OBEM

[smiler389]

Just watched first three seconds of OBEM and came over all shaken and panicked. Screamed at hubby to turn it off. Hmph. Thought I was doing well not worrying about labour but may have just been in denial.

Any thoughts? Do you watch it? How does it make you feel?

[redandyellowandpinkandgreen]

It used to make me thing 'god, that looks awful' now it makes me want to do it again!

[PhieEl06]

I'm a good few months off giving birth but I love it, always have, but lately it is getting me rather emotional! (Hormones ay!!) I start crying at the title sequence!

[Airfryer]

I watched it whilst pregnant with my first and it scared me. I had in my mind that whatever happened I was going to stay calm and know that it was going to be the most painful thing I've been thru......

Now I'm pregnant with my second,I love watching it and can't wait to go through labour again and meet my baby!

[nomoreminibreaks]

I found it prepared me well for DS' birth as it covered things I didn't learn about elsewhere. I didn't know how brutal a forceps birth could look until OBEM so knew not to panic when it happened to me.

I am the type of person who prefers to have all the information though, I know it's not for everyone!

That said, I still cry and hold my breath every time they get the forceps out on it!

[Figgygal]

I was the same as nomore!! Found it useful , realistic (although a lot of people say it isn't) and reassuring that u will be well looked after and there's nothing to be embarrassed about.

[Kilkers]

I find it quite useful as it seems to answer a lot of questions that the books don't. I'm just able to bear watching it again after an MC in July 2012. Helps that I'm nearly 6 weeks pregnant!

[Dh2812]

I never thought I'd like it but I love it. It's actually made me calmer about the labour and cleared up some of the misconceptions I had. All I'd heard before watching the programme was the awful birth stories people love to tell so it was great to see people having positive births or where it was difficult, just the joy of having their baby delivered and in their arms.

[Jsa1980]

I've watched it and didn't think it was too bad. They've not really showed (IMO) much of the aftermath ie stitches or placenta delivery but then again that probably doesn't make good TV.

Really felt for the girl doing it on her own, fair play to her.

[babyradio]

I watched it the other day for the first time ever and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it, found it quite reassuring actually!

[phoenixrose314]

Yeah I have to agree with some others, I found it really reassuring. Started watching it last year when TTC (I think hubby was hoping it might put me off!), and wondered if I'd find it harder now that I'm 30+ weeks pg, but actually I still find it fascinating, possibly even more so than I did before. Think it's helped us to see other births and decide what we do/don't want.

To be fair though, the thought of labour doesn't faze me at all. It will hurt, but I can't imagine a better reward :)

[Mawgatron]

I love watching it, trying (and failing) to convince hubby to watch it. I like pointing out what he needs to not do when I'm in labour (play ds, blow up rubber gloves and waggle them at me during contractions, inappropriately waft chips under my nose at challenging moments, laugh at noises I make etc). Unfortunately he 'can't stand watching women sceam for an hour'. Ha ha, what a treat he has in store (this is our first)...

[StuckOnARollercoaster]

I used to watch it when thinking about TTC and actually TTC. Now I'm pregnant I've go e off the idea a bit as I am scared of the actual birth part. Reading some of these comments though I may have another try...

[MB34]

I used to watch on rare occasions, before I got pregnant and I would be sobbing at how much pain those women were in, so I decided, for my own sanity to never watch it again.

However, when I did get pregnant, I started to watch it again - it didn't make me cry then . I suppose it was to get a realistic view of what labour was like.

I also watch it since I had DS and now it brings back good memories & emotions of getting to see DS for the first time ever!

[Emsyboo]

I refused to watch it when pregnant with DS (now 2) but caught up with it all as soon as he was born and loved it. Love it now as I am pregnant and wish I was going to have labour again rather than c section although I am not as excited about it as I used to be think I am getting used to it a bit.

[egdeh]

Don't think it existed until I was pregnant with dd3. Didn't watch it then as, despite having had 2 quick, straightforward births OBEM seemed to suggest this was freakishly abnormal.
Once dd3 arrived I was more than happy to watch it, safe in knowledge I'm never doing it again! (Still get teary and a bit jealous when they get to hold their new baby mind).
Good luck when your time comes. I was dreading my first labour and compared to my expectations, it was actually almost pleasant.

[rrreow]

It's like having bloods done. I don't mind having it done myself, can easily watch the needle going in etc. Cannot STAND watching someone else go through it.

It's kind of like that with OBEM. Although I can watch it, it makes me feel kind of icky - it's hard to watch people in pain and obviously not pleasant if people have complications. However, having gone through labour once myself (preg with DC2 now) I found that much less icky and scary, because it's much easier to deal with a situation when you're in it (even if it's unpleasant or painful), rather than worrying about it beforehand or experiencing it vicariously.

Having said that though I think I'm going to watch it tonight now haha.

[2beornot]

I remember watching an episode about 6 hours before I went into labour with my dd1. One woman on their was screaming, effing and blinding all the way through. I thought to myself 'someone also me I'd I do that!'. In a way it helped focus my mind that I had a job to so and screaming and shouting wouldn't help. Luckily my midwife had a similar mentality!

But I can understand that if your nervous its prob not great viewing. The two this week came out quite straightforwardly though, despite everything.

Good luck!!

[rainand]

I enjoy watching it and I think it helps prepare me and especially DH for birth. He has learnt a lot from it and I think it had reassured him especially that all will be fine. It is really interesting to see all the different way people cope with birth. I think it makes you realise that it isn't as bad as everyone tells you, and there are people who have done it without any pain relief.

[rainand]

I'm also quite surprised by the amount of loud screaming that goes on, and it had made me think about having my baby at home instead. The last thing I want when in labour or per-labour to be freaked out by sobs one else screaming their head off - that must really have an impact on how you feel and how your birth experience then goes. However, it is my 1st, and everyone is advising against it!

[firawla]

It makes me broody!! Not just for the new babies but makes me feel like I wanna go through labour and birth again BUT had I watched it when expecting my 1st it would have prbably freaked me out

[Eskino]

Oh I find it horrible too. I'm 3 days off giving birth to my fourth child and I can't watch it either. I don't find it bears any relation to real birthing situations simply because every womans experience is going to be uniquely different.

The dads always look so bloody useless too. I hate that!

[VitoCorleone]

Last series i was pregnant when it was on and loved watching it.

This series is making me broody

[milkyjo]

I wondered whether I'd be pregnant whilst a series was on. The first series was before any pregnancy, the second was just after I had my DS and now the third series and I'm 32 weeks now and really remembering the events! The programme is obviously heavily edited, as one minute you see a lady going "oooh, ow that's a bit painful" and then the next minute she's having an epidural put it! But to condense two labours and births into one hour is a feat. I liked the first series in Bristol (I think) where there were community midwives on it too. I am having a home birth this time and it would be nice to see some successful ones on tv. I remember seeing a post in the media pages on MN asking for participants for OBEM in the Leeds area a while back - suppose it was for this current series.

[Katydive]

I'm on my third, one horrible labour, one fantastic. I love OBEM as I have always looked forward to going into labour (right up until the last hour!) I'm amazed with how many women they still have on their back on a bed, IMHO the best, and less painful by far is on your knees either in water (my fav) or over a ball etc. I also find on there that when it sounds like they are just about to drop they are only about 1cm!! I do think they do choose a lot of women deliberately who are more 'vocal' or raring to go a bit too soon!!