One born every minute.....

Screaming is sign of hysteria. I didn't scream giving birth, with DD1 I faintly remember swearing at somebody.
I was once in Café in Blackpool and group of louts started a punch up and drew knives and we were trapped in the corner and then I screamed and screamed and a policewoman got me outside and slapped my face. I was hysterical and really couldn't stop.
They always scream giving birth on films and TV, and I wouldn't feel able to judge. When you hear how short of midwives they are in the NHS then I can imagine that screaming gets you some attention.

You could very well be right, bagitha - I had a couple of hours' walk by a rushing river this morning, whilst my brakes were being fixed and it certainly made me feel much more peaceful. There is something about the grandeur of the mountains that puts things in perspective.

Controlled scream therapy. We could start a business! Actually, that has just reminded me of swotting in university libraries. My pals and I would break out occasionally with the expression "I need a scream!" It usually involved a brisk walk up a hill or somewhere equally exposed to strong wind! We needed the physical vigour to compensate for the mental befudgification! Maybe your walks in the mountains are your screams, greatnan.

Nellie, perhaps I just spout a lot of rubbish but do it very well!
There is nothing wrong with any of your posts -don't put yourself down.

I remember Beatlemania in the early 60'S Greatnan I would have been about 9 or 10 when women and girls where hysterical that kind of loss of control is frightening but a good cuss and shout does wonders sometimes,I would love to be as articulate as you as I was always told ''empty vessels make most noise'' and considered myself an empty vessel on occassion

There is someone I would like to scream at, but I don't think I can overcome a lifetime of inhibition. It doesn't make me feel superior, far from it, I would love to be less 'buttoned up'.
On the other hand I don't want to become like those women who scream their heads off whenever some pop idol appears. Is it another habit that has come over from the USA? Like starting to clap when a song starts, so you miss the first few lines.

Thank you, nellie.

Bagitha I may not have made a noise during childbirth but do recommend a good scream it is extremely theraputic,when my daughter died I confronted her partner and cornered him[as have said before he was found culpable]and screamed allsorts of invective that even a navvy would have blushed at,also if anyone threatened or hurt my children one very angry mummy screamed and roared like a lioness,in every day life I am a happygo lucky smiley person who is capable of rational thought....just dont hurt my kids

Screaming, yelling, roaring, grunting VERY LOUDLY a couple of times in one's life does not make one into "a screamer". I really don't like such labels, nor the apparent implication that someone who has never screamed is somehow better than someone who has. I'm sorry if I'm reading too much between the lines; it's just a feeling I'm getting from this thread.

When I had my three they where all delivered within 2 hrs of starting labour only with my DD was I given pethadine it was standard practice at the time,I was not a screamer just grunts (and swearing under my breath at DH) when I went to my Dr.before starting my first pregnancy he examined me and told me I had a fine pair of child bearing hips,didn't know how to take that ? I am now going back to finish reading my free book from GN "Catching Babies" which is a good nostalgic read.

I went on a top of the mountain screaming session with a friend suffering from terminal cancer - and she found it really helped her, somehow.
But otherwise, no, not a screamer me.

I am another who has never screamed in my life - I might try it one day when I am completely isolated up a mountain.

I suspect Hollywood is responsible to some extent for screaming during labour. Probably also responsible for screaming during orgasm, as well, but only X certificate movies.

I've often thought, that even if the situation justified it, I would not be able to scream. My vocal chords just don't work that way. A roar would be far more likely! As far as I can remember, I was more of a grunter during childbirth.
Whilst on "One Born Every Minute", what has staggered me (and I haven't seen all of them by any means) is how many of the women appear to labour and deliver lying down! That is unbelievable in this day and age. Even 30 years ago I was mobile throughout and squatted to deliver. My daughter last year used all her active birthing techniques to get her through a difficult delivery without intervention. She's horrified too at seeing so many supine labouring women!

Figure of speech, bagitha.

There's nothing in the least bit dignified about childbirth.

Indeed Avocado. It might be just that for some women, but we are all built differently! My first one was a sideways breach - and finally had a Ceasarian after 24hrs in labour after induction. The first Ceasarian at the Newcastle Staffs hospital with an emergency epidural, as I refused to be aneasthesized (sp?). Second one was a normal birth but with forceps- but still not a piece of cake, lol. But no, I didn't scream either.

My first birth was the most agonising pain I could imagine - I had pethidine but it didn't help much. I was just too inhibited to scream or yell. The pain did not end with the birth - I tore badly and passing water was painful for a long time.
I am not criticising people who scream - I just wondered if we were expected to be more stoical in the 1960s.

Avocado!

But I know what you mean janthea. Nowadays they're encouraged to 'let it all hang out' and 'express themselves', whereas in our day keeping one's dignity was thought the thing to do!

Oh come off it - I don't care how stiff your upper lip is, giving birth is not a slight inconvenience or discomfort.

I do think that the young today (!?! - that makes me sound like my mother! I'm not that old - my daughters were born in the 70s) complain about the slightest inconvenience or discomfort.

I had an epidural for both my daughters and therefore I was as quiet as a mouse! Probably the odd moan that I was hungry or bored as my husband kept disappearing to the pub across the road from the hospital for a quick drink and a bite of lunch!!

With my first two babies I was very good and didn't make much noise at all but with baby number three I made somuch noise a midwife who was attending a birth with another lady came bursting into my delivery room telling me to keep the noise down as I could be heard up and down the corridor

I think the noises I made with number three were probably more like ROARS than anything else! I can relate to your description very easily, avocado! I think my number three was my noisiest as well. Just getting good at the whole malarky when I had to stop (age, y'know; I was only six weeks off 45; she was my last good egg).

People have different pain thresholds anyway. One is allowed to object to pain. That's all a scream/yell/roar (whatever you want to call it) is.

Hmm.

I have had 3 children.

My 1st two I whimpered, rather than screamed. Both very long and highly medicalised and ended up with an epidural.

My 3rd was born in 90 minutes, start to finish. I yelled myself horse. I don't feel ashamed of it either. I had not so much as a paracetamol in pain relief, and it takes the same number of contractions to get them out regardless of how long it takes so the pain was insane. My yelling (and yep, screaming for the final push) was my way of handling the pain. I was by myself (no birth partner) and I talked my way up each contraction hill, getting louder and louder until the crest - and then had a breather on the way down.

In fact I have very positive feelings about my 3rd birth. I was naked and loud and it felt RIGHT.