Labor and Glasses

KristaBelieve

My question is, for ladies who wear glasses, will you physically have them on the whole time while laboring and pushing? 

I will not be wearing my contacts while laboring since I have no clue how long it will last and my eyes are extrememly sensitive lately.  So, glasses it is. I am legally blind without them so I really will not see anything but I kinda like the idea of not seeing much so I can focus on what I am doing.  Side note, I always take off my glasses when they do the IV so I can't see anything and that seems to help me.  Also, I am thinking I will be sweating and if they keep falling down my nose I will get annoyed really fast.  I want to actually see my baby as soon as he comes out so maybe glasses the whole time is better.  Ideally I would do a mix of glasses on and off but in the chaos of it all I'm not sure I will ask for them in time.  FTMs, what is your plan?  STMs, what did you do?

HappyDoc

No personal experience here, but my good friend who is due the day after I am, recently told me that she wished she would have worn her contacts instead of her glasses during the birth of her first child, due to them being in the way and sliding off of her face.

MoCo2010

FTM here!  I plan on wearing my glasses as much as I can take.  I will have my contacts with me to put in later, but for labor I'm wanting to wear my glasses.  If it gets to the point that I don't want/can't wear them, then we'll see.  I get bad headaches if I go without them too long, so hopefully I'll be able to keep them on!  That's my plan!!!

Ljessen13

I honestly will try my best to wear contacts although I have a feeling they will eventually be changed to glasses. Good question though. I haven't really thought about it hmmmmmm

brideandbreve

While in L&D with DS, I wore my contacts. My glasses annoy me to no end, and I knew that it would drive me crazy if they were sliding off my face, and it would be frustrating not to see things clearly while laboring.

valigrl21

I wore my contacts for DD#1's delivery and hope to again. I will bring my glasses and contact solution and cases, so I guess if something comes up, I can always change my mind. But last time around, I was perfectly happy wearing contacts.

amb2419

I haven't worn my contacts in a while, but I think I will for delivery because my glasses fit weird and slide off my face when there is not sweat involved and I want to see everything. Maybe switch back to glasses after, depending how long everything takes.

ccip82

I wore contacts for my C/S. My glasses would have drove me nuts!!

Bwhitten

I must have taken them off but I don't remember doing so. I don't have them on in pictures, i am sure with all the sweat and breathing heavy they got annoying. I have bad eyes and get headaches without them but I don't remember noticing they were off. I'd say leave them close to you so you can put them on right after you give birth.

mrskratt

I plan on wearing my contacts the entire time. I am pretty much blind, so I REALLY hate wearing glasses. Gives me a coke bottle effect. I am going to bring glasses and extra contacts just in case.

nikkijd17

The hospital where I'm delivering makes you remove your contacts. I hate wearing my glasses but since I can't see anything without them, it's my only option. I'm hoping I'll be too distracted to notice if they're sliding down my nose.

ac1259

Yeah my glasses drive me nuts, I wore contacts through my L&D with DD1. I plan on doing the same again, I didn't really have a problem last time. I brought my glasses in case they made me take out the contacts but luckily they didn't! I'm close to the end of this pair of contacts so I think I'll just stick a new pair and case in my L&D bag and switch them there. 

MrsGraham06

Honestly, I had my eyes closed most of the time. I don't have contacts (never have) and while I'm not blind without corrective lenses, I can get headaches. I did have my glasses off, but I don't remember wishing I had them on. Everything that touched me pissed me off to no end! Except DH, he was actually helpful in relaxing me

peanutmuse

I'm going to wear my contacts, but have extra ones and my glasses nearby, just in case. I have extended wear contacts and haven't had any problems. (At least not with my eyes, lol.)

LexGator

I wore my contacts with DD and will again. I hate my glasses and would be totally uncomfortable wearing them throughout labor. I always have rewetting drops in my purse in case my eyes get dry, but I didn't have that issue during L&D last time.

angiek1

I generally wear contacts over glasses. I kept my contacts in with dd#1 and plan to do so again with this one. I am blind w/o my contacts/glasses.

It is really up to you, but I know my glasses would bother me so I am going contacts.

erika_sue

I wore my contacts. I'm also legally blind without some sort of correction, and going without gives me anxiety. I plan on wearing my contacts again and bringing my glasses to change if necessary.

KristaBelieve

@amylou33 I have prescription drops I can bring but something about me during pregnancy that really brings out the eye issues. 

@brideandbreve see, I was thinking the oposite, good to know you wanted to see clearly to focus.  Since I know I do better with medical tubes and stuff when I can't clearly see them I thought the same for labor. 

@ac1259 Good idea about bringing an extra pair with solution in the hospital bag, I will do that as well. 

For sure sliding glasses and smudges will annoy the crap out of me, so I might start with contacts and see how I do. 

susieandmarty

I wore my contacts through my 19 hour labor and actually don't think I changed them till the next day. It was not until then I even remembered I had contacts - it was the furthest thing from my mind.

I just brought an extra pair - I did not want my glasses during labor

LindsB314

I wore my contacts last time and will do they same. I have pretty awful eye sight as well but hate my glasses. They are always sliding off! I will bring my glasses and extra contacts so I have options though. I've been having a lot of problems with my contacts during pregnancy and my doctor had me try daily's. If your contacts really bother you, maybe you could try them? They work better for me but are a little more expensive.

SJSLA

I'll be wearing my glasses! I don't have contacts, tried them a few times, but i'm a glasses girl

jwp325

I'm glad for this post too! I'm ridiculously nearsighted and I want to be able to see my baby right away. Glasses are a pain.

cja06

I wore my contacts through both deliveries and the first one was over 27 hours. I never once thought about changing to my glasses. Iran on doing the same this time.

Siblynika

Slightly off topic but still related- saline drops are AWESOME eye drops. I didn't have my glasses to switch into when I was induced with my first and my wonderful nurse made sure to keep up a steady supply for me .

Back on topic- I'd definitely bring both glasses and contacts, labor drains your body of any and all fluids.

rowanthefrog

I will keep my contacts on, but I don't have issues with them at all, I wear the same pair for months at a time. (Yes, I know its bad.)

A

MamaP19

I wore contacts to the hospital but brought both just in case. I wear daily disposables and can't see at all without them or my glasses on. Plus, I get a huge headache if I ever try to go without. After a day in labor I switched to glasses and honestly didn't even notice them until after DD was here. 

KristaBelieve

I gotta say, I'm a little surprised with all the contact wearing.  These answers have really helped me, thanks!

KristaBelieve

@ovenrack, YES!! I totally remember that!  If I wasn't about to shut down my work computer and go home I would search for that!

kwinkle1980

I had my glasses with me during my delivery but I took them off during contractions and pushing because they annoyed me. What kind of sucks about that is the whole thing is a dark, blurry memory. 

daltosostarby

I almost always wear my glasses, so I'll be wearing them, but I'll probably just take them off and be semi blind during labor. My contacts no longer seem the right prescription, so I don't wear them.

SandFHasse

I wore my glasses because I don't like to sleep in my contacts and I slept a lot. I didn't put my contacts in until the afternoon after DD was born. I had my glasses on the entire time.

OSUWifey09

I wore my contacts during both deliveries. My eyes were fine, but I also brought my glasses because my eyes did need a breather. I prefer my contacts over my glasses, though.

shortstuff15

I wear my glasses the whole time. I don't even bring contacts to the hospital. I've never had a problem with sweat making them slide down.

nikkijd17

You guys are making me wonder if I was misinformed regarding having to take out my contacts. I'm going to ask again. I'd much rather wear them. I'm glad this question came up.

ksonne

Another one who wore her contacts the entire time, for over 24 hours. It wasn't a big deal, and I had my glasses and a spare pair of contacts just in case.

aessary03

I had a c/s ... so I couldn't wear my glasses in the OR.

KristaBelieve

@kwinkle1980 what are you thinking of doing this time? I never thought about having blurry memories and I totally get what you are saying.

AshleyDoll

I wear glasses or contacts but choose glasses over the contacts during labor and delivery. I've never had any issues with wearing them. I thought for sure with my first that they would get covered with splattered blood or something. I was very wrong. You should be fine wearing them and you don't want to miss that first glimpse you'll be able to have of your baby so go for it mama!

ccip82

AshleyDoll said:

I wear glasses or contacts but choose glasses over the contacts during labor and delivery. I've never had any issues with wearing them. I thought for sure with my first that they would get covered with splattered blood or something. I was very wrong. You should be fine wearing them and you don't want to miss that first glimpse you'll be able to have of your baby so go for it mama!

@Ashleydoll

Hate to break this to you but just in case you were not aware of the 1001 ladies on this board who disagreed with you on your now infamous thread, your "advice" is neither not appreciated nor wanted here.....

AshleyDoll

ccip82 said:

AshleyDoll said:

I wear glasses or contacts but choose glasses over the contacts during labor and delivery. I've never had any issues with wearing them. I thought for sure with my first that they would get covered with splattered blood or something. I was very wrong. You should be fine wearing them and you don't want to miss that first glimpse you'll be able to have of your baby so go for it mama!

@Ashleydoll

Hate to break this to you but just in case you were not aware of the 1001 ladies on this board who disagreed with you on your now infamous thread, your "advice" is neither not appreciated nor wanted here.....

In case you are not aware, I don't care what you have to say to me and I will comment where I want. I'm sorry, I wasn't aware you started this thread? Kthnxbai

KristaBelieve

Well, I started this thread, but not quite sure what that has to do with anything.