So how much blood and gore is there during birth, exactly?

[RGPargy]

Being from the "lay on your back and open your legs" Old Skool of Childbirth, I never actually got to see how much gunk, blood and gore there is at birth. So now, 17 years later, i'm having my second DC and i am (hopefully) having a HWB. I therefore need to know how much gunk I will be expelling from "down there" during the birth and whether i should be prepared for a scene from Jaws or whether it's just a few floaty bits. My mum told me i didn't poo myself with DS but i still dont know to this day if she just lied to protect me. Should i expect mess from both front and back bottoms??

Not much that I was aware of during labour - my waters didn't break with the first two for a start. Third time round my waters went early and I seemd to be soaked on a permanent basis until I actually went into labour. I have a feeling that there was gallons of blood afterwards presumably when the placenta was coming away.

ERr, um.. yes. But the midwives are brilliant at cleaning up as they go along.

Just don't look back as you are leaving the delivery room.

erm
i had 12 litres of blood
each to their own

There will be mess, but you will not notice or care!!!

But i will notice it if it's in the pool with me!!

there isn't normally much blood but because it mixes in with the amniotic fluid, it looks like a fair amount.

For a water birth, the water will turn murky and a bit yucky but it all rinses off.

ratio of blood to water... water wins every time!!

Are you specifically worried about poo rgp? Blood and amniotic fluid aren't going to be that terrible in the water. I never had a poo issue thankfully .

Lots and lots of fluid for me - whether it was mainly water or blood I have no clue but there was certainy lots of it both times

during the birth wasnt too bad for me. it was as soon as i stood up to have a bath directly afterwards it was . they assured me it was normal though - i thought i was going to die or something

I think i am worried about poo issues, yes.

I dont want my poor DP to freak out either if things start to look a bit erm.... messy!

same here harleyd - as soon as it was all over there was so much blood. Only time Dh got a bit wobbly

dont worry about poo. it will be the last thing you will be thinking of when you are in labour

lol Harley. Trust me, i will probably be waffling on about it whilst out of my face on G&A.

I had a HWB and most of the 'muck' got contained in pool as DH reminded me for AGES afterwards as he had the job of pumping it out LOL. TBH I didn't notice much after the birth and the MWs clean it all up so infact the house was cleaner than when prior to the birth.

I did poo but it was many pellets which they scooped out, my waters broke in the pool so no probs there although when I got out for a break during labour it kept coming with every contraction but the MW put pads wherever I was standing/sitting/lying.

Oh and we are both really squeamish but it was fine despite my 500ml blood loss because the placenta took a while to come away.

I always maintain that there is a very good reason why we can't see what's going on down there during the birthing process

Buy your DH a cheap plastic sieve and tell him he's in charge of fishing 'matter' out of the birthing pool. There won't be much anyway. And it'll keep DH busy and stop him 'advising' you about your breathing.

And Pampers Bed Mats are brilliant for lining your bed, for leaking blood and then for leaking boobs.

well...it's a messy business.
and my placenta didnt even come out!

I freaked out after first DS birth. Had a really nasty time - forceps etc, not water birth though. when I finally got up afterwards all the blood etc was still on the floor of the labour room. It looked as if someone had bled an elephant.

Don't let me put you off though!!

Seemed to be loads of blood.

They broke my waters and TBH I didn't actually notice that there was a particularly large amount.

Well i can vaguely remember seeing DS as he slithered out after the initial "head push" but i dont remember seeing anything gorey, which is why i asked.

I should prepare him for blood methinks.

I think my DP could answer that one accurately!!

I think it must vary greatly from person to person. I was birth assistant to my SIL as she didn't think her DH could cope and TBH there was very little blood and gunk at all. Certainly far less than I expected.

hahahhahahahahhahhahha
ahahahahahahahahahahhhahahahahahha
after birth of first child, the birth "suite" looked like an abatoir!
second time was much better!!although, when husband cut cord, it was realyy thick, and squirted blood everywhere!!!! advice??retain sense of humour- drugs help!