Was birth harder or easier than you thought it would be? I've known some women to say they've actually been through worse pain. I don't know if getting an epi influenced that though. Ooh, maybe I should do a poll...
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It was harder!
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I can't contribute but I am interested to see the results
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About what I expected.
The first time I got meds at 5cm, 2nd time I was fully dilated. -
I chose easier but it was pretty much what I expected.... Hard but doable. (Unmedicated)
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Oooh, this is a great idea! Subscribing!
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Easier. If you ask me labor and delivery was way easier than nine months of being pregnant! Don't get me wrong... The contractions before my epi hurt like a mother. But pushing was much easier than I expected. I was lucky and had pretty much the perfect epi... I felt pressure with every contraction but no pain.
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I chose easier, no meds - because I did get the epidural but not until 10 cm, so I had a chance to labor down for a half hour before pushing.
It was definitely painful - but, I thought I was being a wimp and fully expected to be told I was only 3-4 cm at my first check (I was 6, in triage) and then expected to be 5-6 at my next check an hour later (they required a check before the epidural) and I was at a 10! So, not really a wimp I guess.
If I had been admitted quicker (lonnnggg story!!) I would have gotten the epidural as soon as they let me, just to be able to relax, but I didn't have that option. Boo!
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Harder before the epidural (contractions are awful!) but much easier than I expected after the epidural!
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It was easier in the beginning, but after 2 1/2 hours of constant pushing with no results I voted harder. My baby just did not want to budge (she was face up and quite larger than they anticipated, ended up in c-section.)
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The actual birth part was easier. I only pushed for 20 minutes. Labor was harder because of my induction and post partum was harder than I anticipated
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Ditto to everything @mamamoose said. It was also easier bc I knew I'd meet my baby at the end! I've been in much more pain when I broke my back and there was no happy ending
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Easier! I went through everything but pushing without meds. I was told I would be in the absolute worst pain in my life with contractions. I never felt that way and was shocked when I was at 9 upon arriving at the hospital.
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Before meds: as expected if not a bit easier
After meds: a cake walk, seriously. Exhausting but not painful.
Post partum: like 100x worse than expected but yet, I was naive about post partum. I was "stitches!? No, not me." -
Way easier and my baby was sunny side up. I though it was going to be horrible and it was a really fun experience.
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Easier, no meds. I thought it would hurt more than it did.
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It wasn't necessarily harder or easier than expected...just LONGER (which in turn made it harder to do it naturally).
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Way easier (post epi). I thought labor was awesome!
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I'm not exactly sure how to answer this. It was *different* from what I expected. It was definitely very hard, but before going into labor, my understanding of the labor experience was so nebulous. When I was in it there was nothing I could do except confront the pain. No amount of reading about labor could have prepared me for the actual experience. It was horrific, exhausting, and painful, but it was also beautiful and empowering.
Postpartum was another story though...
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For me, it was easier. I labored at home for about 24 hours; the pain was bad but manageable. When I arrived at the hospital, I was hoping to be dilated to at least 4 cm (I had been at 1 cm for the last 4-5 OB appointments) and it turns out I was already at 10 cm!
I got the epidural anyway because I was pretty tired at that point and worried about the pushing/tearing part. The pushing itself only took about 35-40 minutes, but I'm still glad I got the epi.
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The pain was way easier than expected. I was dilated to 9.5 before i even thought about pain meds. Dealing with the unexpected blood pressure issues was difficult though.
My delivery ended up in an emergency c section, which was my worst nightmare, so both that and the recovery were harder than expected.
I still get really depressed every time i read on here that a bee only pushed a few times before baby came out. Im really jealous of that .
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I was induced so I got my epidrual really early on in the process didn't feel a thing. I was shocked when they told me I was a 10 and ready to push. In my opinion the recovery process sucks way more than the delivery. Way, way more.
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I always thought it would be a very traumatic experience, like I was being sawed in half, but although it was painful, it was tolerable. I think more pain came afterwards!
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Way harder. But that's only because the induction/delivery lasted 3 days and ultimately failed, so I ended with a c-section.
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I had a pretty easy and routine and relatively short labor and delivery so I would have to say easier than I thought. I didn't expect the break in between contractions where I actually felt normal for a few minutes.
ETA: I would have to say that post epi (at 9 cm) was not as easy as I thought it would be. I think I had a really low dose. I could feel everything when pushing...even her progress as she came down the canal. The pressure was pretty unbearable. -
It was easier. I got my epi at 3cm so I had no pain (or feeling) until it was time to push. I didn't even know it was time to push! And when I did push, it only took two pushes for her to come out. I don't think I could have imagined it to be easier.
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It was definitely harder. I was expecting the epidural to take the edge off, but ds got wedged in my pelvis at 0 station. I couldn't feel contractions, but with each one the pressure was so bad it was excruciating. I felt like my pelvis was being pulled apart. I stalled at 6 cm and ended up with a c-section. I actually was begging for it at that point (18 hours after my water broke). Best decision I made because the doctor said he wasn't coming out any other way (didn't realize that until surgery).
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Harder. Much, much harder.
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Harder, and I had a scheduled c section. I always had it in my mind that I could end up with one, but never did I think I'd have a breech baby and wouldn't even know what labor felt like. Nevermind coming to terms with the fact I'd never be able to have a vaginal birth later. Mentally, I felt robbed and really heartbroken, and the c section was terrifying and I think led to a lot of issues, including a slow bond with my son. I had a terrible time getting over it all.
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hmm... easier I think! I was so terrified honestly.
contractions started out slow & progressed and when I was in the middle of them starting to get really bad, I knew the epi was waiting for me at the hospital and it was so intense I feel like I blocked them out immediately!
then I got the epi (sweet relief) took a nap, still felt some of the pain honestly, then pushed for 5 hours, and baby! The pushing for 5 hrs was pretty intense, and it was tiring & hard for sure - but again, i was so wrapped up in the moment it wasn't that bad, ha... so hard to explain, I'm not doing a good job.
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Harder. Contractions until 8cm hurt, but I could handle them. Then the epi was wonderful until the last 5 minutes of pushing when I felt like I was being torn apart. The ring of fire is no joke. I guess I didn't expect that kind of pain with the epi
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@bree72: Why can't you try for a vaginal birth with other babies? Is there a reason you aren't a good candidate for VBAC?
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I was scared to read this thread but it is is actually pretty optimistic!
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I choose easier. I have had one birth with meds and one without, though, so I need to vote more than once!
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Harder, much harder. I couldn't have imagined how hard it would be. Perhaps if the circumstance was different it would have been much easier.
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Easier. Much easier! The worst part was simply waiting to be dilated enough. I was induced and it took 34 hours to be "ready" but I had an epidural at 3cm, only felt mild discomfort with contractions prior to that. And I actually slept most of that time and would wake up when they checked me...The easiest part was delivery itself- I only had 3 pushes and my daughter was born! And I just had a few internal tears so no stitches.
I still can't get over how different it was from what I expected!
I think bc it was a lot easier, we'll end up with a baby #2 sooner rather than later;)
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@Arden: The closest hospital that does vbacs is an hour away. I guess we could try, but the women in my family have a history of precipitous labor, so it's a bit of a chance to take.
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Way easier than I thought. My water broke and I wasn't progressing so I had to be induced. I wasn't set on natural or epidural going in. With the inducement, they started me on an IV, pintocin, and I had to wear the heart rate monitors. The contractions weren't nearly as bad as I thought they'd be; just had to focus on them and breathing...but I was frustrated with all the cords/wires not letting me move around to help thru contractions. Got the epidural at 6, could still move my legs but couldn't feel the contractions at all. Pushed for 5 mins and there was no pain at all.
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I voted easier - but mostly because the pushing was easy for me. I had an epidural and LO came out in 3 pushes (but was only 5 lb 5 oz!) The contractions before I got an epidural sucked though - I got an epi when I was around a 5/6 dilated.
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Harder. I was induced (due to complications), and the induction was long and complicated. I also lost an insane amount of blood, which made the exhaustion that much worse.
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41 comments