If pg/birth horror stories worry you...

ShannonSky · March 2011

do you watch A Baby Story, One Born Every Minute, Bringing Home Baby, etc? I'm just curious since the actual horror stories don't really bother me (everybody wants to share the birth of their child and every pg/birth is different, anyway), but it just feels like bad karma this time around to watch all those women screaming and having unneccessary interventions and whatnot.

Uwannalala · March 2011

Honestly, im terrified of childbirth. I have been since I was like 5 haha. Since I was a child, I was always asking mothers about their birth stories. Then I have a lovely habit of reading all the birth stories on here and getting more freaked out.

That being said, I find that birth shows are one of the things that actually CALM me. Most of the shows I have seen (especially one born every minute) make labor and delivery seem much more routine then the horror stories you hear. The women are sometimes scared and in pain, but its not usually the blood curdling insanity you see on movies and stuff.

Maybe i've just seen good episodes and got lucky haha Indifferent

laurasuzanne2006 · March 2011

i think I'm with you. I actually enjoy watching them because it reminds me why I'm planning to go natural. Reaffirms my decisions ya know

DreamAmor · March 2011

No! Never. I never watch anything concerning birth stories.

dlast09 · March 2011

I purposely don't read any of the birth stories. Especially the bad ones. I just have to keep reminding myself that everyone is different... Hahah I do watch One Born Every Minute. I have a fascination that I can't explain. Lmao.

schmoodle · March 2011

I can't watch or read anything about birth, really. I think part of it is a post-traumatic stress reaction to my first birth experience (knowing the babies wouldn't survive because it was early) but I just can't deal with it. It's also partly my fear of childbirth too though - I'm not scared of interventions, or pain, or any of that, just scared that something will go wrong and the baby will die. I try not to think about labor at all if I can help it. Never took a class for my son either.

So, I have never watched any of those shows.

CactusGirl · March 2011

I don't have cable so I never watch those shows. In fact I have absolutely no idea what this "one born every minute" show is that everyone always posts about... I am so out of the loop.

ShannonSky · March 2011

schmoodle:

I can't watch or read anything about birth, really. I think part of it is a post-traumatic stress reaction to my first birth experience (knowing the babies wouldn't survive because it was early) but I just can't deal with it. It's also partly my fear of childbirth too though - I'm not scared of interventions, or pain, or any of that, just scared that something will go wrong and the baby will die. I try not to think about labor at all if I can help it. Never took a class for my son either.

So, I have never watched any of those shows.

You know, now that you've said that, I'm wondering if that isn't part of why I feel differently about all this stuff this time around. Granted, our outcome was much different than yours, but DD's birth was very traumatic. With DD, I was definitely interested and watched the shows and stuff, but this time I couldn't even make it through the opening credits of One Born Every Minute before I had to walk away. Plus, this time I know that every birth truly is different and statistics just don't matter if you end up on the losing end. So even seeing routine births doesn't do anything for me b/c it's not like I'll have that birth, anyway. Hmm....

Lissa832 · March 2011

People get annoyed when women give them their personal horror stories. I am very honest with my experience, and I have essentially terrified my friends. However, I wish someone would have told me the truth beforehand because I prefer honesty. I would have been scared, but I also would have felt more prepared when I started to experience certain things. The ring of fire, for example, is a real thing. Sure you read about it, but I had no clue what to really expect until I was experiencing it. Even your water breaking is something that would have been nice to know about. You have a big gush, but you also have a constant leak afterwards. I thought I was pissing myself at first, lol.

ShannonSky · March 2011

Lissa832:
People get annoyed when women give them their personal horror stories. I am very honest with my experience, and I have essentially terrified my friends. However, I wish someone would have told me the truth beforehand because I prefer honesty. I would have been scared, but I also would have felt more prepared when I started to experience certain things. The ring of fire, for example, is a real thing. Sure you read about it, but I had no clue what to really expect until I was experiencing it. Even your water breaking is something that would have been nice to know about. You have a big gush, but you also have a constant leak afterwards. I thought I was pissing myself at first, lol.

Yeah, but that's exactly the thing - not everyone goes through those things, even if that's what you're "planning". I wanted a med-free birth and instead ended up with a C-section, so your story would just worry me about things that didn't happen anyway. KWIM? Even the water breaking...lots of women don't have that "gush" at all, just a slow leak. And honestly, you said yourself that you had read about the ring of fire, but didn't know what to expect until you'd experienced it...some of this stuff you just have to live through to "get" it.

ETA: P.S. RE: Pissing yourself - I had the same experience and just kept wiping, and wiping, and wiping...eventually I clogged the toilet. :-P

Lissa832 · March 2011

ShannonSky:
Lissa832:
People get annoyed when women give them their personal horror stories. I am very honest with my experience, and I have essentially terrified my friends. However, I wish someone would have told me the truth beforehand because I prefer honesty. I would have been scared, but I also would have felt more prepared when I started to experience certain things. The ring of fire, for example, is a real thing. Sure you read about it, but I had no clue what to really expect until I was experiencing it. Even your water breaking is something that would have been nice to know about. You have a big gush, but you also have a constant leak afterwards. I thought I was pissing myself at first, lol.

Yeah, but that's exactly the thing - not everyone goes through those things, even if that's what you're "planning". I wanted a med-free birth and instead ended up with a C-section, so your story would just worry me about things that didn't happen anyway. KWIM? Even the water breaking...lots of women don't have that "gush" at all, just a slow leak. And honestly, you said yourself that you had read about the ring of fire, but didn't know what to expect until you'd experienced it...some of this stuff you just have to live through to "get" it.

ETA: P.S. RE: Pissing yourself - I had the same experience and just kept wiping, and wiping, and wiping...eventually I clogged the toilet. :-P

I'm one of those people who want as much information as possible. I wanted information on vaginal and c-section births. I just feel more prepared when I have as much information as possible.

lizzyopal · March 2011

i've been watching all those shows for years now (ex. i was watching a baby's story when i was in junior high i think!). i like to watch them so that when i do go into labor i will know what to expect in a way. i already know that when i get my epidural i will be asking the doc to tell what to expect next, otherwise i might jump in surprise or something and screw it all up with my luck haha. oddly enough though, i have absolutely NO desire to see the baby coming out of me (i don't want to see my goods being stretched that much haha) and i don't want to see a thing if i, god forbid, have to have a c-section.

itsmevkb · March 2011

It's not watching or hearing about birth stories that worries me, it's just my own history. I don't watch A Baby Story or Brining Home Baby but I did catch an episode of One Born Every Minute the other day which was quite a bit like my first birth. It was the episode with the shoulder distocia. That brought back some vivid memories of having my son.

If there's something I've learned it's basically that you just never know what to expect. I expected my second birth to be a lot like my first and it was anything but. So, now with this baby I'm scared just because I know I have no way of really knowing how things will go. Will the baby get stuck again? Will I get another blood clot? Will they have to take the baby to the NICU again? etc etc etc.

Amanda&EricB · March 2011

I watch all those shows. LOL I guess I just believe that watching the shows isn't going to bring me bad luck in labor, or a hard labor or anything like that. They are just entertainment for me.

Amanda&EricB · March 2011

Lissa832:
ShannonSky:

I'm one of those people who want as much information as possible. I wanted information on vaginal and c-section births. I just feel more prepared when I have as much information as possible.

This is me. I want lots of information. Not knowing is the worst for me. I know that each situation is different but knowing the possibilities and all that is calming for me.

ETA: Sorry for the double post.

mabma80 · March 2011

I get a kick out of those shows. I like the ones where they plan it out perfectly, then the whole thing takes a 180 and it goes another way.

I got an epidural for both pregnancies and it was smooth sailing afterwards. My Sis was able to go naturally ALL the way. I think she had two Tylenols afterwards and that's it.

claar · March 2011

CactusGirl:
I don't have cable so I never watch those shows. In fact I have absolutely no idea what this "one born every minute" show is that everyone always posts about... I am so out of the loop.

You can watch it on Hulu...I don't have cable either...

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