One Born Every Minute

[MrsChemist]

Anyone watching?

I watched OBEM and did not think Steph's screaming was nearly as bad as I imagined given the comments here.

If someone had their wisdom teeth removed without pain relief, no-one would be surprised if they screamed.

I had an awful labour, and was told i was 'making too much of it' by a MW who had never fucking given birth. I asked DH last night if i screamed, he said, no I did not, i just vomited alot and groaned. (During labour itself).

Labour takes people differently. I have a friend who swears she felt very little- 'bad period pain'. I had a previously undiagnosed scoliosis of the spine, with my coccyx in a funny position. The baby could not come out on his own, and was dragged out. I had a 3rd degree tear, and a manual removal of my placenta. Without pain relief. Sure as shit I screamed. Gas and air made me throw up. pthidine gave me a rest for 30 minutes (the mw said 'i thought you would be out for longer than that).

Labour fucking hurts. I completely fail to understand why pople think it makes you a bigger better person if you can 'cope' in a way that does not make OTHER people feel uncomfortable.

OOoooooo - I'm hooked! Love love love it!

I drive DH nuts as it's always on series record.

No more babies allowed here (health reasons) so I am living my broodiness out through the power of TV

I'm afraid I screamed a bit like Steph with DS, very fast labour and birth once the Pitocin drip kicked in. I was induced.

Fuck that hurts like a bastard with no drugs on board.

I am missing the vomiting and shitting. they want to portray how it really is?

Great name mousymouse

I'm sure they showed some vom in the first series. No shitting though IIRC.

Do you really want to see poo and vom?

I'm sure poo was mentioned in the last series at some point...

I thought steph's screaming was from a woman who was 'out of control'.
She was scared and wasn't being helped properly from what the prog chose to show. screaming " no no" at the beginning of a contraction is going to make the pain worse than it already is.

kittywise I agree.

Panic and anxiety can worsen the pain. She needed to be taught coping strategies such as breathing techniques taught in yoga. Most people don't know how to breathe properly.

I totally agree that from what was shown the mw could have done more to support Steph - changing positions, lowering her voice (rather than screaming) offering pethidine and maybe suggesting an epidural ie being more proactive about getting her one. But we don't know for certain that these weren't tried and just not shown as part of the final programme.

I don't think it is acceptable for mws to behave in any way that makes light of a woman's fear or pain in their presence but I can totally understand the mw's comments and behaviour when she was in the staff room - they are just people after all and I'd be suprised if anyone who's had or has a job can honestly say they've never talked about a client/customer/patient with their colleagies out of earshot.

I helped a friend through labour a year ago. Second baby attempted vbac. For 12 hours I coached her through each contraction. Now I know the nhs doesn't have anywhere near the midwives they need to give that kind of one to one support, but watching that midwife stoke steph's arm a bit whilst she was screaming and writhing around made me quite angry. I thought it was, well a bit pathetic tbh.

She needed help to cope, she needed to feel supported and not scared to death. There is a big difference in being vocal whilst labouring and screaming and writhing in fear and panic.

Watching the programme made me remember my terrible labour with DS1 and thankful c-sections were invented.

I cannot describe the relief I felt when I was finally put out of my misery and given a section for DS1.

My planned c-section with DS2 was fantastic - especially as he emerged to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon.

No 3 may emerge to the 1990s party hits playlist we created for my 40th birthday

I have friends who have had wonderful, easy, natural births; I was not one of them.

How anyone could condemn poor Steph for screaming is QUITE BEYOND ME.

Stephs screaming aside...I was really angry for Ralph, i cant believe he wasnt allowed into the rom when his child was born.

He should have been allowed as well as Janets mum or Janets mum should have stepped aside and 'let' him in there.

That pissed me off far more than the noise someone made while they were in labour tbh.

ah yes Ralph deffo an Aspie! and lovely to boot!

room

kittywise i agree
i wonder if the camera stifled the midwives a bit.... I always tell my midwives ' tell me what to do - order me about i need it' I need to feel like they are in control if i am losing it ...i do not need a wishy washy approach

One of my deliveries had a 60 year old 'hattie jacques' style woman who pushed me on my back and had a 'shut up and get on with it girl ' attitude and i did not like that....but ...i would prefer it to no attitude

MoldyWarp I don't know if they might have been stifled. If I were being being filmed I'd make damn sure I didn't look ineffectual though.

I love OBEM. I was having our DD in there when they were filming the 1st series. I screamed my head off, so whenever there was an out-of-sight screamer, DH gleefully pointed out that it was probably me!
This attitude that some people have, that labouring women shouldn't be noisy enough to make others uncomfortable, makes me very sad. If screaming helps, then scream!

As for the portrayal of the MWs, I think it might be a very skewed picture. I was in there for quite a while, (2 days of labour, and 5 days afterwards) so I recognise a lot of the staff. During the contractions I didn't want contact or reassurance, so people were just sat waiting quietly for me to stop. In between was a different story, they were very keen for me to get up and keep mobile, everything was explained well, and I was advised and coached. Everyone in there was fantastic, so helpful, professional and friendly, yet if you'd only seen me having a contraction, you would have never known.

Can't wait for the next episode! :)

I love it but in a strange way it makes me feel broody even with the screaming and I wince whenever they say the head is crowning. Its a fab program!

Swearing does help with pain news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8147170.stm. Whatever works for you. Yes it may scare the other women but that is the problem with Hosp Births.

I am not a shouter (tend to get quieter as pain becomes overwhelming) but go for it if it works for you.

Totally agree with lying on back being a problem.

I had 2 deliveries in a up right position and having really liked it for my second birth I automically got into that position for 3rd birth and the midwife daid to DP 'why is she doing that?'. DP explained it had worked for me before. I kept thinking that I would have loved to hold onto a handle suspended from the ceiling (a bit like what gymnasts use).