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New Moms Describe What Labor Is Really Like
If you want to know what labor is really like, listen to what these new moms have to say about childbirth.
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When we asked new moms to describe what labor felt like, we received almost 500 responses. In the course of describing labor pain, your answers hit on many similar themes -- how the experience compared with your expectations, what pushing was like, and whether you'd recommend an epidural. We culled through the responses to pick some of the most common themes.
As a first-time mom, I had a difficult time deciding if I was in labor or if I was having Braxton Hicks contractions. My symptoms did not fit into either category. I had a lot of cramping under my belly, not radiating from the top down or in my back like the books said. When I finally went in to the hospital to be checked, sure I would be sent home, I was told that I was actually in labor.
Tamara, St. Louis Park, MN
With both my babies I didn't experience normal contractions. Instead I felt like I was having one long contraction that felt like the worst menstrual cramps I had ever had.
Rebecca, Layton, UT
I was told it would feel like very bad menstrual cramps but that's not what it felt like to me. It was much more intense and it was almost all in my lower back. Every time a contraction would come, my lower back would slowly begin to seize up. It was kind of like the muscles inside were slowly twisting harder and harder until it became almost unbearable, and then it would slowly subside. It was still much more painful than I had imagined it would be.
Angelina, Ellicott City, MD
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I found contractions painful, but tolerable. When I tried to put my fear and tension aside, and focus on the productivity of them, felt like they were powerful waves of intense menstrual cramps, rising and falling in intensity. I felt fine in between them. I had expected to feel contractions from the top of my uterus down, but mostly felt them lower than my navel in my front, back and sides. The worst of them was when I was confined to the bed and attached to the monitor.
2/25/2010 12:22:41 PM Report AbuseI wasnt sure if i was in labor or not, the cramps i felt were odd, I thought i had to have a BM, once i did the uncomfortable feeling never went away. As i was cristmas shopping that day they got more intense and i started to have a strong feeling i was in labor - sure enough i was.
2/24/2010 12:59:13 PM Report Abuseevery single women is differrent and before i had my baby i would here tones of stories and not get scared at all but when the day came for..at first i can handle contractions even tough they were not strong its not so pleasent, i got the epidural after a while,but for my luck it wored off i got to feel the strongest contractions the pain is just simply something you cant describe until you experience it i ended up getting a c-section it was horrible!!
2/4/2010 09:59:52 AM Report Abusemy contractions were the worse they were the most horrible sharp pains ever the birth went by fast for me it was a lil pain but not as bad as the contractions.
2/3/2010 04:44:07 PM Report AbuseLabor started out as diarrhea that lasted about an hour, but the pain you normally feel with diarrhea didn't go away, it got worse and worse. I sympathize with Rebecca; I couldn't tell when I came down from a contraction. The pain was never ending. It did however give me a good laugh a few months later when my husband had a bad case of the runs and had to wait to get to a bathroom. He was in agony. I said, "Oh good honey, now you know a little better how my labor feels."
10/15/2009 08:03:24 PM Report Abuse