Painless labor?

fourbirds4me · Mar 2, 2004

Just curious as to why she got a spinal if her pain was so minimal? I have seen patients handle labor very well and say "that wasn't so bad". I think it's a pain tolerance issue or maybe a control issue. But don't you just love those patients! LOL

ayndim · Mar 2, 2004

Just curious as to why she got a spinal if her pain was so minimal? I have seen patients handle labor very well and say "that wasn't so bad". I think it's a pain tolerance issue or maybe a control issue. But don't you just love those patients! LOL

I had a pain-free labor with my 1st and 3rd (I was induced with #2). With #1, I told hubby that my ctx didn't hurt but maybe we should go to the hospital because I felt like pushing. I thought I was going to be sent home. I was almost 10 cm. With #3, I was told to go when I thought I was in labor, because of the first experience and the fact that my labor was only 1 hour 45 mins with #2. I was checked when I got there and was 4 cm. My CNM told me to walk around for an hour. I was walking and chatting with people and was not in pain. My CNM and I both thought it was turning out to be a false alarm. But she checked me after the hour and I was 8 cm. I got an epidural at about 9 cm so I could get my tubes tied without being put to sleep. The only way the insurance co would pay for an epidural for a tubal was if I got the epidural during labor. Then it turned out that the OR was full (smaller hospital) and I couldn't get it. Hubby ended up with a snip, snip.

I do have a somewhat high pain tolerance but I think the pain-free labors were more of having a good provider and being relaxed and calm. I also went into labor with the idea it wasn't going to hurt that bad. People said I was crazy and I would see. Labor was a piece of cake for me. Saying that I think being induced hurts like hell.

TLC RN · Mar 2, 2004

I would not consider my labor that painful...It hurt, but was not unbearable. It was my first and I expected it to get worse as time went on. When they finally checked me I was at 8. They said I could get an epidural but I figured it was going to be over soon anyway so why bother. I used to play a lot of soccer growing up and our coach made us do sprints. We would sprint for about 30 seconds and get 30 seconds rest. He would do this 10-20 times and would never tell us how many to start and would vary the rest time too. When you would get to rest, you would rest...and breathe...regain your focus before the next sprint started. When I realized I was not in pain between the contractions, i would rest and breathe. During the contraction, i would close my eyes and think of myself doing the wind sprint as fast as I could (they were not pain free either!) and when it would end, i would refocus...it was very helpful. I still think subjecting myself to getting a tattoo was more painful than the labor contractions.

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2004

Yes, why the spinal that late in the game if her labor barely hurt?

Edited to add:Lucky woman! :chuckle

Trauma Columnist · Mar 2, 2004

I had my two sons w/o pain meds. I don't consider that I have a high pain tolerance either.

crankyasanoldma · Mar 2, 2004

I napped through most of my labor with my first child.

Stephanie D · Mar 2, 2004

Thanks for the replies. Also the girl was having a very large baby, perinial massage was not helping, the doctor very strongly pressed the issue of a spinal so she decided to take it.

fry.girl · Mar 2, 2004

I was 17 when I had my first baby...I was not an extra active person but I did normal everyday things. I arrived at a prenatal check up, a week after my due date. The nurse thought, maybe we should put you on the monitor for a little while, since the Dr is a little behind on his appts...10 minutes later the nurse came and looked at the tape...I was having contractions every 2 minutes...I wasn't feeling a thing...She did a pelvic and found that I was 8 centimeters...

Needless to say they sent me straight to the hospital where my daughter, 8lbs, was delivered before the anesthesia Dr could come in to talk with me about pain options...

This is very common in my family...my sister, mother, and maternal grandmother all had very similar deliveries, so I think that sometimes we are blessed by heredity as well...

imenid37 · Mar 2, 2004

W/ my first, I had my water break about 0330. I was not in pain and I called my dr. He said "Don't hurry. It will be hours before you deliver, it's your first baby." I was very close to the hospital and I arrived about 0400. I had some menstrual-like cramps and I did feel like I needed to go to the BR. It was uncomfortable because I wanted to go to the BR, but the nice nurses in the ER wouldn't let me. They made some poor nervous looking male NA take me upstairs. I can't say I ever really had any pain, just pressure. I delivered at 0431. My dr said it was a good thing he drove fast. He did make it, but barely. My sister who has just one child, did much the same thing. She was in the hospital for less than an hour before she delivered.

CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2004

Well...after reading a few of these posts... Im hoping some of the pain free vibes will wear off on me... I'm due in about 4 weeks :) #1 was a C section.. #2 a prolonged/ latent ? labor of three days and hopefully #3 will just pop out...

Chaya, ASN, RN · Mar 2, 2004

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