labor that has more to do with the pain of labor. If someone is walking around without pain at 8 cm, then they are blessed indeed.

Everyone's story is unique . . I wish you all as pain free as possible labor and a safe delivery of your child and a caregiver who doesn't judge you by your reaction to the pain.

steph

tylerlvn · Mar 2, 2004

WOW! I was in labor with my first for 25 hours. I thought I was dying (hoping so it would just be over). I love to hear stories about quick easy labor. It gives me hope. :)

fry.girl · Mar 2, 2004

Any relation to hight of the mother laboring? In my (limited) experience, taller moms have a much easier time.

Sorry, there isn't a women over 5 ft 3 inches in my family and as I said, quick & easy labor runs in our the family...

fry.girl · Mar 2, 2004

The one's that are difficult are the women who jump up on the bed screaming for the doc to "get this f&$#%!!ing baby out of me" . . . . I'm also amazed at that . .how can she stand up there like that? :)
Childbirth . . . . its a miracle.
steph

By the way on my second child, I thought I would have no problems given that my first was so easy...I laid in the bed for about 5 hrs with minimal pain and alot of pressure but I was stalled at 5 cent. Finally I was so antsy that my husband and doctor talked me into an epidural.

While sitting up and bending over holding my pillow for the anesethia Dr, I think my daughter got the message and decided to crown then and there...

IF I HAD KNOW ALL I HAD TO DO IS SIT UP & HUG A PILLOW, I WOULD HAVE DONE THAT 5 HRS AGO!!!

Just something to keep in mind...

allnurses Guide · Mar 2, 2004

By the way on my second child, I thought I would have no problems given that my first was so easy...I laid in the bed for about 5 hrs with minimal pain and alot of pressure but I was stalled at 5 cent. Finally I was so antsy that my husband and doctor talked me into an epidural.
While sitting up and bending over holding my pillow for the anesethia Dr, I think my daughter got the message and decided to crown then and there...
IF I HAD KNOW ALL I HAD TO DO IS SIT UP & HUG A PILLOW, I WOULD HAVE DONE THAT 5 HRS AGO!!!
Just something to keep in mind...

:rotfl: I'm always so nervous when my patients sit upright and hug their husbands . . . . you know nothing for about 10 minutes . . .scary.

So glad the pillow worked for you . . . definitely something to keep in mind.

steph

kids · Mar 2, 2004

I will be the first to admit that I am a major pain wimp.

I had no effective child birth education. I took the Lamaze course during my first pregnancy (I was 16) but blew it off because I was "gonna get a shot and not feel it anyway".

Getting a caudal was so awful I went natural with the next 2. I am freely willing to concede that I am weird but it wasn't that bad, I mean yes, it hurt very, very bad but I seemed to "detach" during the contractions and just ride them out. I am not one of those women with a profound knowlege of my body (heck, I was 19 & 20 with the last 2) and at the time I did not practice any type of meditation, guided imagery or other relaxation techniques. Looking back I recognize what I was feeling could be described as surreal.

ayndim · Mar 3, 2004

I just don't think it is attitude. I prepared by taking a 6 week Lamaze class, practiced with my supportive husband, had a really good attitude and it still hurt with my first. Of course with the subsequent babies, I KNEW what to expect so maybe attitude had a part to play then (fear). But with my first, I was so very prepared. It came as a shock to me that I had nothing to say about the next contraction coming up and that I couldn't say, "nope, not gonna do this, let's go home". I know it might sound silly but the feeling of not having control over what was happening was awful for me. I'm not saying the breathing didn't help me with anxiety but it DID NOT help with lessening the pain of the contraction.
I do not like people sitting around talking about whose pain was worse and scaring pregnant women, so I'm sorry about sharing details here but I don't think it is fair to say that if women had a better attitude, then it wouldn't hurt so much.
I still think it might just be genetics and the way your body responds to labor that has more to do with the pain of labor. If someone is walking around without pain at 8 cm, then they are blessed indeed.
Everyone's story is unique . . I wish you all as pain free as possible labor and a safe delivery of your child and a caregiver who doesn't judge you by your reaction to the pain.
steph

I think attitude was the wrong word to use. I guess it should have been lack of fear. Sorry. No caregiver should judge you by pain. But they should be there to help you through it (or give meds if that is your choice!). My MW stayed with me the whole time.