what was the worst bit of giving birth or afterbirth for you?

[ogri]

mine was, had to have an emergency c section, so had a drain in the cut. the next day i was in agony , felt like the drain was rubbing on something inside me. i couldnt move.
i couldnt let the doctor or nurse take the drain out as it was so sore. i had to eventually pull it out little by little myself. it was in a good 6 inches, not 2 inches like i was told. as soon as it was out i was like a new woman. i was up and about. couldnt believe a little tube could cause so much pain.

Pushing for almost an hour only to be told that actually i wasn't fully dilated after all then the actual sensation of that head stretching it's way out...urgh!
Breastfeeding sucked too.
However at least it went OK & dd was safe...must have been very frightening, Dinosaur.

Whoa! Dino. Not something you could forget in a hurry.

Oh, Dinosar, you made me cry! Glad it turned out ok.

My worst was being made to lie on my back when I wanted desperately to move around. MW said it was because DS needed constant monitoring (I only realised MONTHS later that she did not do any monitoring! but would not let me get up). And then when she tried to force me to have an epidural that I did not want (or need).

Needless to say for Baby2 (due Sept) we have a different MW

DS : after five hours of midwives ignoring the fact that ds's heart beat was all over the place, it finally disappeared altogether. The worst moment was the consultant sprinting down the cooridoor to the operating theatre (me waddling behind her) while she literally screamed at the theatre staff to 'get this baby out NOW!!!'. The obvious terror on the doctor's face completely convinced me we'd lost ds. Luckily all came good in the end.

DD: Lovely birth, but horrible spectacular haemorrhage six hours later, followed by mysterious infection which shut down my bowels and put me back in hospital (without dd) for two weeks.

Wont be having any more babies - that's for sure.

getting through birth quickly with no pain relief and no tears etc, only to scream at the afterpains with no 2 child (dd) was born and needing co codamol
How wimplike was that.
Also the milk coming in is a big WTF moment too...

Dinosaur - what an awful story - made me cry too.

all of it ! the contractions, the after pains were nearly as bad after dd2 was born. The cracked nipples, the mastitis - and the first time dp and I tried to have sex after dd1 !!!! he got sprayed in milk!!!! sorry if that's too much iformation but at least we can laugh about it now....!

Dinosaur - funny you should say about your ds's birthday bringing back the memories. I always go a bit weird/panicky around dd's birthday (the one where I almost pegged it rather than ds - I'm selfish that way ). It's a bit bizarre - I'm not conscious of it being connected to the birth but when I think about it, it obviously is.

Just wondered if you had any similar feelings?

do you get panics dinosaur???

I see dinosaur must have been very frightening!

I know, ds1 had a traumatic birth - never know do we!

32 hour labour and no sleep for 55 odd hours, along with the drip (hate those more than the epidural) and the episiotomy when the stitches tightened and finally the agony of latching onto a cracked nipple. Ow Ow Ow Ow.

All worth it though. Being pregnant was much worse.

Oh god - wish I hadn't read this. Am seven months pregnant and dreading going through it all again. Having said that, some of these hospital stories of insensitve staff have made me glad I'm having a home birth again. I think when midwives are 'guests' in your home you call the shots a bit more and also they have to give you two to one care - something you don't get in hospital. Can't say I'm looking forward to it, exactly, though - I had a four hour second stage and my worst memory is of the agony of crowning - if I could have an epidural at home I'd really be happy....

the midwife saying 'would you like him in bed with you or in the cot next to you?'
I thought they took them away afterwards to let you have a lie in

Oh god, dinosaur, have just read your post and it made me cry - I think mine must have crossed with yours. That must have been awful for you

the bit just after they were born, when I was expecting to feel better, enjoy baby etc - but had to have stitches - more pain.

Stitches and Milk dry up.

Horrible horrible horrible

when after a 36 hours and my dd having to have her shulder broken as she got stuck, the mid wifes saying ohh your to tired to feed her and taken her off down the other end of the ward, i had an epidural so couldnt get out of the bed to get her as i could hear her screaming, also they left the bel out of my reach, in the end i just yelled as i had spent 2 hours frantically sobbing that theyhad taken her away from me only 1 hour after giving birth, eventually they brought her back to me and she is now 10 weeks and hasnt left me since. i have panic attacks at the thought of leaving her with anyone.!

I do remember dinosaur because I thought you were lovely. I live in Arsenal now so don't really get to any of the city get-togethers but will be a SAHM again from September for at least six months. My motto to get me through at that point will be 'have baby (and toddler) - will travel' so let me know of any future get togethers!