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June 2016 Moms
WinniethePoohsPants
member
Ask a stm ANYTHING about child birth!
WinniethePoohsPants
member
Since we are all approaching (or past) the 1/2 point of our pregnancies I thought it might be a little fun to spice things up with a question and answer thread about child birth. My November '12 birth board did this when I was pregnant with my first and I found it to be one of the most helpful threads I'd ever come across, since I could ask all the dumb questions I was too embarrassed to ask my friends with kids.
So here's how it works:
-First time moms ask ANY question you want about child birth! (Ex: "Did you poop yourself while you pushed?" "What's it like to get an epidural?" "What does a placenta look like?" "What was the most embarrassing part of giving birth?"etc etc
-Veteran moms answer with complete honesty!
So go ahead ladies, ask away!
So here's how it works:
-First time moms ask ANY question you want about child birth! (Ex: "Did you poop yourself while you pushed?" "What's it like to get an epidural?" "What does a placenta look like?" "What was the most embarrassing part of giving birth?"etc etc
-Veteran moms answer with complete honesty!
So go ahead ladies, ask away!
Re: Ask a stm ANYTHING about child birth!
I was 7 cm dilated with terrible back labor when I requested an epidural, and honestly I didn't feel a thing when it was administered. Yes, the needle itself is scary looking, but no, it does not hurt as much as you would think in comparison to labor and contractions.
I was able to nap for 2 and a half blissful hours after receiving my epidural, and when it wore off I woke up and it was time to push. I plan on getting one again come June.
This is so stupid and superficial but did anyone groom their lady parts before giving birth? I usually keep things nice and trimmed but that's obviously going to become an issue soon as my belly grows... did you have your husband help out? Go to a professional? Not GAF because you had a human coming out of you and a little hair was the last of your concerns?
ETA - I have no regrets on having one with DS's birth, though.
Triplets due 6/29/16 also from an IUI!
@winniethepoohpants you're not able to get up and walk around with an epidural, right? Was that an issue at all for you or do you think you were in too much pain to have even wanted to get up and walk around had you not gotten it?
My mom always told me it made it harder for her to be able to push (she only had 1 epidural out of 3 vaginal births) because she couldn't feel anything but pressure. Any truth to that?
Triplets due 6/29/16 also from an IUI!
Triplets due 6/29/16 also from an IUI!
Didn't see it with DS1, asked to see it with DS2, it was a slimy, big red blob. Asked to see it and then was all "Ok, you can put that thing away now." DH was a bit taken aback and terrified by all of the stuff coming out.
Has anyone given birth in a birthing tub/ water? What happens if you poop in the birthing tub? Did the midwife/doctor/DH/your partner get in the tub with you? Is there a special way they keep the water clean or does it end up with floating yuckiness?
I've never heard anyone say, "gee, my fresh brazilian wax just really made my birth experience the bomb."
a) Is lying
or
b) Was lied to by her nurse or SO and told that she didn't
Didn't notice that I delivered it. Then again, didn't even notice I was torn and in need of repair.
That being said, the epidural didn't cover the pain of a C-section and I needed to be put under for the C-section. It's depressing to think about... for my next little guy, the only piece of my birth plan is, "hold my baby when he is born." and not to wake up alone strapped to some table all by myself hours later...
2. Yes, you poop. And if you were in a tub, you would poop there too.
3. I did not groom. First of all, your can't physically see a thing down there, feeling my way would lead to a disaster, and I wasn't about to pay for someone else to do it when the only purpose would be for a doctor.
DST T4L
Anything anyone can share about tearing down there? What is the healing process like after? Is there anything to do before hand to help not tear?
The healing process wasn't too bad. You will bleed - a lot. And your first poop after giving birth is no picnic either. The good news is that you will be so happy to not be pregnant anymore that you'll feel great in comparison to how you felt at 40 weeks pregnant- no more heartburn, no more restless leg syndrome, you can sleep on your stomach again, be able to take a deep breath again... I remember aside from feeling really sore on my lady bits, I felt good because you'll literally feel 15 - 20 pounds lighter just days after giving birth.
1. I got an epidural. I was 7cm when I arrived at the hospital and they gave it to me pretty quickly after going through triage (although at the time I remember asking, "is the anesthesiologist here yet? How about now?"
It didn't hurt one bit, and I didn't see the needle either (probably a good thing). Afterwards, I could still feel pressure and I could still feel the tightening when I had a contraction, but the pain was gone. It was lovely. As soon as I got my epi, my contractions had to be slowed down with some kind of a muscular injection (ETA: because it was causing the baby some distress to have them right on top of one another). I was ready to push not too long after it was administered, but the baby was "sunny side up" and so pushing took forever and we weren't making much progress, so they had me labor down for awhile, and I slept during that time. My husband likes to remind me that I said, "this is the best I've felt in months," right before I fell asleep. He reminds me because every once in awhile I consider not getting the epidural this time. When I pushed the second time around and it worked, I remember feeling a HUGE amount of pressure as she came out, and the pressure alone was VERY intense, but again, it wasn't painful, thanks to the epidural. I hope the anesthesiologist this time around is as kick-ass as that particular one was. She did a fantastic job.
2. I might be one of those people @WinniethePoohsPants was talking about --it's possible I was lied to about not pooping during delivery. But, then again, I did have some pretty serious diarrhea a day or so before labor, so maybe I was already "cleaned out," so to speak. I took the advice of others and started on stool softeners right away after giving birth, and it was a great decision. I pooped the 2nd day home from the hospital and it was not painful.
3. I don't think I did a thing to my pubes...just let 'em be. Out of sight, out of mind!
Didn't notice I was torn and didn't have pain meds. Either I was numb or on a hormone high. They do a quick numbing shot and stich you up. Considering that you just shot a watermelon out of a worm hole, this is no big deal. Healing only hurts when you pee and it burns where you are stitched. Take home the peri squirt bottle. Pee and squirt the bottle at the same time.
recovery was better than I expected. A little sore when you sit down or get up, but I just used a lot of dermablast and COLD tucks pads and it wasn't awful. However, sex after all that tearing and all the scar tissue I had was REALLY rough. Like, we tried and we couldn't several times for several months.
Mrs. H
Crohn's Dx: August 2008
Endometriosis Dx: May 2010
Married: 05/19/2012
TTC #1: June 2013
BFP: December 2013
DS: Born 08/29/2014
TTC #2: July 2015
BFP #2: September 25, 2015
1. I held off on the epidural but then was persuaded to get one by the doctor who was trying to check me -- I literally crab crawled backward up the bed. I had scar tissue around my cervix and that caused me a lot of pain. I was also having back labor, and it was painful, but manageable. The epidural was totally the right decision for me and I don't remember it being anything but heaven. They turned it way up, too, because I ended up needing some interventions--they tried two vacuums, and then forceps. The doctor had both her hands up in me feeling the head to figure out the position. It felt weird AF, but didn't hurt, thank goodness.
2. I have no idea if I pooped or not. I pooped a lot (on the toilet) while I was in the hospital before I pushed, so I think that I didn't, but who knows?
3. Yup, 3rd degree tear here. Even though my son was small, with the forceps delivery, I tore. I asked my doctor afterward how many stitches and she didn't even know... My husband took a look while she was stitching me up and told me "It looked like a horror movie". Despite that, I don't remember it being super uncomfortable to recover from. I did have a little bit of a "break" (if you can call it that) because DS was in the NICU. It was very stressful, but maybe allowed for a bit more time to recover physically because I wasn't at home with him, walking around, etc. I was mostly sitting with him in the NICU. That first poop scared me, though, since my tear went all the way to my anus. It healed though and I don't know any difference between it now and before.
4. I totally had an appointment to get a Brazilian wax two weeks before my due date. I gave birth before that, and I am sure it was a crazy hairy mess, but no one cared. I do know of some friends who were required to do that by their docs, but that was a while back (like 10 years ago). I don't think the docs or nurses make note either way or care. There were 14 people in the delivery room when I gave birth (since there were interventions and complications) and they all got a great view of me au natural. I will say that I had an appt before my baby moon and it hurt more than usual--so if you want to do it for your comfort/peace of mind/whatever reason, keep that in mind.
5. My doctor ended up going in with her hand to pull out all the placenta. I had an extra lobe (an accessory lobe) so they wanted to make sure it all came out. Again, I just remember that it felt weird, but I was thinking much more about my son then, so I didn't think too much about that part.
BFP #1 June 2011 m/c@6wks
BFP #2 December 2011, EDD 8/21/12, born 7/21/12 at 35w4d
BFP #3 October 6, 2015. WHAT???
SaveSave
I suggest googling "the boob crawl" and "laid back breastfeeding" or "biological breastfeeding". We tried that later and it was WAY easier and more natural than what the LCs at the hospital showed me.
Triplets due 6/29/16 also from an IUI!
BFP #1 June 2011 m/c@6wks
BFP #2 December 2011, EDD 8/21/12, born 7/21/12 at 35w4d
BFP #3 October 6, 2015. WHAT???
Triplets due 6/29/16 also from an IUI!
Healing from the episiotomy was not bad. I took my midwife's advice and did a daily saltwater sitz bath with air drying afterwards and that helped a lot. I also use the peri bottle every time I peed for the first few days. Had some pain around the scar tissue for awhile after it healed, but it got better.
Delivering the placenta practically felt like nothing after the relief of having DS out. Then the OB stuck his whole hand up there to check how it detached I guess. Definitely felt that and it was not pleasant. But it still barely cracked the surface of my post-birth high and holding DS. Oh and one thing I was not expecting was the huge blood clot that just plopped out of me as I went to sit on the toilet a few hours after birth. It was like the size of a grapefruit and I was mildly horrified. I buzzed the nurse all embarrassed and she just said, "Oh good I have to check that for placenta anyway" and then picked it up with a bunch of paper towels and threw it in the toilet. Meanwhile I'm like "I'm so sorry you have to pick my giant blood clot off the floor cause I missed the toilet." Nurses are amazing.
My hospital did skin to skin as routine right after delivery, so the midwife just picked up DS's head and latched him for me minutes after the birth. Getting it right myself took a lot of practice. One thing a midwife told me that was helpful was to not rely on the nursing pillow as much at first. Make sure you're holding the baby in a way that can fully support his weight and keep his stomach turned towards yours. We got the hang of it by day three. Then I had low supply issues, but that's another story.
2. Don't know if I pooped or not. If I did they must have cleaned it up right away because neither DH or I seen anything. I really wasn't looking and DH said he was a little in shock. Either way, who cares?! Your pushing out a kid. But the first poop afterwards SUCKED!! I will start taking colace religiously starting before delivery this time.
3. Didn't and don't GAF about pupes. I trim when I feel like it but DH has never complained or complimented it either way. And his opinion is the only one that matters to me.
4. I didn't tear but I did have an episiotomy. I don't even know how many stiches but like others have said. It burns a little when you pee but you use the the squirt bottle to squirt water and use Tucks pads. It hurts to sit and you have to walk kinda slow for a week or so. Honestly I barely remember the recovery part because you're consumed with taking care of a newborn.
Make sure you have lots and lots of pads. Like the super absorbent pads that feel like diapers. For one, the extra cushion feels better when sitting. And two, so so so much blood. That's one of the things I never knew beforehand. I had the thin maxi pads but I had to go buy the big cushiony ones that you would normally never wear.