I had BM-like pressure more during pre-transition & transition, but the pressure was different when it was go time…more like a complete inability to relax at all through a contraction any longer and an overwhelming feeling that my hips were literally going to explode apart. I knew I had reached 8 cm at that point, but I didn’t want to vocalize what I was feeling for fear of being told I was still short of the promised land. Finally I said something “I feel like my hips are going to explode” and my midwife was like “you’re ready, I’m going to check you, you’ll be complete”, sure enough I was and baby had already come down a bit. So I guess I labored down some, albeit unintentionally, though it wasn’t such a bad thing because baby girl was out in just 15 min of pushing with very very minimal skidmark type tears.

I can’t speak for Jenna, just for my own experience with natural birth. I would say I have a reasonable but not necessarily high pain tolerance. I found with labor that my body acclimated (as you say, gained tolerance) to the pain. I think there’s a reason the surges/contractions start slow and soft then build in intensity over time. If I had to jump into labor at the level/frequency of transition contractions, I’m fairly certain I would have been begging for drugs. As it was, throughout my 12 hours of labor, not once did the desire for drugs enter my mind.

PS I just sat at the park talking to two home birth mommas for 2 hours – it was awesome.

You got your wish!

I think you describe the pain really well…which is hard to do since labor pains are really unlike anything else…women who have never had a baby before should all read this to get an idea…even if you get an epidural like I did, what you described is very reminiscent to how I felt.

It also makes me wonder what it will be like to have a baby without being induced. For both of mine I was induced for medical reasons. For my first I was already at a 9 before I got my epidural (not by my choice) so I felt like I went through the hard part (especially being that inducements usually produce harder contractions I’ve heard) without any help or preparations. I thought I was going to die!

Regarding the pain, do you normally have a high pain tolerance, or do you believe that somehow your body gains more tolerance as you labor?

It would also be interesting later on to tell us what you had in the house and how you practically organize things (supplies wise) for the birth. I know you had a birth plan that has some of this, but you know…

we actually went thru wedding planning together…well before you started blogging for weddingbee. i know longer blog and i have no idea why you popped into my head this morning but for some reason something prompted me to google for your blog as i procrastinate at work today. and look!!! here you are detailing the birth of your first baby.

God bless you all! I’m soooo excited for you!