Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Unflip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Unflip

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

1 2 3 4 5

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Childbirth

Best part of childbirth

121 replies

Thefoxsbrush · 05/07/2011 22:45

I've just been reading the 'ring of fire' thread! Yikes! Feel like we should re-dress the balance and share our favourite parts of giving birth.

For me with ds1 it was being able to have the natural waterbirth I wanted and it being everything I imagined it to be. With dd1 it is the memory of her being delivered by my husband (didn't make it to hospital) and with ds2 it was special as the midwife had also delivered ds1 and she remembered me. It was lovely to share that bond.

So come on, what were your best bits?

OP posts:

Report

toomuchteaching · 27/07/2011 20:19

The bit where DH said "we have a daughter". A-maz-ing!

But actually the whole thing... I am one of those people who absolutely loved it (despite everything) and when I saw my SIL at 38 weeks told her I was jealous of what she had coming... I'd do it all again tomorrow.

Seriously, the best feeling ever.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 19/07/2011 15:59

this thread has made me cry as I lie here nursing a sleeping 15month DD. Thankyou.

For me the best bitt were the realisation that labour wasn't all that bad, and that I could do this, and cuddling up with DD in the hospital bed so we could sleep...

Hormoneoverload · 19/07/2011 15:38

I so hope there's a thread like this in a couple of years time and I make it over here to relive memories. We've def had our last, I feel complete and had three lovely births (and babies!) and I hope to look back at it all fondly, kind of like my wedding. Done that-but wasn't it great! Slippery baby thing rang true, looking at dh and gripping his hand as if we really were both doing the contractions. And the feeling after the first two "I want to do this again" and after number three "phew that's it never again" but in a good complete kind of way. And like I said earlier, gazing into those deep black eyes just after they were born.

ShowOfHands · 19/07/2011 13:20

What a lovely thread. I wish I could comment but I have nothing to give. It was the worst day of my life. But tucked up on the postnatal ward hours later, it was the middle of the night and I could hear other babies snuffling and grunting quietly and dd's big blue eyes didn't leave mine for a second. I sat and whispered to her/cried all over her while the sun came up. Nobody will ever, ever, ever take that from me. I felt like we were the only two people in the world.

posterofagirl · 19/07/2011 13:17

I had an awful birth but I got through it, I feel like that was such an achievement

But seeing baby for the first time was the best bit.

wompoopigeon · 19/07/2011 13:13

There was a bit in my labour when the MW said "one more push and the head will be out" and I remember thinking "WTF, I thought it was going to be much worse than this, is it really nearly over?"

Also there is that amazing feeling that you're a total goddess who has made a baby and got it out, and no-one else in the world could have done that for you, only you. So it's that "I am woman hear me roar'!" thing another poster excellently describes.

That was my first labour and I'm pg again and praying for a similar experience!

threecurrantbuns · 19/07/2011 12:58

Only read the first page and already making me sooo broody all those fantastic first moments nothing beats it, good job we are ttc just cannot wait to have that first moment where you see your baby, finding out if its a boy or girl, the skin to skin and the first feed. That night where you should be so exhausted to cant stay awake but instead you spend the whole time with your eyes fixed on your gorgeous baby.

EggyAllenPoe · 19/07/2011 12:48

when the baby pops out - then its over! hurray!!!

MamaLazarou · 19/07/2011 12:42

I had a long, horrible birth, with PND following close on its heels. I felt no love for my son at first, and even missed out on the famous NHS tea and toast! I felt a bit cheated, to be honest.

BUT... about halfway through the birth - I was probably about 8cm dilated and still at home at this stage - I felt the baby shift down within my womb. I looked deep into my husband's eyes and said, 'There's going to be a baby here soon'.

I was wrong - the baby didn't arrive until about 10 hrs (and 10 miles in an ambulance) later! But I felt wonderfully strong and peaceful in that moment, and it has stayed with me as much as all the bad memories have.

Fishandjam · 15/07/2011 20:58

What 2tired said - the epidural, and my beautiful little lad at the end of it. I still well up when I remember the moment they placed him, covered in blood and vernix and screaming his little face off, on my chest. Never felt such joy.

GingerbreadGiraffe · 15/07/2011 13:34

Ive sat and read these and its so nice to read about the good stuff.

Best bit for me was (home water birth) delivering my daughter myself into the pool and leaning down into the water to catch her, she came to the surface and looked up at me with huge eyes and locked her gaze on me. It was totally amazng and worth all the labour etc. It was so calm, she dudbt scream and cry and she wasnt distressed at all. She didnt cry until I had to hand her to DH during the stiching bit and she wanted boob!.

The next equally good bit was seeing she was a girl. I had totally convinced myself she was a boy and so I genuinely suprised to see she didnt have bits. I had to do a double check!

Happy days

superjobeespecs · 15/07/2011 12:53

my labour and birth were piss easy and i tell the world and his wife especially first timers because the horror stories i heard scared the pants off of me :) i still remember thinking god is this it? what a big deal over nothing!! best part for me was probably the actual birth that slippery dolphin feeling then having this whole new person thrust onto my chest seeing her gorgeous red hair (lasted one day ) and her inquisitive face with her pretty little eyes all scrunched up and barely open looking at me as if to say ''who are you? are you mummy?'' and my first 'mummy moment' when they gave her her vit k and she cried i tried to get out of bed because they were hurting my baby and that mummy instinct to protect was so strong .. god im crying as i type this i love DD so blimming much doing it all again in 15 weeks with DS and i cant wait!!

JennyW1 · 15/07/2011 12:35

Another first-timer here! Thank you all so much for sharing the good sides of birth. It's great to hear the things that actually make it worth it, as opposed to being told it will be terrible but worth it, if you see what I mean. I've been loving watching One Born Every Minute as well because it's really reassured me that things can go really well and not all births are horrendous. Only five more months to wait now!

Nameforaday · 15/07/2011 10:30

The tea and toast, definately

fotheringhay · 15/07/2011 10:24

Lots of women who have nice easy births tend to keep quiet, so as not to brag or be unsympathetic to others (I do anyway). Also people love a bit of drama, and anecdotes travel far .

jomouse · 15/07/2011 08:32

Thank you so much for this thread from a terrified first timer!
Blubbing at your amazing experiences...this is the stuff people leave out when they tell you horror story after horror story and then finish with "but it was all worth it"

33goingon64 · 14/07/2011 21:21

The moment after the head was out when MW suggested I reach down to touch it: warm, hairy and so small. Every time I touch or kiss DS's head now I still think of that first touch.

Agree totally with the feeling I had met him before. Felt like I knew him already.

Hearing DH telling PILs and my parents on phone that they had a grandson, hearing the pride in his voice.

Firkytoodle · 14/07/2011 21:17

When I felt like DS and I were working together to get him born. His birth was generally awesome but the final ten minutes or so before he was actually born as I felt him descend and knew he was coming were amazing.

When he was placed on my chest and I looked into his eyes for the first time.

While I was being examined after he was born DH took DS into the kitchen to meet my mum's partner, my MIL and my mum- I could hear their reactions in the lounge and it was so lovely. Then we all sat and drank tea whilst I fed DS and they reminisced about their own births and praised me and DS. Sounds really lentil-weavery and it wasn't my intention to have them all there but really glad they were. It felt like a really safe warm female cocoon, like I had lots of extra support and love and healed a tricky relationship with the MIL.

DH's face when he told me 'boy' and 'girl' with both DCs and held his babies for the first time. His total pride in me.

Quantz · 14/07/2011 20:04

Something slightly different in my case: being stuck in the lift on our way to the labour ward: Firstly the other chap's (who was stuck with us) face when asking ''are you...? and us replying 'yes!' and secondly the two very dishy firemen who lifted me out between floors. The rest was best forgotten...

BedtimeDarling · 14/07/2011 20:03

In addition to everything that's already been said:

DD1 - working through my contractions silently throughout the night in a quiet hospital room with my mum and DH asleep and the midwife keeping an eye on proceedings in the background

DD2 - my DD1 (then 18m) supporting me through labour by patting my hand as I grunted screamed during each contraction (she was posterior)

timeforacuppa · 14/07/2011 19:10

O I love this thread!! I LOVED giving birth

So here goes... when I found out I was 10cm when the midwives were convinced I was in "early labour", the amazing, indescribable feeling of my son slithering out, the midwife holding him up so I was the first to see he was a little boy, the incredible priviledge of knowing that you have brought a little life into the world, the feeling of baby on your chest - the awe and wonder and not wanting to sleep and just stare at your beautiful new baby... big sigh and happy smile at the memories.

Jdub · 14/07/2011 15:13

I just loved EVERY single minute of giving birth and was scared that I wouldn't enjoy my second delivery as much as my first. (Fortunately I did- both with just gas and air!)
I LOVE the fact that what you are doing is just so mind-blowingly amazing, and I pictured every contraction like I was scaling a mountain, and really tried to focus and use the pain constructively! I remember thinking 'big and wide, big and wide!!'.
Best days of my life and would happily give birth every day if I could!!

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Email address

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

KTisPG · 14/07/2011 12:57

Tea with sugar in (I never usually like it) and toast afterwards

baldbyfifty · 14/07/2011 11:21

When its over!!!!

And that wonderful empowering feeling of how powerful the female body is.
But mostly just it being over was a very very good feeling!!!

Also I think no matter what kind of birth you have there should always always be a sense of pride.

Us women do amazing things!!

MrsVidic · 14/07/2011 10:43

The moment just before we left for hospital when I looked into dp's eyes and we shared the same thought " it's really happening, were having a baby"

The baby coming out and seeing she was pink and well

Seeing the look of pride and awe in dp's eyes

Skin to skin as she fed for 2 hours.

The bath after where I was amazed my bump had shrunk so much and I could see my bits again.

Unflip

1 2 3 4 5

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.