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I had a natural birth with my first daughter. yes, it did hurt. a lot. i was fine with the contractions at first that i didn't need any pain control and then my ob noticed a tiny bag of water that hadn't popped at the baby's head. Within a half hour after he popped that bag, i was having hard contractions. I ended up wanting an epidural, but the anesthesiologist on call(it was sunday)was stuck in surgery and couldn't come. At first they were like stomach cramps you get when ur constipated. The hard labor contractions i had were like the cramps you get when you have diarrhea, BAD gas pains. It's a tightening all over. The best way to describe it is BAD gas pains. When the baby comes out it burns bad. You feel like your crotch is on fire!! Honestly, I think delivering the afterbirth was worse than my baby! I told my OB to leave it in there!! :) I hope that helps a little. It is hard to explain.

I had a naturdal birth, I used a tens machine and had gas and air from 8cm onwards, but that's all. I actually really quite enjoyed the experience!! For me the contractions were just bad stomach cramps to begin with, like period cramps, but I didn't actually realise it was labour!! It wasn't until I lost my mucous plug after 5 hours that I realised it was labour!! The cramps gradually got more intense, but still bearable with the tens machine. I got to hospital when I was 8cm dialated and was given the gas and air - the pushing hurt, it was a really bad burning feeling, but it was over fairly quickly. All in all I didn't think it was anywhere near as bad as I was expecting!!!

I do not know what it is like to give birth naturally, but my mother had me naturally, and will tell you what she said about it. I was her second child, and she was only in labor with me for slightly over 2 hours. I'd like to also mention I was a 9lb 4oz baby. She was intending on getting an epidural, but she had me too quickly for them to administer it. She said the contractions were painful (obviously), but that it was never more than she could handle. She said that b/c she had me so fast I was like one BIG contraction that never stopped ( I'm sure its a little different if it takes you 10, 12 or more hours to deliver). She said the only reason she was going to go for an epidural was b/c she became exhaused from the labor (was not the pain), but when she sat up for them to administer it into her spine......I started coming out. I am now pregnant (22weeks), and would like to deliver my baby naturally, but am keeping my options open.

Well...what is the burning from? Is it just your crotch stretching? I never knew it burned?

I didn't have natural birth, but I can tell you that after my epidural wore off (about an hour after) my crotch deffinately burned, especially when I had to urinate. I guess it's just from it stretching.