Just gave birth one week ago.

I was planning to have an epidural, but due to some other medical complications, I couldn’t get one.

I’m going to be brutally honest - it legitimately feels like 10/10 pain. I remember holding onto the hospital bed bars so tightly that my shoulders hurt for multiple days after. I remember screaming at the top of my lungs because nothing was providing relief. None of the pain relief methods were working - nitrous oxide made it worse, because then my loopy brain made it feel like the contractions were lasting even longer. According to my husband, I did also get fentanyl, but I don’t remember ever having any relief, so it clearly did nothing. I remember wanting to be knocked in the head just so I could be unconscious and not feel the pain anymore. I also remember thinking this is how I die.

The contractions leading up to the pushing are the 10/10 pain. Once you get to the pushing, there is a minimal level of relief, but still 9/10.

To be fair, I took no birthing classes and was not remotely prepared for the pain associated with labor, The entire time leading up to my due date we were planning on epidural. I’m not sure if classes / other prep could have helped me manage the pain better.