Postpartum mothers tell their own stories: How painful is natural childbirth?

Most mothers choose to give birth naturally, but many are afraid of pain and don't know how painful it is. So today we will take a look at how these postpartum mothers survived the painful labor process!

How painful is a normal birth?

Many people only know the pain of childbirth in an abstract sense, which causes panic among many young women. So how painful is natural childbirth? Let's take a look at this new mother's wonderful natural childbirth experience, which I believe will soothe the anxiety of many people.

I had a normal birth on November 3rd, without epidural.

First level: It really doesn’t hurt, you don’t even need to hum.

The contractions started at about 11pm on the 2nd. At first, I just felt a dull pain in my lower abdomen. It was irregular and came about every ten minutes or so. It was a bit like dysmenorrhea. The pain was really mild and lasted for about two hours. During this time, I could still use my phone to browse Taobao and other things...

At this moment, I am very calm. I feel that this kind of pain is really nothing. It does not affect my handsomeness at all. I am still the most energetic pregnant woman in Xiamen.

Second level: It hurts a little bit, to the point where you need to frown.

Around 2 a.m. on the 3rd, the contractions started to shorten, coming every five minutes or so. The doctor's manual said that if the contractions shortened to every five minutes or so, I could go to the hospital. So I woke up my husband and my mother, who had already packed everything, and we put on our clothes and went to the maternity and child care center.

At this moment, I was a little excited, and then the pain started to increase, but it was just the same pain as constipation. The pain was covered by a kind of excitement that "ah, now I am about to go to the battlefield".

The third level: It needs to be regulated by breathing, but it is still just the level of humming occasionally.

After arriving at the maternity hospital at around 4 a.m. on the 3rd, the doctor measured my fetal heart rate and checked my cervix, which was only a little more than one finger dilated, so he told me to go to the delivery room to rest and told me to wait until 8 o'clock to see if I should arrange for artificial water breaking. I felt uncomfortable lying on the delivery bed, so I lay down on the sofa in the small living room. The contractions shortened to less than 4 minutes each time, and each lasted about 30 seconds. The degree of pain was about the same as someone punching me in the lower abdomen. When it hurt, I needed to pay attention to my breathing, and it would ease a little bit.

At this moment, I could already hum once or twice, but I was still normal. I could get up to go to the toilet and drink water. At six o’clock, I really couldn’t sleep, so I updated a new article on my phone... About 1,000 words...

Level 4: The contractions start to become more frequent and the pain lasts longer, but the degree is still acceptable.

Gradually, the day dawned, and the intervals between contractions began to shorten, with an attack every 3 minutes or so. I had to grit my teeth to keep from screaming. During this time, the nurse brought breakfast, and my mother told me to eat a little, saying that she was afraid that I would not have enough strength later. I had no appetite at all, and I sat up and ate a few mouthfuls of porridge and dumplings. The pain in my lower abdomen began to intensify, similar to the most severe dysmenorrhea. I began to curl up, and the breathing method seemed to be ineffective, and the relief was quite limited.

At this moment, I started to sweat from the pain, my brows were furrowed all the time, and I didn't want to talk anymore. I felt very distracted, and my whole consciousness was focused on my lower abdomen. But it had not reached the point where I needed to scream, so I could still maintain my dignity.

Level 5: After the artificial water breaking, I completely collapsed.

At 8:00 am on the 3rd, the doctor came to check and decided to artificially break the water. At 9:00 am, a wave of pain hit. The contractions shortened to once every half a minute, and the pain intensified violently. I felt that the waist around my lower abdomen was crushed by a sledgehammer. I began to groan constantly. Every time I felt pain, my whole body was soaked like taking a shower. I kept twisting on the bed, but nothing could relieve it. I held the railing tightly, but it was of no use. There was only one big word in my mind: pain.

I am really going to collapse at this moment. The pain is so intense that I can't think about anything. I am only in pain. I can't reply to WeChat messages, can't talk to people normally, can't think about anything. The only thing on my mind is when the hell I will give birth!!!

Level 6: I really don’t want to have children anymore! Take me to have a caesarean section!

After such intense labor pains lasted for an hour, the doctor came in to check my cervix and told me that it was only two fingers dilated. I asked tremblingly, how long does it usually take to dilate from two fingers to ten fingers? The doctor smiled and told me that it was hard to say, and that most people would need 4-8 hours.

WHAT!!!!8 HOURS!!!!!

Are!you!kidding!me!!!!!!

You mean it's like being hit with a sledgehammer for 8 hours!! You mean it's like being hit in the lower abdomen with a baseball bat for 8 hours!! You mean you can't pass the hardest shit ever after squatting on the toilet for 8 hours!!!!!

I'm crazy.

I was trying to restrain myself from yelling to save my energy, but now I just ignored it and yelled, "I don't want to have the baby anymore! I want you to have a caesarean section!"

The doctor said very calmly, "Then let your husband sign it." So my husband went to sign the caesarean section consent form. One of the items was the reason for the caesarean section. The sample form given said "dystocia". My husband asked the doctor what we should fill in. The doctor said indifferently, "Just write [pain]..."

My husband was also heartbroken...

But a caesarean section can’t be performed just like that. You have to wait until the operating room is available.

The doctor came over and said, "Well, just give birth yourself. If you want to give birth yourself, we have many ways to help you!"

I shook my head and said, no, I want a cesarean section.

The doctor also said that recovery from a caesarean section is very troublesome.

I shook my head and said, no, I want a cesarean section.

The doctor was not giving up and asked, "Why don't I help you check how dilated you are now?" When she checked, she found that it was actually six fingers dilated.

The doctor said coldly, if you go down now, you might give birth on the operating table, and you will become the laughing stock of the entire maternity and child health care center!!!

A laughing stock... What's wrong with me? I just gave birth to a child and I'm becoming a laughing stock...

I finally burst into tears and completely collapsed, shouting: I will give birth by myself, I won’t have a cesarean section…

The doctor was overjoyed. He found a huge ball from somewhere and asked me to sit on it and bounce around. I had no strength left. After being dragged by the doctor and my mother to sit on it and bounce around for 20 minutes, I suddenly felt like I had to poop. I said with a sad face, "Doctor, I have to poop..."

The doctor quickly told me to lie back on the bed and push hard. Upon examination, all ten fingers were fully dilated!

At this moment, I am finally going to give birth!!! I am going to give birth!!! I am going to give birth!!!

My mom rushed in and gave me a bottle of Red Bull, telling me to cheer myself up! (Actually, it was to replenish my energy..)

Level 7: Finally entering the final production stage. I have never worked so hard in my life!

All ten fingers were opened, and 5 doctors and midwives came and surrounded me, telling me how to push and how to breathe. To be honest, at that moment, my mind was only thinking about how to do my best when the labor pains came, and I couldn't feel the pain at all. It took me half an hour in total to deliver the baby, and I had an episiotomy. But I think the pain at this stage is bearable, because my attention is not on the pain at all, I just want to give birth to the baby quickly. When I pushed for the last time, the doctor pressed my belly, and I cooperated with her to push, and I immediately felt a rush in my lower body, and the baby was finally born!!

It’s a daughter, and she’s so beautiful.

I suddenly felt that at that moment, all the pain was worth it.

The doctor said, "Wow, it's double eyelids." I said weakly, "Yes, I also have double eyelids, as beautiful as hers."

(The doctor didn’t know what to say…)

At this moment, I really feel that you must cooperate with the doctor to push during childbirth. At this stage, as long as you focus on giving birth, the pain is really not a big deal. Yes, I am still so handsome.

Level 8: It's really crazy to get stitches without anesthesia

Next, I had to press my belly to expel the placenta, and then I had to sew the stitches. I was numb to the pain, and I didn’t have any anesthesia, they just sewed it. I cried from time to time, and the doctor asked me if I was crying. I said slowly that I was in so much pain that I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. . . .

This process felt particularly long because I really wanted it to be over immediately. When the baby was washed and brought to me, his eyes were open. It looked so cute.

At this moment, I just want to say haha ​​...

Is the pain of childbirth bearable?

Doctors generally recommend natural childbirth. In fact, I gave birth at 37 weeks. When you lie on the bed to give birth, remember to bring a bottle of water. I brought a bottle of Red Bull and a bottle of water. Then the doctor will tell you how to push. I felt that the most painful time was like the feeling of dysmenorrhea. Later, there were two times when it was particularly painful, and it felt like constipation and the feeling of having to defecate. Finally, I gave birth by pushing. It took about 5 hours from the start of contractions to the birth (actually, I didn’t feel that much pain).

In fact, natural childbirth helps to open up the child's brain nerve development. The incision is compressed, and there is no worry of scarring like surgery. Recovery is fast. You can get out of bed and walk in about two days. However, caesarean section usually requires five days of hospital stay. After anesthesia, the wound is extremely painful. You can't stand it. (This is what my cousin told me).

If possible, I still recommend a natural birth. Only when you have experienced pain can you understand how hard it was for your mother to give birth to you. Dear, don't put too much pressure on yourself. If you can have a natural birth, do it.

I felt more pain before giving birth, but not so much during giving birth. I was also very afraid of pain, but after giving birth, I felt that the pain was within the tolerable range. I think the most painful time was when the stitches were removed.

Everyone has different feelings, but the premise is to relax. My concept throughout the pregnancy was: if it goes smoothly, then go smoothly, if it doesn’t, then go with the cesarean section. I didn’t put any pressure on myself.

It should be bearable. Before cesarean section, no one chose not to have children. I had a natural birth, and it didn't feel that scary.

How to reduce the pain of childbirth

1. Analgesia during childbirth

The so-called analgesia during childbirth is to relieve the pain caused by uterine contractions through labor analgesia, which is generally done by epidural anesthesia. Before anesthesia, the skin at the puncture site is disinfected and local anesthetics are injected to make the puncture site painless. After the puncture is completed, a thin catheter is slowly inserted through the hollow needle cavity of the puncture needle, and then the puncture needle is pulled out. A small amount of medicine enters the mother's body through the catheter to relieve the discomfort of childbirth. The dose of anesthetic is very small to minimize the side effects of the drug on the mother and fetus. The anesthesiologist will adjust the depth of anesthesia to make you feel comfortable and help you give birth.

2. Lamaze breathing method

The Lamaze method of childbirth is also known as a psychological preventive method of childbirth preparation. This method of childbirth, which starts from the seventh month of pregnancy until childbirth, effectively allows mothers to focus on their breathing control during childbirth through the learning process of neuromuscular control, prenatal gymnastics and breathing technique training, thereby diverting pain, moderately relaxing muscles, and being able to remain calm during labor pain and childbirth with confidence, achieving the purpose of speeding up the labor process and allowing the baby to be born smoothly.

3. Music therapy

Studies have long found that music can relieve the tension of mothers during childbirth and reduce the pain of uterine contractions. Through recording the childbirth of expectant mothers, it was found that the tension and pain of mothers who listened to music were significantly reduced. Studies have also found that letting mothers listen to music and do music therapy is also beneficial to postpartum recovery and helps improve the relationship between mothers and new babies.

4. Birthing Ball

Birthing ball exercises can improve the mother's breathing and circulation, coordinate the pelvic floor muscles and ligaments, increase the mother's flexibility and strength, help pregnant women cope with the extra burden on the body, and gradually adapt the body to the needs of pregnancy and childbirth. During natural childbirth, the toughness, endurance, and elasticity of these muscle groups will come into play. The mother can sit on the ball during the intervals between regular contractions to relax the pelvic floor muscles and significantly relieve the pain in the perineal nerve. During childbirth, combined with breathing coordination, distribution and use of strength, and good cooperation with the midwife, the pregnant woman can have a smooth natural childbirth.

The editor of No. 5.com said: Although natural childbirth is said to have the ultimate pain index of level 12, so many women choose natural childbirth and give birth to their babies smoothly, which shows that the pain is not as exaggerated as we think. Mothers should keep a calm mind and deal with the arrival of the baby easily. I wish every new mother can give birth to a healthy baby smoothly~