I'm an OB nurse. I deliver babies for a living. I have never personally given birth or ever been pregnant. So here's my question....in all honesty, what does labor really and truly FEEL like....other than painful?
I mean, is it crushing, stabbing, ripping, aching, WHAT? I can't exactly ask my labor patients these kinds of questions...so I want to hear from you.
Because I'm approaching 30, and although I want children very much, to be quite frank, labor scares the bejesus out of me...all of my friends, with the exception of ONE, had totally drug-free childbirth. I just want the lowdown....what does labor FEEL like???
From one OB nurse (who has never been pregnant) to another--what it apparently feels like passing through the birth canal is if you take fingers and put them in either side of your mouth and pull horizontally, that is supposed to simulate "the burn" of birth.
LDR_Nurse
Okay, ladies...I have some questions here...
I'm an OB nurse. I deliver babies for a living. I have never personally given birth or ever been pregnant. So here's my question....in all honesty, what does labor really and truly FEEL like....other than painful?
I mean, is it crushing, stabbing, ripping, aching, WHAT? I can't exactly ask my labor patients these kinds of questions...so I want to hear from you.
Because I'm approaching 30, and although I want children very much, to be quite frank, labor scares the bejesus out of me...all of my friends, with the exception of ONE, had totally drug-free childbirth. I just want the lowdown....what does labor FEEL like???
I am extremely lucky in that I had VERY short labors. From the first twinge of labor (didn't really think I was in labor) to delivery was 2 1/2 hours with the first one and 1 1/2 with the second one. I was still walking around in my room when I had 3 contractions back to back. The nurse was there and saw the expression on my face and decided it might be a good idea to check me. Sure enough I was ready to deliver! labor for me was not that intense until time to deliver. It did feel like really, really bad cramps. Delivery was much worse. It burns like crazy!!! It must have really hurt as my sister made it a point to tell me she could hear me from the waiting room! Luckily, I only had to push about 3 times with each one. It took longer to deliver the placenta and to stitch me up than it did to deliver. It is really hard to try to tell someone what it is going to feel like or what to expect as everyone is different. I usually tell my L&D story to expecting moms since they have probably heard many L&D horror stories from other moms.
I had both mine natural, no pain drugs, with pit both times. One with pit was 49 hours, the other still with pit was over 24. All I can say is thank goodness we forget how much it hurts.
I was in labor with my first child at home and didn'nt know it was labor. It started out as bad period cramps. But they come and go . I went to the hospital at 6:30 pm and delivered a 10lb 2oz 22inch baby boy at 8:30 pm. When I got to the hospital I was dilated to 8cm and by that time it was starting to hurt pretty bad. I did have an epidural(WONDERFUL) I would recommend them to everyone. You could still feel the pressure but it took the sharp pain away.
Four years after that I delivered an 11lb 2oz 24 inch baby girl, also with an epidural. Mine worked both times. I think everyone is different. When I was pregnant with the first baby I kept thinking to myself women all over the world have babies and live through it I can too. My doc was GREAT very calm and comforting. He was a great asset to the process.. Good Luck
Was induced, 31 hours of labor, one little shot of morphine in 31 hours. This was at the height of the natural childbird craze. (No, we can't give you anything, it will make the baby sleepy) Lamaz my left foot! Biggest joke ever perpetuated on the American woman. Forget the pain? I can still close my eyes and feel it and it's been 20 years. I only have one child and the reason I have only one child was the long induced painful horrible labor. Would I do it again to have the wonderful son I have now, yes. Would I do it again for another child. Never. I don't even know how to describe what the pain was like, I thought I was going to die. I know that sounds dramatic, but I can't help it. I'm not a weeny and am pretty stoic about pain in general. It's now long past the point of every having another child, too old and have had a hysterectomy. But I made a vow during that labor there would be no more children and there weren't. I envy those who breeze through labor and I envy the mothers now who have the epidurals at 3 cm. I always wanted a little girl. But now I'll have to wait for a grand daughter (hopefully a nice long wait). And that's okay.
The only thing I can say to a labor nurse is never to loose your compassion for the mother in pain. My nurses were so good to me.
I was induced for 3 of my four children. Pitocin is H@#%!!!!! I had IV stadol with my first induction (16 hours total). One shot of IM Demerol with my second (3 hours total). Epidurals with my last two inductions. My last epidural I got a "hot spot" in my abdomen (a spot where I felt all the pain) Went straight for a tubal after that. My third child was 9# 3 1/2 oz. (I'm 5 foot tall). Had a 4th degree lac and that was the worst of anything. In the end ALL WORTH IT.
Isn't it funny how super old threads show up again? LOL anyways, I don't think there is any way to explain birth without actually experiencing it...but if you really want to know what my labors were like you can click on my ID and then go to my homepage. It is for my newest addition and you can get to the other two's websites from there. There is a birth story on each one.
I've had four C sections, so I never had the actual "birth" experience you are referring to, I don't think. I started laboring with my first daughter, and I never really thought I was in labor. I was past due, and the dr wanted me to carry as long as possible b/c there was concern about IUGR and the baby being small. When I finally did go to the hospital, it was only to please my DH, since he was concerned that I couldn't get comfortable at home.. my back hurt.. It was not a severe type of pain, just an ache that I couldn't get rid of for several hours. When I got to ER and the monitor was strapped on, the nurses explained it was back labor. I was told by the L/D nurse that the contractions (which still felt like a "catch" in my back) were showing to be rather significant on the monitor. You couldn't tell it by me.. I was fine. Of course, had I dialated ANY, I probably would have felt more, but that never happened. The baby's heart rate started dropping after several hours of this and they went ahead w/ and emergency C section. I think actual labor and delivery would be horrific, but that it also would depend on your own personal pain threshold as well... no doubt about it.. it's not going to be pleasant until it's all over!
I'm an OB nurse. I deliver babies for a living. I have never personally given birth or ever been pregnant. So here's my question....in all honesty, what does labor really and truly FEEL like....other than painful?
I mean, is it crushing, stabbing, ripping, aching, WHAT? I can't exactly ask my labor patients these kinds of questions...so I want to hear from you.
Because I'm approaching 30, and although I want children very much, to be quite frank, labor scares the bejesus out of me...all of my friends, with the exception of ONE, had totally drug-free childbirth. I just want the lowdown....what does labor FEEL like???
well....i've had 3, 1 in hospital w/ a cnm 2 at home....all non medicated. last one was posterior, born in the water....
it seems that everyone has a different perception of pain r/t childbirth but here is mine.
1st one - shocked....5 hours total w/ a "cheerleader" as a labor nurse...
2 - pushing was the worst part...
3 - the whole thing was amazing...
it hurts yes, yet i am a mama not afraid to make noise, found that "lamaze breathing" is for the birds and the whole thing is so worth it. It's not pain w/o a reason and it's not neverending. when your done, wallah! you have a beautiful babe at your breast...
Going w/o meds for me was the only way to go. I don't feel judgement re: women who choose meds. I have friends who say that an epidural is a "gift from God"
All I can say is...don't be afraid. Women have been doing this for soooooooo long. Have a lot of support, get a doulah (labor assistant) and really once things start "happening" all you can think about is the task at hand. yes it's hard work, that's why they call it "labor" :)
it's an amazing experience...as someone who spent a lot of time in my head it was the moment when I truely felt in the moment and didn't care what I looked like, what anyone thought, and as far as my concern about "pooping"...that was the furthest thought from my mind :)
Because I'm approaching 30, and although I want children very much, to be quite frank, labor scares the bejesus out of me...all of my friends, with the exception of ONE, had totally drug-free childbirth. I just want the lowdown....what does labor FEEL like???
Have you ever had those *really* horrible diarrhea cramps, the kind that make your whole body hurt? Or a charlie horse? That's what it felt like to me, combined, but worse. Pushing the baby out hurt but, to me, it was nothing compared to the labor pains.
I think it was because I was being induced; they gave me cervadil and it threw me into labor- I never got any pitocin. I was trying to explain to the nurse why I was having such intense labor pains as I'd signed a paper that explained the risk of cervidil and she was saying that I was wrong, LOL. So, as a first time mom, I went into labor and 3 hours later I was pushing- my OB was pissed because no one bothered to call her...
I couldn't believe how much it hurt, but afterwards when I saw my baby I would have gone through it all again in a minute. Actually when my OB was stiching up my episiotamy I was talking about having another baby right away- I had this really great endorphin rush.
I got an epidural but it didn't take, but friends who got it said it made the pain magically go away, although they could still feel some of the contractions. Just plan on an epidural and you should be fine. :)
You can do it, women have done it since the beginning of time. (oh, well, maybe not the epidural part) :)
I was raised on stories of my own delivery. I was an emergency c-section 6 weeks early. My mother had gone to her OB on friday...every thing was fine. "see you next week" Saturday night my mother woke up with this incredible uncomfortable "can't breath sensation" stood up to see if that would help and her water broke. Dad takes her to the hospital. She isn't experiancing any
contractions. Okay so they check her out. They can "find the baby's (my) backside" but somehow my head has gone missing. Dr. orders and x-ray. Turns out I was facing her spine with my head bent backwards and chin caught on her lower rib cage feet tap dancing on her bladder and kinda wedged in. The doctor still remembers it. Says it was the strangest position he has ever seen then and now.
So then I'm pregnant and my MIL tells me about her labor with my DH. Goes into the city for the day, but has a little back ache. Decides to stop at hosp. to get checked out since they were there anyway. Send her and a candy striper to get in a gown and into the stirrups. She gets settled. Puts her legs up and the candy stripper catches. BTW it was the candy striper's first day and her last.
Then my delieveries. Went to work at 1500. Had one of those days from Heck. Hadn't sat down at 1900 or touched a chart had begun to get this HORRIBLE back ache, but thats okay I had been having it on and off for a month. And several times a day for the last week. Husband calls says he is blowing off class and bringing me dinner. (Burger King). He gets there says "are you sure your okay" I told him tht I would get someone to cover my midnight shift.
1930 back on the floor calling for coverage. Suddenly relize I have to go to the hospital. Now!!!! I'm not thinking labor because I'm not due for another 6 weeks. Call hubby he comes flying back, maitance man is looking for towels to put in his truck to take me to the hospital, because husbands brakes went out. One of our nurses had asked me does it ever ease up. I said "oh it was easing up until about 20 minutes ago. Now its constant." I'm apparently doing the transition shuffle at that point. Still don't have a clue.
Long and the short I was 7 cm when I walked onto LD at 2030. told don't push. NONE of my contractions through my entire labor registered on the TOCO. None came around the front. I had stadol @ 2100 to slow me down so I could get Decadron shots. I hated the way it made me feel. I just kinda left my body. Hated being out of control. Bp 70s/40s made to lay flat on my back. No walking no turning no moving. vomited and had loose stools. cried the whole time cause I hadn't finished charting or written T.O. I had taken. Delivered at 0800 with 5 push. Apgars 9/10 4#11oz 18 in
Second baby a week post due. Smart this time. didn't eat because induction the next AM, had given DH sleeping pill cause he was a wreck. Instead woke up in labor @0130. Tyl, shower, nothing helped. "for pete's sake I'm not going to make until 7. 0230 told him to get his a** out of bed. very nasty at this point. Call the doctor swear at her & tell her I'm going to the hospital. Call MIL come stay with oldest. she asks "R u in pain" (refer to her story) cuss her out (she is my best friend) meanwhile I'm on my knees bent over the couch. Husband (stoned) drives me to the hospital. 0330 get there your fully efaced and 3 cm. 1 more than the day before. get ABT going and IV. 30-45 min later. Swearing under my breath the whole time something about peasent women and fields. Nurse rechecks. 7 1/2 cm. (wow!!) get an epidural OB finally gets there anthesia leaves. 10cm push. HR plummets. internal monitor. (btw I can't feel contractions and once again not showing on monitor). emergency section. prolapsed cord. 0636 deliver apgars 9/10 7# 9oz 22in
Both wonderful children. #1 no pain med after delivery I left in 36 hrs baby 6 days. #2 pain med 72 hrs. discharge at 48 per my demand. with baby. strangest thing is I would describe cervical pain as the worst of it
I was never really in labor. I went to my OB on a Monday for a standard 38 week checkup. My blood pressure was sky high! My Doctor then told me I had won a ticket to go to the hospital. When I asked when, he said "NOW".
I was not dilated at all. The baby was still very high up.
I was put on a pitocen drip & given a lady partsl suppository to thin out my cervix. The only thing I eventually felt were extremely bad menstrual cramps. But nothing else happened. I had a C-Section the next day.
I had a very hard recovery. But my son was worth every bit of major abdominal surgery.
LDR_Nurse
2 Posts
Dear Shay;
From one OB nurse (who has never been pregnant) to another--what it apparently feels like passing through the birth canal is if you take fingers and put them in either side of your mouth and pull horizontally, that is supposed to simulate "the burn" of birth.
LDR_Nurse