Labor description.

The contractions are like trying to hold in the biggest most forceful shit of your life but without the sharp pain. It's more of like a bad muscle cramp pain. It gets worse the closer your contractions get until you feel like you cannot hold it anymore or you will explode and then your doctor tells you to push and it feels like the biggest hardest shit of your life and I tore so it kind of burned when he finally came out. His shoulders got stuck so I had to push a few more times for him and then the placenta was nothing super quick. The stitches were pretty unpleasant and then yea you feel like a football player with cleats on stomped on your vagina in your sleep every second of every day for a few weeks or months in my case. It definitely was less horrible than I was expecting but it's still not pleasant lol But none of that matters every time you look at your babies beautiful perfect everything. 😊

I started feeling cramping that came in waves. They were timeable but sporadic. I labored at home until they increased to a minute long, 5 minutes apart for about an hour...then i called my dr. He had me come in. By the time i got to the hospital (which is about a half hour drive) i was dilated to a 5. It took me 12 hours to dilate from 5 to a 7! I was so nervous and anxious that i couldn't relax. The contractions were painful and were taking their toll on me. I hadn't slept in almost two days (that's how long i was in labor!). I decided the only way id progress was to get the epidural. I needed to relax in order to let my body do its thing. I got the epidural and an hour later i was ready to push! I pushed 3 times and my son was born!

I had both my girls unmedicated caginally. I do have high pain tolerance n both my labors were pretty short (bout 7-10 hrs from start to end). The pain from contractions is the same from start to finish but it is said to get worse the closer to birth because the contractions last way longer right before having your baby. It truly is a mind over matter thing as well, you have to relax and let your body take its natural course and not fight against it because that's what makes it harder. Every mommy is different, this was just my experience. I am due with #3 on nov 15 and I plan on an unmedicated natural birth as well, though it's been almost 9 yrs since my last one n I am not that young anymore. Most important advice I can give is to prepare mentally and listen to your body. It's kind of like drowning, if you panic you drown, so just try to keep a clear mind and just focus on the task at hand. I promise whatever pain n discomfort you go through will literally disappear as soon as your baby is placed in your arms. I didn't tear with either one and with my second I pooped literally 30 min after she was born!! And yes, watch YouTube videos if you can stomach it. Good luck to you 😉🤗

I'm gonna add something I forgot to mention... There is a point, and it's during transition where you think "I don't think I can do this" or "oh my god does it get worse?" And you can, and it doesn't get worse. It's usually right about then when you hear the magical words "you are fully dilated" and "I can see the baby's head" you will immediately get a second wind! 

First I'll start by saying don't be afraid, it's not that bad and it's totally manageable especially if you don't go into it being fearful and resistant. You kinda have to surrender your body to letting it work its way through it. Contractions begin with the tensing in the abdomen, kinda like runners cramps or like a stitch that takes your breath away. They slowly get closer together and higher in intensity. It's best to ride it like a wave. You just relax and don't tense your muscles up, even try to do the opposite almost push your abdominal muscles outward. As the baby descends into your pelvis you begin to feel a lot of pressure ... I felt it towards the back of my pelvis a lot because my daughter was posterior. This can give the sensation that you have to poop. When you finally get to push its a relief because you feel like you get to "do something" about it. While pushing you can feel your skin stretching and it is a burning sensation. Then the baby comes out and basically all discomfort immediately goes away. I had my daughter naturally, and didn't even use pain meds post labor. The day after I felt the worst... Just achy everywhere like I worked every muscle in my body and my lady parts felt bruised along with my pelvis. But seriously even only an hour after I had her I said I'd do it again and I'm looking forward to labor this go around. 

Biggest thing is that it isn't constant. Contractions build and then release with rest in between. Totally NOT pain like cut yourself/break your arm pain.

I'm a first time mum too. The way I'm thinking about it is our bodies are designed to do this, and the more you stress the worse it will be. Baby's got to come out one way or another, try not to think about it until it starts happening! Good Luck! 

I recommend watching home births on YouTube and reading Ina May's Guide to childbirth. I'm a FTM so I can't describe it to you but both of those has been helpful. 

W my first child I had back labor ( were u feel the contractions in ur bk) it was bad just because I never knew to expect something like that. No meds. My second I was induced but no pain meds regular labor the contractions were the worst part for me just because they can go on for so long and u can't really do anything about it. When it came time to push it could be uncomfortable but not like the contractions (worst part for me) about 5/10 min pushing and all done :) . I never tore though. I do remember right after delivery suddenly freezing.