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Original poster

Surprises during birth

110 replies

BummyMummy77 · 30/11/2013 15:37

So I had ds a week ago and was thinking of the things that happened during birth that surprised me. Even though I've read countless books there were still things they didn't mention.

I had a home birth with no drugs or gas and air just so you get a picture. Just 12 hours of labour, 6 was full on pushing.

Shivering - for the last half an hour I convulsed and shivered. Poor dh was freaking out thinking I was fitting. Midwives didn't really raise an eyebrow, just said it was strong hormones.

The pooing - I know a lot of people poop but I pooped a little bit at almost every contraction for 6 hours. Watching dh fishing around the birthing pool with his wine sediment sieve with a horrified look on his face was brilliant.

Mucous plug - I'd been looking forward to seeing my bloody show for weeks lol. It happens way into labour near the end and came out like a rocket. There was SO much of it!

Waters breaking - I was also looking forward to this. Either a big gush like you see on the telly where you go into labour or the trickle trickle to let you know it's on it's way. What I wasn't expecting was giving a really good push, a really loud POP and half a gallon of brown smelly water flying all over the sofa (which I hated so very glad). He'd pooped inside which I knew could happen I just wasn't expecting the mess.

Anyone else get some shocks?

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plentyofsoap · 09/12/2013 02:37

That on my second labour all I wanted was food. Even at 5 cm I just wanted food. Even after my section I was nagging the midwife for toast. Odd. Also the pain. Nothing like it.

dodi1978 · 09/12/2013 12:15

Hm... suprises... in my case not knowing at 6pm that I'd be in labour by 7pm and have a baby by 11.30pm... that was the biggest surprise of all!

My husband was amazed at the amount of gunge that came out of me - blood, poo, pee....

cathpip · 09/12/2013 12:26

My dh's comment to a friend was fantastic, " I never thought I would see another lady with her hands up my wife's bits, till yesterday". I ended up with a emcs, I never thought they would roll me over and shove pain killers up my arse! Am now on baby no 3, let's see what new stuff they can do to me :)

lynniep · 09/12/2013 12:44

I was expecting what everyone else was expecting with DS1. Distinct contractions. I had intermitten cramps to begin with, but then I just had one long continuous pain. It wasn't even in waves. Just pain. The consultant was shouting to me to let him know when the next one would be and I didn't know what he was on about as there was no distinct feeling.
It wasn't till I went into labour with DS2 that I understood.

Also DS1 was breech. That was a surprise for everyone. Especially the midwife who only 20 minutes earlier had told me his head was engaged.

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 10/12/2013 09:51

How contractions feel like being sick, downwards! Confused
And, not during labour, but after pains! As bad as contractions with my second! Sad

Chrisbenedict · 10/12/2013 13:54

These are some really interesting stories :)

Coles22 · 24/10/2018 05:42

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thismeansnothing · 24/10/2018 15:18

I had an emcs but I was surprised that you still bleed afterwards, so those maternity pads came in. And that the incision wasn't near as big considering a whole baby came out and that the stitches were internal. How do they even do that?!

FartnissEverbeans · 26/10/2018 20:16

I was surprised by the way my contractions changed. I was counting down each one and at one point they lasted 40 seconds - then the next one went on for over a minute. That made me want to cry. Made me realise how little control I had, and I found that really terrifying (and painful obviously).

I was also surprised (and by that I mean horrified) to discover that it was possible to have no space between contractions at all. DS got stuck and by the end the contractions just came one after another with no respite. It was really awful.

TwittleBee · 29/10/2018 14:33

Quite a bit and this isnt even everything, basically labour was nothing how I expected despite going to many different classes, being active on MN and watching all the OBEM episodes!

  1. Didnt expect my waters to break per term nor pre start of labour (all the classes we went to said its v rare for that to happen and its wrong how they portray it on TV, well not for me lol!)

  2. The constant, never ending projectile vomit! F*ck me, kept being sick so hard into the buckets that it would splash back up at me, my hair was covered in sick! Was rather hilarious (but scary too) having my DM and DH constantly swapping filled for empty sick buckets.

  3. The almighty farts! Just OMG they were so loud and so long haha

  4. Having a Dr just constantly stare at my vagina with a complete bored look on her face whilst she was waiting for the placenta to come and how she kept trying to tug it out!

  5. Being washed down by two random women, still not sure who they were, despite being pretty mobile at that point

  6. How every single noise made me want to destroy things, like any beep, anyone tapping, anyone even breathing!

  7. Never getting regular contractions - they would rage from lasting for minutes at a time to short quick paced ones

  8. Didnt expect me to be prepped for a C-Sec, just in case, so wasnt allowed any of my bloomin snacks!!!

  9. Wasnt expecting the epidural they gave me in the end to not actually work properly! (wanst even expecting I would have one!)

  10. How I fell asleep as soon as DS latched onto my boobs moments after he was born

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