Childbirth memories almost completely sugarcoated..

LER091811 · June 2012

While I was enjoying my mostly failed epidural combined with pitocin and back labor, I promised my husband and my mother that I was going to tell the truth about how horrific childbirth really is after the fact, unlike most women who I felt at the moment had lied to me saying it wasn't that bad, and my childbirth education teacher who really did lie saying I'd be laughing and chatting all the way home with my epidural.

Well.. 2 weeks out and I find it hard to remember the pain already! I think I might even tell someone it wasn't that bad if they asked! ha. But it was that bad. I only know because I remember the things I was saying and I also remember that I was screaming in pain which I have never done before. The actual memory of suffering is very blurry and faded though. I guess this is how the Lord enables the human race to go on.

MelissaMiso · June 2012

Am I nuts to feel like I missed out (seriously)? I had an emergency c-section bc baby was breech, had the cord around her neck twice and my amniotic fluid was gone, but I never went into labor, never had a single contraction and didn't have any pain until I was healing post surgery. Labor and childbirth always seemed like a rite of passage that I was going to have one day and I didn't get to experience it. Though I am eternally grateful that my baby is healthy, I do wish I had experienced labor. Weird?

elviebird · June 2012

My labor was painful, I won't lie, but it wasn't horrific... Then again, I never hit transition so maybe I'm just delusional. My problem was that after almost 40 hours I was just over it. But yes, it's starting to fade and I've even said that next time I'll try for natural again.

bornmommy · June 2012

Im so happy it's not just me! I know it hurt in the moment but now as I look back on it I can't remember the pain!! I do remember being stitched up afterwards... I do NOT want to go through that again...I'll be doing my kegels next time!!

ETa: spelling

MAH1009 · June 2012

MelissaMiso:
Am I nuts to feel like I missed out (seriously)? I had an emergency c-section bc baby was breech, had the cord around her neck twice and my amniotic fluid was gone, but I never went into labor, never had a single contraction and didn't have any pain until I was healing post surgery. Labor and childbirth always seemed like a rite of passage that I was going to have one day and I didn't get to experience it. Though I am eternally grateful that my baby is healthy, I do wish I had experienced labor. Weird?

Lurker coming out - It's not weird at all! I was fortunate to be able to have most of the natural labor that I had hoped for. I made it to 8 cm when my labor stalled, baby wasn't in a good position to drop and his heart rate started to fall with contractions. I ended up with an emergency C-Section and definitely cried when they first told me that we were heading in that direction.

Like you, I'd give anything for a healthy baby but I definitely wish that I would have been able to have the whole experience. Plus I think I would go through labor three times over again before wanting to deal with the recovery of another C-Section. It's painless at the time, but it takes a long time to feel like yourself again.

selockar · June 2012

MAH1009:
MelissaMiso:
Am I nuts to feel like I missed out (seriously)? I had an emergency c-section bc baby was breech, had the cord around her neck twice and my amniotic fluid was gone, but I never went into labor, never had a single contraction and didn't have any pain until I was healing post surgery. Labor and childbirth always seemed like a rite of passage that I was going to have one day and I didn't get to experience it. Though I am eternally grateful that my baby is healthy, I do wish I had experienced labor. Weird?

Lurker coming out - It's not weird at all! I was fortunate to be able to have most of the natural labor that I had hoped for. I made it to 8 cm when my labor stalled, baby wasn't in a good position to drop and his heart rate started to fall with contractions. I ended up with an emergency C-Section and definitely cried when they first told me that we were heading in that direction.
Like you, I'd give anything for a healthy baby but I definitely wish that I would have been able to have the whole experience. Plus I think I would go through labor three times over again before wanting to deal with the recovery of another C-Section. It's painless at the time, but it takes a long time to feel like yourself again.

Definitely normal. I felt that way after my first pregnancy. I had a hard time getting the idea of how it was suppose to be out of my head. I ended up having a VBAC this time.

najzomax · June 2012

I agree, I know that it was awful at the time but I'm already forgetting how much it hurt. However, my placenta didn't detach and the OB had to do a manual extraction and I don't think I will ever forget that pain! Way worse than the actual birth.

NatPhoto09 · June 2012

I would totally go through labor and delivery again. I made it to 8cm with DS#2 without any pain meds and then got my epidural. The pain was terrible but not a deterrent to having another baby. The hard part is bring back the newborn home and the sleep deprivation for months. And for that reason we are done at 2!

Jinnifah · June 2012

My labour really wasnt that bad. I slept through most of transition with a little help from the nitrous oxide tank. I know my memory of the experience is getting quite fuzzy (I could have sworn the 1.5hrs I spent pushing only lasted 15 mins) but I clearly remember thinking the contractions when I was 8cm were not much worse than some menstrual cramps I've endured.

I think the worst part was just being so exhausted when pushing time came after 24hrs of labour.

jennyelf · June 2012

I look back at my labor and I define it as 29 hours of labor where the first 24 weren't that bad. I do remember is that at hr 25, I started screaming because I was in a lot of pain. By hour 27, we needed an ambulance to get me to the hospital. But I look back on it and say it wasn't that bad. I did end up doing it med-free and when I compare it to the post spinal tap headache I had at 22, I see labor as not as bad since I needed meds for the headache but make it through labor without.

BelleIsa · June 2012

Labour wasn't that bad for me, and I only pushed 3 times and DD was out. But, the ring of fire is something I won't soon forget. That said, if I wanted more children, I wouldn't let that be a deterrent, it's definitely manageable pain.

But, the exhaustion of having 2 is pretty much all the birth control I need so for now, we're done at 2!

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Childbirth memories almost completely sugarcoated..

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