Labour and Birth - Things the Movies don't tell us!!

[x_PlaceboDanii]

I know, cant believe how fast the past 7/8 months has gone at the blink of an eye, can remember getting my positive pregnancy tests and now my pregnancy is almost up ..Im seriously dreading the unbearable pain im going to be in lol!

 

[TORino]

I remember a friend from work telling me, just remember, it's only 24 hours of pains and you'll have your baby.

Erm, nope. It was 48 hours of pains so effectively pulling 2 all nighters. Trying to push as hard as you can for what seems like ages is rather exhausting after no sleep.

I remember the delivery suites smelling like liver ick. And the blood that comes out of you afterwards smells funny too.

The pushing part was a bit scary, it felt to me like you were really constipated and were trying to push a poo out that just was too big for the exit and wasn't quite baked. Having said that, I didn't manage to 'feel' my baby being born.

Leave your dignity at the door ladies. More people will see bits of you that you don't even look at yourself over your labour. I remember after my spinal block coming through to the ward where they had sat me on a pad and wedged 2 sanitary pads between my legs and just let me bleed all over myself and the bed. Disgusting. Though I guess there isn't much they can do about that.

The sickness frightened me a bit as well. I am never ever sick and I must have filled about 20 of those cardboard bowls with sick over my labour.

Be prepared for overwhelming need to wee and poo and the mws telling you you aren't allowed.

 

[tinks77]

How little sleep you would get in hospital!
I was in for 5 days and only after having a nervous breakdown after being in a ward with 2 loud snorers and a woman who thought it was a good idea to shine her light TOWARDS the curtain between our beds all night did I get moved to a private room!

 

[knopk@]

I wasnt prepared to no sleep at night after due to it being 6 bed bay. When they wanted to keep me in for another night, I.thought I will have a breakdown.
Nobody told me how horrible is the feeling downstairs when epi has worn off.
Epidurals are the best though!

sent from my Galaxy s2

 

[Bibi]

hey, I can understand that it feels good to share scary info but believe me, it's not good for you to focus on what happens to others as it's their story and not yours.

Hearing about birth being gory, painful, loads of blood etc etc is only going to make you feel more anxious so avoid these stories at all costs. You won't cope well if you're already tense and frightened before labour starts but if you're calm you'll cope much better during your birth than you ever expected because it's just an amazing experience.

The single most important thing you can do is learn to relax and stay in the moment, accepting each step of your babies magical journey into the world. Believe it or not, the more relaxed you are, the less blood there'll probably be and the quicker your labour will be. Nature wants birth to be as quick, unobtrusive and quiet as possible to keep the 'young' safe from predators in the wild. The more frightened you are, the more tense you'll be and then you start needing more help and intervention. DON'T look for stories and info that will frighten you ... makes sense?

You can go to classes (yoga, hypnobirthing, meditation), you can read books, you can get mp3 hypnobirthingdownloads and even an online hypnobirthing course for you to study in your own time and space at home - there's no excuse not to be relaxed and ready for your birth so start preparing to enjoy your baby's arrival!

 

[Samsgirl]

I did hypnobirthing and it did help me to focus on my breathing but I also think it is important for ladies to know what can happen. What can go wrong. And also to know that if it isn't the magical experience you hoped and it's traumatic. That how you are feeling for the days. Even weeks after is completely normal.

Had I not read others experiences and talked through with other mums about not immediately bonding after a traumatic birth, I think I would have slipped further into pnd. But as it happens, with knowing what I was feeling was normal by being prepared... I was able to pull myself through it.

I wish I had had the amazing birth where baby is placed on you and the rush of love happens and daddy is there and he kisses you.... But I didn't. I feel very cheated out of that. .

But now she is just so cute and I love her to bits but no one prepares you for how you can feel when it doesn't go smoothly, but try not to worry about how lost and emotional you feel cos it does all come right, but make sure you talk about it.

At the end of the day, you get your baby and so whsyever you go through is worth it ..

One bit of advice...... Take loads of drinks with you. You are soooooooo thirsty in labour!!!

 

[TORino]

I did hypnobirthing and it did help me to focus on my breathing but I also think it is important for ladies to know what can happen. What can go wrong. And also to know that if it isn't the magical experience you hoped and it's traumatic. That how you are feeling for the days. Even weeks after is completely normal.

Had I not read others experiences and talked through with other mums about not immediately bonding after a traumatic birth, I think I would have slipped further into pnd. But as it happens, with knowing what I was feeling was normal by being prepared... I was able to pull myself through it.

I wish I had had the amazing birth where baby is placed on you and the rush of love happens and daddy is there and he kisses you.... But I didn't. I feel very cheated out of that. .

But now she is just so cute and I love her to bits but no one prepares you for how you can feel when it doesn't go smoothly, but try not to worry about how lost and emotional you feel cos it does all come right, but make sure you talk about it.

At the end of the day, you get your baby and so whsyever you go through is worth it ..

One bit of advice...... Take loads of drinks with you. You are soooooooo thirsty in labour!!!

^^ I agree. Better to be prepared IMO.

I did hypnobirthing too and it didn't go to plan either so while in ideal circumstances it can provide for a really positive labour it doesn't always work.

 

[x_PlaceboDanii]

I have a quick question!..For anyone who can answer that'd be awesome

What things do you recommend snack/drink wise?..I doubt ill probably do much eating but if i wanted a drink what should i get? ..No doubt ill probably offered water and i absolutely hate the taste of it at the moment..So bland lol!

 

[wifeywifey]

Take juice to dilute and use there water and sugary foods for after. You wont be worrying about the taste of water tho you will love the cold drink whatever it is.

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[TORino]

I was really really sick and the taste of water was amazing. Shame they wouldn't let me drink it!!! I kept throwing up after a drink so they told me to lay off .

I had a packet of mints I was glad of because my breath whacked.

 

[Samsgirl]

i had lucozade but the still stuff.....cos i thought fizzy would make me even more sick...it was a godsend

 

[x_PlaceboDanii]

Hmm, definitely considering sticking to the still stuff now. Thanks hun! ..Im just not looking forward to how sick im probably gonna be!, im emetophobic!..I wish nothing freaked me out

 

[littlemuffin]

You wont care about being undressed infront of people.

Also if you have a natural del, the foof after is very sore, to the point that you can't sit down properly, I have only seen this on friends where Rachel said it was painful to sit - how true.

 

[Laura1391]

Love this post and all the info i think its better to be prepaired! When i had my tonsils out in Feb i read up on EVERYTHING including how bad the pain is and it made me feel better that i had prepaired for it! I think im going to be the same with labour. I didnt know about alot of this but my friend that has recently given birth informed me of the catheter if you have an epidural which i had never heard of! Its all a bit scary but we know its going to be painful and like nothing weve ever felt but all these experiences are so worth knowing! Thank you all ladies xxx

 

[Froslass]

Don't worry about the catheter lovely x you won't even feel it plus if you're at the stage where you need and Epi, you won't even care x


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[beckyboo1]

I has a catheter and I didn't feel it

The weird thing is I kinda liked it....... After weeks of getting up 2 and 3 times in the night for a wee it was nice to not have to bother!!!

 

[Froslass]

I has a catheter and I didn't feel it

The weird thing is I kinda liked it....... After weeks of getting up 2 and 3 times in the night for a wee it was nice to not have to bother!!!

Lol I know what you mean! X


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[Skye1]

Just found this thread I haven't read through it all yet...

Things that shocked me that I wasn't warned about was ...

The blood.. after giving birth I made the mistake of looking down at the floor

The bleeding for weeks afterwards, I never expected it to be so much and for so long.

My bits were so badly swollen I felt like I had a pair of balls down there it was so sore to sit down.

And the worst bit for me, I knew i needed to poop. but it took about 5 days before I could do, I was walking around with a turtles head for days *TMI SORRY*

I was terified of the labour and birth, the pain is something I dont think I could explain but you just get on with it and do it.. it feel so natural in the moment, the labours over quick, its the pregnancy I hate.

 

[Beximillian]

Hi guys, I'm new to this forum - 39 weeks today and this thread has been enlightening!

I certainly didn't know about the finger up the back passage thing - I guess there's a reason they don't warn you about that hehe!

Thankfully nothing has scared me that much and I still can't wait for Bubba to make an appearance! Hopefully I'll have some suggestions of my own to add soon! x

 

[Froslass]

if you have a c section your milk can take longer to come in!

Plus, the day 3 blues...on ther 3rd day after birth you can feel quite teary, i cried buckets for no reason!