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Here, 15 moms reveal what labor feels like.
Emotionally, you are all over the place.
Sydney K., Arizona
2.
Bad period cramps
“For me, labor felt like increasingly bad period cramps.
Granted, they eventually reach a level of pain that is much much higher than a period.
But it really does feel similar, especially when it’s first starting out.”
Ashley A., Nebraska
Your Complete Guide to Labor & Delivery
3.
A super inflated balloon
“I wasinducedwith both.
With the second and working epidural, labor felt like no big deal.
Literally didn’t feel anything.
Hillary C., California
4.
Imagine you’re puking, then use those muscles to push.”
Sandra B., Texas
5.
Waves of discomfort
“Contractions feel like waves.
The discomfort gets worse and worse until it crests, then eases back down.
Visualizing actual waves and then breathing through them helped me.
Now, I had one induced with max doses of Pitocin and one totally [unmedicated].
No pain meds for either.
[Unmedicated] laboris just riding on huge rolling waves.
Kelly D., Michigan
6.
Being torn in two
“I had a failed epidural.
It felt like my body was literally being torn in two directions.
I’m grateful I could feel what my body was telling me, though.”
Jenny B., Kansas
7.
Nothing at all
“I was induced withPitocin, and all the horror stories I heard were dead wrong.
I felt nothing for seven hours.
Then for two hours after that, I felt noticeable tightening, but that was it.
My recovery, even with asecond-degree tear, wasn’t awful.”
Caitlin S., Indiana
8.
I have never [had] such intense paralyzing pain in my life.
Danielle J., Arizona
9.
Amazing
“I actually found it so much easier to labor and deliver without the epidural.
I pushed for four hours with my first and couldn’t feel what was happening.
With my second, I had aprecipitous delivery, so there was no time for one.
It was amazing when I felt and understood what was happening like the pressure and ring of fire.
Sure, the contractions were painful, but the delivery was amazing.
Jenna D., Pennsylvania
10.
A roller coaster
“Labor feels like a roller-coaster ride.
Contractions cause tension that basically goes, ‘Ouch…ow…ow..ow.OW.OW.OW.OWWWW.’
Delivery, on the other hand, felt like one giantconstipatedpoop.
It hurt like hell, but it also made me feel insanely powerful.”
Angela H., Texas
11.
I eventually got the drugs, which was the best thing!”
Briana H., Massachusetts
12.
Adriana V., New York
13.
Physically, the closest I can compare it to is a Quentin Tarantino movie.”
Brie D., New Jersey
14.
A ring of fire
“Labor with my first was intense.
The contractions hurt, but the worst was the ring of fire.
I kept telling myself that the pain was temporary and that mantra made it better.”
Ashley P., South Carolina
15.
Christine M., New York
October 16, 2024
Fact-checked to ensure accuracy.
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