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Childbirth

watching TV in labour?

16 replies

BeeMyBaby · 24/07/2015 06:09

Basically does this sound ok or very weird? My dc3 is due in January and I'm looking for ways to cope with labour at the hospital. With DD1 there was no need as i was so shocked at going into labour that I didn't really think about it, with DD2 I was prepared but I could not focus and the hospital only had limited channels so it added to my irritation watching bbc 24 news with the stories repeating every 10 minutes. As I laboured in hospital for about 3 hours my aggravation grew and I had nothing to take my mind off the pain. So, do you think it would be odd to sit and try to watch something from Netflix, like a few episodes from a series I'm really into when at the hospital? This makes me sound like a complete TV addict but I think it might really help me take my mind off the pain. Has anyone else done this? Or does everyone else just enjoy the quiet soothing miracle of waiting (in extreme pain) for their baby to be born?

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Buttercup27 · 24/07/2015 06:26

I watched country file in hospital when in labour with dc1. It was on repeat at 2pm or something stupid and I remember it vividly as it was filmed around where we live. Which as at the time I was high on gas and air I found hilarious!

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Hopeful83 · 24/07/2015 06:39

I had a long labour and ended up with an epidural. After the epidural I watched strictly and x factor with the midwife who wasn't allowed to leave the room

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JassyRadlett · 24/07/2015 07:02

I did most of my 28 hour labour at home, and mostly watched 30 Rock episodes. I was only in hospital for 4.5 hours though - no TV there, I was all about the gas and air...

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PerpetualStudent · 24/07/2015 07:11

I was induced with the hormone drip and so had an epidural from the outset - sat there with all the drugs pumping through me, happily watching Legally Blonde 2 (not my choice, all TVs in my hospital seemed wired to ITV). I say go for it, it's your labour!

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BeeMyBaby · 24/07/2015 07:26

Buttercup just the kind of TV I'm trying to avoid - gentle with no story and repetitive but at least you recognised the place

Hopeful if only I was lucky enough to be in labour at Saturday night peak time than trapped with daytime TV!

But at least I understand that it wouldn't be awful if I zoned out into some lovely TV, but maybe I will try to avoid programmes like Hannibal (although that would definitely take my mind off labour!)

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Roseybee10 · 24/07/2015 09:36

I had a home birth with dd2 and sat and watched Netflix on the couch all day until I was at the pushing stage.

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MummyBex1985 · 24/07/2015 11:25

My DP watched the Emmerdale omnibus at 4am whilst I was in labour.

Still can't bear to listen to that damn opening music!!

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JuniorMint · 24/07/2015 11:32

I can remember bouncing on my birth ball thing watching Only Connect, trying to guess the answers to take my mind off the contractions (looooong latent phase!)

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applecatchers36 · 24/07/2015 11:39

My DP brought the laptop & we watched two series of girls on the labour ward ( it was a long labour!)

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Heleng1982 · 24/07/2015 11:45

I watched Mrs Brown's boys when I was in labour it was a great distraction Smile

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BeeMyBaby · 24/07/2015 14:02

applecatcher that sounds exactly the kind of set up I want! Grin

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UrethraFranklin1 · 24/07/2015 16:36

I watched several eps of the west wing during my last labour while bouncing on the big ball yoke. Why not?

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badRoly · 24/07/2015 16:43

With dc3 I refused to leave the house until Holby finished despite my waters going (which indicates start of pushing stage for my labours) Blush

Fortunately we lived 5mins drive from the hospital so made it in the nick of time.

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NickyEds · 24/07/2015 16:53

With ds I had to labour in hospital and we watched tv. 5pm Harry Potter Film and paracetamol, 8pm Young Victoria and co codamol then 10pm Con Air and "can I have some gas and air?". Being in early labour can be pretty boring.
Dd (6 days old)- no time for tv, didn't even make it to delivery room!

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Gunpowder · 24/07/2015 20:12

My MW recommended it! She said it's a really good way of doing 'just another 30 minutes' when in early labour. My second one progressed quickly so there wasn't time, but had some false labour about a week before and watched lots of Pretty Little Liars. Smile

Congratulations Nickys Flowers

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applecatchers36 · 24/07/2015 20:54

Bee can recommend it as distracted from the pain for quite a while. Plus had gas and air and when Midwife left room DP also sampled the G&A hence we were both in hysterics at certain points can recommend it...

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