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Hello :o) For me, labor was a wonderful experience, I mean, it was painful, but it was worth it all and if I could go back I would not do a thing different. I was induced at 37 weeks along with pitocin. They started the pitocin at 7:00 A.M. Broke my water at 7:30, I started having painful contractions around 8:00 I labored on my birthing ball for a few minutes, got in the jacuzzi for a while but I didn't really like that for some reason, then I got in bed and was at like 4 cm. I layed there until it started to get really painful. I asked for the epidural but they told me I should try some demerol first. I told them that the demerol wouldn't work on me. (The whole reason I was being induced was because demerol wasn't working to take away my gallbladder ttacks) but I said I would try it. I tried it and it didn't work so I told them that I wanted the epidural. As soon as the nurse left the room I felt like I had to push so I told her to come back in. She checked and I was almost at 10 cm. The told the doctor to get there "now" and I pushed for 20 minutes and she was out. It was painful, but so empowering and the moment that they hold your baby up is amazing. I couldn't get over how beautiful she was, She's 5.5 months old and I still haven't gotten over it, lol.

Hi savy and congrats! I had my dd (first child also) one month ago and I was also quite anxious about the labour and delivery. I had heard (and read - the internet can be a curse as well as a blessing!!!) many horror stories and didn't know how I was gonna get through it. I was so worried about the pain and whether my baby would be alright. But the day came and it was quite tough at times but I did it, and I'm sure you will get through it too. Just remember it's only one day (or in my case 28 hours :)! But it really didn't seem that long at all. I was able to follow my birth plan, and had my baby by using relaxation techniques (warm water bath is great) and the gas. It really is true what they say about forgetting the pain...and I look back on the experience as a very positive one. If you would like to read my birth story it should be under labour questions - Shaelynn's arrival. Good luck, and don't worry too much!

Your stories are very encouraging. Usually I hear a lot of "you're going to experience so much pain" and that's fine because I'm sure it's true, but I would also like to hear the positive and comforting aspects of labor. Thanks a lot ladies!

Hi Savy...I think we are due on the same day...March 29th right? Its getting down there, only a few months to go!! I think like 82 days or something like that!! I had a great experience with my son. I was induced at 39 weeks and was already at 4 cm and 100% effaced when they induced me... I had been at 3cm and 100% effaced for 3 weeks. Anyway. I went in at like 6:00 a.m. and they started my pitocin drip around 7:30. My doctor came and broke my water at 10:00, then I asked for the epidural and by 11:30 I was pushing. I pushed for almost 2 hours, but it was worth it. Even with the epidural, I KNEW when I needed to push because I could still feel the pressure from it. It was a great experience and I wouldn't change anything about it. After you hold your baby in your arms, you forget about all the pain.....and it is painful for a few days afterwards too, but nothing too bad, it mostly just hurts to sit down. I fractured my tailbone from pushing, so that made it a little worse for me,but overall, it was a wonderful experience.

i started having contractions at 12:00am on the 31st i waited to see if it was antoher false alarm but by 2:30 am i was in so much pain i wnet to the hospital i got their around 2::40 am they put me on the monitors and they said that my contractions were coming to fast that they need to be spaced out to be effective (boy were they wrong) they checked my cervix and told me i was almost a full 3 cm then they checked me again 15 min later i was a 4 so they moved me to a delivery room which took like 2 seconds and when i got on the bed in the delivery room i got alot more pressure so they cecked me again i was 6 cm so they called for my epi and it took like an hour for him to come which i was 9 by then they gave me the epi and my doctor was called and and he showed up at 7:10 am and i started to push and at 7:16 am "Aydan John" was here

Hey Savy and congrats to you! I was very nervous with my 1st and the Lamaze cla__ses made it worse by telling me to anticipate a 12 hour labor as a first timer LoL! So I researched methods to ease pain and speed labor. I took evening primrose oil, drank Prengnacy Tea, and did Kegels and Perineal Ma__sage. I was induced, but my labor only lasted 3 hours and I only pushed three times and my baby boy (6lbs 6oz) was born! I did not require any st_tches (I requested the midwife do perineal masaage during delivery and NO cutting) I got an epidural and would defintley recommend it personally. My daughter's birth pretty much mirrored my 1st, 3 hour labor, 2 pushes, no stiches and very little pain. She was 6lbs 9oz, so I had small babies (fullterm though) so I don't know if I am lucky or if it was all the preparation... good luck and don't worry, nothing compares to the joy of holding your little one for the first time!

Yup, due March 29th. I find myself thinking about the labor at night before bed and gettin' real nervous. Everyone keeps saying that I'll forget about the pain after he's born. I'm really lookin' forward to meeting the little guy. My mom had a very very painful labor and I think that's one of the reason's I'm so scared. Plus some lady told me that I'm going to get to a point where I'm going to wonder if I'm going to be ok. All these horror stories freak me out. The epidural sounds good, but I don't want to decided on anything until I actually exerpience the pain. Oh, and I'm getting a doula, which I've heard is really beneficial. Has anyone had a doula?

Hello savy. I also had a positive experience. I went in for my weekly check up at 371/2 weeks, and I was having contractions so I had my hubby bring the bag just in case. Well when I got there she said I was about 2 or 3 cm dilated but she was hearing a abnormality on the baby's heart monitor so she sent me to the hospital for monitoring and when it was still the same a couple hours later they broke my water around 7:30 pm. Thats when the contractions really intensified, the bad part was I couldn't really get out of bed and move around a whole lot cause I was hooked up to the baby heart monitor. Anyways, I asked for the epidural and they had to wait for the anethesiologist to get there. When I finally got the epi I was sooo relieved, I could finally focus on the excitement of seeing my son. It really relieved my pain, except for the back labor. I started pushing around 12:30 am and I deliverd at 2:40 am. I had a hard time delivering his head, even though he was only 6 lbs 10 oz. I didn't want an episotomy, and my midwife did all she could to avoid it, but I ended up having to get one. My midwife sewed my up very well and it was sore and tender for a few weeks but other than that my labor experience was wonderful. My son is now 14 months old and very healthy. Good luck, and try to relax, you'll do just fine!

Also, it helps to move the labor along if you can be out of bed and moving around or even using a pregnancy ball. Also, the best birthing position is a semi-upright position, not laying down, it helps the delivery along by not working against gravity. I had a midwife, which is the only way I would go unless I was high risk, and midwives are more open to doing what YOU want to do and what makes you feel comfortable (as long as its safe) They also spend a lot more time with you while you are laboring. If you don't mind me asking, do you have an OB or a midwife, savy?

P.S. There is some REALLY helpful labor advice on a thread called "Some advice for a well managed delivery ". Check it out!

Thanks for the advice! I actually have an OB. I had a midwife at the very beginning, but then she sent me to an OB because she thought I was having twins. I just ended up staying with the OB. BUT, I'm getting a Doula, so hopefully she'll help out a lot.

go to babydominik.piczo.com

I had a really positive experience too. I was 7 days overdue, so had seen my midwife for a membrane sweep. That night I started getting contractions. By the next morning they were varying from 5-10 minutes apart. They carried on like this all through the day, and then all through the next day. Where I live the L&D ward won't admit you until contractions are regular, less than 4 minutes apart, and lasting for a minute, which I never made! By the end of day 9 overdue I was struggling a bit - the contractions hadn't been so painful I couldn't cope (and paracetamol and warm baths really do help) until about 6pm, my main problem was I was so tired as I had barely slept in 2 days. Late that night they became much more painful (I was biting on a wooden spoon!), so I called up L&D and lied about how close together my contractions were so they'd take me in. I arrived at the hospital at 12.45am, and had to wait in a waiting room for 3 hours as there were no delivery suites free (this wasn't great, but not as bad as it sounds. The hospital gave me some codine (slightly stronger than paracetamol), my contractions had subsided a little anyway, and to be honest I was just relieved to be at the hospital. At 3.45 a room became free, and I was examined by a midwife who said I was 9.5cm dilated, and broke my waters. After this my contractions became a lot more painful, and after 30 minutes or so I asked for some gas and air. It made me feel a bit woozy, but made the pain perfectly bearable. 2 hours after having my waters broken I needed to push. I was pushing for 2 hours (I think it took this long because I was so tired) with no pain relief as the gas and air made me feel to drunk to concentrate. And yes, it hurt, but nowhere near as much as I was expecting. The worst part was when the baby crowned which really burns - but it was fine. I tore and had to have a few st_tches afterwards, but the overall experience was nowhere near as bad as people make it out to be. I would have another one quite happily with only gas and air for pain relief. For the final 4 hours (when I was in the delivery suite) I was laying on my side. Prior to that I was still moving about. I think the important thing is to listen to your body - towards the end I didn't want to move at all, and when I did everything became far more painful, where other people find that moving about eases the pain. I was surprised at how much instinct takes over. The other thing I found, and I don't know if anyone else feels the same way, is that one of the things that makes things painful is the conscious acknowledgement of the pain, the thought of pain from 5 minutes ago, and the anticipation of pain to come. I found that as my contractions became stonger and closer together I became extremely focused on the present. I had no idea what the time was, how long I had been in the hospital for or anything like that. I was so focused on now, that I forgot all about pain that had happened more than 2 seconds ago, and was only aware of the future in the abstract - I was aware that I was having a baby and going to have to push, but so involved in the here and now that I didn't have time to dwell on the fact that was going to be painful. This made the pain so much easier to cope with, as a soon as it was there it was gone too, if that makes sense. And then they give you your baby, and you forget everything that got you to that point.... It is an amazing experience, and I'm so glad that I did it and I have my beautiful son.

I thought labour was gonna be really painful after hearing friends and family's stories but i think it depends how you cope with pain. I am pretty good with pain so i thought labour wasn't very painful. I was induced at 41wks with the gel, nothing happened for a while, although the contraction monitor was going up to 75 and i wasn't feeling a thing which surprised the midwife. My waters broke as i was about to goto sleep at 1045pm, i had pethedine at 2 so i could try get some sleep but i couldn't sleep for more than 5 mins at a time (i can't really sleep in strange places). I was dilating well through the night and at 9am i was fully dilated and started pushing. At about 11.30am i was absolutely knackered (i kept getting cramp in my legs which put me off when i was pushing, i hear that a zinc supplement is good for preventing this if you suffer from it at night during late pregnancy) and they cut me to use a suction cap to help my son along. He was born at 11.41am, the last bits where so quick and i was so happy to hear him cry. It's a wonderful feeling knowing that you created this tiny thing and brought it into the world. I can guarantee you'll cry as soon as you see your baby. The emotion takes you over and i think the crying might be something to do with the relief that it's over but just one look at your baby and you will know that it was all worth it. It's the best feeling in the world.

I also think that if you think that it's going to be the worst pain you could ever imagine then when you finally get pains you won't think it's that bad which will make it easier to cope with. Concerntration is good as well, keeps you calm and relaxed.