...to want a cup of tea after giving birth?

[starkadder]

Am counting my chickens a bit here as am only 10 wks (tomorrow) pregnant so there is a looooong way to go and a lot of wood to be touched but still -

Having this baby in Madrid, like DS1. After DS1, having completely gone off tea and coffee throughout pregnancy, I was DESPERATE for a cup of tea wihtin about 5 mins of giving birth. I have never felt so British. Anyway, the hospital staff REFUSED to let me have even so much as a sip of water for about 3 or 4 hrs. It was torture. Birth was fairly uncomplicated - DS1 was induced and I had an epidural and some stitches, but nothing very traumatic and I felt fine, really. I just REALLY wanted a cup of tea.

I think this time, if all goes well of course, and I get there (very traumatic start to this pregnancy, including misdiagnosed miscarriage and was sent for D&C, so lots of touching wood needed) I might just demand one (i.e. get DH to bring one in thermos) and drink it in flagrant disregard of Spanish hospital regulations - but is this unreasonable? Am I being ignorant and are there good reasons why I shouldn't have my cup of tea??

starkadder - I was with someone who had a very fast birth earlier this year. She went into a shock afterwards, so I tucked the blankets up to her neck and fed her sweet tea through a straw. She sucked it up like it was nectar!

The midwives had no problems with this at all - in fact they encourage women to have a drink as soon as they feel up to it after birth. Obviously if you needed to go to theatre after birth it would be different, but how often does that happen?

I hope your birth is straightforward, and you enjoy that first cup of tea as much as I did after each of my births!

Message withdrawn

You don't forfeit your rights to have a say in your hospital treatment just because you're in Spain!

I had an induced VBAC with DS2, so wasn't allowed to eat (or even drink except water) throughout the labour in case of needing a ec/s. I did eat/drink when the MW's were out of the room (they knew ). However, I didn't make much progress, so after 20 hours, they switched it all off to give me a break for 6 hours. The minute it was switched off, the lovely MW brought me a massive plate of tea and toast (at midnight). She also brought me breakfast 10 minutes before recommencing the induction.

During the final few hours of labour, I got through about 4 packets of those lucozade sweets! Everytime the MW's back was turned, I begged DH for them like drugs!

Can I just give a big shout out to the very lovely student midwife at Nevill Hall in Abergavenny, she said she was ex-cabin crew and wheeled the goodies in in true Business Class style; it was the most lovely tea (in proper china cup and saucer) and toast you could imagine.

Unfortunately I threw it straight back up again but for that brief moment it was heavenly

Oh yeah and definitely bring the water and milk separately, make the tea at the time. I do this at work and the tea is sooooo much better.

My colleagues think I'm mad, but I know better...

OP - tell the hospital they are being culturally insensitive by denying you access to tea after birth. They should know that we Brits have tea running through our veins!

yanbu.
I got tea and toast!

In the hospital where I had dd1 and ds, they had a special tray with proper china cups and saucers etc for post birth and you get tea/coffee and toast at whatever time of the day or night!

I gave birth, got stitched, had a shower and then got into nice clean bed with baby, dh on the end! It was lovely!

In different (bigger, busier) hospital for dd2, it was a quick mug of something still on delivery, before shower, and they were loathe to give me coffee (tea makes me boak).

Dh went to the canteen and got me the best cheese sandwich of my life instead, adn then later on brought me a bag of chips! Yum!

Tea after birth is nectar. I think not allowing it might count as 'cruel and unusual punishment'!

YANBU. I had tea and toast, followed by the nicest hot shower EVER... I mean even compared to five star hotels etc... just after I gave birth last time. It's the best bit by far.

Can you not give birth at home this time???

Same as Extrafancy. I was sick as a dog after pethidine. DH ate my tea and toast while I clutched onto a kidney dish, bowl, whatever they're called. Ugh, that horrible cardboardy thing...

"followed by the nicest hot shower EVER"

I had my second baby at home. It was a difficult birth and I felt afterwards like I'd been kicked by a horse. My midwife ran me a bath, put some weird herbs in it and lit some candles (don't know what the herbs were but by the next morning my perineum felt fine - not bad given that my baby had been 10lbs 12oz!). I lay there bathing by candlelight and drinking tea from a nice mug... it was sheer bliss!

Ohh yes the bath! That was the best ever.... Mine had some sort of salt in it I think ,to help with healing.

I had severe preeclampsia and an emergency C-section at 31 weeks. I had spent the previous day feeling awful and hadn't been able to eat anything. Then, after I was admitted I was taken to theatre and therefore not able to eat beforehand. I was then not allowed to eat anything for over 36 HOURS afterwards and also was limited to just 10ml an hour of water (which, being the NHS, they were often late bringing to me!). What made it worse was that they put the frosty, icy jug of iced water across the room from me where I could see it .
My only saving grace was a lovely midwife who had brought me a glass of water and a couple of slices of toast the morning after the C-section (about 8 hours later and when she wasn't supposed to). Nearly every doctor and midwife who came into my (HDU) room had an open bitch and moan about this, but I have to say I was so grateful for that forbidden food and still remember it now. I have since discovered that I should have been allowed to suck on ice chips if I wanted them! Also, I couldn't believe it when they came in to tell me I could have something to eat now, so I was all pleased, right until they then disappeared again and I didn't have my food brought for ages (like 2 hours) because they were busy!!

Of course you want a cup of tea after giving birth, and YANBU - unless of course there's a medical reason why not.

Could you have a homebirth in Spain? I can't remember having tea after DC1 (in hospital) but I do remember DH and FIL having a wee dram (in laws came to visit whilst we were still in the delivery room!!!). With DC2 I was at home so could have whatever I fancied. Which turned out to be rice pudding, bizarrely.

Wow, thanks everyone!

Pitchounette - thanks also for your understanding that I might not want to be yelled at.

Actually, though, I think it might be worth it - as long as there is no medical reason I am unaware of - if the birth is normal and no reason why I can't have a cup of tea, I think I damn well will!! (touch wood)

Fimblehobbs - home birth in Spain? hahahaahah. I live in Madrid. 95% of women have epidurals. When I asked about alternative forms of pain relief last time (like gas and air) they looked at me like I was crazy and asked sarcastically if I'd like them to light incense too. Really. They also talk about water births as some kind of insane outlandish rumour that has reached them - and don't believe me when I tell them that they're quite normal in the UK. I think home birth is only possible if you fork out several thousand euros to private doctors/midwives - I even have private insurance, but it wouldn't cover it.

Thanks again everyone Am just hoping I get there now...was due to have a scan today which I was terrified about but due to my crap inability to understand the Spanish system, I couldn't go because I hadn't already picked up blood test results from somewhere else....Please cross your fingers for me for the baby AND the tea ;)