If you're really shortsighted, did you wear glasses in labour?

[BeSpectacled]

I can't imagine wanting to faff around with my lenses, especially as my eyes have been dry recently, but I was wondering if my glasses will annoy me during labour?

I am really, really shortsighted (-6) and can't really see anything without them...

[Bobfossil2]

I always wear lenses but wore my glasses in labour (took lenses out when labour started ha) and I didn’t notice them. They usually annoy me but I think I had bigger fish to fry 😂

[DoubtOfTheOrdinary]

Ooh, following because I'm similarly short-sighted and hadn't thought about this!

[TooStressyTooMessy]

I’m a similar prescription. I didn’t wear my contact lenses as I wanted to be able to sleep or rest if needed. I had my glasses on for most of it and then as things got more intense I just took them off and accepted that I wouldn’t see much! I am ok with seeing things close to my face so could still see my baby ok each time. The rest of the room was super blurry but that was just a bit annoying and not top of my worry list at the time .

[Chinks123]

Yes and I didn’t have time to put my contact lenses in, plus the rooms can get quite hot and I knew it would make them dry. I had my glasses on but to be honest everything was irritating me and I took them off. It did make me laugh when she came out and was laid on my chest. I had to put my glasses on and then said “oh there you are.” I packed contacts and solution and put them in later on after I’d had a sleep. I’m pregnant again and I’ll be doing the same this time.

[QueenDoria]

I felt I had to take my lenses out as any extra smidgin of discomfort needed to be avoided.
Trouble is, once I’d given birth I couldn’t work out if I’d had a girl or a boy...🥴

[Pinkkahori]

Yes. Never even considered taking them off. I don't feel in control without them and I'm not even very short sighted.

[Heyha]

I hadn't thought about this either! I'm assuming I'll leave mine on (I don't do lenses so no choice there) but if I end up with a c section or anything else I don't want to see it could be quite handy being able to take them off 😂

[SueVide]

I'm a proper Mr Magoo and wore my specs in the birthing pool. As PP said you'll have bigger fish to fry

[Itwouldtakemuchmorethanthis]

Extended wear contacts . I honestly can’t think when I can’t see.

[MoreHairyThanScary]

QueenDoria me too! Not once but twice I failed to recognise dd1 was a dd and again with dd2 🤣, by the time I got to dd3 I just said tell me!

I am ( very) long sighted wore glasses god the most if labour until the last bit, then they were discarded to one side.

[AlfieandAnnieRose]

I’m even more shortsighted (-9)! I wore my lenses but then I thought I would be sent home so hadn’t even packed my glasses.
I also have dry eyes but I don’t remember being bothered by them, like other posters have said you have more pressing things on your mind 😄. Good luck!

[pasbeaucoupdegendarme]

Similar prescription here. Glasses for baby 1, lenses for baby 2 and glasses for baby 3!

[BeSpectacled]

I'm a proper Mr Magoo and wore my specs in the birthing pool

I'd drop them in the pool with my luck

I'm the sort of person that gets annoyed with my hair unless it's tied back or certain types of material. The idea of a blurry room and not being able to tell who is coming in or out freaks me out a little too.

Also worried about losing them, I've only the one pair

[DramaAlpaca]

I'm very shortsighted, -7.50 or so. I couldn't wear contacts in pregnancy because my eyes were dry, I think I kept my glasses on in the early stages of labour but took them off when things really got going. I didn't care, just wanted to be comfortable.

[Unihorn]

I'm only -3 but I had my glasses on for both and both were emergency sections, when you're not supposed to have contacts anyway. I don't recall my glasses annoying me as much as usual!

[Wolfiefan]

Mine are over minus 10.
I would feel awful and out of control if I couldn’t see. Wore glasses for two births. Don’t wear contacts.

[cakeallday]

Yes, I kept mine on, every time. No problem at all. My contact lenses wouldn't have been practical as I get dry eyes!

[mumwon]

of course you wear glasses cant see a thing without them -most of the time I forget I am wearing them! An old boyfriend did parachuting jumps with glasses taped to nose & head!

[TooStressyTooMessy]

Ah ok I can see why a blurry room would upset you then. I’m a HCP so pretty comfortable in a hospital environment and I knew the rooms and layout well. Also had the opposite worry that I would recognise people coming in and out and then have to work with them on another occasion so the blurriness was a blessing in one way .

Could you plan to wear your glasses for most of it then when it gets to the stage that you might drop them etc either plan to change them to contacts before that or at least limit the time things are blurry?

[HumpHumpWhale]

I wore my glasses, but honestly, in the later stages I found I had a kind of tunnel vision, and was very much focused on delivering my baby. I didn't have much awareness of the rest if the room, so not being able to see it wouldn't have mattered as i was so focused on the contractions/ pushing that the sensory input of vision got basically tuned out.

[Boobiliboobiliboo]

I’m a -3. They took my glasses from me when my waters broke and forgot to give them back. It gave me PTSD which took years of therapy to deal with.

Don’t go without your glasses.

[BeSpectacled]

Thanks to everyone for being so understanding

[HerculesMulligan]

Do you know, I couldn't remember. DH says I wore them all the way through. You do have a sort of tunnel vision once you're in established labour, definitely.

[peaches19]

I’m -6 and wore them all the way through, including in the birthing pool and in theatre for emergency c section!! No way I would have been happy without them and I was in labour for over 48 hours so lenses would have been awful (I only use daily ones occasionally)

[m0jit0]

I wondered about this too as I am extremely short sighted. I had planned to keep my contact lenses in and was worried about going to theatre and having to take them out (and if I had to have a GA would I wake up and not be able to see!!). in the end labour lasted a lot longer than I'd hoped and I took my lenses out and put my glasses on. I couldn't have cared less at that point lol.