Correlation between labour and period pain

I didn’t think labour felt anything like period pain. (I may be in the minority)! I think a lot of it boils down to people’s personal pain threshold and what they can manage. I know mine is quite high (due to many injuries riding horses!) so I did think I’d manage labour ok and I did.

Ehh i get strong cramps they make me nauseous but labor pains are more intense. I did it with just laughing gas. And I've had a c section. I'd rather give birth then a c section

As a basis, I will say that I have endodometriosis, so periods suck. I have also had a root canal done without novicane (used to have an extreme fear of needles). But I had a 5 day (failed) induction where I maxed out the pitocin, and it wasn't anywhere close to being as painful as a bad period. Ultimately, I only made it to 6cm and had a section, but even that wasn't too horrible. I managed with otc tylenol

None of the above the pain is not really comparable to anything I have experienced in life. I have really strong painful periods also just to manage your expectations. To help me cope I had all 4 naturally. You need to get into the right mindset that is the only thing that helped me manage the pain look into Hypnobirthing if you haven’t already

I don’t get strong cramps (hardly any at all) since switching to using menstrual discs and taking prescribed vitamins regularly. I trained for labor by cycling and running before getting pregnant, then continued a bit during pregnancy. Labor was intense, but manageable. Think of it like a marathon. Hydration and fuel are essential. Water via shower or tub jets helped me a ton. I didn’t want meds so my body would know how much hormonal pain relief to send through my system. I did it with all three of my kids’ births.

I don't know what other women experience, I *think* I get mediocre period pain, like aches down my legs, cramping etc. I usually take Ibuprofen for the first day of my cycle that takes the edge off a bit. My early labour feels exactly like my period pain, starting barely noticable and intensifying. It's very manageable until suddenly it's not, but very shortly after I think it's not manageable, the need to push kicks in and even though it hurts like mad to push, it's also relieving to push. It doesn't take me long to push them out once I'm there. This is for my 3 natural home births which I did have a birth pool for each. If you're going into hospital, this allay be entirely different. My hospital births were constantly interrupted, they forced me to labor sitting in the hospital bed, forced pitocin, coerced epidural, did episiotomy against my wishes... It was awful. Birth is a natural occurrence. It can be absolutely beautiful and very low pain while going naturally.

I have a super low pain tolerance and very mild period cramps. I managed unmedicated birth. It’s a very different feeling when you are in the thick of it I think. It starts like period cramps and then gradually escalates until you feel like “I can’t do this anymore” and then baby is out haha at least that’s what it’s like for me.

So I had normal period pain until age 32. Then I got covid and developed period pain from hell. This pain is so bad it spreads to my legs, I can't walk and curl up in a ball unable to think. Simple motrin stops it in it's tracks. This is what labor feels like yes, similar ongoing pain with cramps. It is doable, and the whole process absolutely felt instinctive not like a strange body feeling never felt before. Even pushing felt very normal. I took no classes. For me it was reasonably managable BUT when it got mega bad I chose fentenyl (I think 300mg in 2 doses about 2-5 hrs apart maybe - bit of a blur) then I knew it was time for the epidural. I cried from fear when the people who were supposed to birth me didn't come and my baby was half way out and needed the NICU, as I thought he would die or I would die, but I did not cry or scream through labor or birth. I was so afraid and so ill with severe pre-eclampsia though so not sure if I blocked out the pain that way. I feel your period pain is like mine.

The contractions weren’t so bad it was the back labour that killed me (I have endometriosis & have had ppl take me unconscious to er for period related issues several times - like it’s bad) but I had back labour starting a month & 1/2 before cervix cooperated enough to be active labour.. for me the worst part was forced iv bc I was projectile vomiting the whole 18 hrs (I have issues with iv & have a lot of complications post birth bc of that) the pain wasn’t as bad as being left for over 1,5 hr trying to hold him back in after his head was out after less then 15 minutes bc the doc had a emergency c section & what that did to us birth injury wise - so I’d say mindset is really important & remember that pain isn’t going to last forever - if you can do or not do anything that will make your recovery postpartum when you want to be able to do as much for your baby as possible, I’d say prioritise that. What exactly that means is going to be different for every birth tho

I was unmedicated until I was 7cm. I guess I could have continued but I was just sooooo exhausted because I didn’t eat for 12 hours at that point and I just wanted to rest. Couldn’t rest without epidural. Anyway labor pain felt like intensified version of my worst period pain (I have mild endo). I just cannot imagine having constant pain like that anymore that’s why I called for pain medication

I actually found my labour pains were very similar to the intense period cramps I used to get when I was a teenager. In a way they were actually easier as they would peak and die off whereas my cramps would be there for hours but I did used to suffer horrendously. Hypnobirthing and focusing on my breathing & counting during labour helped sooooo much. As of today, I’ve now had two completely unmedicated births x

Thank you for all your experiences and advice 🤍

i always had very mild periods and i managed very well i’d say. at the beginning the contractions felt like periods cramps, then it felt like deep lower back and hip pain. that was nothing like a period. i wouldn’t compare your period pain tolerance to labor cause it’s totally different thing!

I voted strong period horrific labor. but thinking about it more I can’t relate the two. I have heavy terrible miserable crampy periods. This was different. I also have a high pain tolerance and an extremely high tolerance to pain relieving medication (no idea why my doctors just told me I’m built that way). The pressure with labor made me literally want to rip myself out of my own body if that makes sense. It wasn’t even the contractions. It was the pressure for me

@Asia 1) i got bragging rights 2) there's a correlation between epidural and struggle with bf right away. 3) i wouldn't get my water birth as I wouldn't be able to stand or squat with an epidural 4) there's a i think 1% chance of becoming paralyzed from an epidural. Those are my reasons for a completely natural birth. My body didn't feel like it was ripping in half. I loved that I was able to get to the fetal ejection response part of labour. Minimal pushing my body did the work.

Can we stop with this "bragging rights" nonsense? Birth isn't about "bragging" every single birth is beautiful, from home to hospital, natural to section.. everyone is different. There should be no fear mongering either way nor judgement. Informed decisions is what we need, we are all here sharing our individual experiences, no need to come against each other.

@Asia Different strokes for different folks.

I have very mild period cramps but I suffer from migraines. For me, labour pain is totally manageable until the very end but then your body takes over and it's over quickly. We are all different.

Have you ever pulled your calf muscle and your dying in pain , labor is that pain but 10x stronger .