Embarrassed About Labour

[Disneybump]

So I had a really embarrassing labour and it's keeping me awake 2 nights later thinking about it...

I thought it might help put other people's minds at rest that, whatever you're worried about, it the can't be worse than this. Here goes:

I went into hospital two days early with strong, regular contractions thinking "this is it" only to find I was one centimetre dilated. The contractions had been so strong (but going nowhere) that they kept me in for 2 nights on a ward. I had some lovely painkillers, including codeine, which helped me get some sleep. I was also offered a c section the next day because she was breech, which I said no to because our hospital offers natural breech birth and I really wanted this. So I decided to go home and wait for my waters to break. The next day I lost my plug (still with the contractions) and 2am that night my waters went. Everything was progressing nicely and I was having a bath getting ready to leave for the hospital. The only thing was I really, really needed a poo and had done all that day but the codeine had made me really constipated. Which hurt so bad. My bowels never give me any problems and I don't usually take painkillers so my body didn't know what to do with itself.

By the time we got to the hospital my contractions were killing me and I was still desperate for a poo. The midwife, when finding I was 5 1/2 centimetres dilated, told me it was the pressure of the baby. I explained about the constipation and begged for some laxitives. Having already had contractions I knew I would cope with them so much better if I could just go to the toilet. They had me on gas and air for the pain straight away and agreed to get me a suppository laxative. Which worked really well...

But I was so off my head on gas and air I wasn't allowed to the bathroom so I had to sit on a bedpan in a chair with the midwife and my husband in the room. Because of the laxitives it was really bad but I was just so desperate to go. My poor lovely husband was looking away like I asked but he could hear everything. The midwife had to clean me up and I felt so embarrassed but I did feel loads better, when all of a sudden I projectile vomited all over myself and the bed.

I was having such a horrible time I kept up with the gas and air just trying to get through... then we found out her head was stuck and I had to go straight for an emergency C section. I was so out of it and emotional I cried all through the procedure and just wanted it to all be over.

I know some people poop in labour from pushing but I just think mine was so much more embarrassing because of the way it happened and I feel really ashamed when I think of it! I didn't even get to push...

Our baby girl is perfect and healthy, I know I couldn't ask for more. Please share any stories, there's no judgement here and hopefully this will make any other embarrassed mama's realise it doesn't always happen like the movies! An upsetting birth still results in a beautiful baby so we shouldn't be embarrassed (even if we can't help it sometimes)!

I poo'd pushing out both of mine - DH told me later - tbh it did worry me before ds1 but during it and before/during with DS2 I really didn't care!

I also managed to completely soak the head midwife with my waters when she came in to check how the lovely student midwife was doing with DS2
I was also in ICU last year with a bad infection - had to have bedbathes and then later to use a commode and ring the bell for the nurse to empty it and wash me - for nearly a week! it is something I had no control over like you

I expect lots of people will come and share similar stories including lots of nurses and midwives

I know it's on your mind now, but try to turn it into the anecdote you laugh about with DH and later on your DC. Your MW really won't have worried about it

I don't have an embarrassing story but I think getting other women to talk about it is a wonderful thing, there really is no need to feel embarrassed though, well done for growing a beautiful baby and bringing her into the world, poo and vomit is often part of the process and completely normal. Enjoy your baby and keep eating fibre

During labour the midwife couldn't scoop the poo out of the pool as it was to soft and kept breaking.

Just after I gave birth I held my partners face and wiped maconium all over his face.

Poo happens

Congratulations on your lovely baby!
My friend had some sort of food poisoning when she gave birth and every contraction diarrhea projectile sprayed from her bum. Her husband was most impressed and helped the midwives clean her up.
I don't know anyone who didn't vomit giving birth, I was most annoyed when nobody seemed ready for it when I had to do it.

You poor thing, as my midwife said, it's not called labour for nothing. I've pooed while in labour and I've soaked a midwife with my waters, she had to go and get changed

Most of my friends have a funny Labour story involving poo, wee or sick. Often a combination of all three.

Labour is neither dignified nor tidy.

But you do get a lovely baby at the end to cuddle.

OP

I gave biryh in Finland. They give you an enema at the beginning of labour. No pooping or vomitting from me. But I was so high on drugs..... I was with the fairies most my labour 😂

I projectile peed (?!!) and caught 2 midwives and my husband in the crosshairs. So all things considered, your husband hearing a few undignified sounds isn't so bad!

Bahahaha to these stories. I think we all have done this so don't worry. There's an old saying about labour and that is once you go to the hospital you leave your dignity at the door. I think you just have to let it go. I'm sorry that happened to you. It will soon be a distant memory.

Thank you so much everyone ♡ I went to bed so emotional last night because I have been so tired! Waking up to your stories and understanding has really made me feel so much better. Our little girl slept the night through (thank goodness) and I'm just waiting for my husband to come to hospital to see us- he doesn't seem to mind one bit about any of my labour (which I keep apologising for). One day it will be funny I know, post birth hormones got the better of me yesterday!!

Thank you girlies Xxx

Your dh would choose seeing you poo over having his genitals ripped open anytime so stop worrying!!

Congratulations.
For next year time ask your dh to leave the room while you're on the bedpan! Some things are private!

Confmgratulations on your lovely baby!

If it's any consolation I was like a rabbit shitting in a cage during mine, crying, puking and apologising over and over. Nothing they hadn't seen before so please don't worry.

I didn't see that you only did this 2 days ago!! Oh you have stupid hormones racing round you now and messing with your head - it will all be funny soon

Enjoy your new baby snuggles! (Jealous!)

Oh OP that seem pretty tame to stories I've heard don't worry. Congratulations on your new bundle!
After my c section, feeding baby for first time had to shout for the MW to take her and replace with a bowl as I was 1 second away from projectile vomiting over the poor thing! Luckily MW arrived just in time!

Thank you girls, you've cheered me up no end!! I feel so much better for getting it 'out there'... I guess my story is not so unique after all? @Fucksakefay thank you for your stories and reassurance! @snipsnipmrburgess I'm so sorry you were as scared as me... come to think of it I was like a frightened animal! It's so stressful and scary... I thought it would be a magical and special experience! It was the complete opposite!!!

I wouldn't worry about it, if midwives were offended by bodily functions they've probably chosen the wrong profession!

The very first time I got to hold my son was about an hour after the emergency c-section that delivered him. I held him for all of 3 seconds then yelled, someone take the baby, I'm going to be sick! The midwife and my husband were very quick (tbf, I'd been puking rather a lot for the past 24 hours, had to close my eyes during the section to stop it for 30 minutes) and not a drop was spilled on the baby.

I also remember being told to pee in a big paper bowler hat the next day and the midwife needing to inspect said pee before I could be discharged. But I could hardly walk, let alone carry it down the corridor without spilling it, so had to pull the emergency cord when no-one heard me politely asking for assistance. Cue about 3 midwives rushing in to find me sat on the loo offering up my bowl of bloodied pee.

Special newborn moments...

According to my DH I did the biggest poo in the world during labour. Honestly he seemed more impressed with that than he was about me pushing out our DS.

With DD I kept telling the midwife that I'd done one in the pool and she kept telling me it was just pressure, until DH spotted it floating around in the water.

I promise you will laugh about it soon. Congratulations!

I poo'd during both mine but I had to have a ventouse delivery with dd1 and after they cut me and dh saw all the blood he nearly fainted and the poo situation wasn't so bad

It shouldn't be embarrassing, your body did an amazing thing! And tbh most men aren't hung up about bowel movements the way woman can be.

Dh tried to make a joke once about it and I told him some frank truths. He now knows it's not funny even in a i-love-you-even-after jokey way.

Don't worry, I am pretty sure most people poo or vomit and some point during labour!! I think I did poo but was so out of it I am not sure and my husband is to kind to tell me I did!!! The midwife also gave my husband a lesson in milking me - that was fun!

Honestly op don't give it another thought. My friend has been a mw for 15 years and says that 95% of women poo during/end of labour!

Poo happens
I pooed giving birth to DC1, and my husband wiped my arse for me!!
I also asked him to watch me being stitched up to make sure "she makes it look like my fanny not a shark attack!"