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Childbirth

What don't the books tell you about birth?

88 replies

FeeFee382 · 08/03/2020 19:40

Exactly that. What don't the textbooks tell you about childbirth.

Discuss.

OP posts:

Report

PaulinePetrovaPosey · 08/03/2020 19:46

How quickly things can change. I went for a routine 38 week midwife appt at 9am, having had a textbook low risk pregnancy and set for a water birth.

MW diagnosed DD as transverse, and by 5pm that day I was cuddling her after a c section.

(C section was great, btw, and I'd do the same again)

Wanderer1 · 08/03/2020 19:47

All the books I've read talk about birth. But then I am choosing ones that particularly focus on that. The positive birth book and Give Birth like a Feminist for starters.

Wanderer1 · 08/03/2020 19:48

I misread your question sorry - I thought you said "why don't textbooks tell you about birth?". Brain fart, sorry!!

JohnLapsleyParlabane · 08/03/2020 19:50

That the feelings of contractions can occur in odd places. 2nd baby it was all in the front of my thighs. Weirdest feeling ever.

ohwerehalfwaythere · 08/03/2020 19:50

That's it's near impossible to pee in labour. Catheter it is! (Quick and Painless btw)

nosleepp · 08/03/2020 19:50

That it can hurt in your bum

Bobbiepin · 08/03/2020 19:51

How much else comes out with the baby. I looked at the bed and I was a bit shocked (and I'm not squeamish at all). I was more shocked when the midwife said "oh you didn't lose much blood at all." I was sitting in a puddle of it thinking "this isn't a lot of blood?!?!"

bobstersmum · 08/03/2020 19:52

That after birth you bleed for weeks on end!

Eachpeachtree · 08/03/2020 19:53

How to recover after it all (and how long it can take).

bingbangbing · 08/03/2020 19:54

That you don't know what the word 'fear' actually means.

Sorry to tell you that

Windyatthebeach · 08/03/2020 19:55

That it's messy, undignified and it hurts more than you can ever imagine - but that's normal!!. Ime the wondering if the pain was normal was more worrying than dealing with the pain...

FeeFee382 · 08/03/2020 19:59

Don't worry @bingbangbing I've already had one.

Things I found:

You will never experience pain like it - not one book talked about how painful the syntocin drip is and that a recommended epidural should be had.

The pain of the birth and memory disappears after 12 weeks or so.

So. Much. Blood. After the birth for 6 weeks

OP posts:

OneOfManyDays · 08/03/2020 20:03

Yes to the PP who mentioned not being able to pee in labour. I totally couldn't despite knowing I needed to go and trying multiple times. In the end my labour progressed so quickly I just kind of forgot I needed it .... eventually went after DD arrived though!

I disagree about forgetting the pain after a bit. DD is 4. I recall it all vividly!

Charley50 · 08/03/2020 20:05

They don't tell us the reality of giving birth as it would put so many women off having babies.

puds11 · 08/03/2020 20:06

Babies look fucking gross when they come out and they are purple (big shock with my first).

You sweat like a mother fucker for a week or so after. I was having multiple showers a day and felt like burning the mattress after .

Hospitals are the hottest places on the planet!

Notso · 08/03/2020 20:13

The extent of bleeding afterwards. Wasn't prepared for weeks of heavy bleeding and gigantic clots.

Afterpains. I didn't know about them and I didn't realise they could be as painful as labour, or that nobody would give me any pain relief for them. I asked for gas and air after DC4, they were that horrific I thought perhaps there was a missed twin I was giving birth to.

SeaToSki · 08/03/2020 20:16

If you push the baby out like you push a poo out you are more likely to be doing it right.
And you will also probably push some poo out too!

20viona · 08/03/2020 20:19

Inductions don't always take days like everyone makes out
Placentas can be stubborn and can ruin your first moments with your baby if it doesn't come out

IKEA888 · 08/03/2020 20:22

bleeding! varies so much.

Smarshian · 08/03/2020 20:22

The horror of the first post baby poo 🤯

wintertime6 · 08/03/2020 20:22

That you keep getting contractions for days after giving birth, and sometimes they felt more painful than the actual birth!

And the bleeding that lasted for 8 weeks after giving birth, and it was pretty heavy.

Artus · 08/03/2020 20:24

That anyone can be in such pain and not die!

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Windyatthebeach · 08/03/2020 20:25

After pains with subsequent babies are worse than labour ime...

Xyzzzzz · 08/03/2020 20:28

The first poo And wee afterwards

afterpaina

AwdBovril · 08/03/2020 20:29

That going to the loo afterwards is a bit of a trial. Including wiping. Someone warned me, I think her exact words were "don't be shocked when you nearly lose your hand in there".

Also, the epidural often doesn't work properly.

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