Did you have an easy or difficult labour during childbirth?

Difficult the first time as my specialist was on holidays and they didnt want to call him back.
After 2 days they had to anyway and I had a Cesarean -second one I knew I would have a Cesarean so it was not difficult as the date etc. was planned by the Doctor.

by Finy

Both difficult due to being subject to obstetric violence, bullying and coercion. I am planning a peaceful homebirth for my third (whenever my third decides to come along...I'm not pregnant yet.) and while I expect that it will be hard work and maybe it will be difficult too, it will be nice to birth without being abused by the hospital system.

by lizzi

lizzi, I'm so sorry you went through all that. I wish you all the best for the third bub. :-)

With my first child I experienced labor pains for only two hours and for the second just one hour. I think I was very fortunate. I got married at 24 and had my first child at 25. I worked till the previous day before my first child was born. The working hours were long and I used public transport often - in other words I was working hard, climbing plenty of stairs etc. My first one was born about ten days before the date the doctor had given me. By God's Grace both are healthy and are grown up adults now. Wish I had more kids!

by Tasneem

My first son 38 yrs ago was a bad labour, and in the end was a Cesarean.

my second son was a cesarean...and 14 yrs later my third son was.

All by the same doctor.

by jonaja

One difficult one, though not as difficult as some, (26 hour labour), and one easy one (5 hours).

by Jennifer Muirhead

Hideously horrendous! I was induced 2 weeks early due to a severely bad pregnancy which was spent for the most part in hospital.I endured morning(?!) sickness for the entire duration of my one and only pregnancy. Knowing it was going to be the only chance I would have of becoming a biological mother,I was fully prepared to go through whatever was necessary,but NOTHING could have prepared me for the labour!!! Having actually LOST weight rather than gained any at all,I was already weak and totally 'over it' by the 38 week mark!! I do not think we all need to know the gory details,but suffice it to say that after a gut-wrenchingly difficult time of things I gave birth to a 3.75 kg baby boy who was the absolute epitome of good health!! The photos are rather odd as I am white and thin as I cuddle my gorgeously pink and beautifully formed bub!! Worth EVERY second of what I went through!! He shall be 30 in a month's time!

by Jules

I have given birth to 3 children, and they got progressively easier. My first labour was extremely longwinded and tiring (3 days of labour resulting in induction). I opted for a homebirth for my second child and while it was still a long labour (20 hours), it was easier - being in the comfort of my own home and being surrounded by people I knew and trusted definitely helped. However, my last labour was my favourite - we had a freebirth with only myself and my husband present. This labour was much quicker (8 hours). I believe the difficulty of labour depends on your mindset - by the time I was in labour with my third child, I knew exactly what to expect and embraced the pain of contractions, I didn't try to fight against it.

by Kyra

Caesarean x 2!

by donjo

beat ya by 1

I win :)

Ha! jonaj! Twice was 'elegant' sufficiency for me! Cheers!

you beat me by one also Jonaj!

I had very easy labours and my longest one was 8 hours. I heard all these gruesome stories from other women in my prenatal class when I had my first son, but fortunately mine was quick and easy. The rest of my labours were the same, thank goodness.

by Lluxi

The first one with my daughter yes, it was not pleasant. With my son who was born 10 years later it was a lot better.

by lin.b

My water broke on the Thursday night with my first one but didn't have her until 10.30 a.m. on the Sunday and then by instrument. My mother saw her battered and blue but I wasn't allowed to see her for 3 days which was quite depressing as the other ladies in my room had theirs with them. Second one was caesar at last minute because specialist knew she wouldn't fit through and I had pre eclampsia. Third one was a caesar as well because specialist knew that a 12+lb baby wasn't going to come out normally. That was the best delivery as it was by epidural and I got to stay awake and enjoy it for a change. Recovery was quick as I was up and walking next day.

by helga

One child only, high instrument delivery, public hospital. The lack of care from the nursing staff was profound. Majority were aged between about 19 -25 with no children and definitely no knowledge. Wish I had been knowledgeable enough to have a home birth. It couldn't have been any worse than what I had.

by fran.

I have never given birth

by AJ

Amazingly easy and pretty short all three instances. longest if I can remember right would have been about 3-4 hours,

by Sharm Jay

Induced on Thursday, in labour until Sunday then had to have emergency caesarean. Nursing staff and midwives were fabulous. The last 3 mths of pregnancy I had to go to hospital 3 times a week for scans, blood pressure and foetal heart monitoring and usually ended up being admitted for a day or so before being sent home to go thro the whole thing again! I got to know everybody really well...
My little girl was born at 6lbs exactly and went down to 5lbs within 24 hours, doc said mine was the smallest placenta he'd ever seen.
My daughter is now 7, the tallest in her class and very healthy

by jpf1

Very easy - I should have carried children for other people

by stubb

I always think that too :-)

I had a relatively easy labour. Pain was indescribable (as it is for all women, I'm sure), but there were no complications. I was in established labour for about four hours, and was able to bath in a tub like I had planned.

by Vee

After reading all your answers . . . I am going to get the usual "Arghhhh, I hate you!" reaction. Here goes . . . I never felt a thing. Did not know I was in labour, went to the hospital because my waters broke, the nurse had to tell me when I was having contractions, daughter flew out like a slippy fish, gynie, nurses and me all laughing. What a circus. She is 42 and I STILL get the ire! LOL.

by Rice

I've had two pregnancies. The first one was 3 hours labour breech birth but, sadly, my daughter died at birth. My second labour was only 2 1/2 hours and I delivered a big bouncing son 4 kgs. To answer the question the labour was pretty easy and, although the pain was quite intense, was very quick. Both births were natural births with no surgical intervention.

by norma

Well I had a c-section that went well, but it was after that, I ended up with an infection and had to have saline shot up my arm, that was so uncomfortable and b-----y painful, I've never forgotten it.

by Diana Nairn