What does it feel like to give birth?

Ms2011 · 23-12-2015 11:07pm

I typed my preferences up & stuck them to the inside cover of my hospital notes:D

January · 24-12-2015 9:57am

I always thought that if you had a c section that they suctioned everything out of you so you didn't bleed afterwards. I had researched to the hilt but I still believed that. God did I get a shock!

Diamond Doll · 24-12-2015 10:04am

January wrote: »

I always thought that if you had a c section that they suctioned everything out of you so you didn't bleed afterwards. I had researched to the hilt but I still believed that. God did I get a shock!

Hmmm I never really thought about it, but I would probably have thought similar to you, well that the bleeding would be much lighter at least. Is it any lighter, or was there a difference?

Diamond Doll · 24-12-2015 10:13am

One thing about giving birth that was very different than I expected was my waters breaking. We were told in antenatal classes that it only happens at home in 10% of cases, more often waters are broken by the midwives after arrival at the hospital. So that's what I was sort of expecting.

Instead I was lying on my bed, six days overdue, and heard a very loud pop from my tummy, as loud as a balloon bursting! I had enough time to get from the bed into the en suite, and was sitting on the loo by the time they started gushing.

I also didn't realise that another gush of waters comes with every contraction (or at least that happened with me!) I was undecided between getting a taxi or a train to the hospital, I'm glad I went with the taxi because at least I could put down a couple of black bags and towels under me just in case (plus the three maternity pads!), would have looked a bit funny doing that on the train!

Ms2011 · 24-12-2015 10:55am

January wrote: »

I always thought that if you had a c section that they suctioned everything out of you so you didn't bleed afterwards. I had researched to the hilt but I still believed that. God did I get a shock!

I'd a section on my first & still bled for 4 months:eek:

January · 24-12-2015 11:02am

Diamond Doll wrote: »

Hmmm I never really thought about it, but I would probably have thought similar to you, well that the bleeding would be much lighter at least. Is it any lighter, or was there a difference?

It wasn't any lighter than my vaginal births anyway!

IvyTheTerrible · 24-12-2015 12:14pm

January wrote: »

It wasn't any lighter than my vaginal births anyway!

I think it's because there's still the place where the placenta was attached that has to heal.

bp · 24-12-2015 1:17pm

Liquid keeps coming after they have been burst as your baby still needs fluid while inside (so I was told anyway)

cyning · 24-12-2015 5:22pm

On my first my waters broke: I heard a pop and they broke a few minutes later. I was after five rounds of that frigging gel and was in agony.

Second I had one round of gel, was walking around and waters broke. Then there was gushes with every few contractions. I was on a ward with 5 other women and there was pads all around my bed because I couldn't lie down: baby was back to back leaning over the bed was so much easier!

Xdancer · 24-12-2015 8:19pm

Ms2011 wrote: »

I'd a section on my first & still bled for 4 months:eek:

4 months! :O

I had a vaginal birth, and bled for about a week. I vaguely remember the midwife saying she was going to clean out as much as she could....I wasn't really listening as I was in awe of my little girl

Ms2011 · 24-12-2015 9:14pm

Xdancer wrote: »

4 months! :O

I had a vaginal birth, and bled for about a week. I vaguely remember the midwife saying she was going to clean out as much as she could....I wasn't really listening as I was in awe of my little girl

Yep 4 LONG months

Vaginal birth I bled for a week or 2.

ShaShaBear · 24-12-2015 10:55pm

Ms2011 wrote: »

Yep 4 LONG months

Vaginal birth I bled for a week or 2.

I bled for 4 weeks with my first, granted it did taper off to period-like after about a fortnight. With my second I bled for less than a week amd now I just have heavyish spotting that I can manage with panty liners! Both were vaginal, although I tore with my first so Im not sure if that contributed to it?

Diamond Doll · 24-12-2015 11:03pm

I bled a hell of a lot more during pregnancy than afterwards!

Definitely needed pads every day for the first couple of months of pregnancy. Whereas, while I used maternity pads for a couple of weeks after birth, pantyliners would have probably done the job!

LegacyUser · 28-12-2015 11:40pm

Hi glad I've seen this thread I've 12 weeks to go for my first ye have given the true reality of what's ahead so can't wait for it to be over

mirrorwall14 · 30-12-2015 6:32am

Woodbrook79 wrote: »

Hi glad I've seen this thread I've 12 weeks to go for my first ye have given the true reality of what's ahead so can't wait for it to be over

Good luck. On a positive note, Would I do it again? Hell yeah. Love our little lad to bits

bp · 30-12-2015 6:58am

Stupid hormones.....during my last pregnancy I swore I would not do it again.....now I want another!!!

Good luck and put your feet up while you can....I was so anxious for my first to arrive that I would have loved another day of peace! Don't get me wrong, I love being a mother but one more day in hindsight would have been great

irishgirl19 · 30-12-2015 10:58am

Woodbrook79 wrote:

Hi glad I've seen this thread I've 12 weeks to go for my first ye have given the true reality of what's ahead so can't wait for it to be over

Best of luck. Its true what they say. You forget about the pain the minute you are handed your baby

Leogirl · 30-12-2015 1:06pm

mirrorwall14 wrote:

Good luck. On a positive note, Would I do it again? Hell yeah. Love our little lad to bits

Same here!! Within weeks I was thinking I'd love another+ to be pregnant again, I loved it+ I love being a mum :-)

pooch90 · 30-12-2015 4:43pm

So glad this thread is still going. 16 days til due date. So uncomfortable now and scared out of my wits. I know it will all be worth it in the end. I'm so conscious that I've become such a whingebag lately though!!

irishgirl19 · 30-12-2015 4:52pm

pooch90 wrote:

So glad this thread is still going. 16 days til due date. So uncomfortable now and scared out of my wits. I know it will all be worth it in the end. I'm so conscious that I've become such a whingebag lately though!!

I know some people don't like to get the epidural but it really is fantastic for pain relief I found. I even had a little nap after I got it

mirrorwall14 · 30-12-2015 5:16pm

pooch90 wrote: »

So glad this thread is still going. 16 days til due date. So uncomfortable now and scared out of my wits. I know it will all be worth it in the end. I'm so conscious that I've become such a whingebag lately though!!

Mine was terrifyingly fast so no time for the drugs I wanted but at the same time I was up and in the shower within 20 minutes and was in good form albeit sore.

tink2 · 30-12-2015 9:23pm

irishgirl19 wrote: »

I know some people don't like to get the epidural but it really is fantastic for pain relief I found. I even had a little nap after I got it

To each their own and I think you can only do what's the right choice for you in the moment but it is proven epidurals raise the likelihood of interventions like forceps and ventouse plus tears so it wouldn't be something to go in as a first time mum to 'aim' for imo

Lashes28 · 30-12-2015 9:27pm

I had epidural on my first and didn't like it, on my second it was a text book labour and delivery with a bit of gas and air...both produced beautiful babies.
I'm now holding my snoring 11 month old with 7 weeks to go until baby 3 arrives. I'd be someone with a crap pain threshold.But all the worries and pain definitely disappear when they are placed in your arms.

Leogirl · 30-12-2015 9:41pm

pooch90 wrote:

So glad this thread is still going. 16 days til due date. So uncomfortable now and scared out of my wits. I know it will all be worth it in the end. I'm so conscious that I've become such a whingebag lately though!!

Oh Jesus don't worry about being whingy-I breezed through pregnancy but the last few weeks are tough. Non stop peeing, raging heartburn, thinking every twinge might be it+ of course being excited but scared too. Not sleeping, thinking of all the things you've forgotten, worrying will you be a good mum, hoping your partner can be good support during labour. It's a tough time. Once it starts though you know it's nearly over+ you get to meet your little baby+ its all forgotten.

Fyi- try not to worry about all the bits you think you'll need. A Moses basket, steriliser, nappies, wipes+ baby gros. That's it for the first few days, everything else can be gotten easily. I went overboard+ had so much, didn't need the half of it for ages. Fretting I could have done without.

LegacyUser · 30-12-2015 10:52pm

Woodbrook79 wrote: »

Hi glad I've seen this thread I've 12 weeks to go for my first ye have given the true reality of what's ahead so can't wait for it to be over

:-) 12 weeks to go for my second.

Go in with an open mind.And something you only realise afterwards....it truly is only a brief few hours in your life, for this tiny person that you get afterwards.It's surreal and really has to be experienced to be understood.
Best of luck

pooch90 · 31-12-2015 6:40pm

Leogirl,I think you've hit just about every nail on the head with that post!
There the added pressure of the time of year when you're expected to go off visiting and I just want to stay in my jammies with the fire pit. I'm not the most sociable person at the best of times but sitting around in someone else's house in such discomfort while they all drink is not my idea of fun at the moment.

Leogirl · 31-12-2015 8:01pm

pooch90 wrote:

Leogirl,I think you've hit just about every nail on the head with that post! There the added pressure of the time of year when you're expected to go off visiting and I just want to stay in my jammies with the fire pit. I'm not the most sociable person at the best of times but sitting around in someone else's house in such discomfort while they all drink is not my idea of fun at the moment.

Just stay in your pjs. Your pregnant+ tired- you have the best excuse!! Plus once that baby comes you don't get the chance to just chill out- enjoy it now. On a plus- you sleep much better when you can sleep. No heartburn or bursting bladder waking you every hour :-)

Lucuma · 02-01-2016 2:49pm

tink2 wrote: »

To each their own and I think you can only do what's the right choice for you in the moment but it is proven epidurals raise the likelihood of interventions like forceps and ventouse plus tears so it wouldn't be something to go in as a first time mum to 'aim' for imo

Increased risk of tears really?
Hadn't heard that one.
I knew epidurals lead to increased risk of forceps, ventouse & c-sections that plus the catheter is why I didn't want one.
As for tears/episiotomy no need to fear this from my experience. I didn't have epidural, needed an episiotomy but they numbed it first I didn't feel a thing or the stitches. It was sore once the local anaesthetic wore off but you're sore down there anyway. .. and it heals.
Alternative to stitches could be your baby being born not breathing like what happened to my bosses wife..as she refused to let them cut her. After I heard that story my fear of stitches vanished instantly. Rather me go through a bit of discomfort for a few weeks while stitches heal than have to watch my baby be resuscitated on birth!

mirrorwall14 · 02-01-2016 3:09pm

Lucuma wrote: »

Increased risk of tears really?
Hadn't heard that one.
I knew epidurals lead to increased risk of forceps, ventouse & c-sections that plus the catheter is why I didn't want one.
As for tears/episiotomy no need to fear this from my experience. I didn't have epidural, needed an episiotomy but they numbed it first I didn't feel a thing or the stitches. It was sore once the local anaesthetic wore off but you're sore down there anyway. .. and it heals.
Alternative to stitches could be your baby being born not breathing like what happened to my bosses wife..as she refused to let them cut her. After I heard that story my fear of stitches vanished instantly. Rather me go through a bit of discomfort for a few weeks while stitches heal than have to watch my baby be resuscitated on birth!

I thought it was that it was more likely for forceps, ventouse and c sections too but that it could also be argued that late epidurals in particular are often used when there is already an increased likelihood of all of these

dekey · 02-01-2016 4:01pm

The increased risk of tearing with an epidural is partly in relation to the increase risk of requiring instrumental intervention (forceps, ventouse etc) and also due to the numbing of the perenial area. Those who are numb and pushing on instruction are less well able to feel the natural ebb and flow of the muscle to its tearing limit. It doesn't increase the risk by a huge amount and not getting an epidural doesn't mean you won't tear but the epidural can increase the degree of tearing also.

What does it feel like to give birth?

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