Anyone have a silent labour?

Bev - posted on 03/26/2013

Gina... I am so sorry for the sad sad loss of your grandaughter... It must be such a difficult time for your daughter, you & all your family right now... and I can understand your worries with the new pregnancy. This time though at least she will be much more monitored throughout her pregnancy (I hope) and especially as she too had a silent labour. Alot of people think I mean I didn't speak throughout my labour when I say mine was silent (anyone who knows me knows that is an impossibility for me not to speak on a normal day let alone when in labour!!) Please let us know how your daughters pregnancy goes and once again I am very sorry for the loss of your grandaughter xxx

Gina - posted on 03/26/2013

My daughter had my granddaughter last Dec at home in the toilet. She had absoluetly no pain at all! she was two months premature but weighed 5lbs 15oz. They both came home from the hospital the very next day. Sadly my sweet grandbaby stopped breathing in her sleep seven wks later. Now only seven wks after her death my daughter is pregnant again. I am absolutly worried to death that this pregnancy will be a repeat of the last. Please say a prayer.

Courtney - posted on 10/23/2012

My 2nd and 3rd were silent labours, but my 3rd sons' heart stopped durin contractions so we had to do an emergency c-section. (plus I had Failure to Progress....cancer caused problems making the cervix dialate).

Joy - posted on 10/16/2012

I have 5 daughters, and with my 1st daughter, I had some pain, but nothing that I couldn't tolerate..the nurse called me tough, saying that most women scream while in labor...while pushing, she had to tell me that I was having a contraction and could push because it was so painless. With my 2nd daughter, I was in a lot of pain, and was glad that the pains only lasted about an hour or so since they wouldn't have had time to give me any pain relief. With my 3rd daughter, I had more pain than I had with my 1st, less than with my 2nd, and pushing was easy. With my 4th daughter, I was induced at 38 weeks, had some discomfort, and ended up having an emergency c-section due to her being breech at the last minute, and felt everything, despite the epidural (OUCH!) and with my 5th daughter, I almost didn't even go to the hospital to be checked to see if I was in labor, because I had the vaginal pressure and bleeding like she was trying to push her way out, but no water breaking or real bad pain..but yet, when I got to the hospital to be checked, I was already 9 cm dilated! She was also breech at the last minute so I had to have another c-section...much better experience with a spinal! All labors are different, even in the same woman...if you have anymore children, you just might get that painful labor that you felt that you missed out on! Good luck!

Anna - posted on 05/07/2011

I actually did to start the day that I went in to be induced with my daughter. I didnt know or feel a thing til I went in for my pre-induction check up

Sarh - posted on 05/06/2011

Kristin, I as well wish I had taped my delivery with both! I said to my hubby earlier today that with our next baby I want someone to record it, he said "No, you don't want to see that". lol

Kristin - posted on 05/06/2011

I woke up from a nap at 8pm, thought it was just BH contractions so I ignored it... by 8:30pm I started puking, thought something was wrong so arrived at the hospital at 9ish with what I thought was BH contractions happening every minute.. got admitted, and by 10:55pm my daughter was born, Did it completely natural with no drugs. I kinda wish I had taped my labor and deliverey, it all happened so fast that I dont remember much! :(

Sarh - posted on 05/04/2011

I didn't have a "silent birth", but I myself did not make any noise aside from maybe a little grunting when delivering my daughter. I didn't cry, didn't scream... don't see the point in that, didn't talk as it seemed to make the contractions stronger. I just relaxed, the only thing I said was when they told me to push I said, "I don't wanna". haha. I had no drugs, no pain meds, no epidural, etc. I didn't do any of that crazy breathing crap either. Just breathed on my own how ever it made me most comfortable. I gave birth to a 9lb 13.5oz baby girl with only about 30mins of labor! One push she was out.

Keli - posted on 04/28/2011

i was completly calm through my whole labor, the staff kept saying " i cant believe im looking at someone in labor" im happy about that im not the screaming type.lol. my pain was very toleratable,i had no drugs,no epidural. just breathed.

Amber - posted on 04/28/2011

i guess i did too. i knew i was having contractions but they didnt hurt at all. i just felt a lot of pressure and my belly was hard as a bowling ball! i was so unsure of it when i called my mom and my doctor. i could feel it, and they were very regular as soon as they started up (4 minutes apart from the beginning!), but i didnt have any pain. we went through a kfc drive thru on the way to the hospital and got me some mashed potatoes because i knew they wouldnt let me eat once i was admitted. i had an epidural and they broke my water after being there for a couple hours. the epi wore off on my left side during the transition phase, but even what i felt wasnt that bad. ...i guess thats like a silent labor?

Bev - posted on 04/13/2011

Don't get me wrong I felt the pain at the end as he was being born & I too went from being a calm (too calm probably!!) to a screaming swearing mess, especially as he got stuck in my pelvis between contractions felt like he was going to split me in half & then the stitches I need afterwards hurt so much I needed Gas & air as he had so kindly decided to re- arrange my insides on his way out...my darling son you got to love them haven't you!!! :-)

Brandi - posted on 04/13/2011

I didn't. I did great up till about 8 cm's. Then all hedoublehockeysticks broke loose. lol. It was my first child and I think I made it worse on myself in the end because I totally freaked out. As soon as they put my legs in the stirrups, I lost it. I stopped listening to the nurses and just started pushing. When my doctor came in the nurse said in a snotty way "I don't even see hair." The doctor looked at me and said, "Give me a push." I did and the nurse said, "Oh! I see it now." *rolls eyes* I told them she was coming! lol. I didn't have pain medication. I don't regret it one bit. Even though the tearing felt like I was going to die and I'm not going to lie... I screamed bloody murder every time I pushed the first 5 or so pushes. Gosh, that hurt!

You are lucky, hun! :)

Jenni - posted on 04/13/2011

YOU HAD A NORMAL BIRTH!! It just wasn't what you imaged or what media, society, the movies, what other mums consider normal etc. You were normal for you and your child and CONGRATULATIONS FOR FOLLOWING YOUR BODY INSTINTS!! The surprise in having a baby is HOW IT COMES OUT!! Everyone one is different and everyone experience things completely different. Having a so called "normal" delivery DOES NOT make you any less than a mum, it's how you bring up that child that really counts. Children do not fit into our way of thinking or the way we are used to controlling our world - they are here to mix things up so I would recommend just go with the flow. We survived with our parents who had much less technology and less media/society pressures as there is today, and I'm sure yours will be fine with you lol I am rhesus negative and never had period pain so I had no idea of what contractions would feel like cos everyone kept telling me it's like cramps with your period. I also had reasonable high pain threshold so I was concern bout missing the sign of contrations. It wasn't til I had a miscarriage did I know what contractions were and I would have ignored them lol I ended up being induced just one day short of 42wks, my child's heart rate stayed the same level thru out the labour - which the doctor was concern the monitor was not connected properly - which it was thankfully! So mine wasn't normal either, everyone is different. Lose the idea of what is normal and just go with the flow - as long as they come out healthy that's all that counts!! It might never happen again or it might that's something you can't control.

Bev - posted on 04/12/2011

Hi Alice
Thanks for your reply to my thread, its nice to know I am not the only one who went through a silent labour!!! Alot of people think I mean that I had a labour where I didn't speak or make any noise which as you know is not the case. I had my son at 34 weeks & had finished work on the saturday to start my maternity leave on the sunday morning I was admitted with a urine infection then on the monday I was being discharged and the midwife went to get my antibiotics for the infection when she came back I mentioned to her (as I had to at least 5 other midwives & dr's the previous day & a consultant that morning ) that I had a a heavy discharge that i was worried about, every single one of them ignored it telling me it was normal until the midwife who had just come on duty & whom went to get my anti biotics said she would get the registrar to take a swab to check there was no infection, after taking a swab he asked if i wanted to be examined to put my mind at rest before being sent home, to which i said yes and upon examining me he looked at me & told me the only place I was going was to delivery suite immediately as i was 6cm dilated....I dont know who was more shocked, me the registrar, the midwife or my hubby lol!!! Anyways I gave birth to my son Reece who was then rushed straight into intensive care and put on a ventilator, i never got to have that bonding bit where you lay ther cuddling your baby & coo-ing over them and so after 2 weeks in hospital we were finally allowed to bring him home, I was forgotten about as soon as he was born no one came to check on me once I had been moved to the special care ward (the same day he was born) and so when he was about 3 months I developed post natal depression I think it was a mixture of everything, the premature birth, the silent labour (not feeling I had experience a normal birth with contractions etc) I am pleased to say that Reece is a thriving 23 month old now and although I no longer have Postnatal depression I still feel rather cheated that I never had a normal birth...everyone always says they wish they had not felt the contractions but they do not understand it can effect you emotionally afterwards.
I am sorry you had to go it alone with no midwife etc must have been bloody scary!!! Im glad everything was ok with you and baby though. I often wonder if I had another one would I have a silent labour again & would it be early again the worst part is that if i were to have both how the heck would I know I was in labour early!!! It was only coinsidence that i was in the hospital & had they sent me home I too would have given birth on my own with no midwife etc & Reece may not have made it (thank god he did!!) Anyway it is so nice to be able to talk to someone who knows exctly what i mean "silent labour" & im sorry for rattling on but it is still fresh in mind 2 years on!
How old is your little one now? I hope they are well & im sure keeping you busy thank you for replying to the thread Bev xxx

Alice - posted on 04/12/2011

Hi Bev,
I know this was posted a while ago but I too had silent contractions with my first baby and I can totally relate to not having a 'proper labour'.
Bit of a personal question but have you ever had a period pain? I never did and didnt even know that women did until a contraction was described as a very bad period pain at my antenatal class!
Even though my mother also had silent contratcions with her births I was 18 and obviously belived the midwife when I was told that I would 'know when I'm in labour'.
My waters broke in my sleep I thought I'd wet the bed lol 3 hours later I had my son in my arms .... not a single contraction pain!! No midwife either, she diddnt make it in time!
I foudn it hard to bond with my baby at first because I too felt that I hadn't given birth to him that I had missed out on the pains of childbirth!
Also it is very scary one minute I was goign about my buisness and then suddelnly BAM I ahve a bay with no warning what so ever!!
Oh and I was NOT silent during my birth I yelled and cursed about the lack of midwife and an ambulance crew that sat abotu doing nothing!!

Iysha - posted on 01/25/2010

I didn't scream...or yell. I did a lot of "yes please" and "no thanks" and "ok, again" Is that considered a silent birth? I didn't feel much pain...i didn't even know I was in labor the first time...the second time I did..but it wasn't uncontrollable pain...it was like period cramps...I got the epidural anyway just because I didn't want to miss the opportunity if they got real bad....taken as a precaution. lol. I loved my labor.

Sara - posted on 01/25/2010

There was conversation but I really tried to be quiet. Breathing really helps with contractions! Although because I was induced I had really fast, painful contractions and couldn't keep quiet, but I wasn't loud. I had an epidural [what you mean by silent] and it's not what I intended but was nice.



I saw a video of a silent labor done in Australia. It was really neat! And the woman didn't push or yell or anything, she let baby birth himself. I wish I had the perserverance for that! Anyway, a proper labor is however you want to do it! Glad you enjoyed your birthing experience.

Bev - posted on 01/24/2010

Thanks for all your replies ladies ...Just to clarify I didn't mean a silent labour where no body was allowed to talk I meant one where I felt no pain...my goodness I talk for England so could not have done the Katie & Tom thing I would not have lasted 5 minutes :-)
Tarah I totally understand how you felt my son was whisked straight to intensive care & put onto a ventilator (C-PAP) & I missed out on the whole bonding thing too was not allowed to touch or cuddle him until he came off the ventilator which was very hard...I will be honest the whole experience of Reece's early arrival & birth has effected me no end I am suffering with post natal depression most of which is because I feel I missed out on so much... the normal labour, the bonding with him, having the stress of a poorly baby, being in hospital for a while & being put on a ward with other mums who had their babies with them whilst my little man was in intensive care. Its a horrible thing to have but I find talking about it helps me I am not embarrassed or ashamed that I have it (maybe a little upset that it happened to me) but I just take one day at a time & remember that I have a georgous 8 month old son with whom life would be a lot duller !
Thanks again for all your posts. x

Chelle - posted on 01/24/2010

my friend had an experience with silent labour.....she didn't feel any pain, then her waters broke so she went to hospital and she was nearly fully dilated...they asked if she had felt her contractions and she said she thought they were just braxton hicks because they didn't hurt and because she was 38weeks she didn't think the baby would come early.....she ended up having to have a c-section because the cord started to come out before the baby and he was also breach...but she did go into labour and dilate without pain!!



i wish i had this with my 1st labour...instead i got 37 and a half hours of full on contractions that hurt so bad they made me vomit lol.....fingers crossed the birth of this baby (i'm 22weeks preggo with numba 2) will be faster

Michelle - posted on 01/24/2010

True Tarah. that happened to me to. my baby was left on the bed, for ages and then transferred to incubator for 2 1/2 hrs. I too missed out on the bonding thing and it hurt badly. I think that all moms think they miss out on something...if someone has a painful birth they feel like they should have got the non painful birth, if its not painful, we think we should have experienced something to do with labor :) same goes for the bonding thing. Some people who have emergency c-sections feel they missed out on the whole thing...but at the end of the day we are here with our babies...when Im down I think of all the moms who have lost thier babies so young...and nothing I feel compares. At least we have our babies to show for it.

Tarah - posted on 01/24/2010

hi i had a really bad painful labour it was so awful that i dont know if i can do it again i dont think you missed out on anything but then when i was pregnant i wanted to know what labour felt like now that i have felt it i dont know why i ever wanted to but i do understand how you feel i think i would have felt to same i missed out on the 1 bonding with my baby because he was taken away and put on a ventilator as soon as he was born and that was so awful for my 1st baby so i know what it feels like when you dont get to experiance everything.

Michelle - posted on 01/24/2010

well in that case, why would you want to feel pain? You didnt miss out on anything :) having no pain means your body is working perfectly fine to get that baby out. Normally when women scream in pain, thier either scared and tense thier muscles causing pain and inhibiting labor from progressing or thiers an underlying issue such as a placenta previa or ruptured placenta...abviously not always these but could be anything. just be glad you gave your baby a stress free birth!

Cynthia - posted on 01/23/2010

Actually, what Bev is describing is Silent Labour not a Silent Birth (labour) like Katie and Tom. Silent labor is when a woman is in labor, but does not feel the pain of the contractions....lucky girl...lol.



It's tough to say whether or not you missed out on anything Bev. Each birth is different and each women's experience is different. I was in labour for 12 hours and only dialated to 1 cm which meant that I still had a long way to go. I had originally wanted a natural birth but by that time I caved and asked for an epidural. I ended up having an emergency c-section (cord was wrapped around my son's neck twice) so I did not experience an actual "birth". He was a big boy at birth, weighed in at 9 lbs 5 ounces with his chest measuring 4 cm larger than his head, so in retrospect I'm kind of glad I ended up getting a c-section.



They say that Silent Labour is common for first time births so if you decide to have another child you should expect the whole sha-bang next time!! Each birth is unique and beautiful, and you and your son were able to experience a some what "stress free" birth, I say some what because there is always a little stress revolving around labour and births, it's just human nature.

Michelle - posted on 01/23/2010

No danielle a silent labor is where no one is allowed to speak or make noise, its to do with the mothers feelings as shes giving birth. Sociologists think that if there is lots of banging/talking/running about etc... it disturbs the mothers thoughts and can actually have an impact on the way she deals with the feelings when she think about what her birth was like. Like Jess said, the Tom and Katie story...they had a silent birth and the press made it sound really bad, but its not, its actually pretty beautiful. :)

Danielle - posted on 01/23/2010

i think bev means she was in labour but she couldn't feel it, it was happening before she knew it was.

Bev i can understand how you might feel a bit cheated but i think i would have rather not known it was happening than the screaming and pain i had lol.

i hope your little boy was ok been born that early.

Michelle - posted on 01/23/2010

oh ok then. Hun I tried for a silent labor (didnt actually know it had a name, but I knew I wanted total quiet) but the midwives at my hospital were so disrespectful and didnt take note. My partner and I were the silent ones. my main midwife was really good and hardly said anything. I think the only time she spoke was when she asked me If I wanted pain relief. I just whispered 'no; and she carried on doing what she was doing. When I wanted to knoe everything was okay 'down there' shed just look at me, nod and smile.

I dont think you missed out on anything Bev. You must have had a wonderful birth. You did have a proper labor. Who said labor had to be noisy with shouting and screaming? Its better for baby if your calm and relaxed. I am definately going for a silent labor with my next child...as I hopefully wont be in this country (UK) and in the USVI then I should be able if no complications so have a completely quiet birth in my own home. hopefully!

Feel blessed, you got a gorgeous baby out of it :)

Chelle - posted on 01/24/2010

my friend had an experience with silent labour.....she didn't feel any pain, then her waters broke so she went to hospital and she was nearly fully dilated...they asked if she had felt her contractions and she said she thought they were just braxton hicks because they didn't hurt and because she was 38weeks she didn't think the baby would come early.....she ended up having to have a c-section because the cord started to come out before the baby and he was also breach...but she did go into labour and dilate without pain!!



i wish i had this with my 1st labour...instead i got 37 and a half hours of full on contractions that hurt so bad they made me vomit lol.....fingers crossed the birth of this baby (i'm 22weeks preggo with numba 2) will be faster