Happy stories only!!

[luceandj]

I loved every minute of being pregnant. Well, there were a couple of weeks towards the end where I was bummed about not being able to shop for normal clothes! But honestly, I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. I looked forward to labour and we had a lot of fun and laughs for the first 10 hours. THen 2 hours of pushing (in water, just what I wanted) and our lives were complete. I'm very broody again! Enjoy. Don't listen to things you don't need to hear. Ignorance is the best policy, you'll find out how pregnancy and birth is for you your own way in your own time, so just enjoy it. Good luck!

[mincey]

I can honestly say I 100% loved pregnancy and labour and cannot wait to go through it all again Everything was pretty much by the book with me and when the time came, my waters broke, i did my bit, went into hospital and with the aid of gas and air my boy was born.

Same here I had a lovely pregnancy - labour is not pain free by a long way but you get on with it!

[Flora]

My pregnancy was fine (apart from me being panicked by every twinge) and I was still horseriding until 30 weeks when OH put his foot down.

Labour (at 36 weeks) was 'only' 5 hrs, so don't let yourself be stressed by the bad news stories people love to tel (esp to first time mums)....

Hope your scan has gone well today.

Flora

[Roux]

When it comes down to it you forget your fears and get on with the job that needs to be done! I was really nervous of giving birth but both of mine caught me unawares really and I had 2 very quick home births!

[SkyKal]

I loved being pregnant! Labour was much easier than I expected!

I had no aches or pains or moans when I was pregnant I just loved every minute if it! Even the morning sickness because to me it was just another yay I'm pregnant moment lol! I went swimming every Tuesday throughout my pregnancy even on my due date! Keep active and ear healthily I say!

My labour was fab! First contraction 6pm got to hospital 10.30pm at 4cm 2am 8cm, 2.30am fully dilated so they broke my waters and after 17 mins of pushing which felt like seconds she arrived! I had one stitch which she she hummed and haaa'd about giving and in the end said I will do it anyway, it will only tighten you up a bit for your hubby

We had difficulty establishing a latch with breastfeeding and she lost 13% of her body weight but were still breastfeeding at 5 months!

I can't wait to do it all again!

X x x

I love this, what a great experience!

[waswobbly]

I loved every moment of being pregnant - enjoy it as much as you can & relish in the wonderful thing your body is doing

I had a caesarian (breech) & have some confusing thoughts along the lines of "I have a baby, but I didn't give birth" & I'm not sure at all how I feel about the c-section itself. BUT I stop myself dwelling on such things because all that matters is having a healthy baby at the end of it & I am so blessed to have that.

Congratulations and remember this is YOUR baby, YOUR pregnancy and YOUR baby's birth... it will be unique and the result will be so very special x

[Katiex]

I didn't have a pain free easy labour, and I was petrified of it before hand, I too tried to read lots of positive labour stories. But you know what, whatever it will bring for you, you will get through it. I'm the biggest wuss ever, I hate hospitals, but something came over me and I just got through it. And I wouldn't change any of it for the world now I have my beautiful baby boy, it hasn't put me off and I'll be doing it all over again. X

[Convie]

I had a wonderful labour with my first baby, know how you feel I got many stories mainly from the MIL at the time telling me I'll go overdue, and I'll tear and they'll probs need to use forceps
in the end I went into labour at 38+1 weeks, had a waterbirth, with no pain relief, tried G&A but hated it, it hurt yes but it wasn't AS bad as I expected it would, I was able to deal quite easily until I hit 7cm and it was about 2 hours established I think and 20 minutes of pushing, the pushing was the least painful part

try not to worry too much it will alllll be worth it

[AmberDawn]

I loved being pregnant, but I was lucky to have no sickness, SPD etc. I also had a quick labour - very painful, but I forgot it as soon as I was holding DS.

My advice is just to take each day as it comes, take care of yourself and try not to worry about what's going to happen

[caroline]

I think that because each birth is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT the scaremongers out there are terrorising pointlessly! I personally had a ghastly first birth. Yes, it's true. It was dreadful. However. My good friend had her baby 2 days after me and guess what? She wasn't even 100% sure it was labour because she thought it would hurt more... till her waters went and a couple of pushes later, out popped baby! Yet another friend had had an old back injury that made her nervous of labour... and it was textbook. Yes, it was sore, yes it wasn't instant, but no problems and all was well.

So really, a lot is down to each individual case and the key thing is not to get too hidebound re what will and won't happen. Announcing that you WILL HAVE a waterbirth no matter what is a recipe for not being able to have one... saying that drugs are the devil's work and you would NEVER consider them is counter-productive too. You may need them, you may not. In all likelihood, all will be perfectly fine, baby will be healthy and you'll wonder what the fuss was about!

[Firsttimer]

My labour was only two weeks ago. It was two days long and I believe I coped well up until 6 hours before the birth. Nobody died, nothing went horribly wrong but it was very painful and very tiring. I went through a point in time when I did get scared because I thought I didn't have the energy to carry on, but I did carry on and our daughter was born in the early hours of Mother's Day.
I loved being pregnant but I didn't love labour, not everyone has great experiences of childbirth and unfortunately the horror stories do happen. Looking back I wouldn't say my labour was a horror story and I am glad that I did have the experience even though it was the toughest time I've ever faced, I can honestly say I'm very proud of myself and I feel it was a major achievement for me no matter what. So that might seem like a strange thing but its how I feel :-) not to mention love for my daughter :-)

[Firsttimer]

Btw I swore blind that I would not have an epidural.

But in the last few hours of labour I was shouting "Give me an epidural!" My request was refused and I found myself having to get it into my head that I would have to do it without an epidural. Some birth plans don't go to plan, mine didn't but its not the end of the world if it doesn't.

I have to say though I bet that a lot of these people who had a horror story first birth went back and had more kids!

[Polli]

I loved both my pregnancies, I really hope one day I will experience it again. It felt magical to be able to grow this little being in my tummy, the little kicks, the hiccups, the foot poking out of the side so you can actually tell it's a tiny foot! That funny sensation of a kick to the bladder or ribs when your talking to someone and it actually makes you jump!! Love it!

With labour you have to remember you will be ok, you are in good hands. There were times I thought I couldn't do it, especially first time round I kept telling the mw "I can't do it, I can't do it!" But you can, and you do! The second time, I was much more relaxed because I knew I could do it. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it, or that it wasn't scary, I was petrified, but knowing that I COULD do it really helped my state of mind during my second labour! People will always jump in and tell you the horror stories, just tell them you don't want to know! Your labour will be totally unique to you, so don't worry that a friend of a friend went through x y or z. Do what you can to prepare to make it calm and know that it is a very special experience. I'd do it a million times over for my kids!

Best feeling is skin to skin contact after. It's beautiful! would highly recommend it if you can do it. But don't worry if things don't go to plan. Didn't get skin to skin with dd, our first cuddles were just as special. Really really would love to be pregnant again...