terrified of labor :(

Jennifer - posted on 05/29/2012

It is natural to have that fear....I had the same fear, I went natural and intend to have this one natural as well!!! It will hurt, you will be tired, but in the end you will remember nothing when they put your bundle of joy in your arms for the first time!!!

Hope - posted on 05/29/2012

soo true. i would rather be in the delivery room, all natural, then sitting in a dentist chair :-)

Hope - posted on 05/28/2012

well, its no day at the park, that's for sure. i had my oldest with an epidural, and boy was i in heaven. the worst part of that labor was the stitches :-\ , they're no fun. thank goodness i only had them with the first. my middle child was all natural. it hurts, like really, really, really strong cramps. made me cry. but some of that was also because i was scared, because that was not in my birthing plan. but delivery was the greatest pain reliever ever!! it's amazing how all that pain just goes away. my third... well i got the epidural, but only had it for not even 5 mins, and it only worked on my left side. but i guess being almost natural it didn't... hurt? as much. ooo it still did, but it didn't bring me to tears. i was in control. all in your mind set i suppose. i never really had long labors either. 8 hours, 4 hours, 2 hours... but i did have to be induced with all of them. some people say that makes contractions stronger too. ehh i really wouldn't know. so go in there knowing it will be uncomfortable, but also with a plan, and know that it will end with someone who is truly amazing :-)

Sara - posted on 05/28/2012

It wasn't easy, but it also wasn't s bad as I was imagining it. I have three kids. Honestly, I'd rather have a baby than get a tooth pulled. Lol

Luzenia - posted on 05/26/2012

I know this will sound stupid, But when I was 13 my dad got me a stuffed puppy for Vday. I still have it. Anyway I took him with me when I went into labor with my first. And having that one item of home was a comfort to me. I ended up having a c-section after 26 hours of VERY painful labor. But you know what. I made it. And he is an amazing 6 year old now. We are strong we were created to be able to handle labor in the woods. You are going to be fine, and once you wee that amazing baby and kiss him or her for the first time you will realize all your worry was silly! You will be fine :)

Agatha - posted on 05/25/2012

im a mother of three and i delivered them all natural. no epidural, nothing. i want to tell you that nobody can tell you what you should do or should not do. i was always told that having an epidural your baby will be born all drugged up so i refused.( lucky for me that my labours were only eight hours, then 9 hours and for the third one, five hours.) but if you want one, do it... and it helps soooooo much to have some positive help. my hubby was amazing and he is my rock. good luck with it all!!

Kerry - posted on 05/18/2012

I am a Mom and a labor and delivery nurse. I had 3 children at the hospital with an epidural and my 2 girls at home with nothing for pain except walking and breathing. It sounds like you will be wanting an epidural. Let your nurse know that you want your epidural as soon as you can have it. Some Dr's say anytime and some have their own guidelines. Don't wait until you can't take it anymore. Epidural as soon as possible - assuming you want one. Does it hurt? yes A lot? Yes. Women have been enduring this pain for a very long time. You can do this, no doubt in my mind at all. So get your sleep now because you won't be getting enough for years to come. Best of luck sweetie.

Megan - posted on 05/18/2012

Pain is not how I would describe childbirth (with drugs) It is just uncomfortable. Now if you go drug free I am sorry to say you will have pain and discomfort.....but no worries you will do just fine. Natural instinct takes over and once you have the baby in your arms you forget all about it.

Toni - posted on 05/18/2012

Sweetie, the best thing you can do for yourself and your sanity is to NOT listen to the horror stories.
Every woman is different. We all have different degrees of menstrual cramps, different degrees of PMS, and different degrees of labor discomfort. For some, it's pain. For others, it's a walk in the park. You won't know until you go through it, and worrying just makes you tense up (also raises your blood pressure and lowers your pain tolerance).
Whatever your level of discomfort, you CAN handle it. You are a strong, vibrant, wonderful woman who is bringing a precious new soul into the world, and that is the only thing you need to remember right now.

And, if you're in need of a little help getting through the day, an epidural can be a beautiful thing...
;)

Stifler's - posted on 05/17/2012

I was terrified too but adrenaline kicks in when you go into labour and you're just living in the moment.

Veronica - posted on 05/16/2012

i have read a couple of responses and i haven't really seen anything explain what it feels like..i was 19 when i had my first child.. i had talked to a lot of people before i had my son to find out myself what it would feel like also ..i was nervous too..not 1 person told me it feels like your making a big BM...thankfully i wast in labor long ..had an epidural and it went pretty quickly..but it feels like major cramps while your doing number 2..to be honest..but it wasnt that bad bc after i delivered my son i thought to myself "that wasnt to bad..i can do it again'

Andrea - posted on 05/16/2012

this is a hard question to ask!! it makes me sad because all the 'horror' stores come out and it can be very scary! everyone is different. my labor was a breeze!! I had my son at home with a midwife. my water broke at 12am no contractions until about noon or one. i had back labor ( yeah that hurt! felt like a bad period cramps i hardly get them ever so i am assuming is not as bad as other people get) My sons head was crooked and was pinching my cervix not allowing that part to thin out and it was ripping ( i blame that for my back labor) as soon as my midwife got to my house she waited for a contraction and moved that part over my sons head and he was out at 820pm!!

OVER COME YOUR FEARS NOW!!! you know that karma thing? do bad and bad will happen to you? i think the same is for our thinking. if you are scared or have a bad attitude about something your experience is not going to be a good one. but if you are happy and informed then your experience will be a good one.

you don't have to be scared. and once you get to 5cm the pain peaks and stays the same until you're done.

Have you thought about hiring a Doula?

eat good! ( before you go to the hospital) stay hydrated! and relax. your body will know what to do so what feels right for you :)

get a big yoga ball to sit and bounce on! or a birth ball ( same thing ) helps for optimum baby positioning and can be super soothing during labor.

i can't stress it enough! just relax. its a hard thing to do but women's bodes are made for birthing babies! you can do this!! and you will do amazing :)

Rachel - posted on 05/15/2012

I am now pregnant with my third child & I still have my freak out moments about delivery & stuff. Every pregnancy is different & it all depends on your body. I have zero pain tolerance but had both of my first kids all natural with no pain meds. I had people in the room that did everything possible to take my mind off the pain. With my first pregnancy I had my best friend & Fiance in the room with me & I was laughing so much that when my water actually broke I thought I peed myself & they laughed at me while getting the nurse. If you focus on something other then the pain it really helps. It just like when you have to pee but your talking to someone & you forget that you have to go because your so into your convo but as soon as that convo stops the feeling comes back. You will survive threw this just stay calm & as relaxed as possible.

Nicole - posted on 05/15/2012

i was the same. I built it up to be this big painful experience, so much so that when i actually went into labor i didnt believe it was actually labor because it didnt hurt as much as i thought it should. Things are very rarely as bad as u think they are, and at the end of the day this is what you are built to do. Also if you can have a nice warm shower afterwards it makes your stomach muscles feel much better. (btw i had a natural birth)

Shyla - posted on 05/14/2012

I did not feel any contractions until i started pushing and then it kinda gets difficult, i had the epidural. My doctor made me laugh because he said my family was auctioneers because everyone was saying "push" at a different time. So just make sure to take the drugs when they offer it or they probably won't come back.

Kayla - posted on 05/14/2012

Okay I am 30 week with my 2nd now
I was 23yr when I had my first she was 8 days late
I was scared with her however you will be okay I think everyone is worry with their first

JUST HOPE WHO EVER DRIVE YOU TO THE hospital NO HOW TO GET THERE MY MOM DIDN'T

Samantha - posted on 05/13/2012

Dont stress yourself out about it because you'll never know what is really going to happen. Plus if you feel stress your baby feels it too. Atleast its not like back in the day to where they had no hospital and no meds to help through the delivery yikes! Trust me I was terrified too the day I went into labor with my first but everything ended up being fine. Also remember God doesnt give you more than you can handle! I sat here on the computer the other night and watched at home water births and I started to think about the labor pains I will have and it actually made me feel better lol I have no idea how I came across watching those but im glad I did. I was like "Well if these chicks can do it at home with no meds then me having my kid with a lil bit of pain meds shouldnt be so bad" lmao. Weird I know but it helped. With my first I had an epidural but with this one I do not want an epidural I just told them I would ask for pain medicine when I needed it because I wanted to try and hold off until i was in dire pain. Dont worry your self sleepless though if it does continue to worry you just talk to your doctor and make sure he explains bit by bit what theyll do if you do go into labor and what type of options you have. This site helps alot too talking to other moms and so does talking with your family. I know its alot to take in being its your first but it will all be worth it pain included.

Vanessa - posted on 05/11/2012

it really isnt bad at all. i had both of mine natural by choice. it was an awsome experience. both of my labors were short, 5hrs with my first and 4 1/2 with my second. we had a scare with our second, she got stuck in my hip and had to be pulled out. the doctor had to break her arm and she had to go on oxygen for about 6hrs. but now at 4 months she is growing great. good luck hope its quick

Kenna - posted on 05/09/2012

i did one labor natural and one with epidural. not by choice on the natural either i wanted an epidurel but ran out of time. i loved the edidural it helped everything it helped me calm down it helped so much with the pain it helped with the sickness my kid is in a genius level IQ now she definitely had no effects from having the epidurel. it wasnt painful to get it only took a few min. i thought the IV was far worse than the epidurel. Had a nine hr total labor it went smoothly pushed a couple times and was all done i left the next morning and my baby and me were both fine i tore a lot and had about 45 stitches but i was able to walk around the next day just fine. i chose not to get up too much to heal faster but i could have if i wanted to. the pushing was easy i didnt feel anything except small amounts of pressure. it felt kinda weird but i was only pushing for about a min. and a half so it was really nothing. the next labor i had natural was the worst thing of my entire life. and i've had plenty of other very painful health issues. that are supposdly supposed to hurt worse than a natural labor. but they didnt even compare. i was screaming at the top of my lungs to the point where my dr had to stop the pushing to tell me to be quiet i felt like i was ripping open and i might have been a little dramatic but i was terrified it was extremely painful i was crying the whole time. i couldnt move or get up for about a week my husband carried me everywhere i needed to go i cried everytime i moved. i didnt even have to have any stitches but it was so much more painful afterwards it took me a long time to stop hurting. the labor on that one was only 3 hours. didnt really have any contractions tho. went too fast i guess. but by far worse. good luck. hopefully yours goes like my first it was a breeze.

Amanda - posted on 05/07/2012

It's not all bad. I didn't even know I was in labor with my son until I got to the hospital for a check up and found out I was 10 cm dialated. All I had was a dull ache in my lower back that came on a couple of hours before we went in.

Toyss - posted on 05/07/2012

i hope all goes well its definately well worth it you will know at the time what you feel most comfortable with im forever trying to try something differnt but my body always ends up in the same position im neli 38 weeks with my 4th child on the way and to be honest i still get terrified of labour lol all the best any ways

Carly - posted on 05/06/2012

One word... Epidural ...

Makes for such a nicer experience... Haha... Good luck and you will surprise yourself...

Terina - posted on 05/05/2012

hun i think we all feel the way at some point in our pregnancy, my son was born at 36 weeks all fine and somehow knew he would make an early appearance i spent a lot of time getting my brain mentally prepared for the bundle of joy that was going to bless us, but believ me no matter how many books you read how many tv shows you see and stories of other mums theres no labours that are the same they may be similar though, all i can say is chill out and believ in yourself you may even surprise yourself, my son was born in total of 3 hrs and with pethadine and i remeber thinking what all the fuss was about although my contractions hurt more than giving birth, my daughter was also born sooo quick i only just about made t to hospital as she was born in 26 mins i didnt know i was in labour funnily enough , yeah i know what your thinking how the hell does someone end up in labour and not know, trust me happens! this put down to having raspberry leaf tea from 36 weeks its meant to speed things up and generaly make the hole thing easier. keep calm helps trust your bosy and go with it that baby is going to come and YOU will be the one that did it , its the proudest moment of my life thats for sure and definatly worth it too , am i not kidding i have lupus and had it so bad on one episode i screamed with the pain as it was in my back , id rather have 10 more babies than to get lupus in my back again honest truth i dont think having a baby is the worst pain ive ever felt , but like i say everyones pain threshold is different and every body will tell u their story because its THIER story theres no txt book when it comes to giving birth another thing... be open minded and try not t have your heart set on im having the baby this way and that is that as things can change x you will be fine youe are going to have a baby and you will feel the best youve ever felt ;-)

Rosie - posted on 05/04/2012

WELL IN MY CASE I JUST FELT THEM LIKE MY USUAL CRAMPS I HAD MY SON NATURALLY
I WAS IN LABOR FOR 10HOURS THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY IS THAT I WAS EXHAUSTED EVERY TIME I HAD CONTRACTION I WOULD HOLD ON TO AN EXTRA PILLOW I AND TOOK DEEP BREATHS AND TRY TO RELAXS MY MUSCLE MY ADVICE TO U IS RELAXS YOUR BODY AND UR MIND AND REST ALL U CAN

Amanda - posted on 05/04/2012

i was in the same boat i couldnt sleep at night i had panic attacks just thinking about labor and delivery. i actually thought i was just having braxton hicks when i went into actual labor lol was shopping at walmart and doing errands lol went to the walk in clinic to get checked out just to see if i was in real labor this time or not i didnt wanna go to the hospital and look like a fool again. turns out it was real labor.got to the hospital i was almost 4cm already lol after an hr or so pain was increasing. Hot shower helped and breathing through contractions def help. finally caved and got an epi. And oh it was soooo worth it! it was heaven couldnt feel anything for the first bit. i have a high tolerance for drugs so it wore off a few times before started pushing but they just topped it off. when i finally got to push it felt so much better. actual delivery was not at all what i expected it was great it was the labor that kinda sucked. but im a baby for pain and i did it lol youd be surprised what you can handle. its all worth it. Dont worry you will survive and its an amazing experience.

Casey - posted on 05/03/2012

Honestly...best thing that I did was not "think about" labor. I knew it was coming...I knew it was going to hurt....why dwell on it? I was in 25 hours of labor and I pushed for 2 hours. One word...exhausting. I did not feel any pain because I had the Epidural. I just felt pressure which I wanted to feel because I wanted to feel myself push. If I felt pain...I do not remember. The worst for me was the back labor. My back hurt me so bad which the epidural did not take that pain away so the epidural was pointless for me to even get. Im sure you are going to do great. It helped me focus on something everytime I had a contraction. I focused on my husbands shirt or either the TV and it got me through them. They were not as bad as what I had imagined. I have heard horror stories and even though my labor was long, I would do it all over again. Just keep pushing to the end result: holding your beautiful baby!! Good luck. I know you will be just fine. Just relax....and remember to breath. :D

Carol - posted on 05/03/2012

Well, my experience will not make you feel better, but I felt the same way. My doctor prescribed me ambien just so I could sleep at night. Unfortunately, my fears were realized in ways I could never imagine, but when this is all over you can be proud of all you went through.

Taku - posted on 05/01/2012

18 hours of labour, long and hard, quite the experience and all natural! Doing it natural takes you to a whole new interesting experience, one that can be good if things go well, if not it becomes an unforgettable memory. I'm grateful for the experience and the son i have having gone natural but i had difficulties in the final stage and when you're feeling the full brunt of it, you're about ready to punch everyone in the face to quicken the process. I ended up with stitches and a severe case of hemorrhoids(from pushing so long in the last stages), my son was eventually assisted out. Even despite the drama and all the pain, and all my fears previous to labour when he came out, it was HEAVEN, in just about every sense of the word. Be proud of your accomplishment! You have a wonderful journey ahead, and you've managed to get half way there with the pregnancy. Not lying it will hurt, get the epidural if you wish to not feel the full pain, but after birth you'll love yourself more for what you just accomplished. Good luck Cierra, its a wild and fun ride ahead. All the best. P.s: Going natural has a quick recovery after, as opposed to c-section, but some women don't get the choice. This is advice stemming from my experience and those of my friends who have kids as well. I'm the only one of the bunch that went natural but some of my friends didn't get the choice. Each to their own, but we're strong courageous women regardless!

Tyra - posted on 05/01/2012

I can tell you from my experience with my first son who is 7 months now went great. I didn't even know I was in labor lol by the time I got to the hospital which was 45 mins away. I was 7cm when I walked in there two hours later my baby boy was here. Relax and take it a day at a time no need to worry about anything your body knows what to do! you'll do great

Bronwyn - posted on 04/30/2012

It's a fear called Tokophobia. I had secondary Tokophobia (The birth of my second child) It caused my body to shut down and not go into labour, no matter what the Dr's tried. I ended up with an emergancy ceaser. Which I would not wish upon anyone. Vaginal is way easier and much less painful!

Alura - posted on 04/30/2012

Get the epidural!!! i wanted to hold out as long as i could before i got it. just a heads up tho, it takes them at least an hour to actually stick you with the epidural. but they gave me a pill called newbane (probably not spelling it right) but it helps take the edge off. it only lasts for an hour so id say ask for the newbane when your ready for them to give you the epidural cause it takes them a little over an hour to actually get the anesthesiologist in the room. seriously the epidural was awesome didnt feel a damn thing when i was pushing!!

Cierra - posted on 04/30/2012

thank you ladies for all the advice and pep talk lol. it really has helped me a lot! i guess hearing from all of you, labor will be what i make it and every woman is different with every pregnancy. HUGS for all of you and thank you again so so much!

Kristen - posted on 04/29/2012

I had 16 hours of labor then ended up having an emergency c-section because I couldn't push out my baby girl because my pelvis was to small. However, if i could have had her by pushing it would have been a piece of cake since I got the epidural. Once I had the epidural I did not feel anything, and in fact I slept through most of my labor once I got the epidural. Contractions hurt, they are tolerable at first and not a big deal to start, then they get worse and worse, and I was having them every 30secs once I started to dialate. Once the doctor broke my water they really started to get bad and that was at 3cm. IF you get the epidural, which I would suggest, it is a piece of cake. Why go through that much pain if you don't have too? It makes it a much better and relaxed situation which is good for you and the baby.

Rebecca - posted on 04/28/2012

i had my 1st child last may , i was induced and i had my waters broken , and i didn't get real pain till then but my labor from then was 6 hours , i just barely had gas and air which i was given late so didn't really feel the effects , i think it's a pain that you can't explain , and yes it was painful but i can honestly say once my daughter was born the pain stopped and it no longer mattered . But i did have to have stitches and i also had gracies which where quite painful also. But it's something you'll get through and i hope you don't have a long labor =) good luck x

Heather - posted on 04/28/2012

First of all, give yourself some credit! :) You have /made a human being/ inside your own body! What good would we be if we weren't built to handle giving them to the world?



I can't say I wasn't scared of labor with my child. But I read, researched, and was prepared for many things that could possibly happened. For me at least, it helped to ease my mind to be informed.



Actual labor and delivery? The only thing I was concerned about was that my baby was safe. I did everything the nurses and doctor told me to do. And even though I had planned on a natural birth, after breaking my water the doctor saw my son had had a bowel movement in utero. So they had to speed up the labor process with a stronger pitocin drip. This made contractions not only painful, but back to back - no rest between. So I opted for an epidural, and I don't regret that decision. I think my body would have been stressed and too worn out to give the 2-hour pushing effort it took to deliver my son - thankfully without cesarean.



Don't worry, or try not to. When your time comes, your maternal instinct and the survival of your child will kick in and that's the only thing that will truly matter. Best of luck to you and your new family!

Kelly - posted on 04/27/2012

I was the same way!!!! I had nightmares and I even worried I might die during childbirth. I honestly prayed about it daily and it went extremely well. Of course it hurt but everything went smoothly and I am still here today! You will do great goodluck with everything!

Amanda - posted on 04/27/2012

I had an epidural and it was more terryfying thinking of that. I was induced with my daughter and I couldnt believe that it wasnt really that bad after all. It was so rewarding at the end. Just keep thinking about seeing your beautiful baby in the end. Its all new especially the first. Just take a deep breath and dont worry everything will be ok. I had my husband by my side and he was wonderful and helped me soooooooooooo much! I hope you have an encouraging person by your side

Erin - posted on 04/26/2012

I am pregnant with my second baby. My first pregnancy was a rough one, and this one hasn't been easy but when you see your child you kinda forget about it. I had my first natural- I went in friday night with a water break and had my bouncing baby boy tuesday. I won't say it didn't hurt but you can have the option to use drugs to edge off the pain or an epidural, I myself just didn't pick that option.

Rockchick - posted on 04/26/2012

it will be over before you know it and i wont lie it hurts but you can do it..... my first went smooth it hurt at first but as soon as they gave me pain meds i felt nothin.... As for my second i thought i was dying the pain meds worn off when i was 9cms but they had to give me a c-section cause i would not go to 10cms.... you can do it as soon as you see the baby you world just stops your heart is no longer yours

Marixa - posted on 04/26/2012

Hi Cierra I was in the same spot but i was a teenage.... and i got a lot of advise from older women they would tell me to prepare myself mentally to relax cause thinking about it will make the pain worst and makes the baby delay at the time of labor cause your body is tense,try to think very positive and relax as much as you can now, take long hot bath at night i mean as hot as you can ,drink cinnamon tea also at night right after your hot bath,and you will sleep like a baby,also have as much sex as you can to it helps open your cervix to be ready..that was recommended by my OBGYN..and long walks too, those help the baby to push faster at the time of labor ,drinking lots of water also is good and also at the time of labor try not to scream your lungs out cause those will also hold the baby cause all you strength is coming out of your mouth and you need it for the baby..all the is worked for me and I have three babies I hope they help you too... cause I did not take the drugs....Good luck and I know you will do great

Tara - posted on 04/26/2012

This is just one of those things that you have to think about a little and then let go of because no one can really prep you for it because it hurts but you have to look at is as your body trying to accomplish something. When you get to the hospital if you cant handle it then ask for the drugs, if you can hang in there then go natural. There's no reason to be strictly one way or the other. I can tell you that it is a completely different kind of pain than anything else.....just try not to dwell on it and know that your body was made for giving birth,your body knows what it's doing even if you dont, and you have to keep telling yourself that you can do this

Jessica - posted on 04/25/2012

I had my son in December and I have a daughter too. I feared each time about the pain, and each time. Afterwards I couldn't remember much about the pain once it was over.



Yes it will hurt and yes it will be unlike any pain you've experienced, but surprisingly moments after its over; the pain is gone.



First time with my daughter she came early at 36 weeks. My water broke just after I went to go potty thinking I had to go- which of course I didn't. My labor started as cramps and then just a feeling like my muscles had just run a marathon. I had morphine because my labor was so quick and I wasn't ready. I also had laughing gas which only distracted me from focusing on my pain. When I delivered it felt like I needed to go; pardon me "poo". Biggest thing is I used my kegal exercises to help push and I focused on something other then the labour to get me through.



With my son things were even more different. My water only partially broke and in fact did that in the hospital elevator going to the maternity ward they had to break the rest moments before my son arrived. Another big difference was in order not to be in active labor for hours on end I had to be induced. 15 minutes after the medication to induce I got morphine. Within less then 2 hours of being induced I had my son and what was ironic is the morphine didn't kick in until after he arrived. So I can say I have experienced natural child birth and it's painful but not as painful as I have been told. I did again have the same feeling of needing to go to the bathroom but just pushed my chin to my chest, had my feet up and apart and pushed and pushed until it was over.



Each time the doctors and nurses were so helpful and wanted to make sure I was in the best care possible.



Stay positive, focus on other things, be calm, BREATH, and relax. Once you keep telling yourself to do that everything can be accomplished. Make sure to have people in the delivery room that can support a positive calm environment.



I chose my husband and mom.

Kate - posted on 04/25/2012

I have 3 kids.....I was just like u but as soon as I went in labor with my oldest, I forgot about it......I had 3 easy fast deliveries..... Under 3 hours each....my 1st I got the epidural but they missed so I got it again, my husband saw the needle & almost passed out, so they had to stop telling me to breath & help him.....2nd one the epidural took the 1st time & my 3rd I made it to the hospital and 45 minutes later he was here....the epidural didn't work for the delivery with him but it worked afterward (my placenta was so high, they said if I didn't get the epidural it would hurt alot more than the delivery....

REMEMBER: Don't scream, the baby will get scared. I did that (well a loud squeak & they said don't do I stopped immediately lol)

Good luck!!

Vicky - posted on 04/25/2012

Ahhh bless you! I was scared of labor and watching one born every minute on tv deffinately didnt help! I just kept saying to myself "Labor pain, is good pain!" Because really.. it is! .. its your body doing something amazing to bring your gorgeous baby into the world!

When the time actually came it wasnt as bad as I thought it was going to be. I actually enjoyed the full experience and id deffinately do it again.

Good Luck you will be fine =)

Sandra - posted on 04/24/2012

I know exactly how you feel. I feel like I can be in control of lots of things, but labor, which.back then freaked me out....but don't worry, God is amazing and He knows.what you can handle and what you can't handle. I recommend walking alot towards the end of your pregnancy and put your mind into 'relax' mode ...force yourself to relax, bc stress doesn't help the situation....

CC - posted on 04/24/2012

I have extreme anxiety about medical procedures - even whenever I have to have bloodwork done! I was absolutely petrified about giving birth to my first. I was terrified of the IV, let alone everything else. But I had a WONDERFUL experience with the birth of my son. I would suggest getting a doula if it's in your budget. I could not afford to hire a doula, but God heard my prayers because my labor nurse also worked as a doula! If you are not comfortable with your labor nurse, ask for another one. And be sure you are comfortable with your doc. My water broke at 9:40 pm and I head to the hospital with no contractions. Through the night and early morning, I had contractions on and off. They were very light and didn't hurt. I was so nervous, I stayed up all night only drifitng in and out of sleep. The IV was bearable. In the late morning, my labor nurse suggested I walk around a lot because my labor was not progressing well. I walked around for a little over an hour and still was not making progress, so they gave me pictocin. I was terrified of the pictocin, but my nurse was very understanding, as was my doctor, and they allowed me to start out with a very small dose and took it easy on me. Then the contractions really started coming and yes they hurt, but it was bearbale. My husband applied contrepressure and massaged my lower back because that's where it hurt me (back labor). I made it to 4 cm when the nurse came in and told me if I wanted an epidural, I could either get it right away or I would have to wait until after someone else's c-section was done. I decided to get the epidural and it was the best decision for me. The anesthesiologist did a great job and it did not hurt anymore than getting bloodwork done. They numbed the area before they put in the actual epidural. I didn't feel anything after that for hours. I was able to rest and sleep a little. I saw my contractions going crazy on the monitor, but I was comfortable and relaxed. Around 3 pm they told me it was time to push. I began trying to push for about 30 minutes and the baby was not coming down. He was turned face up and was having a hard time fitting through my pelvis. They told me to turn on my side to encourage the baby to turn and they left me like that for hours. I started pushing again around 6:30 pm. I pushed in every position you could think of. The labor nurse actually stayed passed her shift with me. She was amazing and did everything she could think of to help me get the baby out. My doctor was also amazing and he let me try all these different positions for hours. The baby had to be born by 9:30 pm because you only have 24 hours from when your water breaks. They had to take off the epidural to help me be more effective at pushing. Then the contractions did hurt, but they actually hurt less when I pushed. It was around 9:00 when my doctor told me we could try for a few more minutes and then if the baby wasnt born, they would have to do a c-section. I totally freaked out - I was soooo scared of having an operation, especially after all that. I was totally exhausted and sooo thirsty, I honestly did not think I could push anymore. But when he said the word c-section, I got some strength from somewhere and my son was born at 9:17 pm. The doctor had to use the vacuum suction three times and on the third try, my son was born. I had bursted blood vessels all over my face from pushing so hard. I was so thirsty and just wanted to sit up and have a drink and hold my son, so I was annoyed when I had to lie still for another 20 minutes or so while my dr. stitched me up ( I didn't feel that). The recovery was fine. I was sore, but it wasn't bad. For me, the most important things were to have great support in the delivery room - my husband, the labor nurse, and my doctor. After everything was over and I was moving to the recovery room, a nurse ripped off the tape on my back from where the epidural was. I remember that being on of the most painful things I felt that day- I kid you not. crazy right!?

Theresa - posted on 04/24/2012

Like everyone else has said every birth experience is different. My first daughter, I was terrified also of what the pain would be like and once I was in labour and up at the hospital I wasn't dilated enough and I had pretty bad contractions so they gave me pethidine, but that didn't work. While in the delivery room I tried gas but that did nothing either...For me, the contractions are harder to deal with than the actual birth - I think because they went on for longer. After 28 hours (from first contraction to birth) my first daughter was born weighing 8lb 3oz. Then Little Miss number 2 came along and I have to say her birth was WAY worse. I didn't have time for any pain relief AT ALL and I have NEVER screamed in my life except for giving birth to her. From first contraction to birth she took 3 hrs 50 mins and weighed in at 9lb 3oz! You name the spot, I had stitches there lol. I had to have a catheter because of where they had to stitch! Once again the contractions were worse than birth and I told my then fiance, (now husband) that there would be no more after her! Well guess what, we have decided to go one more time in the last chance for a boy : ) So overall my advise is to try and concentrate on the end result (that beautiful miracle you have created) not on the process to get him/her here. As soon as you hold that bub in your arms you will forget the pain (most of it anyway) ; ) Good luck with your new bub!

Leila - posted on 04/24/2012

I used HypnoBirthing and hired a doula, having someone i knew would be there, as well as husband , and having tools to relax myself, were the priceless gift that did for me,.. what type of birth would like? best wishes xx http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc4dsG7Yg...

Sarah - posted on 04/24/2012

Honestly after taking the birthing classes is when I became scared. They showed us a women having a baby and I became nervous. I knew it would be painful but it all the sudden became real. I think it is normal. Once I finally went into labor I wasn't thinking about anything but pushing my son out because it did hurt and I wanted the pain to stop as soon as possible. I hope I didn't scare you even more but I did it three times anfter seeing the baby that brought into the world you will see it was all worth it! Good Luck to you and try to do relaxing things to keep your mind off the delivery!

Holly - posted on 04/24/2012

I went through child birth with no pain killer, mostly because mine went so quick. I was induced at 39 weeks. After receiving the pitocin I only had mild cramps but when they broke my water I was thrown instantly into hard labor with contractions every 30-45 seconds. I was pushing within twenty minutes and had my son an hour after they broke my water, the only reason it took that long though was because they wouldn't let me push until the doctor got back. The pain was bad, I admit, I ended up throwing up because of the contractions, but for me it was more I couldn't breathe very well through the contractions. But when you get to this stage you're almost done. You just need a good support system (like an understanding spouse or maybe mom) to help you get through that hour or two of pushing because that's when you have the most pain. My husband and mom were great.