What do you wish you were told before giving birth?

TargetWidow

I must have been out having a pee during the ante-natal class when they told us that it could take up to SIX WEEKS for the bleeding to stop after giving birth! I got my shopping list from the hospital and naively bought one pack of lovely trendy slimline maternity pads (with wings to be even handier!) and one pack of the ugly thick wingless ones.
The day I had my DD I was shocked by how heavy it was (Duh!) and upon reading my file had to ask a midwife what my lochia was! I asked and she said it could take up to six weeks to stop and I nearly fell out of the bed, I immediately sent my DH out to mothercare for a truckload of the big wingless ugly ones! Nothing like giving birth to get rid of any ideas as to whats cool versus functional!!!! (Although I did have some super cute disposable panties with adorable patterns that I got online at JoJoMaman Bebe which were a god-send in the "I feel like a big blob" days that ensued, whereby I could say "oh well, at least my disposable knickers are cute!")

Oh and I wish I had seen a ventouse before the delivery room. I found it very frightening. Fine in the end, but scary to see for the first time.

SO , what do you wish you had known before your big day?

Lillyella

I had stitches from an episiotomy and shortly after giving birth, I went to the loo.

Not realising that the pee might sting the stitches, I began in my usual fashion, only to experience probably worse pain that actual labour.

If only someone had told me to hoist my bottom up in the air before peeing.

Holy ****
Ok keep the stories coming I'm curious ..;

Grawns

As far as I'm concerned nearly everyone who has given birth has amnesia. Not that bad etc...

This will be my 1st and I for one am not having it, no way, the baby will just have to stay where it is

Quackles

That the recovery could be worse than the actual labour.. Episiotomy + ventouse = stitches = owwwwwww...

Grawns is right, you forget it all, I'm not dreading this at all.. ask me again in 15 weeks..

shaz00

had a c-section on both my boys, and omg i wish to hell someone had of told me how painful and frightening your first bowel movement is!! My god i was in tears from both the pain and the fright I actually was convinced that my staples were gonna pop out. Ever so calmly the nurse later said oh god no the staples won't move! Why the hell didn't she explain that to me before i worked myself up into a complete tizzy! And to make it worse, must have been in the loo for near twenty mins and on arriving back my baby had disappered, 0k he'd just been brought to the nursery by the nurse who was lookin after him for me, but god did i get a scare.

And trust me on baby number two the pain and experience was just as horrific!!
ha n here we are planning baby number three for next year - will i ever learn :-)

Grawns

Hope to have c-section too. Otherwise no deal. The baby stays put. Good to know about the bm. I've heard they won't let you leave hosp until you've done one. You'd think they might warn you it's gonna hurt like hell.

Amnesia and conspiracies all to keep us reproducing.

shaz00

yep well from my two experiences they won't let you out till you've had bowel movement and if by day five you haven't they'll give you laxatives!!!!!

the joys eh!! :-) worth it all tho

What's a ventouse?

/prays she doesn't regret asking!

Nevyn

Suction device used to assist delievery. it is an alternative to forcepts.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ventouse

January

Ventouse are evil looking things...

Please keep it all coming, dunno how I'm gonna give birth... wonder if I can get a c section...

Quackles

adrieanne__x wrote: »

Ventouse are evil looking things...

Please keep it all coming, dunno how I'm gonna give birth... wonder if I can get a c section...

I wouldn't panic, you feel NOTHING if you get an epidural. It's the stitches afterwards that hurt, and you'd have that with a c-section too! I got to 7cm with no epidural and I didn't think it was as bad as the stories you hear - gonna try for no epidural this time, I'm an extreme sports kinda gal

January

I was gonna try without an epidural this time!! Gas and air hopefully, I'm not really too scared. Just nervous!

Quackles

adrieanne__x wrote: »

I was gonna try without an epidural this time!! Gas and air hopefully, I'm not really too scared. Just nervous!

You'll be fine It's normal to be a bit wary of something new, but the way I see it, some woman gave birth to every single person you see out there

Quality

Lillyella wrote: »

Not realising that the pee might sting the stitches, I began in my usual fashion, only to experience probably worse pain that actual labour.

I wish somebody had told me that^^^

Also that, the baby can cough up mucus after its born, I nearly had a panic attack thought the baby was choking!!

And that babys first poos are a blacky greeny colour!! I was a bit shocked to see that at first..

I dont think that anything can prepare you for labour, You can listen to as many stories as you want, but first time round is a real eye opener.

Just remember its pain with a purpose, and once the baby is out.. The pain stops.. Its really amazing...

Nevyn

adrieanne__x wrote: »

Ventouse are evil looking things...

Please keep it all coming, dunno how I'm gonna give birth... wonder if I can get a c section...

I was terrified that I would have to be sectioned.
I have seen two people who had a very tough time after c sections and the difference between new mothers in hospital 224 hours after who had a vaginal birth and were up and walking around and those who were still in bed who had a section.

First time around everything had being going find until the midwife saw that the bady was face presentation ir nose up towards my pubic bone ( the other way around is normal ) and said I would have to be delivered and ran to the phone.

The dr came and then the peds dr came and I was told if forceps failed that I would have to have an emgency c section. I swear I never pushed so hard.
In the end the dr had the forceps in place and he had one foot braced to the end of the bed and the midwife with her arms wrapped around his chest and they heaved and my son had crown and one more push and he was born.
With in 4 hours I was up and going to the loo unassisted.

Yes I did have an episotmy which ment stitches but that is better then having stables.



Sorry but as far as I am concerned a c section is drastic surgery and has more risks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C_section

A study published in the 13 February 2007 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that women that have planned caesareans had an overall rate of severe morbidity of 27.3 per 1000 deliveries compared to an overall rate of severe morbidity of 9.0 per 1000 planned vaginal deliveries. The planned caesarean group had increased risks of cardiac arrest, wound haematoma, hysterectomy (alt PPH - Post Pregnancy Hysterectomy), major puerperal infection, anaesthetic complications, venous thromboembolism, and haemorrhage requiring hysterectomy over those suffered by the planned vaginal delivery group. [11] Again, these figures can be significantly distorted given that women with severe health conditions are more likely to preschedule births by caesarean.

A study published in the February 2007 issue of the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology found that women who had just one previous caesarean section were more likely to have problems with their second birth. Women who delivered their first child by caesarean delivery had increased risks for malpresentation, placenta previa, antepartum hemorrhage, placenta accreta, prolonged labor, uterine rupture, preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth in their second delivery.[12]

A study published in the June 2006 issue of the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology found that women who had multiple caesarean sections were more likely to have problems with later pregnancies, and recommended that women who want larger families should not seek caesarean section as an elective. The risk of placenta accreta, a potentially life-threatening condition, is only 0.13% after two c-sections but increases to 2.13% after four and then to 6.74% after six or more surgeries. Along with this is a similar rise in the risk of emergency hysterectomies at delivery. The findings were based on outcomes from 30,132 caesarean deliveries.[13] (see also review by WebMD.com)

The risk to the baby of contracting diabetes is increased significantly by being delivered by caesarean section. The risk of developing diabetes is 20% greater for children born by caesarean section compared to those born naturally. [14]

A caesarean section is a major operation, with all that it entails, including the risk of post-operative adhesions. Pain at the incision can be intense, and full recovery of mobility can take several weeks or more. A prior caesarean section increases the risk of uterine rupture during subsequent labour.

So ladies I do not mean to upset or scare any of you but please take the time to read up as much as possible about giving birth the proceedures and what you do and do not want done and the things you can do to try and ensure things go well and smoothly for yourself and the baby.

Every birth is different, it is a glorious wonderful, messy, painful, astonishing experience.

Quackles

Thaedydal wrote: »

So ladies I do not mean to upset or scare any of you but please take the time to read up as much as possible about giving birth the proceedures and what you do and do not want done and the things you can do to try and ensure things go well and smoothly for yourself and the baby.

Every birth is different, it is a glorious wonderful, messy, painful, astonishing experience.

Have to agree with you - no pictures to back it up , but my sister had a caesarean for her first and a vaginal with no pain relief for her second. She says she'd do 100 vaginal births again before going for one section. Don't think her house is big enough for that many babies, though.

Dfens

Yes, c-section was not on my list of favourable options either. I used TENS machine only for pain relief on both of my two & found it fanastic. However, I have quite a high pain tolerance anyway, & both of my labours were quick enough (4 hours max) - I kept active at home on my feet both times until I felt we had to leave for hospital & I think that helped - I didn't see much point in wandering a hospital corridor when I could be doing it at home....:D
Advice to any ladies who are first-timers, get a good pregnancy/baby book & educate yourself about options that you have regarding pain relief & their various effects on both you & baby before & after birth, labour interventions etc. Knowledge is power as they say.

Grawns

Huge difference between an elective section and an emergency. The main reason I will be insisting on a section is the high chance of an emergency section anyway.


Here's something to mull over ( there's way to many lies floating around)

31% of London female obstetricians with an uncomplicated singleton pregnancy at term would choose an elective caesarean section for themselves.

Source

Nevyn

If there are medical reasons and a predisposition to needing on fair enough.
I know someone who is diabetic and had the baby die inside her at 40 weeks, she is expecting again and has a c section booked for as soon as the consutant says the baby is healthly viable, which should be 36/37 weeks.

In those cases if it is needed, then I for one am grateful that we have the medical technogly and the know how to make it as safe as possible for mother and baby.

The very nest line of that article is

31% of London female obstetricians with an uncomplicated singleton pregnancy at term would choose an elective caesarean section for themselves.18 This group is clearly unrepresentative of women as a whole,

Obstetricians are career people and they will be under the care of their colleges who are not going to argue with them about 'when' they want to have the baby for career reasonson.

Clothes:

The materity hospitals a very very warm and I had not considered this with my first and had brouht comfy fleece fluffy warm nigthdress, robe and fluffy socks with me. I learned the hard way and had soft comfy cotton the next time.

Food, labour and the epidural.

Once your body hits second stage of labour you won't be thinking about eating at all.
The process of giving birth and the cramp/twinge/pain of the contractions puts your body off, put when you get an epi the pain signals to the pain stop and you can feel yourself get hungry esp if had been a while from when you have eaten and it had been a long labour.

Eating at this stage is very unwise and the midwives will not want you to do it,
cos when you get to the pushing stage you may end up throwing up and it mean that heaven forbid things go awry you can't have a anestic.

You can have water, but that is not going to give a lot of engery, engery drinks, soft drinks really are out as they filter from your blood stream to the baby and you don't want the baby all hyper and bouncing and possible in distress.

I had sparkle orange ice pops during my first labour and 100% natural juices during my second, Pomegrante and blue berry and blueberry and cranberry.

IF you fell at any stage that you might throw up tell the midwife and she will have a disposable bowl on standby.

TargetWidow

O God Chuckles and CoolSmiley and Adrienne I never meant for this thread to be something that would frighten anyone about to deliver! I suppose what I wanted was to spare ye having to go through any of the unneccessary small discomforts that can happen for lack of having people to pass on tips ( I didn't have any women to pass these bits onto me.)
SO here are some more things to help.

A: It's all perfectly do-able. I am a post-mistress (a rather good one if I say so myself! :-)) but I wasn't genetically built to do that. I was made to make babies!!! It's just amazing how your whole body can accomodate and deliver your bubs!
And it does. Mostly without much help. The interventions I think of as being stuff you sometimes have to go with to help your baby finish the job. My birthplan was for a natural birth with no drugs (I used to poo-poo at the idea of an epidural like there was a special halo reserved for women who did without!) no episiotomy, and I had heard of forceps and ventouse but only had the very vaguest idea of how they worked and had never seen them.

I managed 21 hours with no drugs. Like heavy period pain but I was knackered. My midwives recommended I try some pain relief to help speed my contractions along (I was still only 4 cms). Wise women. Listen to your midwives - they showed me how to breathe properly to help me totally manage the pain. I tried gas and air. It made one bottle of Lucozade come up as ten! I tried pethadine. I felt drunk and out of it and weird and didnt want any more. Eventually a very nice doctor popped his head round the door and asked if anyone wanted an epidural before he knocked off for the morning. I was happy to say yes. Within 30 mins I was a new woman, full of energy and my contractions started to speed up. Be prepared to go with the flow. Keep your plans loose.

Molly got stuck behind my pubic bone for over an hour at the very end and they didn't want to wait till she went into distress till they went for help so they asked my consultant to come in and have a look. She told them turn off the epidural and she'd come back in 30 mins. She came back, had a look, said Ok Jen, I know you didn't want to have any intervention but your baby needs us to help now so we're gonna use some suction to help baby and we'll have it out in 2 minutes but you're gonna have to help us. When I saw the ventouse I was terrified because I didn't know that they slide it in sideways and then put it on the head! (Duh!).

It was on before I knew it and I was pushing like mad and then she said Ok Jen I know you didn't want an episiotomy but you are gonna tear so Im gonna prevent that with a tiny little nip here and I'll numb you first. There was a teeny needle pinch (not bad), then the scissors (didn't feel a thing) and then a contraction and push and pull and she was out. All done after 27 hours. Then the stitches. I was so busy admiring my little woman I intentionally didn't watch the stitches but made jokes to her telling her to put me back nice and tight for my hubby! (She said women DO actually go for that op in America and she was saving me about 10 grand!!)

I used a sports Ballygowan bottle with warm water and teatree oil and sprayed every time I used the bathroom for about 4 weeks. It made sure there was no stinging. When I stopped breastfeeding I still made use of the special cushion by sitting on it HEAVEN! I forgot to take the arnica tablets that the consultant recommended but next time I'll remember.

I had haemorroids but it didnt surprise me (got them after the corset in my wedding dress too and doc said that heavy pressure on abdomen can cause them). They were the most uncomfortable thing really.

I got baby blues on day 3 and wasnt expecting the severity of it. I was quite frightened and thought I was going mad. I cried for 2 days straight. Add to that that my milk had just come in and my baby didn't want it and it was the icing on the cake. I found out the next day that I had been prescribed a morphine containing drug which shouldnt have been prescribed to me because of the breastfeeding. Check and double check everything you are taking if you breastfeed. Consultants can make mistakes. I couldnt feed her myself for a few days and it nearly drove me mad. By the time the drugs had left my system a few days later she was happy on formula and I was engorged and lumpy with blocked ducts and fever. Doc thought I was a potential mastitis case. I didnt sleep for 5 days and was totally mad as a box of frogs. My poor hubby looked on in horror wondering if this was normal. I decided I was too scared to go back to breastfeeding and knocked it on the head. I felt I had at least given her 4 days of colostrum but I wanted to be able to enjoy her and I hadnt enjoyed the breastfeeding up to then. We never looked back. That was the most frightening thing that will stick with me and make me nervous about the next time. I used cabbage leaves to reduce the swelling and heat and hand expressed and pumped to relieve the engorgement. I wouldn't be in any hurry to go through that again. I'd happily give birth to 20 babies before feeling like that for even 5 minutes again.

If a C-Section had been necessary I would have had to go along with that too but given the choice, I'd go for a normal delivery every time. C-section is no joke. It's a big operation and makes it difficult to do much for 6 weeks (you're not allowed to drive according to most insurance companies!) at a time when you would want to be enjoying your baby. I am always worried by the idea of elective cesarian because it is major surgery. My best friend had a c-section and I saw that it is certainly not something to be taken lightly but if you must then it's better to just go with the flow and think of it as something your baby needs to finish the job safely.

I can honestly say there is not one part of pregnancy or delivery that will prevent me from doing it all again. I couldn't say the same about breastfeeding unfortunately (and please don't judge me for saying so because it's difficult to be honest about this subject - if it worked for you then I am delighted for you and your baby and a little bit jealous but it didn't work for me and broke my heart).

And yes the stitches healed up rather well! And it did save me about 10 grand!!!!:D

January

Oh believe me, a c section is not part of my birth plan unless it is an emergency and the doctors need to do it! I've seen many people suffer from them, my aunt suffered particularly bad!

Thanks for all the tips girls... was gonna try breastfeeding but I'm not too sure of it at the moment, we'll see what takes my fancy on the day!

Re the driving after C Section, it's fine as long as you get a letter from your doc stating he thinks you're fit to drive. Your insurance company needs a copy of the letter.

Nevyn

TargetWidow wrote: »

I was engorged and lumpy with blocked ducts and fever. Doc thought I was a potential mastitis case.

I had two of mine on the same breast block, it took a really hot bath and lying on my tummy with them submerged and then expressing to get it to unblock.

TargetWidow wrote: »

I can honestly say there is not one part of pregnancy or delivery that will prevent me from doing it all again.

Me either but I am done with having kids and really dont' want to do the first 3 months ever again

TargetWidow wrote: »

I couldn't say the same about breastfeeding unfortunately (and please don't judge me for saying so because it's difficult to be honest about this subject - if it worked for you then I am delighted for you and your baby and a little bit jealous but it didn't work for me and broke my heart).

Sounds like you are very unfortunate.

I was fine with my first, on my second she was 10 days over an born a hungry baby and with in 6 hours had both my nipples cracked

I was in a fair bit of pain and asked the nurses for a sma feed for her, que an hour of fussing and her trying to talk me out of it, told her I needed a break and would be trying to feed her again for the next feed. The break did me a lot of good and they took her to the nursey and feed her for me so I got some rest. I did go back to breastfeeding but it was sore, esp when she would 'latch on' and the first few sucks; but I had been there before and texted my Mam who brought me in a pair of nipple shields.

They don't have them in the hospital and they don't recemend them but I had two cracked nipples and they were a godsend until they healed and toughed up a lil.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nipple_shield_(breastfeeding)

Lillyella

I'm really not sure if ignorance is bliss or what.

On my first (11 years ago), I knew nothing. And what happened, happened and was dealt with.

But the more I read up on the net about pregnancy, labour, birth, breastfeeding, I get more and more wound up.

deisemum

I had my first lad 13 years ago in London.

My plan was that I'd start off with the TENS unit and when I'd get the first bad pain I'd get an epidural.

In the end I had nothing apart from the TENS unit for about 3 hours on the Saturday afternoon, took it off to have a shower but no one told me to put it back on so I didn't. As it turns out midwives wouldn't believe me that I was in the height of labour, wouldn't even check me and it was only when the changeover of staff next morning that they realised that the head had crowned and I was pushing. I didn't realise I was near this stage, thought I was going to soil myself and kept clenching as hard as I could, midwives kept saying I was only a first time mum and wouldn't deliver until the Monday.

Nearly 22 hours after my waters broke (in the middle of Mothercare) I had my boy.

I ended up delivering without pain relief, no stitches etc and the sheer joy was something else.

Best of all I delivered 15 days early and my horrible sister in law who was due before me delivered a week after me. First grandchild on husband's side. When we announced the pregnancy his sister had announced her pregnancy the night before.

Midwives told me to use shower attachment when I went to the loo to avoid any stinging.

Pack some snacks to have in hospital. I read an interesting article in a pregnancy magazine shortly before I became a mum that if you have a boy your zinc levels plumet 5 times more than if you have a girl and can lead to the baby blues not post natal depression and if you can eat things like salmon (tinned will do) sandwiches it will greatly reduce it.

I didn't have the baby blues, hubby brought in plenty of salmon sandwichs for night time feeding.

No harm stacking up on the quilted toilet rolls,

Drink plenty to avoid piles afterwards, I got them a couple of weeks after having my son and I will never forget the pain from them, far worse than labour, I'd be crying, like passing broken glass. Valley cushions are also helpful if you're sore.

Other tip while pregnant, if you don't like taking iron tablets and your iron is a bit low 2 dried apricots provide more than sufficent iron.

Rest as much as possible and get others to do the housework or if someone pops round to visit then get them to make the tea and coffee.

BEWARE if you've got friends or family who've got children already and once they've dropped their darlings to school or playschool and they have a few free hours don't be surprised if they turn up at your door at 9.30am for a visit and some will even stay until they've to go and collect their darling from playschool or it's lunchtime. All the time you may have been up several times during the night and haven't even got dressed or showered.

TargetWidow

TargetWidow wrote: »

O God Chuckles and CoolSmiley and Adrienne I never meant for this thread to be something that would frighten anyone about to deliver!

Nah! dont be worried...My boyf knows I'm not ready and won't be till i do a few things on my checklist and also am at least the great age of 28+
(a few years away anyway)

my brothers girlf is expecting and she would rather know nothing and deal with whatever comes with the experience but with other people discussing this and that I'm confused at this attitude and also I'm curious and also a new baby cousin has just arrived.
he is 6 weeks old and his hair still looks like a fluffy ginny joe which is so cool and he smiles when someone sings to him

deisemum

Make sure you've got all the necessities parked in plenty of time as some first babies arrive early as in my case.

From my personal experience from not having pain relief the pain was not as bad as I'd expected. It's a different type of pain from say an injury like a broken limb. It's a sort of pain that works with your body, you'll know what I mean when the time comes. Try not to worry too much about it.

Concentrate on your breathing, the midwife will coach you doing this. It is a great help. It will also help relax you and your body can work more efficiently. From my hazy memory by being relaxed, well as much as possible your body can stretch an extra 25% and allow more room compared to if your clenched etc.

Personally I think if you can get a student nurse you'll find they're not as "hardened" as some of the more experieced one, they tend to empathise more.

Grawns

A friend told me to make sure you have a manicure as there will be loads of pics taken of your hands ( holding baby)

Quackles

Grawns wrote: »

A friend told me to make sure you have a manicure as there will be loads of pics taken of your hands ( holding baby)

Check with your hospital first - ours insists on no nail polish if you end up having a section, so if you think it's a possibility, make sure they don't use polish in your manicure

lostinnappies

you cant drive for up to 6 weeks after a c-section.

also bleeding after giving birth can be longer then 7 weeks

deisemum

lostinnappies wrote: »

also bleeding after giving birth can be longer then 7 weeks

Yeah I second that, I think it was roughly 10 weeks on my first, slightly shorter on my second.

I know some people believe that if you breastfeed then your boobs will be left sagging, pregnancy can do that, so can ageing whether breastfed or not.

After I stopped breastfeeding, 6 months on first lad, 15 months on second lad pinky and perky more or less went back to how they'd previously been.;)

January

lostinnappies, ya can drive after a c section, doctor just has to ok you for it.

shaz00

ye girls just wanna confirm to ye all that c sections carry alot of baggage that natural births don't seem too , i had two first was an emergency and the second as they thought my wound was going to rupture, got to 5cm and was brought to theatre.

I couldn't walk for two days on both, my babies were taken from me on the first and second night, you'd think this would be great but the longing to see them is painful. Don't get me wrong the nurses are doing the right thing as you can't get out of bed to tend to them yourself. Your totally dependant on the nurses. Recovery time is six weeks and this can sometimes be longer. Most insurance companies won't cover you, and believe me i tried to drive on my first and regretted it, had no feeling in my leg and your stomach muscles just spasim as you drive. I was very unlucky on my first i got a serious infection and spent the six weeks travelling up and down and the hospital, i was totally dependant on my mam and partner. All i wanted to do was carry my new baby around but couldn't. My recovery period in total was 12 weeks! On baby no. 2 i ended up back in hospital for a week, without my baby, winter bug was in so was advised to leave my baby at home, and again when i did get home i couldn't tend to my new baby or my two year old!! Do wish i had of had a natural birth on both to enjoy those first few weeks properly with them.

Wish all ye pregnant gals the very best of luck, enjoy it all, don't think i've ever heard of any two women's pregnancies been the same.

TargetWidow

I asked the midwives about the no nail polish policy out of curiosity as it made no sense to me and she said that in the event that you need to have a general anasthetic they will watch your nails for changing colour to indicate problems before they show up on monitors! Mad stuff! And those nipple shields... I never knew they existed till my little woman was about 4 months old and I saw them in a chemist and twigged what they were for. I could have cried! Next time I might try them, but next time I might have a baby who is more co-operative about the latch!:D

lostinnappies

adrieanne__x wrote: »

lostinnappies, ya can drive after a c section, doctor just has to ok you for it.

well docotors told me that i wasnt allowed to drive ... indangering other people because my reflex's would be slower becasue of abdomen muscles being severed from my lower half lol. Also they didnt want me to crash and open it all up. Plus i think that no matter what the docotors say your insurance wont cover you. I did ask cos i hated being house bound (two sections)

lostinnappies

shaz00 wrote: »

I couldn't walk for two days on both, my babies were taken from me on the first and second night, you'd think this would be great but the longing to see them is painful. Don't get me wrong the nurses are doing the right thing as you can't get out of bed to tend to them yourself. Your totally dependant on the nurses. i couldn't tend to my new baby or my two year old!! Do wish i had of had a natural birth on both to enjoy those first few weeks properly with them.

.

OMG, i was left with both my children an hour after having a section... very similar to your sitution. I had to lift them out by leaning over wraping them up and lifting them out using a blanket. Im so jelous, i was left by my hubby to look after my 3 year old and new born nearly 7 days after. Mind you thats not his fault what with there only being two days paternity leave in this country.

Quackles

lostinnappies wrote: »

OMG, i was left with both my children an hour after having a section... very similar to your sitution. I had to lift them out by leaning over wraping them up and lifting them out using a blanket. Im so jelous, i was left by my hubby to look after my 3 year old and new born nearly 7 days after. Mind you thats not his fault what with there only being two days paternity leave in this country.

Is there even two days paternity leave? I was under the impression it was at the discretion of the employer, some get it (including civil servants), others don't.

lostinnappies

Quackles wrote: »

Is there even two days paternity leave? I was under the impression it was at the discretion of the employer, some get it (including civil servants), others don't.

youre right,
check this out
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055379724

Grawns

What I want to know is how are you down there afterwards ( I mean months and years afterwards) I can't believe ( even without tears and episiotomies)that it doesn't mess you up :eek:

Say it aint so!

deisemum

Grawns wrote: »

What I want to know is how are you down there afterwards ( I mean months and years afterwards) I can't believe ( even without tears and episiotomies)that it doesn't mess you up :eek:

Say it aint so!

Fine it all sorts itself out especially if you do your pelvic floor exercises.
I remember the first time resuming the horizontal shuffle half afraid it would hurt but all was fine.;)

Grawns

It's not pain but loss of sensitivity I'm worried about

Quackles

Grawns wrote: »

It's not pain but loss of sensitivity I'm worried about

Not that I noticed It does go back to normal!

Grawns

Quackles wrote: »

Not that I noticed It does go back to normal!

Good News

Looby_Loo

I wish someone had told me how unbelievably hard breastfeeding would be. I was working with a combination of poor latch and very little midwifery support in the hospital and then later double mastitis requiring antibiotics and nipples shredded to bits.

That said, if I am ever lucky enough to have another baby, they will be breastfed for as long as I am able.

I had a section and was left to look after the baby on my own once the visitors left. I was mobile a couple of hours after the surgery and my recovery was really quick.

Nevyn

Actually due to needing an episotmy both times I ended up with a bit of scare tissue which make things more sensative upon entry as it where.
Pelvice for muscles exceries are a must and so is bladder control, the stop starting having a wee. First time I sneezed after I gave birth my bladder just emptied, the feeling of lack of control was horrid.

Crea

Couldn't get over the tenderness down below from what I believe is bruising. I told everyone it was like being kicked in the bits 50 times by someone in steel toecapped boots. My 12 year old niece was surprised. In my defense I was spaced.

pixiestix

i am expecting my 3rd baby on the 2nd of october, a little girl after 2 boys, both were natural deliveries, easy enough, not scary, the only things that freaked me out was on my 1st when the mid wife asked if i wanted to see the head (as it emerged from my....lady garden....ehem), i thought she was bonkers, i explained that my head was waaaay up here for a reason, then i also nearly died when she tried to hand my little boy to me all covered in bits of my innards, which got a huge explosion of laughter from all the people in the delivery room when i said "that is gross, he is covered in my giblets!!"

nothing too bad, just an innocent 1st timer

axel rose

My god Im so glad I already had my baby. There are a fair few horror stories on this thread!
For the record I had a planned section and it went very smoothly. In fact I was up and walking the following day and had requested that my pain meds be reduced. a few days later. I was sore and stiff but not in agony. I found breast feeding a lot more painful.
One piece of advise would be to get your hair done on the run up to the big day because it can make a big difference to how you feel (and look in the photos)
basically if childbirth was so bad we would never have siblings-our own or for our children!

TargetWidow

Hey girls, sorry I haven't been on this week. My little lady has had Bronciolitis so after only 4 weeks in creche with only 2 other babies she is now in the midst of her second virus!

Grawns, this ones for you- GREAT sensitivity!! First times a teeny bit scary (post-episiotomy and afraid something was gonna tear or burst or hurt!) but no worse than my first time!!!!! Now - better than ever! Nuff said! :D:D

For the bruising my consultant told me to take Arnica. I didnt but I will the next time.;)
And about the beauty treatments - get the old mono-brow tended to as well. I spend almost as much time admiring how lovely my brows are in all the 1st baby photos as I spend admiring the baby. And 6 months later I havent had them done since so take the chance if it presents itself while you still can!!

TargetWidow

Ha ha! Lady-Garden! That's gas! I asked my consultant if it was considered "polite" (as in considerate to the professionals who would be rooting around in it) to have it waxed before the big day. She nearly needed medical assistance herself she laughed at me so much!

I have a friend who calls it "The Merrypot". And they say we don't have good names for our pink bits!!!!!:D

LolaDub

I wish someone had told me that it is possible for morning sickness to last the full 9 months-found that out the hard way!!!

also that a lot of the population now are very ignorant of pregnant women, my comute into work was an hour-an hour and a half and between luas, bus and dart i was never once offered a seat, i even collapsed on the luas once and had to crawl off it and lie down on a bench nobody even asked if i was alright