does it burn or sting when baby comes out?

[krissyy]

hi girls, i have been doing a great job about not obsessing over labor/delivery or freaking out.  i've been pretty calm thus far and am quite proud of myself!  i have come to accept that the contractions are going to be incredibly painful...but i'm wondering about the "ripping and tearing."  when baby actually comes out, is it incredibly painful??  do they do any local numbing in that area?

[krissyy]

thank you!  you are all been quite helpful.  i like the idea of just doing the local numbing...  still unsure about epis...we will see how it goes.  but i can imagine that it all comes together once baby is in your arms :-)  that will be a beautiful moment!

[kjbutcher]

I did not have an epidural and did have locals.  It is a tiny pinch when they do it and you instantly feel better.  The last push before the head comes out does sting but it stops instantly and your baby is here and you forget all of your pain.  I know it sounds crazy from the side that you are on, but you will see.  The actual delivery is nothing compared to the contractions.  If you plan to go natural, the pushing actually feels good.  Again, I know it sounds crazy, but it takes the edge off and you forget about the contraction as you are concentrating all of your energy in the push.  It really is all worth it and definatly not worth getting all worked up before hand.  yeah yeah, I know it is easier said than done.  Good Luck, enjoy the rest of your pregnancy, and enjoy your baby!

[krissyy]

bts-your post brought tears to my eyes!  but then, anything touching does now-a-days!!!  i know it will all be worth it when i hold my little girl.  i'm so excited to meet her!! :-)

chantal-oh it's soooo good to hear from you!!  30 seconds doesn't sound too long...i think i can do it!

other girls-thank you all so much for your inspiring posts.  i'm so grateful to have honest women on here to tell me about the pain.  my family and friends are so vague!  i love the juicy details!!!!  

[stellkas]

Okay I was in labor for 48 hours and that was much much worse than the birth.  I had a completely natural childbirth and pushed for three hours and yes I was so exhausted I couldn't see straight by the end lol.  But seriously your body goes through  stages in the laboring process that prepares your body and mind to go through this beautiful step to meet your baby.  Once you are ready to push, you will want to push and that is basically all you can think of.  It was not anywhere near what I had prepared myself for and you won't even know what is going on down there once you are holding that beautiful baby.  No pain in the world can mask the love you will instantly feel!

[babyscience]

It is crazy to feel the baby moving down the birth canal.  If anything, I remember that more than the ring of fire...but the ring of fire is still eched in there. Haha.  I am glad in a sense my epidural wore off (which, by the way for me..not all....hurt almost as much as labor), because I was able to experience the more natural part of child birth.  I think my next child will be unmedicated.  I know I can handle it now!

[luv2bmommy]

oh yeah. at least it did for me. but you just get mad at it and push through it. but, like the others said, much better than contractions. youll get through it, dont freak yourself out you will do great! your body was made for this

[chantal21]

When I gave birth Krissy, the "ring of fire" lasted literally 30 seconds for me, if that.
That was the worst part of all. I was blessed with a wonderful natural labor and delivery and I am willing to do it again!! LOL. (in a couple of years that is!! haha) Everyone is different.
I felt a lot of stretching and burning and then once his head came out..... the pain was completely gone. Then he came right out and it was the best thing ever!! Pushing actually relieves the pain from the contractions so it's a great thing. I am sure you will be just fine. I was freaking out thinking it was going to be worse than what it was. I mean they do call it labor and it will be tiring and a lot of work, but let me tell you....it's worth all the pain when you see that beautiful baby in your arms....then you forget everything you just went through! It's amazing! =) You are getting there girl!! Hang in there! <3

[sam75]

im with everyone else, contractions hurt way more.

[BTS1022]

lol Krissyy,

Honestly yeah it sucks, and its something that we all decide to go through with having babies, and boy is it worth it.

The miracle of all things is that all your pain will quickly go away once baby is born except for some swelling of course, but you will forget all about how bad the pain was as soon as that baby is in your arms.

L&D can be scary for anyone but just remember 30 seconds of a little bit of pain to have your angel looking at you with his/her big baby eyes. It is so worth it.

It is actually said, not sure but I have heard women who have natural childbirth, feel the baby moving through the birth canal and the ring of fire make us more maternal than those who havent. I dont think its all true, my 1st 2 babies i didnt feel anything from my breasts to my toes, and I felt everything with my youngest son, and I love them all the same.

Good luck sweetie, and dont worry to much, it can cause anxiety for you when labor actually occurs and with anxiety the pain increases unlike being relaxed.

[krissyy]

babyscience-thanks!!  i think i will just have to deal with it.  i handle pain very well, but for some reason, "the ring of fire" scares me a bit.  i think after this experience, i will have a new found respect for women with big babies!!!

[babyscience]

LOL..what a question.  Yeah they dont call it the Ring of Fire for nothing.  I had an epidural that was turned off 1 hour into pushing, so the last hour I felt everything.  For me, it was more painful than contractions and I had back labor for 21.5 hours.  I think it was because I wasnt breathing right and I became overwhelmed.  But then I just psuhed past it because I wanted the baby out so bad.
Please dont worry about labor or delivery....just think it typically lasts only one day of your life...then the next week in a little pain, then feeling better and better each day after.  I would do it all again in a heartbeat!

[krissyy]

linzola-you have motivated me to do my kegels!  i hate doing them and have been slacking, but not anymore!  i start tonight!!!

everyone-thank you so much.  i do not look forward to the ring of fire.  i am small down there and actually had trouble when i starting having sex...so, i fear the baby's head will be much more painful than early intercourse!!!

lemenna-you are right, i am hoping that i will be so focused on seeing my baby that maybe the ring of fire won't seem so bad...and i hope mine only last for 30 seconds!!

as far as epi vs. natural, i'm still not sure which way i will go.  i think i will aim for natural, but i'm not at all opposed to the epi if i need it.

[Lemenna]

You know I have had two kids already and pregnant with my third...It honestly is about 30 seconds (if that) of the ring of fire and then the rest of the baby is delivered.  Your mind instantly doesn't care about anything except your baby!!!  I wouldn't worry about it at all!!!  

[Linzola1]

There are a lot of factors that have to do with tearing...... I am 37.3 weeks and I was afraid of this until I talked to my doctor and he told me if I do Kegels that it greatly reduced the chances of tearing.... The burining I am not sure about but I think if you have a Natural childbirth vs a epidural then you  will feel more than without one....

[BTS1022]

I hate to say this, but unless you have an epidural you will feel the *ring of fire* It does infact burn when baby's head first comes out, its like having a bad sunburn and being smacked. But if I must say so myself it was nothing compaired to the pain of the contractions.

[Skylynns_mom]

yea her name is Skylynn Grace.   We call her Sky sometimes as well, we go back and forth between the 2.  Skyler is a very pretty name as well.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

There are no gaurantees....every birth and every woman are different.  Some women rip easy while others don't rip or need to be cut.  There are so many variables that there is no way to say how it will be for YOU with THIS birth.  

[krissyy]

i will try not to think about it too much.  so your daughter's name is skylynn?  that is beautiful!  we are naming our little girl skyler and calling her skye.

[Skylynns_mom]

i tore alittle bit when i had my daughter and didn't even know it.  However i had an epidural so that could be why.  I would say try not to freak out about it b/c i thought that the actual birth part would be horrible but for me labor was much worse.