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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

itv's out of my depth Amanda Holden

41 replies

littlemissm · 14/12/2009 21:28

Justs started watching it & its at my local hosplital west middleswx in isleworth i had 3 of my babies there bit mad when you see it on tv & theres people you know on there

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houmousandcarrotsandwich · 15/12/2009 11:58

On a positive note about the program, I thought the wards it was based in looked clean and the staff organised and friendly. I hope my hospital will be as good.

I did laugh though when Amanda was trying to get one of the ladies to have her as MW. Have to say, that would be my worst nightmare! Wonder if the lady who took her on got paid?!

Also laughed at Amandas busy schedule around the time of birth, is it 4% of babies who come on their due date?

Zil131 · 15/12/2009 12:18

Scared me too (currently 3 days overdue with DC2...), but I had to remind myself that watching birthing videos is a stupid idea - they are always horrible; and the one person who does not need to see that is you! Also you will be in "another place" when it happens (either a happy hypnobirth, or sky high on gas and air!!)
Wish I'd not watched it; but it did remind me that my first was very like the second ladies, and made me more determined to insist on being upright / mobile.

peppapighastakenovermylife · 15/12/2009 12:46

For the first time mums worrying about this - please don't. Birthing videos are rarely like the real thing. Some things I have learned about birth

Its rarely as bad as you think it is. You cope better at the time than you think you will. I'm not saying it isnt extremely painful but its like most things - worrying about it often makes it seem worse than it actually is.

Not all women scream or feel the need to scream. I think screaming is often linked to the fear more than the pain. I never screamed, nor did friends. We did swear a lot though .

Moving about is the absolutely best thing you can do.

On the day you will have hormones and adrenaline to help you through it.

I am obviously not belittling any woman here who has had a bad experience. Sometimes things do go wrong yes, like anything. I had a horrible birth with DS but worrying about it is the worst thing you can do. I used hypnobirthing for DD and had her at home - and yes it hurt but it was fine.

shabbapinkfrog · 15/12/2009 12:56

Brilliant post Peppa.

Have had two delivery experiences and one that was - quite simply - amazing!

The difference between them was that the amazing birth was due to listening carefully to everything my midwife said....to moving about until about 10 minutes from the end where I knelt on all fours on the bed...to relaxation classes...to positive thinking.

peppapighastakenovermylife · 15/12/2009 13:35

I couldnt agree more Shabba - listening to the midwife and trying your best to stay calm and in control can make a huge difference. And stay as upright as possible and move around - really really makes the difference, especially if you have to lie down for an examination - you notice how much better it is being up!

I say this as someone who clung to the bed in the foetal position with my first baby and was quite traumatised afterwards. Managing to stay calm and upright with my second was the best thing I ever did - and genuinely described the birth only 3 days later to a friend as 'absolutely amazing'.

Oh, it is mandatory to say 'I can't do this' at some stage though .

bigpreggybelly · 15/12/2009 13:41

What happens if you have an epidural though?? I may want one but I don't know yet really. What positions can you really expect to be able to get in once you've had one?? I'd prefer to be able to move around if pos.

Zil131 · 15/12/2009 13:59

I had an epidural with DC1. Like the second lady last night, I had reached a point where I had got frightened and exhausted by the whole expereince; and had been going so long I no longer had the energy to do anything else.

You can get 'mobile' low dose epidurals; but once you are at that stage it's quite nice to lie back and let the midwives take over!!

lola0109 · 15/12/2009 14:00

Bigpreggybelly you may be limited to the positions with an epidural, i didn't have one as I was too late, but with DD I had been more comfortable when delivering, lying on my side with DP holding one leg in the air!

I think as long as you have a patient and strong birthing partner then you shouldn't be limited to being in one position, but hopefully someone else will clarify this.

I was supposed to be lying down for DD as she had a monitor attached to her head through my bajingo but I just kept springing off the bed for each contraction, so in the end they just left me to it.

The midwives (one was my mum) were all brilliant and kept me calm even when I was talking nonsense about going home now as I'd had enough. The best advice I was given though was to use the energy I was using for screaming and channeling it into pushing. what a difference!

maxbear · 16/12/2009 11:01

I felt a bit worried about the screaming too and I am a midwife who has done it twice before!!

Not many women scream like that until they are delivering and many that do actually feel a sense of achievement afterwards and are glad that they have done it. Also the baby was born back to back which was not commented on and that can make contractions much worse. Although many labours start off with a back to back baby, most turn during the labour and are born the right way round.

With regard to her staying on the bed, some women want to, I am always trying to encourage women to be upright and mobile and many just don't want to get up.

I would have liked to have seen Amanda with the woman when she was extremely distressed though. She was better than I thought she would be although some of the comments she made at first were very cringy. Shame she didn't actually get to deliver the baby!!

winjy · 19/12/2009 11:53

ha ha ha!! im only 8+2 and i felt physically sick after watching this prog and absolutely petrified!! but its gotta come out one way or another!!

GhoulsAreLoud · 19/12/2009 12:01

I didn't have the energy to walk around after 20 hours of contractions and a sleepless night either.

tackyChristmastreedelivery · 19/12/2009 12:04

You know, I am so surprised with labour. [midwife] I was totally conviced I would be up and mobile and it would help. What helped was lying on my side waving my leg in the air.

I did make myself get up to encourage the contractions at certain points with dd2 labour, but I got straight back onto the bed once they picked up.I had to really make myself do it, I just wanted to lie and be warm and snuggled. The staff said to chill and go with my feelings, but I knew I had to move to help the contractions.

I screamed, it really helped.

GhoulsAreLoud · 19/12/2009 12:05

I agree about the screaming though.

I didn't scream at all and I was in f*cking agony.

princessmel · 19/12/2009 12:10

I screamed/shouted and swore. I have never been so completely scared , in pain and out of control. Horrible I tell you. I thought it would never end. I was screaming 'knock me out'!!!

Gibodean · 07/03/2010 19:53

I don't suppose anyone still has a copy of this programme recorded to DVD or something ? My wife is giving birth in mid April at West Middlesex, and since they've stopped giving tours (swine flu fears) I figure this program might be our best bet of getting a feel for the place.

So, can anyone please help me out ?
(I've tried youtube, itv website, bittorrent, google, google, google, with no luck).

Gibodean · 29/03/2010 23:02

I found it on "thebox" torrent site - didn't see much of the hospital on it, but good enough.

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