Re: Labor experience

I chose other, but only b/c I wanted to see the results.
I had a crash c so totally different experience. Never felt any contractions

Re: Labor experience

I feel like I had a quick and easy labor. The contractions were painful but once I got the epidural it was smooth sailing. I say go for it.

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For me it was ok, I had contractions which were moderate but not as bad as I thought. 3 1/2 hours into it I got the epi and it was smooth sailing from there! Pushing I didn't feel too much because of the epi, they finally stopped the drip and I could start to feel a SLIGHT amount of pressure and pushed her out quite quickly after that. Honestly not what I expected at all! I hope my next one is as smooth.

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I had such an easy and fast nirth

Woke up at 5 am with some contractions. Took shower, went to hospital, got there around 630 am.

They check me and I was already 6-7 cm!

Got me i my room and ready, started the epidural (had some issues getting it in because of some back issues I have)

By the time they finally got it in and turned on, his head was already starting to come out! They had to turn it off (it never really took effect)

5 to 6 pushes later he was out. I was 10 days early too. He was born at exactly 930 am so I was at the hospital for 3 hours.

All I felt was ALOT of pressure while pushing him out. Im sure if I had the epidural in effect, I would have felt less. I just hope when I have a second, it goes as well!

Good luck! You will be fine. Our bodies are meant to do this!

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DS didn't want to come out, and I wanted him to come out natural. I begged my OB do go easy on the drugs, and it just made everything harder on me. I had epi, but asked for it after 10 hours of labor. When it ran out, 8 hours later, I decided to be superwoman and not tell anyone and tough it out.

That wasn't even the hard part. Then came pushing this giant head I pushed for 2 hours, everything was "crushed".

That wasn't even the hardest part!
Then came the stitching, god knows how long it took, I think it was over an hour, maybe 2. I had an episiotomy, tears, ruptured veins, what have you galore, everything just was ripped to pieces and had to be put back together. I could feel scisoors and needles on me it hurt so much and I couldn't move. But I had a brilliant OB, she took her time, sewed me up perfectly. It took all of the 6 weeks to heal. At 10 weeks I'm still a little sore.

A lot of the horror is really a blur now, but seriously, don't think I can do that again. I guess it could have been a lot worse, I meet c-section moms that say their scars still itch and hurt a year after the birth.

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It was painful...I'm not going to lie. My epi was shut off when it was time to push.


I would totally do it again though.

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I was in labor for a total of 15.5 hours. The first nine hours were not bad and I labored without an epidural. Then my contractions were coming quickly, but I wasn't really dilating. Then I didn't feel much after I had the epi and the pushing really wasn't too bad.

Honestly, the worst part of my labor experience was my recovery in the hospital. I developed preeclampsia and was on a lot of medication to help lower my blood pressure and had to be in a special recovery room that was awful!

Re: Labor experience

Contractions were manageable for me until they doubled my dosage of pictocin at about 5cm. I got the epidural at that point and felt fine. There was some pressure when she was crowning. I pushed for about 1 1/2 hours but the cord was partially around her neck, it made her job of geting out a bit harder. I'm 33 weeks now with #2 and I get a bit nervous but it isn't about my previous experience. I'm afraid I'll have things worse this time around.

Re: Labor experience

Message edited 5/21/2010 1:30:11 PM.

Re: Labor experience

I had horrible back labor so I got the epi very early. Once I got the epi I didn't feel anything until I was ready to push. The "I have to poop" feeling was horrible. But I pushed for 9 minutes and only about 6 times. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Re: Labor experience

I didn't want to get the epi but ended up getting one after 20 hours of excruciatingly painful contractions. The first epi didn't take-even after they upped the medication-so I had to get a second epi. Once it kicked in, it was the easiest labor ever. I was still numb when I started pushing and it only took 1/2 hour to push DS out, I didn't feel a thing! If I had gotten the epi sooner and not tried for a drug-free birth, my labor would have been a breeze.

Re: Labor experience

No EPI pushed for 2 hrs and 45 minutes. As everyone else said it's pain you have never, ever felt. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Re: Labor experience

I got an epi by the time it started to get very uncomfortable.

Didn't feel the deilivery at all.

Hope it goes that way this time around.

Re: Labor experience

I had a long labor after being induced (almost 24 hrs).....got an epi which made the pain non-existant. They turned it off for an hour b/c I wasn't progressing and was stuck at 5-6cm. The pain was intense with each contraction but manageable. I kind of zoned out.

When it was time to push, epi off again b/c DS heartrate was dropping. Felt pain, and a lot of it for the 2 hours I pushed, but again, I was in a zone. I only talked to DH and pretty much ignored everyone/everything else!
I felt great as soon as DS was born (after an episiotomy (to cut the cord that was around DS neck 2x's - hence the HR dropping) and still felt pretty good.

I had a c/s 2nd time around and while it was still an OK experience - my labor/delivery the 1st time was way better

Re: Labor experience

my option was not listed. i had a vaginal birth and the pain was intense, but nothing that i couldn't do all over again. i wouldn't say bad, wouldn't say i cringed, my doula helped me breathe through everything and i did it with no pain relievers thanks to her.

Re: Labor experience

Got the epi it wore off so at the end I felt everything, and it wasnt that bad. Painful yes but not to the point where I couldnt take it, I tore so i had stitches which i didnt even feel ever. The only ting that bothered me was hemroids.

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Re: Labor experience

I voted for "Bad. Painful. Don't think I can do it again."

I had an all natural birth, no drugs. Not by choice though.. I went so quickly that when I got to the hospital it was already time to push. I remember after it was all over, saying that I will never do that again and it was the worst thing ever. But now looking back, as it gets pushed further back in my memory, it doesn't seem QUITE as bad.
It scared me enough though to get induced this time around, just so I'll be sure to get that epi I longed for the first time around. LOL

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I voted for Excellent, however there was pain (everyone has some pain)... but it was really easy for me. I had my son in 7 hours so it was fast, quick and easy.

Re: Labor experience

No epi for either delivery.

A little pain, but very manageable pain. Colin hurt more b/c I knew the entire it was labor - I was induced with him. Ryan, I didn't know until it was almost a problem - it happened so fast that it really didn't hurt. My mom would make fun of me b/c I'd have a contraction and be like, "ouch, ouch, ouch" and that was it - and then again 10-seconds later

With Colin the nurses would see my contractions on the monitor and ask if I was feelling it b/c I wasn't really react - but apparently some of them were "big ones".

So, no clue if my tolerance for pain is that high, or if my labors just weren't that bad.

Re: Labor experience

I had a crash c/s

The minute I walked into the hospital, I had an epi (well, not the minute, but you get my idea)

I felt no pain at all.

Just pressure, where it felt like I couldn't breathe.

That caused me to get anxiety, so even though I was breathing just fine, they gave me an air mask just to ease my mind

Then I ended up with a c/s.
But the labor part, which lasted all day practically...I felt NADA

Re: Labor experience

Mine was very quick. Woke up i labor, went to hospital 2 hours later, was 5 cm already! Had the baby 4 hours later. Felt nothing after epi. Before it was bad but I forgot as soon as I got the epi. It was a beautiful experience!