Post by gibbinator on Mar 27, 2015 16:31:23 GMT -5
"Christina, again: Near the end, I just floated blindly on top of my body. I don't even remember having thoughts. It felt like I wasn't in control anymore. I don't even think I would describe it as pain. Just an alternate reality in which I ceased to be me.""
I don't really remember the pain of labour contractions anymore (except to remember I was in pain) but the above quote really describes my experience of pushing with ds2. It was a total out of body experience. I just watched myself give birth. It was really strange.
Mine felt like cramps in steroids until transition. Then it felt like someone was kicking me in the back with steel toed boots and burning the tops of my thighs with hot pokers. Good times.
To those of you who are scared: the pain was less than when I broke my wrist, dull not sharp. Also, despite everything it was the most meaningful experience if my life and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Here's the thing. Are contractions horrific (especially when in transition), yes. Worst pain I've ever felt. BUT it is also unlike any other pain I've ever felt because in the minutes between contractions, I experienced exactly zero pain. It wasn't constant pain for me, which made med-free birth the strangest thing I've ever experienced.
Contraction: HOLY SHIT IM DYING.
1 minute later at end of contraction: I wish my dumb husband remembered my popsicles.
Contraction: HOLY SHIT I'M DYING
1 minute later at end of contraction: I cannot believe we haven't named this fucking baby yet.
Ok. So, I'm kind of scared. At or near the height of contractions did you feel like you were going to die?
No. With ds1 I was too tired and high on laughing gas to care. Also I was nodding off in between contractions. It was very gradual so was never super intense.
With ds2 contractions were pretty debilitating since labour came on so hard and fast. But I was still able to function between contractions. During contractions I passed the time seeing how many trees I could count to distract myself from pushing out a baby on the drive.
Ok. So, I'm kind of scared. At or near the height of contractions did you feel like you were going to die?
I'm probably the wrong person to answer this, but no, not at all. My contractions were pretty manageable, especially with my recent baby, to the point that I doubted I was in labor when I was technically in transition.
However, I hate, hate, haaate the "Oh shit, baby is coming right NOW!" stage. Because it happens so abruptly and the pressure and feeling is intense. I'm very quiet during "labor," and it was no different with my last baby, but the moment her head cleared the cervical lip and I felt her descend further, I totally blurted out "fuck!" I was quiet until that point, and probably said shit a couple times. But it was over super fast, but still, that part... no like.
Ok. So, I'm kind of scared. At or near the height of contractions did you feel like you were going to die?
Yeah, I did. Briefly. It felt like my body was being torn in two pieces right before the anesthetic kicked in. But, I didn't get a spinal until I was 9+ cm dilated. (I checked into the hospital at 4 cm and immediately asked for an epidural. It took 90 minutes before all my blood work was done and the anesthesiologist was at my bedside, by which time I said "I have to push!" My labor progressed faster than they were expecting.)
Ok. So, I'm kind of scared. At or near the height of contractions did you feel like you were going to die?
I'm probably the wrong person to answer this, but no, not at all. My contractions were pretty manageable, especially with my recent baby, to the point that I doubted I was in labor when I was technically in transition.
However, I hate, hate, haaate the "Oh shit, baby is coming right NOW!" stage. Because it happens so abruptly and the pressure and feeling is intense. I'm very quiet during "labor," and it was no different with my last baby, but the moment her head cleared the cervical lip and I felt her descend further, I totally blurted out "fuck!" I was quiet until that point, and probably said shit a couple times. But it was over super fast, but still, that part... no like.
I am very quiet and was pretty quiet during most of my labor, except I remember at one point yelling fuck very loudly. I'm still embarrassed about it, lol.
Post by turtlegirl on Mar 27, 2015 17:53:20 GMT -5
I tried to martyr my way through pitocin contraction the first time around and I literally made DH's ears bleed from my moaning/yelling while slumped over his shoulders. Got the epi way too late, but it amazing once I got it.
Second time around as soon as they started the pitocin I ordered that epi ASAP! Best labor and birth experience ever.
My contractions felt like WHO CARES BECAUSE I GOT AN EPIDURAL
Sometimes I feel lame that I got an epi 45 minutes after the pain started, and then I'm like...fuck that, lol. Best decision!
(Obligatory "but I had pitocin" defense.)
when I got to the hospital for dd1 I was in intense pain and had been for about 3 hours. I believed I was in transition because my contractions were 1 min long and 2 min apart. NOPE, 1 CM.
I chose to hang with that for about 3 more hours because I AM NOT THE LADY WHO GETS AN EPIDURAL AT 1 CM. Then they checked me and I was STILL 1 cm so I decided pain relief was more important than not being That Woman. Within 30 min I was at 4 cm and 3 hours after that I was pushing for 10 minutes and holding my baby.
With dd2 I just got it right away. No sense in even pretending to be a cowgirl about it.
Post by noodleskooze on Mar 27, 2015 18:00:55 GMT -5
I really didn't feel like they were THAT bad. I made it to 9.5 before getting the epi (and only got the epi because I needed to be on my side but when I was, I started pushing before I was ready).
I gave birth two days ago and can't remember what they specifically felt like, except that I was begging the doctor to just vacuum him out of me because I could not go on for a single second longer. The epidural helped, but it didn't take away the insane tailbone pressure. I remember shrieking, "We have to get him out! The baby is going to explode out of my butt!!"
I loved pushing (except for the throwing up part). It took away all the pain and I finally got to feel like something was happening after 14 hours of lying in one place helpless after the epi.
Post by undecidedowl on Mar 27, 2015 18:11:47 GMT -5
I will say, transition on pitocin was pretty horrific. But, there is just a weird thing about labor, maybe the hormones, or you know, the baby at the end but I would totally do it again.
I had never heard the "throwing up in reverse" phrase before but it is spot on for pushing contractions.
Ok. So, I'm kind of scared. At or near the height of contractions did you feel like you were going to die?
No, not die. i do remember telling dh that I just couldnt do it anymore and I was going to just stop lol. I didnt have an epi and pushed for three hours. Pushing felt better than not, I was just exhausted by the end!
i agree with the person who said it felt like the baby was coming out their butt. i was.....not expecting that at all. So much pressure.
I just remember the worst stomach pain I had ever felt. Like a stomach bug, gas, gut punch and pain all in one. Moving didn't help because everytime I moved a muscle the pain was worse. Even humming or groaning through them made them worse because to make those sounds you use your stomach muscles and tighten your stomach. I didn't want DH to take to me because responding was too painful.
FWIW I have only experienced contractions brought on by pitocen.
Ok. So, I'm kind of scared. At or near the height of contractions did you feel like you were going to die?
Don't get me wrong, it hurt but I didn't feel like I was going to die. There were breaks between contractions (albeit short) that let me compose myself and prepare for the next. Pushing was more of a relief because of all the pressure I felt than pain.
Post by Willis Jackson on Mar 27, 2015 19:35:52 GMT -5
Baby #3 was my shortest labor but the most tortuous. I had every intention of getting an epidural. I got to the hospital and labored in the waiting room in front of a bunch of strangers because all the rooms were full. By the time I got a room it was too late for an epidural.
It is crazy how different pregnancies and labors are. With my first my water broke and the contractions were hard and fast. It sucked. With my second I was in pre-labor all day on Halloween and didn't really believe it until about 9pm when they went from breathable to really painful and 3 minutes apart. I still didn't really believe I was in labor because, other than the pain in my back, the contractions weren't nearly as terrible as before. The charley horse simile is how I describe them too, when they got really bad. Pre-labor was like light period cramps, but the hard contractions felt like an awful charley horse or a vise getting tighter and tighter.
Oh also, pushing was easy. I kept cracking jokes bc it was literally the first time I felt no pain bt contractions. And the ring of fire finally felt like progress.
That said, I can totally see myself getting an epidural next time.
It's so interesting how different the experience is. Transition and pushing was when I felt like death was actually a real possibility. My doctor had to keep her hand up in me and manually rotate the baby into a more favorable birth position. Then when he wouldn't rotate, I pushed at 9cm while my OB held my cervix open to 10cm.
I've made my OB swear that this will not happen to me again. When I think about it, I think about scheduling a section. Fuck that noise.
I tried to martyr my way through pitocin contraction the first time around and I literally made DH's ears bleed from my moaning/yelling while slumped over his shoulders. Got the epi way too late, but it amazing once I got it.
I also did this. Not a good choice.
I only had Pitocin contractions, and once they kicked in, there was no relief. It was like the worst period cramp ever combined with a knife being twisted into my lower left abdomen. I did not feel like I was going to die, though. I knew it would come to an end, one way or another.
Once my epidural started semi-working, I dilated 5cm in an hour. I guess I'm one of those people that needs it to relax and let things progress.
The epidural only took away the period cramps. I also told my FI that "it feels like there is a bowling ball in my ass" when it turned out it was time to push. I remember pushing being so hard, but I don't remember what it felt like now. Just that it was exhausting, and I had no idea now anyone did it for multiple hours or without an epidural. I also did A LOT of cursing. Oh well...I'm sure everyone there has heard worse.