Are you vocal in birth?

[PeterPan]

Ok, just for fun... How vocal are you in birth? Do you yell? Something more moderate, say just ranting at the dh and assistants? Or are you in your zone, totally composed, and very quiet? Or maybe a mix? (zoned until you roar like a lionness and pop him out?)

 

They wouldn't let me groan or anything with dd, said it aggravated an unhappy cervix, so it hadn't occurred to me I might have a totally different experience or reaction with this one. I am, after all, just a bit verbal and expressive, lol.

[Tammy]

I remember with my first one....listening to all the screaming going on in other rooms....I was TERRIFIED, LOL!

 

I was lucky....I didn't feel the need to scream or anything, but I had very easy births :-)

 

Tammy

[RoughCollie]

deleted.

[newlifemom]

Who wouldn't let you groan?:001_huh: Having only had c-sections I can say that my conversation during the birthing process was limited and mild.:D However, once I had to spend the night in a labor and delivery room and while I dozed(only slightly, it is hard to sleep with the moniters strapped to your mid-section) I heard someone coaching someone from across the hall. Things like "that's good", "one more just like that" and then out of the blue a baby started crying. Maybe that is why I have c-sections. I couldn't have been as quiet as that women for any reason let alone the pain of childbirth.:tongue_smilie:

[Jann in TX]

I was definately 'in the zone' with my first dd. It really DID NOT HURT --I was so focused...(afterwards it hurt)...

 

DD number 2 was a premie--a little painful--but not bad. Recovery was a breeze.

 

Both of the above were 'natural' without drugs.

 

With dd #3 I was a LOT older. I had more complications with the pregnancy and she was HUGE. I lost concentration near the 'end' and I shouted out a 4 letter word SH**! Of course dd11 and dd9 were in the room--so nice Dr says to the girls "Your mommy did not mean that"---I IMMEDIATELY responded-- "YES I DID!!!". I think I shocked all of us. The room got very quiet and remained that way until dd was born.

[Brindee]

Apparently I just say, "This really hurts" over and over! No screaming or yelling.

 

My sister's a screamer. She said it makes it easier for her to get through cuz it relieves the tension of a major contraction.....Kind of like how a weight-lifter yells when he picks up the weight, maybe?

 

So there, that's what we do! :D

[dirty ethel rackham]

Quiet and cheerful with number 1 after the epidural.

 

Very Zen with # 2 until pushing contractions, then I was a screaming mess on my "other planet" during pushing contractions and crowning. (The rectal pressure was giving me flashbacks to the excruciating recovery from #1 a 3rd degree perineal laceration - I couldn't sit for weeks and BMs were terrifying.)

 

With #3, I did lots of low moaning and groaning. It was a homebirth and I was very uninhibited. I found it was very comforting. I didn't realize how loud I was until afterwards when I noticed that my throat hurt.

[keptwoman]

I'm very quiet right up until transition. I yell pretty loud through pushing and crowning. Poor people in the next room!! Poor M, I was really yelling when she came out, she was so darn fast! 4 contractions from crowning to delivery and I'm still screaming I've decided this isn't a good idea as she is slithering out :lol:

[Sasharowan]

Very quiet and focused. With ds#2, the nurse didn't believe that I had the urge to push because I was too quiet, but checked to appease me. She immediately started yelling for the midwife, saying he was crowning. They are frantically trying to gather their tools while telling me not to push while I could feel him sliding out without me doing anything. The midwife was scrubbed in time to catch, that was all.

[nakitty]

I don't talk just a very primal guttural groan during pushing and that's it.

[fosterisacoolcat]

I hollered pretty loud when I told my birth partners (DH was offshore and could not be there for #2) that I need to push to go get the doc. They just stood there and stared at me for about a full 10 seconds until I screamed to GET THE 'insert F word' DOC!!! That created some motion. Other than that I grunted a lot and made some noises indicating effort. I am SO not one of those women who is willing to endure in silence.

[Mama Lynx]

People have told me I'm not loud. However, I have clear memories of screaming my head off in transition, so I don't know what's up with that.

 

I still cannot believe I had the self control to not cuss out my midwife at my homebirth. I had a lip, and she didn't want me to push while she took care of the lip, and at that moment I truly hated her. lol

[Chris in CA]

No, never have been one to be vocal when in pain

[Mama Lynx]

My best labor was in the car. I was very quiet. Just moaned a bit. I remember trying to tell my dh that I could feel the baby moving down, and that we were VERY CLOSE.

 

We got to the birth center, went in, and he was born w/in 10 minutes. Honestly, that was the best labor.

[Citrusheights5]

#1. Loud no meds.. I remember not having an IV.. taking off the monitors and walking out the door telling the nurse that I changed my mind and wasn't going to do this anymore.. :lol:

#2 Loud no meds.. Zoned for the first 2 hours and screamed for the next two.

#3 VERY VERY Loud... epidural that did not take... and a baby who was coming despite every dr being at an appreciation lunchon, and the rotation DR delivering next door. :001_huh:

#4 Not bad at all.. perfect epidural.. still felt pain and feeling to push.. but took the edge off all pain.

#5. Too quick. Walked in :pitocin drip.. followed quickly by epidural.; followed by birth. 1 hour 15 minutes from walking in the door to delivery. (note; my water broke in the morning and labor would not start.. just a touch of pit threw me full on in to labor)

[Pink Fairy]

I'm quiet except for the pushing. Then I just let it all hang out, completely uninhibited. It's feels very primitive in a good kind of way.

[myfunnybunch]

They wouldn't let me groan or anything with dd

 

With my oldest boy, once I got to pushing I was....not groaning exactly, just the sound you might make when lifting something heavy. I had an old and crabby nurse try to tell me to be quiet. I remember very clearly thinking, not my expected "It's my labor, I'll do whatever I want, Old Crabby Nurse!" but "What the heck? I'll try it."

 

Quiet didn't work for me--I needed that uumph! just like one might "Hah!" in martial arts. (Oh my, almost didn't catch a typo, marital instead of martial :blushing: )

 

So I ignored her.

 

There was a lovely nurse-in-training there who held my hand and said "Way to go" when I went back to making noise.

 

Cat

[MicheleB]

I had pitocin with the first. Even though my doctor had told me all along that I probably needed a c-section (due to pelvis size), she had me "try" anyway. :glare:

 

I was VERY vocal. It was just terribly painful back labor. I remember dh telling me to "relax" and I said, "YOU relax!" Then I told him to "Go find that anesthesiologist and find him NOW!" Finally, epidural and relief and c-section anyway. Plus with every contraction I screamed in ascending pitch. I remember the people in the room next to mine turned their TV up very loud. :D

 

Had the other 3 by section as well. With the second I was was kind of vocal b/c my blood pressure really dropped and I started vomiting and tried to get off the table (silly me, I didn't realize I was strapped down).

 

The last two, the only thing I remember saying was, "I feel sick again." I threw up the entire time during both of those deliveries.

 

I don't think I was cut out for v*ginal births. I'm a wimp. I was glad for c-sections all the way and after reading all your stories, I'm STILL glad. :D

[anissarobert]

3 children+12 or more hours of back labor each+ no meds= lots of yelling!!!!

[newlifemom]

I had pitocin with the first. Even though my doctor had told me all along that I probably needed a c-section (due to pelvis size), she had me "try" anyway. :glare:

 

I was VERY vocal. It was just terribly painful back labor. I remember dh telling me to "relax" and I said, "YOU relax!" Then I told him to "Go find that anesthesiologist and find him NOW!" Finally, epidural and relief and c-section anyway. Plus with every contraction I screamed in ascending pitch. I remember the people in the room next to mine turned their TV up very loud. :D

 

Had the other 3 by section as well. With the second I was was kind of vocal b/c my blood pressure really dropped and I started vomiting and tried to get off the table (silly me, I didn't realize I was strapped down).

 

The last two, the only thing I remember saying was, "I feel sick again." I threw up the entire time during both of those deliveries.

 

I don't think I was cut out for v*ginal births. I'm a wimp. I was glad for c-sections all the way and after reading all your stories, I'm STILL glad. :D

:iagree: Couldn't they have given you the anti-naseaus(sp?) medicine. This is probably one of the only times that I purposely lied. As soon as the surgery starts I tell the ane(I'm not even gonna try to spell that :D) that I was gonna hurl and they would put something into my IV. They wouldn't do it unless I was absolutely going to vomit. I will do it again if I have any more children. I only hope God can forgive me because the thought of vomiting makes me want to cry.

[Sarah CB]

I'll admit this - but only to you guys. I'm pretty quiet until the very end. As soon as the whole pushing thing starts I scream like I'm in a horror movie. You know the scream, right? AAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!! I've had numerous doctors and nurses tell me to quiet down. I can't help it - pushing is scary! I'm just glad it only lasts a couple of minutes.

[CactusPair]

Not loud. Low, guttural animal-like moans, more like a wolf than a cow, I guess. :001_smile: Very rythmic and hypnotic, to keep me concentrated and in the trance I needed to get through it. It worked for me. If I hadn't done the zone-moan, I definitely woulda been screaming.

 

W/ #1, I ended up with a lot of interventions and needed the epid. up to my chest. But before the interventions I maintained the zone. We took a few Bradley classes, but dh is just so-not-into-that-stuff. I instictually came up with the "sound" to help myself relax and deal with the pain (back labor).

 

# 2 was born accidently at home. I had read a book about the mother singing her baby into the world. I didn't sing, just did the deep zone moan and called it singing. I was in pain, but I wasn't, KWIM? I thought I still had a while to go. Then, transition. Short, but yowzers!

 

With that part, I did get a bit loud:), but still no screaming. I think I was too terrified and willed myself to remain calm. 3 small silent pushes and voila! dd was here, born into my hands, before the paramedics pulled up. Dh missed the whole thing talking to the operator on the phone!

 

I wouldn't hesitate to scream my head off if I needed to, though. A person's gotta do what she's gotta do to accomplish the business at hand. Instinct just takes over.

[Kate CA]

Ok, just for fun... How vocal are you in birth?

 

I say as little as possible and do not berate anyone. I am usually in so much pain that I just deal internally. I birthed at home, naturally, so it was really painful. LOL

 

I honestly never felt making a lot of noise was particularly productive. Being loud made the pain worse so I wasn't. :D

[Melissa in Australia]

I screamed a lot during transition. I remember hearing the screaming echoing in the room and thinking " where did that come from" not even realising it was me.:blushing: I did have a fair bit of tearing internally, and fairly big babies.

 

I remember arguing with one of the nurses and telling her "I am not pushing it is too painful " for no 3.

[keptwoman]

I can't help it - pushing is scary! I'm just glad it only lasts a couple of minutes.

 

Is it ever! I very clearly remember with DD thinking as she was descending at the speed of a freight train ...I'M GOING TO SPLIT IN HALF!!!!! How can you NOT scream when something that just shouldn't fit is attempting to :tongue_smilie:

[8filltheheart]

Ok, just for fun... How vocal are you in birth? Do you yell? Something more moderate, say just ranting at the dh and assistants? Or are you in your zone, totally composed, and very quiet? Or maybe a mix? (zoned until you roar like a lionness and pop him out?)

 

They wouldn't let me groan or anything with dd, said it aggravated an unhappy cervix, so it hadn't occurred to me I might have a totally different experience or reaction with this one. I am, after all, just a bit verbal and expressive, lol.

 

Jimminie.......who wouldn't let you groan?? Never heard of such a thing before! Tell whoever told you that to change places with you!! :tongue_smilie:

 

I have delivered 6 completely natural and I am pretty silent. Dh and I ask to be left alone until delivery, and our requests have always been honored. We sit and talk and enjoy the time alone.

 

I only get vocal 2x. First when I know it's time to deliver and my dh says, it has only been 30 secs since I was only a 6 and refuses to get someone to come in. Though I will say that with our last one he finally learned not to argue. With the one prior to her, he sarcastically opened the door and told a nurse that I thought it was time to push.......the nurse came in and started screaming b/c the head was crowning and no one else was anywhere around. ;) Think that humbled him just a little. :D

 

The only other time I make noise is crowning. I can't stand the burn. To me, it is worse than labor.

 

Over all, I have been blessed with very easy labors and they are calm and quiet.

 

Blessings to you as you prepare for the arrival of your little one. It is always an exciting time. :)

[Kelli in TN]

I beg and plead for mercy. I proclaim that I am dying. I become pitiful and weepy.

[MicheleB]

:iagree: Couldn't they have given you the anti-naseaus(sp?) medicine. This is probably one of the only times that I purposely lied. As soon as the surgery starts I tell the ane(I'm not even gonna try to spell that :D) that I was gonna hurl and they would put something into my IV. They wouldn't do it unless I was absolutely going to vomit. I will do it again if I have any more children. I only hope God can forgive me because the thought of vomiting makes me want to cry.

 

He gave me something for me nausea the entire time. Everytime I said I feel sick, he added it, but I still was sick.

 

He did say afterward that he never saw anyone get as sick as that before.

[chickenpatty]

I really surprised myself, being kinda quiet by nature... but during the birth of #3, I was really vocal and really angry! He was huge, wouldn't drop, and they literally had me upside down (among other things) trying to get him to come down. I remember screaming for them to Get It Out and being very close to kicking the ob who had the nerve to come smiling into the room.:glare:

 

Afterwards I was embarrassed to come out of the room, because then all the nurses would see who was making so much noise.:blushing:

 

I had an epidural for all the others and was my usual nice and calm self. :D

[Frelle]

I have been pretty much in the zone with my other 3 births. But my son got stuck and I was needing to get him out ASAP and pushed with everything I had for a long time.. I did scream with him.. enough that I was hoarse afterward! It felt really out of control to scream for me. But it's what it took, you know? :)

[Jami]

With ds, I was managing pretty well until they broke my water to put in the fetal monitor and I hit transition hard and fast. I was too busy throwing up after contractions to do much moaning. I think the pushing stage had some grunting. But I'd had an epidural by then and so it was effort more than pain management.

 

With dd, I did a lot of the low groaning, moaning. No yelling at anyone. I'm only mean at home, at the hospital I don't want the nurses to think I'm mean, so I control myself pretty well. :001_huh:

 

And then dd was an induction to a c-section, and labor never really got hard enough to need much management before they found her cord in the way and rushed me in for the c-section. I did lots of crying, moaning and groaning during the c-section recovery over the next 6+ weeks.

[samba]

I was very quiet for both births. I'm always quiet when I'm in pain. Remember the media talk about Scientology and their practice of "silent birth"? My dh and I joked when we heard about that...we'd had two silent births without even realizing we were doing anything special or controversial!

[Janna]

HA! Well...apparently I'm quite vocal when I don't have an epidural!

 

I had an epidural with my first 2. I never made a sound the entire time for both of those posts. Not only do I not make a sound, but I'm extremely polite - please and thank-you all over the place to the nurses, asking dh if he's comfortable or wants to sleep (gag, LOL).

 

However, I wanted to see what it was like to be epidural-free this last time around (I also was curious if there could be a link between PPD and epidurals for me). Oh, my! Totally different experience!

 

Everything was the same - happy and talkative until contractions became more intense. Then quiet and "in the zone". Then letting nurse and dh know that my back was hurting, was there anything we could try, blah blah blah..but still polite. Come transition I was in a panic and could not control grunting. I was so embarrassed! But the time between transition and baby lying on my chest was less than 10 min. It was freaky, I was scared (Dr. literally came in the room to catch him - she had been in the middle of stitching up an episiotomy on another woman and ended up leaving her there in stirrups, unfinished, to attend to me. I still feel for that woman!) and just could not focus at all. The nurses gave me oxygen to calm me down as well as frankincense to smell (THAT is what really worked!). I never swore, I just kept saying "I can't do this" in between loud grunts. After it was over, I apologized profusely for being so loud. They kept trying to assure me that I was *not* loud in the least considering there are people who literally scream. And then these nurses kept coming in the next day to "look at the woman who gave birth without an epidural". THAT was very odd, until I was repeatedly told that no one requests to not have an epidural. Very surprising!

[JFSinIL]

I was all c-sections...so not vocal until a day or so later...when the gas pains hit.

[PeterPan]

These are such a hoot to read!!! I guess it's not right to laugh at birth, but they are all amazing stories. And I think you're right, that I'll find my own way, something probably in the middle. I don't like being hoarse. ;)

 

As for why the midwife wouldn't let me groan, well it's been 9 years remember and I'm not up on all the terms. Your cervix has to dilate and efface I think. Is effacing getting thin? Well anyways, mine (and this is way tmi, I guess) was getting thin but it wasn't dilating. And if you don't dilate, well the baby can't come out. And if you groan, you're energizing and actually pushing. And when you push on something that is getting paper thin but not functioning right, not opening up, it backfires and annoys it, making it swell. And if you're in a homebirth and make your cervix that isn't in the mood to dilate swell and gets unhappy, well then you're looking at a transport. At least that's how I kinda took what she said. When you're in that position, you just do what they say, kwim?

 

My midwife attends a lot of amish births, and they don't utter a peep, not a peep. I guess she figured if they could do it, I could too. I'm not sure I was utterly quiet, but she didn't let me groan or do anything like that. We never did a Bradley or Lamaze class or anything, though I had read a whole bunch of books. I guess it was just as well, as it didn't leave us with a bunch of expectations about it ought to be. She (the midwife) had said she would take care of me and show me everything, and that's what we did. It worked out fine, not even any bad memories. I've just admired some of the women I've seen on tv who get really zoned and controlled. But I think a good scream here or there is probably profitable too, gotta get your point across! :)

 

Thanks for sharing, ladies! I had sort of gotten freaky about birth in the last few weeks, so this is fun to hear the other side, rowdy women getting their way and getting it done. And no, I can't imagine giving birth in a hospital with other women screaming or wondering if they heard you. Seems to me birth is kind of private, not something you want everybody listening in on, kwim? (like honeymooners in the next room or something, hehe)

[Jennifer3141]

My first labor, not only did I scream but I kicked the idiot resident in the head. Man, was that guy ever stupid... I hope the kick in the head helped. :glare:

 

Jen

[PeterPan]

Janna, sounds like you did a great job! But I'll confess, I didn't know the stats in hospitals had gone that far. At your hospital literally it was uncommon to give birth without an epidural? I'll tell you, I birthed dd at home, all 9 lb. 4 oz, and I don't recall wishing for an epidural. It wasn't exactly fun, but it was relievable (hot water, better positions, etc.). It was the type of thing that made you look at other skinny chicks differently, girls who had never given birth, knowing you had really done something. It was empowering.

 

But whatever. Y'all already know that, having given birth many times. I certainly understand everyone has to do what they have to do, and I don't think I would have had the same experience without my lovely midwife taking care of me and doing comforting things for me. And I can't imagine going through back labor like some of y'all have. As soon as my midwife said the baby was posterior, I found that Webster technique chiro and got that baby turned!!! Now we're just watching it to make sure el baby stays turned. No martyrs in this house!! :)

[OnTheBrink]

I'm in the quiet but roars like a lioness when the baby pops out camp. I mostly want people around me to be quiet and leave me alone. I will growl at anyone who tries to talk to me during a contraction. OH, and when I say I'm going to vomit, don't even hand me some piddly basin. Please. Give me a dumpster to puke in or there will be consequences. Dire ones.

[6packofun]

The only way I was able to get through my 5th induction (done well before I was in actual labor) *without* any additional medication was by moaning lowly the entire time. And the exercise ball. LOL Boy was that long and painful.

 

I kept hearing the nurses reminding one another to keep my door shut so I wouldn't disturb the other laboring mothers. :confused: lol

[Dayle in Guatemala]

I had 3 c-sections so most of my vocals were after the birth. ;)

[Saille]

My first son presented weirdly, and my third child was an emergency c-section, so I really only have the second (a homebirth) to go by, but based on that, I'm quiet in the early stages, yelling during transition, and growling when I push.

[Karenciavo]

In the zone and quiet, although I liked to punch my pillow when the mid-wife wouldn't let me push.

[swellmomma]

I just moan until transition and pushing, then I scream bloody murder, followed by profuse apologies for being so loud and causing the staff to require hearing tests. I have a very very low pain tolerance and struggle to cope with that phase, primarily because the times I had an epi it didn't work and my last one was completely drug free, plus my labours are short, when I hit 6 it means I am going to be pushing within minutes, because I go from 6-10 in 1-2 contractions.

[amyable]

#1 - Best birth! I was extremely quiet. Contractions hurt a lot but I just went "in my zone" and 2.5 hours later she was out! I'm sure I moaned and groaned more during recovery of a horrible episiotomy and lots of stitches (hurt for months!) Other than the recovery, I would love to have a labor like that again.

#2 - back labor, so I caved and got an epi. Was plenty quiet after that. :)

#3 - also back labor, but I thought I would tough this one out. I wasn't loud but I was whiny and teary and wimpery the whole time. Finally I was told I was 8 cm and I decided to start trying to push a bit (I didn't tell anyone) - I felt baby blissfully move down and she was born a few minutes later. Kicked myself for not pushing sooner. ;)

#4 - back labor again! (what is it with me and back labor?) Thought she would be my last and I wanted a nice calm experience so I got another epi. Nice and quiet even though the epi only worked on one side. I had been studying hypnobirthing so that helped.

#5 - labor (back labor! I'm amazed my first wasn't all back labor,after the next four were) was like 45 minutes of being run over by a frieght train. I wasn't screaming but I was panting and grunting loudly, there was just no helping it (I'd rather be quiet). I went from 5 cm to baby born in about 7 cntx. Ugh, that was only 10 months ago. I'm having flashbacks. :lol:

[~Tara~]

I'm a moaner/groaner.

Very gutteral.

My midwife wanted to tape me for the 'good birthing sounds' :p You know, the midwife I had for 3 births but she only got to see me labor and birth in ONE. teehee

[Jennifer3141]

I love a group of women who give you positve rep for kicking a new doctor in the head!! Thank you! :D

 

That labor was a mess all the way around though. My second was a DREAM. I asked DH if we could have a third while actively pushing.

 

Jen

[Guest 4boys]

I yell. I can't help it. My births are very fast and I have 10 lb babies so it's not exactly fun or easy. This last time I think I only yelled during pushing. :D

[Jami]

I love a group of women who give you positve rep for kicking a new doctor in the head!! Thank you! :D

 

That labor was a mess all the way around though. My second was a DREAM. I asked DH if we could have a third while actively pushing.

 

Jen

 

 

 

LOL. This birth will be my first with a midwife/birth center/med free and I'm a little bit afraid it will be so much fun that I won't be able to stop with #4! I've warned dh, he doesn't seem to think it'll be *that* much fun, at least not for him. ;)

[Just Me]

I was a Screamin' Mimi for my last two. With my first, I had an epidural, and was nice and calm. For the last two, no epidural, and the real me came out. I kept apologizing, and my great OB would just say, "scream away" - so I did!!

[mommylawyer]

When I had my youngest, I thought I was just saying, "I can't do it. I can't do it." The next morning, I was talking to the father of the girl in the room next to me. He said I scared his daughter so much that she asked the nurse if that is what she would be doing. The nurse said, "No, honey, you'll have an epidural. She's going all natural." Apparently I was screaming my head off and everyone heard me. I honestly had no idea.