Redheads and Childbirth

mrsaudacious · May 2011

I've been hearing a lot of "stuff" about redheads and pregnancy/childbirth. Are there any redheads out there that can tell me if these are true

1) The old wives/midwives tale that "redheads are bleeders" in childbirth...

2) Redheads do better with certain pain meds used in birth than non redheads

3) Redheads have fast deliveries

4) How is the down yonder after childbirth?

Lambie. · May 2011

I am not a redhead but I am an OB nurse. Yes, redheads do tend to have postpartum hemorrhages more than others. On your second point, redheads cam actually be more resistant to anesthesia than others. I can't answer your other questions.

sunflowersky · May 2011

True redhead here Can't say I was a "bleeder" any more or less than a woman who had a 9 pound, 7 ounce baby. I had a 3rd degree tear and an episeotomy but I didn't bleed a ton or anything. I didn't have bloody show either. My water broke at 8:00 am, DS1 was born at 7:35 pm--I pushed for 3 hours! I had the staydol (hated it) and felt loopy/drunk like most people normally do. Down yonder is fine, considering the difficult labor I had.

wilma007 · May 2011

mrsaudacious:

I've been hearing a lot of "stuff" about redheads and pregnancy/childbirth. Are there any redheads out there that can tell me if these are true

1) The old wives/midwives tale that "redheads are bleeders" in childbirth...

2) Redheads do better with certain pain meds used in birth than non redheads

3) Redheads have fast deliveries

4) How is the down yonder after childbirth?

I?m a redhead! Here?s the experience I had in delivering my daughter. My labor pains started at 4:20 AM Saturday the 12th of February continuing until her birth. Some strong some not so strong they got to the point I need to go to L&D about 3:00 PM Valentine?s Day. We were checked in about 3:40 PM - I was prepped for delivery then placed in a room. Water broke - started pushing at about 4:40. She was here 38 minutes later at 5:17 PM. She weight in at 6 lbs. - 9.5 oz. was 20-1/2? long.

Now as to your questions ? ?The old wives/midwives tale that ?redheads are bleeders? in childbirth...? I don?t believe I had anymore bleeding than any other woman giving birth. I went as natural as possible. I did however have an episiotomy!

As too ?Redheads do better with certain pain meds used in birth than non redheads? I didn?t have any medication so I really can?t say either way.

Here the amount of labor pain about 2-1/2 days ?Redheads have fast deliveries? then my actual time pushing - 38 minutes - you decide.

Well I had some bleeding for about the next three week; but, as for ?How is the down yonder after childbirth?? feeling was not bad or to sore somewhat tender. Some major itching while stitches - healed. Didn?t want to be touched - either!

mega6_vancouver · May 2011

I have a 2 1/2 year old daughter that is a redhead.

I don't feel i bled more then any other actually hardly any to be honest.

I had no pain meds so i can't answer that one.

Yes, very fast labor and delivery for me 6 hours and 17 mins total only pushed for the 17 mins and she was out.

I had a 2nd degree tear and that was the hardest part of my recovery all together. I was very uncomfortable and it hurt for a long time.

Sam78 · May 2011

My mother is a redhead and I have red highlights. Neither one of us had particularly fast labors (we both ended up with a c/s with our first after 24 hours of labor; the birth story for my son is in my siggy). I don't think either of us were bleeders. Anesthesia always does weird things to me (most often sticks around forever although with my second c/s, they were amazed that I could move even though I was numb from the waist down). My nether regions are fine.

GingerCupcake · June 2011

The only old wives tale I've ever heard about redheads and childbirth is that they require more anasthesia than non-redheads and that ended up being true for me.

I'm a redhead, as is my hubby and my daughter. My labour was neither short nor easy (12 hours, 4.5 hours of pushing). I had an episiotomy and still tore. My epidural wore off once, was increased and then pooled on one side so it was only effective on one side of my body while the other side hurt. Recovery from my episiotomy and tear was lengthy and uncomfortable, I had issues still 6 months PP. I don't know if I was a "bleeder" or not.

marchmay · June 2011

I'm a redhead who ended up with HELLP syndrome my first pregnancy. It wasn't diagnosed until after I delivered DD, and I received a blood platelet transfusion 24 hours after she was born.

My delivery itself was quick-- I had an emergency induction that began at 5:30am. DD was born at 1:04 that afternoon. I had no issues with my epidural.

I bled post partum for probably 5 weeks, and, due to my third degree tear, it took probably four months for everything to feel "normal again."

Hope this helps!

Bananappeal145 · June 2011

I'm a redhead. I can't attest to any of the birth wife's tales b/c I'm still waiting on that but I do know that I usually require more anesthesia than most people. Also it's scientifically proven (you know, if you consider Myth Busters to be science) that Redheads have a higher pain tolerance. I have found this to be true in my case anyway. I had not even thought about any of that in relation to child birth. I'm off to do research now :P

MathewandApryl · July 2011

I am a redhead as well. I asked my OB about this when I went into the hospital. She said that redheads need a higher dose of pretty much anything they are given. Obviously, they give the recommended dose first and then may increase from there. Redheads also experience more pain. Not sure if I believe this, but a study was done where women were all exposed to the same pain and redheads all came back with a higher feeling of pain on the pain scale.

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