Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Can any of you say honestly you are "over" your childbirth trauma? How long did it take!?

107 replies

Thandeka · 11/01/2011 12:40

Had the most horrific vaginal birth experience which have seen psychologist, journalled, written lengthy complaint letter to hospital which was mostly agreed with by them that they were shit! I have talked about endessly but it still doesn't feel much better. Physically I am totally fine and mentally completely fine if I don't think about it but I accidently caught a bit of "one born every minute" last night and was in floods of tears. (That screamer last night was totally me and she had a good outcome!)

I guess partly its because DD's first birthday is coming up so its on my mind a lot because although I want to celebrate her there was absolutely nothing to celebrate about her birth and that makes me so sad. Also we are talking about trying for #2 now and although I am virtually guaranteed a section next time because of the trauma, there is a part of me that wonders if I should try again for a vaginal birth for a healing experience but then I am not sure I am strong enough.

Anyhow just some musings really. I know mumsnet friends who are 9years and 5years post their traumatic experiences and still not completely over it. I guess more time and maybe positive experiences with subsequent DC's will be healing but are there any of you who do feel like they have healed mentally the scars of a traumatic birth or is it something I will carry for ever?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
hairylipsquid · 11/01/2011 12:53

Sorry you had such a bad experience. I had a pretty horrific time with my DS - the labour was OK but I tore badly and got a retained placenta. The labour room suddenly filled with people and consultants who tried to retrieve the placenta manually. My DH described it as a scene from All Creatures Great and Small when they have their arm entirely up the poor cow. It took four different people having a go (and bearing in mind they were going in through an open wound and tearing me further each time) before they got it out. I had no pain relief.

However, I truly feel I have gotten over it and don't find watching births traumatic at all. I went on to have a DD 2 years later - a lovely calm water home birth. I had a natural third stage to avoid the same situation. No two births are the same so you may find another smooth vaginal birth possible and healing. However, if you feel you would worry about it, don't think you've 'copped out' by having an ECS.

NancyDrewHasaClue · 11/01/2011 13:04

I had a very unpleasant labour and delivery with DC1 - I was induced early, had a lot of intervention, really ought to have had a section but no theatre available. I had a retained placenta and PPH oh and a midwife whose idea of encouragement was to shout "do you want your baby to die in there" Hmm

I struggled to bond and establish BF with DD and don't think I would have ever made the choice to have DC2.

Fortunately I became unexpectedly pregnant with DC2 and it was the wonderful experience I had with him which "got me over" my previous experience.

DC2 was actually born at a different hospital to DC1 and when I went for the look round I had a panic attack (my first and only) and broke down in tears but a week later I was back, DC2 in my arms and I am almost evangelical about how wonderful my experience was.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Blatherskite · 11/01/2011 13:16

I've never gotten over my first birth and ended up with an ELCS for DC2. When I fell pregnant the second time I considered trying another vaginal birth in the hopes of a healing experience but as the time got closer I got more and more scared and just couldn't face it. I ended up in tears in the consultants office Sad

I'll always be a little bit sad that I never managed a vaginal birth but at the same time, I found DC2's birth a wonderful calm experience and we bonded very easily because of it. At the end of the day, mine and my baby's safety were most important and I really did not feel safe attempting what would have been a VBAC at that hospital.

ShowOfHands · 11/01/2011 13:19

DD is 3.8.

I'll never get over it. I still howl sometimes (OBEM in particular, I too was Steph) but I can live with it and I've sort of accepted it. It will always hurt but it's not controlling me anymore.

nowanewme · 11/01/2011 13:29

I dont think I will ever get over the regret of not actually seeing DD until hours after the birth (Her whisked off to SCBU for xrays and me to theatre to try and put me back together). I am forever thankful for the epidural!!!

I dont think it should stop you from celebrating you DC birthday though. The birth bit may not have gone brilliantly but it is still the day she joined your family so that is something to celebrate.

As for having another. during my follow up appointment to see how I was healing the consultant said I was doing really well and it shouldnt preclude a future VB. I told him to re read the notes as to actually what happened, and if he still wanted to put that in his letter to the GP I could gurantee there would be no other births of ANY kind. He re read notes and taped over his dictation (CS pretty much a suraty if I ever go again.)

nowanewme · 11/01/2011 13:31

p.s - healing experience??? The meere memory of a pain relief free 16 hours of cluster contractions and being strapped to the bed for monitoring before I got any drugs was enough for a life time!!

bibbitybobbityhat · 11/01/2011 13:37

My horrific birth took place exactly 10 years ago today, and I am definitely totally over it, although I still regret that dd's entry to the world was a panicked and traumatic affair.

I was "over it" enough to have a second child less than 3 years later, but I had an elective c-section for that (and knew I would be offered one after my first experience).

I think after a few years you should be able to think about it without actually getting terrible flashbacks and, if you do, some counselling or therapy might be in order.

Blatherskite · 11/01/2011 13:38

Yep, healing. Nice, new memories to replace 48 hours of fear and pain

NancyDrewHasaClue · 11/01/2011 13:43

I don't think it is unrealistic to believe a postive experience can assist you to get over a previous traumatic one.

Blatherskite · 11/01/2011 13:56

Thank you Nancy. That's what I meant.

LittleYellowTeapot · 11/01/2011 14:18

My son is 11 and his birth still affects me. I had my youngest child when he was 2, and it did help lay some ghosts to rest. I can talk about it now, usually without crying, but I think the memories will always be a bit painful.

I know you say you've had counselling, but if you haven't already, going over your notes with your midwife might help - it really helped me. I might do it again one day too. You can re-visit your labour notes until your youngest child is 25. Ask you midwife about it x

1944girl · 11/01/2011 14:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

1944girl · 11/01/2011 14:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

nunnie · 11/01/2011 14:36

I had a VB with my DD who is 4 in June, the third stage was traumatic for me and I still think about it now and it upsets me.

With DS I pushed for almost 4 hours when they realised he was brow and by this time his heart rate was dipping so I was rushed off for an emergency section. I felt them cut me which is when it became obvious the spinal hadn't worked on one side, and I was quickly knocked out. DS is 14 weeks and whilst I am not completely happy to think about his enterance into the world. For me DD's birth has left much more of an impact on me mentally.

BadPoet · 11/01/2011 14:37

Hi, I am sorry you went through that Sad.

My first birth was very traumatic and I do honestly feel I am over it. However I still felt terrible when she was the age your dd is, her 1st birthday was really hard - and I remember feeling a million times better by her second.

I was pregnant by her third, and in that year I did a lot of the things that you have already done - wrote to the hospital, spoke to a counsellor. I looked into an independent midwife for my second child and in the end didn't book one, but I did talk a lot about the birth with one in particular which helped a huge amount I think. My ds's birth went really well which definitely helped although not in the way I thought it would!

I can now talk about it without feeling the fear, guilt and anger that always overwhelmed me before. However some things can still get me - e.g. a friend had a similar birth recently and it really got to me, mainly because the level of support she received was so much more than I ever had - from both HPs and friends - and I felt a different kind of pain & anger Blush. (we had babies a long time before most of our peer group so no-one really 'got' it then iyswim?)

I suppose what I am saying is that in my experience it never completely leaves you, but you can get over it and it shouldn't be as bad for you as it is now - the first anniversary is very significant.

Enjoy your dd's birthday Smile

Thandeka · 11/01/2011 14:39

Wow think that is my biggest fear- having another traumatic experience next time as quite a few women on here report!

maybe adoption better option then....

OP posts:
nowanewme · 11/01/2011 15:11

Sorry I didnt mean to seem off hand (Flippancy is an inappropriate coping strategy for me). It is my belief that another VB attempt would not be healing for me PERSONALLY as I am quite an anxious person at the best of times and the birth went really wrong at quite a late stage so I would be over fearful of a repeat. That is not to say that those feelings and fears are the same for everyone and I am very sure that others cope with it brilliantly and it is a healing experience for them.

Thandeka · 11/01/2011 15:16

don't worry nowanewme I am flippant with the best of em.

On hearing DD may have been brain damaged at birth my completely inappropriate response was "ah well DH is a genius so if she has his brain genes it will just mean she is normal"

Snurk.

DD is developmentally fine though and showing every sign of being a very clever girl! :)

OP posts:
nowanewme · 11/01/2011 15:20

Was it a shoulder dytocia by any chance Thandeka?

nowanewme · 11/01/2011 15:20

*dystocia

MrsTittleMouse · 11/01/2011 15:30

I am almost completely healed. I say almost, because I still have a couple of triggers that make me angry - people who think that a traumatic experience is down to the expectations of the mother or down to lack of preparation, or somesuch thing, people who think that OBs are God and never treat women like shit, and people who say that "as long as the baby is healthy", as though I don't count anymore.

Which I suppose is a fair list of triggers!

But I don't dwell on the delivery now, independent of those triggers, I don't cry about it, I don't have nightmares any more, and I can talk about the delivery in a rational way without bursting into tears.

My biggest problem was that I had physical damage resulting from it, which made it very difficult to move on - I was still dealing with the aftermath.

The biggest factor that helped me to get over it was a second vaginal delivery where I was treated with respect. It was still very painful and difficult, mostly because I had a long labour, but it was overall a positive experience. It also helped stretch out my scar tissue from the first delivery, so the physical effects of the first delivery were reduced too. The trouble is, of course, that it was the high risk option. I could have been treated badly, or ended up with a bad tear and even more damage. I was lucky.

How is your DH/DP about things? One major factor for me was that DH was terrified and ignorant first time around. He was convinced that if we didn't do everything that the MCPs suggested immediately that the baby would die (no crash situation at any time during the delivery). Hmm And wasn't able to support me effectively. Second time around, he was much more confident and went through every possible situation with me, so that he knew that he could support me well. In fact, the second time around was healing for him too, because he had redeemed himself in his eyes.

Anyway, very unMumsnetty hugs for you, as it really is shit. :(

Thandeka · 11/01/2011 15:31

nope.
9.5lb baby that I couldnt get out because they made me be on my back in stirrups to push. She was in dodgy position.

(whole other heap of other woes to throw into mix- failed epidurals, cannulas, ventouse before forceps episiotomy and a very poorly breathing DD with oxygen starvation, pneumonia and various other issues who was in NICU for 5days and we were in hospital for 8days)

OP posts:
AB12 · 11/01/2011 15:34

I thought I was fine. i had a very traumatic delivery too and lost alot of blood and everyone around me was panicked. Thought I was quite okay.

But when I had to go to the unit for my 6 week check i shook so badly i had to eb helped in.

I do not dare watch OBEM

MrsTittleMouse · 11/01/2011 15:35

Sorry, that was really long.

If you do decide to have another, it's a good idea to talk to the midwife about it. I had a lovely community MW second time around and she was really great and hand-holding what was to her a very normal low-risk pregnancy, but for what to me was 9 months of fear.

MrsTittleMouse · 11/01/2011 15:36

Oh, and neither DH or I can watch OBEM. We struggled to make it all the way through A Cock and Bull Story, and that was fiction! :)

Swipe left for the next trending thread