How did you feel after the birth?

[Mamafy]

Just want to get some differing opinions on how you felt after birth.

Just include what type of birth you had, how long the labour was?

What was your recovery like? Did you have baby blues?

 

[Me, My Girls & I]

#1 - delivered in water, didnt get in the pool til i was 10cm tho - was in labour 23 hours and pushing for atleast 2!

had a 3rd degree tear and the first 24 hours was awful, on a cathetar and an IV drip aswell. the recovery was ok tho, not much pain or owt, just felt like shit for a few months after, barely able to keep my eyes open!! cant have been that bad, i was up the duff again 3 months later i did get the baby blues quite bad. but i dont know how much of that was down to things not being too good realtionship wise.

#2 - well i delivered in a different kind of water labour was about 1h30, somethin like that!

again, the 3rd degree tear business. after pains were horiffic!! took me a couple of days to get over the shock, but after that i honestly feel great! still time for the blues to hit tho i suppose!!

 

[Piglet10]

is this thread gonna scare the crap outta me?!?!? :S lol xx

 

[Mamafy]

That's the idea Lisa

No honestly it's not meant to but I'm hoping it will be ensightful and honest rather than scarey

 

[x-misspinkuk-x]

my labour was 12.5 hours long pushing for about 2 hours.all the pain really does go once you push the baby out and hold your baby. i was asking for an epidural but they didtnt give me one. besides having gas and air it was a natural birth on the bed lol. i had a little graze bbut didnt tear, i was so scared to go to the toilet( stung like hell)! i remember walking around the hospital like little duck lol.
i recovered after like a week back to my normal self. didnt have any baby blues or anything x

 

[Mervs Mum]

#1. Looking back on having my eldest it kind of felt like it happened to someone else. It was all a bit surreal. I was overdue and induced and not at all prepared. I didnt go to any ante natal or relaxation classes apart from one that happened to be taking place at the same time I was due to discuss my induction at the hospital. I had no idea about how induced labours can be quite different to spontaneous ones. I think I would have had a different experience had I not gone in blind.

I did recover fairly quickly but I did have the baby blues but TBH I think my relationship at the time wasnt strong enough and that added to it. I knew I wanted a different experience the next time - more in control and less like I was just being told what to do.

#2. In a word - Brilliant. I got the birth I wanted. I knew what I wanted and I made it happen. I'm a big believer in PMA and I decided how it would be and made sure those around me knew what was important to me. I knew I didnt want an epidural. I also knew I'd probably demand one at some point so I had to make sure my OH knew not to let me have one! I had a very mobile birth - the opposite to my first - and spent time in the pool. At the point of transition, I started yelling (predictably) for the epidural but my OH and the MW managed to distract me long enough for me to come straight from the pool and give birth just a few pushes later. There was no hysterics and screaming. It wasnt 'easy' but it wasnt hard either. Within an hour or so, once I was in bed feeding my baby I said to my hubby 'I want to do it all again' and I did. I cant wait for the whole experience again. There's nothing like it and I know it will be even better this time

 

[Pompey_Princess]

for me, overall, not great, but still can't wait for another one!
mine was a very long labour, after extensive reading i knew i didn't want to be induced, i also wanted a nice relaxed labour, just gas and air and very mobile.
started labour 7days over due and all was good, in the end it took me 40hours, gas and air, pethidine, epi and emergency c-section, due to slow progression (3cm) and back to back contractions for 30hours. looking back i was utterly exhausted, maddi was in distress and they should of gone straight for the c-section after 24hours - the hospital was useless. i was sent home with no drug chart and due to allergies a lack of drugs, all less than 24hours after my section, i haemorrhaged and picked up really bad infection i think resulting in this i had quite bad baby blue mainly due to a horrid, incompetent community midwife. all in all, i felt like i failed maddi as i never had any milk and could bf, after 3 days and no wet nappies i went to ff and things for us improved. after 6-8weeks things picked up but it took me awhile to get over the trauma tbh, i just felt i wasn't good enough for my daughter. i'd still do it and more again in a heart beat! having maddi is the best thing we've ever done and i truly love her more each day

 

[Katy_89]

Thanks for all the replies everyone, this thread makes very interesting reading for someone about to give birth xx

 

[Toonlass]

How did i feel? Shattered!! Its hard work but even tho your so tired you can't sleep as it leaves you on a high.

I had 'baby blues' with both of mine.

1st baby- 36 hour labour, epidural, episiotomy........not nice
2nd baby- 15 hour labour, gas and air, 2 pushes, 2nd degree tear........AWESOME! I think feeling the pain made it so much better, better bond, better experience xx

 

[titch]

#
had a 3rd degree tear and the first 24 hours was awful, on a cathetar and an IV drip aswell. the recovery was ok tho, not much pain or owt, just felt like shit for a few months after, barely able to keep my eyes open!! cant have been that bad, i was up the duff again 3 months later !!

Seriously?? About these tears... this is the bit thats scares me most. did any of you ladies try that massage thing before labour? Is there anything you can do to reduce the chances of tears of do I have to just accept it?! Hows the recovery? can't believe you were less than 3 months later!

Also, Im scared to death of ever having a catheter. I thought my friend was winding me up when she told me she'd had one for surgery. Turns out they are real and its my worst fear about giving birth! I know its irrational but since when are pregnant women rational?!

 

[Mervs Mum]

I had a catheter when I had an epidural. I dont know why else you'd have one in labour though.

I was cut with my first and I didnt even know it had happened. With my second I has a tiny tear (again never knew) and they didnt bother stitching it. TBH my arse hurt more than my bits both times!

 

[titch]

I was cut with my first and I didnt even know it had happened.

What do you mean?????

 

[Mervs Mum]

I mean they cut me to avoid me tearing and I didnt feel a thing They told me they were going to do it and I couldnt have told you when it happened.

 

[titch]

 

[Mervs Mum]

Episiotomy....I had forceps so they tended to make a cut to reduce the risk of tearing. No biggy....seriously.

 

[Mamafy]

 

[titch]

isnt that a bit like throwing you down the stairs to prevent you falling down?

 

[Mamafy]

Exactly like that Tiny

 

[titch]

Oh good lord, I wish we were TTC for a bit longer than 2 weeks, I wouldve had time to learn about this.

 

[Mervs Mum]

I'm not sure they would have got the forceps up there otherwise..... Have you seen the size of them....they're like salad tongs for the BFG

I dont know what the deal is with cutting etc these days - that was 15 yrs ago.