Giving birth....I want everyones experiences??!!!?

Question

Someone asked what it was like to give birth yesterday and only 4 people answered. I was so eager to read peoples responses that I am asking it again.

This is my first baby, and while I understand no one can prepare me for birth.. I would love to hear what it was like for you. Meds or not.

Comparable pains...best and worst parts...obviously the baby would be best..duh..but you get it.

Thank you so much! I am just so eager and of course want to know everything I possibly can lol!

Answer 1

I too am pregnant with my first and am looking forward to reading these answers!

Answer 2

Well i was induced at 39 weeks and 5 days. My doctor gave me the option of waiting to see if the baby would come on his own, or be induced since my pregnancy went so well. I went into the hospital as was admitted at 1am. My induction started at 2am. My nurse came in and put a tablet on my cervix to help soften/ripen it.

(Prostaglandins are drugs that help to induce labour by encouraging the cervix to soften and shorten (ripen). This allows the cervix to open and contractions to start. They are normally given in a tablet or gel form, inserted into the v****a. More than one dose may be needed to induce labour. Doses should only be given every six to eight hours. and also:

Oxytocin is administered through a drip and encourages the uterus to contract. Once contractions have begun, the rate of the drip can be adjusted so that contractions occur regularly until the baby is born. Women who have oxytocin are more likely to have an epidural to help with pain. An epidural is a pain relief injection given into the back.)

Not even an hour after that i was having instense contractions. My son's heartrate started to decrease due to the fact my contractions were so instense and so often that he didnt have time in between them to recooperate. So i was given a shot to help slow them down. about 3 am i was givin my epidural. Which i sat up and leaned over the bed. They numbed me and then insterted the IV for my epidural (not painful at all, felt like a bee sting with some presure) and from then on i had a continous flow of the epidural drug. The i was givin my catheter... didnt want it but didnt have a choice etiher. once you get your epidural you have to have a catheter. Because your body cant tell you when it needs to go to the bathroom, and you dont know when you're going either. so you get to pee in a bag...lol

Then after some time, prob a couple hours, my doctor came in and checked me, and broke my water... I was in labor for a total of 18 hours. I didnt start pushing until my 16th hour of labor... and it took me 2 hours to push.

But the entire time i was pushing, i never felt a thing. the epidural is a wonderful drug. But to my surprise, i gave birth to a baby boy instead of a baby girl which is what my doctor told me i was having throughout my entire pregnancy (and i even had sonograms and ultrasounds done every visit) def. was a surprise, but a great one. my son was the healthiest baby in the nursery :-)

Answer 3

My contractions woke me up at 6:00am.  I started timing them for a while, woke my husband, took a shower, called my mom.  I called my dr. but his cell phone was breaking up so I went to the hospital at about 1:00pm. My contractions were about 6 min. apart.  At the hospital I got my gown on and they hooked me up to watch my contractions and I was, i think, 4 cm dilated.  I quickly dilated more and the pain was awful!!  My arms were sore the next day because I was holding onto the bar of the hospital bed so hard during my contractions. and I didn't get my epidural till I was 7cm!!  The anesthesiologist had just worked for like 48 hrs straight and he was sleeping in one of the hospital rooms.  I think that's why it took so long to get my epidural.  Then all the pain went away.  I ended up doing the actual pushing for about 3 hrs.  Which is a very long time to push for.  I kept falling asleep in between pushing because I was so exhausted.  Then finally at 11:54 I had my son!  The contraction pains weren't too bad until about 5 cm dilated.  They get worse as you go.  What do contractions feel like......they start off light and then peak and then come back down.  Hope this helps you!!!  GOOD LUCK!

Answer 4

Well I don't know if you are ready to hear this or not but here it goes!

1st birth was tough, I had to go in on a saturday to be induced, if you don't know what that is they make you have contractions hoping for a sooner birth, anyway they did that for 8 hours sunday then 8 hours monday, then 8 hours tuesday and wednesday too! finally my doc told me to go home and do everything they tell you not to while you're pregnant and come back that night at 9 so i did. I started having my own contractions at the grocery store that night and i went back to the hospital pain all night no sleep and she started the inducment again on thursday finally they broke my water at about 12:30 and got the epidural started pushing at about 1:45 and he was born at 2:01pm so counting eight hours everyday from sundat to thursday 40 hours of hard labor because that inducing pain is worse than regular contraction the best moment was when they laid him on my chest screaming and all!

okay now for the 2nd birth had to get induced again but this time it went faster but more scary! went in on a wednesday and she induced me. My cervix did well at opening at 6cm got epidural  but it didn't  work to well it felt like she was coming out of my side anyways got to  10cm and they told me to start pushing, i was in so much pain it litterally felt like my side was busting open so they checked me and the baby had turned around so they ended up giving me an emergency c - section but after that all was fine. i was so out of it i really couldn't tell you what happened after i heard her cry for the first time!

okay 3rd and last had to have a c section because i had already had one before, and talking about a nervose wreck i was crazy walking into that hospital that morning but it was the best no labor pains just waiting for my baby to be delivered and to meet that little boy that has been kicking and hic cuping inside you for the past 9 months

Nothing compares to birth girl, but in the end it's all worth the joy and blessing of having your baby in your arms.

Answer 5

With my first baby, I packed to go to the hospital the next day to be induced, but woke up about 3:30 am and wasn't awake a minute and my water broke. My husband and I went straight to the hospital. I had no pain medicine and because I was anemic, I couldn't have an epidural. My contractions stayed well over 100 most of the time. I was in labor for sixteen hours. After pushing for what everyone said was about 45 minutes, I had to have a c-section. They said that his head was turned and that was the reason I couldn't push him out. They didn't know this until they opened me up. The worse part was both the labor pains and when they told me they wanted to do a c-section. The best part was when they brought my precious baby boy around the curtain for us to see.

With my second baby, I had a scheduled c-section. The worse part- c-section. The best part- again,  when they brought my precious baby boy around the curtain for us to see.

Good Luck & Congratulations!

Answer 6

I have had 3 boys and am pregnant with my fourth baby. My first pregnancy I was very young. I was scared to death. I was in labor for almost 48 hours. I didn't want an epidrual bc I was scared of getting the needle in my spine. They gave me some meds in my IV to help take the "edge" off the contractions. That didn't work too well, all it did was make me loopy and tired afterwards and all i wanted to do is sleep. I couldn't even remember most of the birth after it was over.  With my second one, 9 years later I decided to try it with no pain meds, no epidural nothing. I was only in labor for 6 hours and pushed for 13 minutes. He was 8lbs 7 oz. I think the worst part was pushing the baby's shoulders out. But when the baby is out, the pain is over and you are just sore.  The pain IS intense for a bit but You honestly forget all about the pain the minute the baby is out. The best part was being able to feel myself pushing out the baby and him coming out and being alert for it. It felt like a great accomplishment. AND I felt great afterwards! I was alert, I could move around, and could enjoy my baby. I wanted to go home but they said I had to stay..lol. So after experiencing both drugs and no drugs I opted for natural child birth again with my third one. It went even faster, I pushed for 7 minutes but it was more painful and he was only 6lbs 12 oz. but again I felt great afterwards. In no way do I think women are weak or wrong for getting epidurals or pain meds. It is your own personal choice, and you want to be comfortable. Everyone handles pain differently. Oh and don't have an episiotomy if it can be avoided. Most Dr's don't do them anymore. When I had one with my first one, I ripped all the way down and had to be stitched. I didn't have one with the last two and didn't tear at all and had no stitches and healed quickly. Take a piece of paper, slit it with scissors and pull on both sides, it will rip all the way down the paper. but don't slit it and pull on both sides and it is much harder to get it to rip. Don't be too anxious about the pain. It is there, it is over and then you enjoy your baby. My husband asked me once "I don't know why in the world any woman would want to go through this more than once" I said "that is why the women have the babies, bc you men are such whiners that the human population would have stopped after Noah if the men had the babies" LOL!!!  Best of luck to you and your baby!!    

Answer 7

i had an epidural, they had  to break my water which didnt hurt because i had the epidural before they broke my water...after the epidural, i couldnt feel my contractions. i pushed for about an hour...no pain just alot of pressure. after pushing for an hour, my gorgeous babygirl was born. [ may 18th 20O8, ] oh & i also had an episiotomy. good luck !!

Answer 8

first one:

4:40am first contraction at home. stayed home till 11:30am went to hospital. pain was bareable i suppose. no drugs. put in delivery room at around 2. tons of pain, tried the gas, hated it, they gave me demeral, made me puke and didnt take the pain away. i wasnt aloud to lay on my left side since cord was around baby's neck and it would choke her.  at around 4:45 pm, i dialate from 3 cm to 10 cm within a 5 minute period. Doctor didnt make it to delivery, just nurses. i bleed alot with this one. Started pushing at 5pm, she was stuck, the used suction, didnt help, so forceps came out and that hurt like h**l. she was here at 5:20pm. got stiches, she was 8lbs 13oz

second baby.

Water started leaking midnight saturday. went to hospital to be examined at around 2 pm sunday, went home and was to be back at hospital at 8pm sunday and stay the night, they were going to induce me monday morning 7am. Midnight sunday, i got my first contraction, they were 5 minutes apart for the 1st 2 then 3 minutes apart. she checked me at 1am and i was 5cm. she checked me at 1:30 and put me in delivery room. they gave me a new drug, didnt help nothing. Started pushing at 2:45 ish, she was born at 3:01am. 6lbs 6oz. lost lots of blood with this one too, but no stitches

first one, 13 hours, second one 3 hours. second one was more painfull than first.

i forgot to add, i was 7 days overdue with my first, and bang on due date with the second

Answer 9

well......

I was having random contractions thoughout the day. At 9:00 I noticed that the contractions were starting to become more regular - about 1 every 1/2hr. We decided to go to bed and try to get some sleep at about 11:00 (my contractions were a steady 20min apart by then). As soon as I laid down - seriously, the exact moment - my contractions went to 2min apart! I still wasn't ready to go to the hospital - hadn't packed a bag (procrastinator, i know). At one point, I flopped down on the bed and told my husband "I don't want to do this" - too late now LOL! Sooooo.... we got to the hospital at 1:00am. When I FINALLY got into a room, they asked if I wanted an epidural, pain meds, or nothing. I asked for pain meds, BIG MISTAKE - get the epidural! My contractions were like 3 seconds apart. Not kidding - I had enough time to think "ahhh it's over" and then it would start again! I remember thinking, "I will never, ever do this again!!!" So I told my husband to page the nurse & tell her I wanted an epidural. She didn't come & didn't come. I had my hubby page her like 3 times. When she finally did come in, she checked me and said "OMG, don't push!" Yeah, that made me feel REAL good. Oh and it was too late for the epidural! They called in the ER doc to catch. My regular doc made it just in time to deliver him. I pushed, and pushed. And he was born at 5:50am! And the pain was gone - well almost. And he was the most perfect little boy I've ever seen.

It's long, I know... but you asked for the whole story!

oh... I had an episiotomy too - ouch! and he was 5lbs 12oz!

Answer 10

I have one child, a little girl.  She was born 7 years ago, but I'll never forget that day.

My labor was weird most of the day.  My contractions started in the morning, but were very irregular.  By about 2:30 in the afternoon, the contractions were still irregular, but we went to the hospital anyway.  The contractions were mostly pains in my lower back and really hurt, but only for a few moments at a time.  It felt like someone punching my back from the inside!  I don't really like pain all that much, so when we got to the hospital, I asked for an epidural.  It was awesome!!  After it kicked in, I couldn't feel my legs (which was a little strange!), and I didn't feel anything!  I was waiting for a while, so I got to take a nap!  It was great!  Then, I pushed for about two hours, still didn't feel a thing, but out she came at 12:30 in the morning!  During the wait for her to get here, the nurse was checking the print out of the contractions and kept saying that there were some really strong ones, but I never felt anything!

They turned the medicine for the epidural off just before I started to push, and slowly the feeling came back to my legs.

I loved being pregnant, and I love being a mom!  Good luck to you on your day.  

Answer 11

im now pregnant with my 3rd baby, now with my 1st daughter, i had gas and air and pethodine, but still in alot of pain, but only in labour for 5 hours tops, with my 2nd daughter i had just dioporhine, and wow that stuff was great, i sleep through all my contractions, it was brill, it was defo less pain full, but as for wen your babys head is coming out, i personally decribe it as pushing a bowling ball out your bum, and the back of your legs kill because of the pressure , but thats just how i describe it, its different for everyone,xx

Answer 12

My wife went into labor when she was 10 days past the due date.  We went into the hospital (it was around lunchtime), but the hospital was crowded and her contractions werent real close together, so they sent us home.  She did some of the "speed it up" things during the day (walking, swimming in our pool, eating spicy foods, etc), and we went back later that night.  The hospital had a room, so they went ahead and admitted her, altough they still werent close enough together.  So they had her (us) walk the halls for a while.  Then they give her pitosin to induce.  They also gave her the epidural sometime after that.  We waited- hours and hours.  The pitoson did speed things up, but too much, and it was putting stress on the baby, so they had to slow it up again.  And we waited and waited.  Our families were outside, and were a wreck at this point.  And still, we kept waiting and waiting.  Finally the Dr. went ahead and broke the water.  Still we waited.  Finally the time came and they said to start pushing.  They had reupped the epidural several times at this point, as it was wearing off, and wasnt strong enough.  Anyway, she started pushing... and pushing... and pushing.  He was so low they couldnt do a C-Section anymore, but he wasnt coming out, either.  They finally had to do a quick epesiotomy on my wife, get the forceps, and pull him out.  It was horrible to watch as they pulled him out- since they do it by the head, I could swear it looked like his neck was going to break.  But it didnt, and after several hard pulls, he popped out.  Which was pretty bad to see, as he had the cord wrapped around his neck, and had a bowel movement while inside.  The Peds people were there to be safe, but they unwrapped the coard and he started crying immediately.  I cut the cord (which I had previously sworn I would never do), and off they went to weigh him.  Unfortunately the episiotomy hadnt been big enough, and there was a good tear that formed as well, so they then delivered the placenta, and then stitched up my wife.  She was so whacked from all that occurred, she was shaking, and couldnt really focus on anything, including the baby;.  Fortunately that only lasted about 15 minutes or so.  She finally delivered about 50 hours after she was admitted to the hospital.  Our families were a mess.  Our dogs at home had gone to the bathroom all over the floor, because our families were so worried, they wouldnt leave to go let them out for us.  In the end, it was all good though, now we've got a big 2 year old, with #2 coming.  My wife took a while to recover, but obviously did.