Oh that's good to know, it seems that pregnant women shouldn't get told anything about their care and it must all be kept a mystery. Thankfully I didn't need any further gynae treatment as well.
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The midwife said to me “oh you want to be more careful down there you’ve nicked yourself” while I was 6cm dilated with a nearly 10lb,overdue, back to back, induced baby. You’re lucky I even bothered mate!
Then I had a drip in an awkward position and it kept ripping so the doctor told me to put my hand above my head and he wrapped something over it. The same midwife then walked in and saw me laid back with my hand above my head and said “ oh quit the woe is me act and get this baby out will you”.
When he was born she went in my bag, picked his outfit out and dressed him. Didn’t even ask my husband if that was ok ( I couldn’t see because the doctor was stitching me and pulled the curtain) when they pulled the curtain back she was sat there bottle feeding him and looked at me and said “ oh I’m sure you didn’t want to breastfeed”
Then to top it off she told me none of my family could hold him when they visited because he had a delicate head, yet she kept popping in and out and picking him up without asking. She pulled me a death stare when she walked in and saw my dad holding him. With my next child I had a lovely midwife and she said “oh you’ve got lovely hair and beautiful eyes and gorgeous teeth too does your little boy look like you” I said no he’s like his dad, she looked at my husband and said “oh” Hahahaha. I’m pleased she said it though because after my little girl was born and my husband rang his dad to tell him he had a granddaughter he said “ hi dad, you seen the Liverpool score? Oh yeah the baby is here it’s a girl”
Then I had a drip in an awkward position and it kept ripping so the doctor told me to put my hand above my head and he wrapped something over it. The same midwife then walked in and saw me laid back with my hand above my head and said “ oh quit the woe is me act and get this baby out will you”.
When he was born she went in my bag, picked his outfit out and dressed him. Didn’t even ask my husband if that was ok ( I couldn’t see because the doctor was stitching me and pulled the curtain) when they pulled the curtain back she was sat there bottle feeding him and looked at me and said “ oh I’m sure you didn’t want to breastfeed”
Then to top it off she told me none of my family could hold him when they visited because he had a delicate head, yet she kept popping in and out and picking him up without asking. She pulled me a death stare when she walked in and saw my dad holding him. With my next child I had a lovely midwife and she said “oh you’ve got lovely hair and beautiful eyes and gorgeous teeth too does your little boy look like you” I said no he’s like his dad, she looked at my husband and said “oh” Hahahaha. I’m pleased she said it though because after my little girl was born and my husband rang his dad to tell him he had a granddaughter he said “ hi dad, you seen the Liverpool score? Oh yeah the baby is here it’s a girl”
After a traumatic induction and labour that resulted in an emergency section, my mother (who had 1 emergency section and then 2 electives) told me we weren't made for giving birth. When I said "But I did give birth" she said "Yeah but you know what I mean... properly"
We don't talk anymore.
We don't talk anymore.
I had an elective c section at 36 weeks due to PPROM and baby remaining breech and have definitely been made to feel like I didn’t give birth “properly”
People can be harsh fuckers, major surgery and 6 weeks recovery with a newborn is not easy.
I had an emergency c section with my first as he was back to back and stuck. I was told I 'didnt really give birth' or I was 'too posh to push'. Less than 18 months later I had my second who was born after about 10 minutes of pushing. Having had a caesarean and a natural birth I can honestly say in my personal experience natural was far easier in terms of recovery. I mean the main factor was I could actually walk after giving birth! C sections are hard work. People are nasty.
I had this too!
I was quite lucky and was at 38 weeks. I knew on the weekend before he was born something wasn’t right and my husband nagged me to go get checked but I refused and said I’d see how I went (I didn’t wanna seem OTT, I know better now)
I remember sitting at my mums house scraping my feet on the floor because the itch was unbearable.
the next morning I found myself scratching my hands raw, i gave in, called maternity and went in and was induced straight away. I remember my mum coming with me and being horrifed when they said about stillbirth and she told me I would not be leaving until he was born
When I was being monitored then kept saying the machine was showing contractions and could I not feel anything?! I was like nope - not a thing, I was checked and I was about 2cm (had absolutely no idea) but when they burst my waters the next morning, by goddddd did I know about them then!
I felt like being induced really messed up my feelings of being ready to give birth - it was so out of my own hands, I didn’t get to my due date so I felt like I’d ‘got there’ and I was just like this is all waaaay too soon if that makes sense?
He was born 8 hours later though we did have the consultant in once or twice because they thought he had pooed, luckily he hadn’t but I do remember the look of terror on my husbands face when they told him when he was born he’d be take straight to the side because he might not cry.
I definitely had a good birth, but the fear of obstetric cholestasis again in another pregnancy really puts me off. I know I’d be induced earlier and likely to have it again
I also found after I gave birth because my liver levels Didn’t sort themselves out my skin was AWFUL. Like acne everywhere. It really affected the first few months PP for me and my doctor didn’t even check my 6 week bloods to ensure my liver levels were okthe bottom of the feet itching was the worst! I had it from 30 weeks both times so you can imagineI had this too!
I was quite lucky and was at 38 weeks. I knew on the weekend before he was born something wasn’t right and my husband nagged me to go get checked but I refused and said I’d see how I went (I didn’t wanna seem OTT, I know better now)
I remember sitting at my mums house scraping my feet on the floor because the itch was unbearable.
the next morning I found myself scratching my hands raw, i gave in, called maternity and went in and was induced straight away. I remember my mum coming with me and being horrifed when they said about stillbirth and she told me I would not be leaving until he was born
When I was being monitored then kept saying the machine was showing contractions and could I not feel anything?! I was like nope - not a thing, I was checked and I was about 2cm (had absolutely no idea) but when they burst my waters the next morning, by goddddd did I know about them then!
I felt like being induced really messed up my feelings of being ready to give birth - it was so out of my own hands, I didn’t get to my due date so I felt like I’d ‘got there’ and I was just like this is all waaaay too soon if that makes sense?
He was born 8 hours later though we did have the consultant in once or twice because they thought he had pooed, luckily he hadn’t but I do remember the look of terror on my husbands face when they told him when he was born he’d be take straight to the side because he might not cry.
I definitely had a good birth, but the fear of obstetric cholestasis again in another pregnancy really puts me off. I know I’d be induced earlier and likely to have it again
they told me because you’ve had it once it’s like 8/10 you’ll get it again. Twice was enough for me! Xoh gosh that’s so high! It really puts me offthe bottom of the feet itching was the worst! I had it from 30 weeks both times so you can imagine
did you have monitoring early on to check, how was it for your second pregnancy? xNothing until I started itching again. I think they just leave you to it and see if it happens again xoh gosh that’s so high! It really puts me off
It really isn't. I hyperstimulated from an hour after having a pessary in. They said my contractions at that time were of the frequency and intensity they'd expect from somebody who's ready to push. I was 2-3cm at the time.
I got to 9 but baby was stuck up high (8lb 7oz and back to back in a crooked position) so couldn't progress further and her heart rate shot up with pitocin so went in for EMCS, I thought "thank God that's done with"... Was not prepared for the pain after the spinal wearing off at all. I kept telling the nurses I wouldn't stand up because I was going to tear apart, I remember thinking they must think I was a real pansy as I'd not even pushed her out I hope you've found peace with your birth. I know everybody says "it doesn't matter as long as baby gets here safe" but your feelings absolutely do matter.
I was induced at 38+3 after loads of unexplained reduced movements so was safer for baby.
Induction took FOREVER and I had to stay cooped up in a side room as needed 4 hourly monitoring as high risk. I had 1 24 hour pessary (well 2 as 1 fell out when I went to the toilet) 2 gels, waters broke and the drip. It took 3 days to get me in labour.
On the third day, I had my waters broken around 11am Which was a faff and a half as doc accused me of my waters having already broke (they hadn’t) and was told I was 2cm, having been in for 2 days already this was really disheartening. The smallest trickle of waters came out and I waddled down to a delivery room.
once in the room I was given a cannula (took 4 attempts and 1 burst vein) and hooked up to the drip. Within about 20 minutes of being on the drip my uterus went into complete overdrive and I was contracting every 30-60 seconds and could not take it. I got given gas and air reluctantly as they told me I wasn’t in established labour so not allowed it. They gave me an ultimatum of have an epidural to allow your body to relax or go for a c section. Really wanting to avoid surgery I agreed to the epidural even though I was definitely against one in my birth plan. To get me through the epidural they turned the drip down and put it back up once it was in.
About 30 minutes later I had an intense urge to wee but having the epidural I didn’t know how, so the midwife said she’d put a catheter in, she struggled as she had to go around my babies head (he was so low down but they hadn’t examined me) they drained my bladder but I still felt the need to wee so I was told to try and push (this confused me as they said I was still only 2cm)
A doctor came in at this point and told me I had 30 minutes to get my baby out or I’d be having an instrumental delivery and I said hell no.
cue lots of pushing and me almost passing out from too much gas and air and scaring my boyfriend to death, and about 10 minutes later my Baby was born. I was given an injection for my placenta immediately (no discussion as previously asked for as to whether I wanted to deliver naturally) but given my in love feeling with my newborn I didn’t say anything.
I was then examined and told Id tore into my anus and needed surgery to stitch me back together.
luckily my boyfriend and baby were allowed in and midwifes tried to get my baby to feed (I have flat nipples) and I was stitched up none the wiser to what mess I was in down below. Once I was stitched they said the tear wasn’t actually that bad and my bum was fine so I just had internal vaginal and perineum stitches.
I was kept in for 24 hours due to 1 high temperature in labour and then went home feeling fresh as a daisy and even walked to the car in the multi-storey up the hill from the hospital.
All was fine and good until a baseball size clot fell out of me after a midwife visit and I convinced myself I had retained placenta but I was actually fine and it was normal Post birth clotting.
Can’t bloody wait for more babies
Induction took FOREVER and I had to stay cooped up in a side room as needed 4 hourly monitoring as high risk. I had 1 24 hour pessary (well 2 as 1 fell out when I went to the toilet
) 2 gels, waters broke and the drip. It took 3 days to get me in labour.On the third day, I had my waters broken around 11am Which was a faff and a half as doc accused me of my waters having already broke (they hadn’t) and was told I was 2cm, having been in for 2 days already this was really disheartening. The smallest trickle of waters came out and I waddled down to a delivery room.
once in the room I was given a cannula (took 4 attempts and 1 burst vein) and hooked up to the drip. Within about 20 minutes of being on the drip my uterus went into complete overdrive and I was contracting every 30-60 seconds and could not take it. I got given gas and air reluctantly as they told me I wasn’t in established labour so not allowed it. They gave me an ultimatum of have an epidural to allow your body to relax or go for a c section. Really wanting to avoid surgery I agreed to the epidural even though I was definitely against one in my birth plan. To get me through the epidural they turned the drip down and put it back up once it was in.
About 30 minutes later I had an intense urge to wee but having the epidural I didn’t know how, so the midwife said she’d put a catheter in, she struggled as she had to go around my babies head (he was so low down but they hadn’t examined me) they drained my bladder but I still felt the need to wee so I was told to try and push (this confused me as they said I was still only 2cm)
A doctor came in at this point and told me I had 30 minutes to get my baby out or I’d be having an instrumental delivery and I said hell no.
cue lots of pushing and me almost passing out from too much gas and air and scaring my boyfriend to death, and about 10 minutes later my Baby was born. I was given an injection for my placenta immediately (no discussion as previously asked for as to whether I wanted to deliver naturally) but given my in love feeling with my newborn I didn’t say anything.
I was then examined and told Id tore into my anus and needed surgery to stitch me back together.
luckily my boyfriend and baby were allowed in and midwifes tried to get my baby to feed (I have flat nipples) and I was stitched up none the wiser to what mess I was in down below. Once I was stitched they said the tear wasn’t actually that bad and my bum was fine so I just had internal vaginal and perineum stitches.
I was kept in for 24 hours due to 1 high temperature in labour and then went home feeling fresh as a daisy and even walked to the car in the multi-storey up the hill from the hospital.
All was fine and good until a baseball size clot fell out of me after a midwife visit and I convinced myself I had retained placenta but I was actually fine and it was normal Post birth clotting.
Can’t bloody wait for more babies
My waters broke on the Tuesday afternoon when I was 40 + 5. Spoke to the hospital and they said to make my way in and not to rush as I wasnt experiencing any contractions. We got there, I was examined and they said "oh boy, your waters have definitely broken" and I was sent home to return in 24hrs if I still wasnt having any contractions. Couldnt sleep that night as every time I lay down I had awful crampy type pains but not contractions. Ended up sleeping in a chair for like 2hrs 
Went to the hospital on Wednesday afternoon as instructed. Waited a couple of hours whilst they monitored the baby and then I was induced and left to my own devices. Around 2am I got a new midwife who advised having half a shot of diamorphine to help me get some sleep as I was only 2cm dilated but experiencing some very strong contractions.
Slept for a little bit and then Thursday was just a blur of contraction after contraction. Got to midday and decided I had enough and couldnt go on. My midwife was very supportive and told me I could carry on and it wouldnt be much longer.
Got to 10cms at around 11pm on Thursday and was told to push on every contraction which was fine initially. My midwife turned to me and said "why arent you pushing?" And I said "I'm not having any contractions" so I got put on a drip to speed up my contractions, holy hell they were the worst!!
I was examined by a doctor twice, the first time he said to push for another half an hour and then he would reassess. The second time he said let's go to surgery and we will either use forceps or c-section but let's see what is going on.
So the epidural guy came in to explain what would happen and I signed my life away (still contracting faster and harder than ever before!) And off we went to surgery. I had the epidural and it was amazing! The doctor took one look and said "no let's operate" and 5 mins later she was here in the early hours of Friday morning
She was back to back and very stuck!
Thought we were done but baby had an infection so we knew we were in hospital with her until her 5 day course of antibiotics were over.
Didnt anticipate me getting sick. Ended up with a condition which can happen 1 in 10,000 cases after a c-section
So we spent 10 days in hospital in total. I cant fault the majority of the midwives as they were lovely. The ones who were there when I delivered I didnt like at all and feel they could have been way more supportive and involved rather than just leaving me to it.
Went to the hospital on Wednesday afternoon as instructed. Waited a couple of hours whilst they monitored the baby and then I was induced and left to my own devices. Around 2am I got a new midwife who advised having half a shot of diamorphine to help me get some sleep as I was only 2cm dilated but experiencing some very strong contractions.
Slept for a little bit and then Thursday was just a blur of contraction after contraction. Got to midday and decided I had enough and couldnt go on. My midwife was very supportive and told me I could carry on and it wouldnt be much longer.
Got to 10cms at around 11pm on Thursday and was told to push on every contraction which was fine initially. My midwife turned to me and said "why arent you pushing?" And I said "I'm not having any contractions" so I got put on a drip to speed up my contractions, holy hell they were the worst!!
I was examined by a doctor twice, the first time he said to push for another half an hour and then he would reassess. The second time he said let's go to surgery and we will either use forceps or c-section but let's see what is going on.
So the epidural guy came in to explain what would happen and I signed my life away (still contracting faster and harder than ever before!) And off we went to surgery. I had the epidural and it was amazing! The doctor took one look and said "no let's operate" and 5 mins later she was here in the early hours of Friday morning
She was back to back and very stuck!
Thought we were done but baby had an infection so we knew we were in hospital with her until her 5 day course of antibiotics were over.
Didnt anticipate me getting sick. Ended up with a condition which can happen 1 in 10,000 cases after a c-section
So we spent 10 days in hospital in total. I cant fault the majority of the midwives as they were lovely. The ones who were there when I delivered I didnt like at all and feel they could have been way more supportive and involved rather than just leaving me to it.
My late mum was there for my first child, she full on fainted and whacked her head on the trolley while I was pushing. So a team of nurses had to tend to her and wheel her away because she had a brain tumour... I was so worried about my mum I couldn't push so a ventouse was used and my baby "girl" I was told I was expecting at the scan had a willy!!!
4th birth, my sister was my birthing partner and I had to put up with her for over 3 days. She is a lesbian with no kids... she decided she wanted to be at the end with all the action while I was being sewn up after a forceps delivery where I was cut almost to my anus. She kindly announced "Well that has put me off going with women with kids, that is one butchered nuni and its put me off roast beef dinners for life and all sis" - the midwives didnt know where to put their faces and I wish my mum was still alive to find out what she saw to make her faint
4th birth, my sister was my birthing partner and I had to put up with her for over 3 days. She is a lesbian with no kids... she decided she wanted to be at the end with all the action while I was being sewn up after a forceps delivery where I was cut almost to my anus. She kindly announced "Well that has put me off going with women with kids, that is one butchered nuni and its put me off roast beef dinners for life and all sis" - the midwives didnt know where to put their faces and I wish my mum was still alive to find out what she saw to make her faint
My first was born prematurely at 23weeks, i cannot begin to explain how terrified i was. Everyone who knew unknowingly was making it worse by attempting to give me grief support despite the fact my DD was alive and breathing with assistance.
Amazingly we were out within a few weeks as she showed everyone how strong she was! Within a few days she was breathing on her own...i remember the midwife supporting me said her granddaughter arrived at 20 weeks and made it through with no problems too...just goes to show how amazing our little humans are.
Amazingly we were out within a few weeks as she showed everyone how strong she was! Within a few days she was breathing on her own...i remember the midwife supporting me said her granddaughter arrived at 20 weeks and made it through with no problems too...just goes to show how amazing our little humans are.
my pregnancies and labours were pretty normal, only minor complications - but I just find the whole thing so traumatic! I honestly don’t know how we do it.I genuinely thought I’d be more traumatised by my birth than I am. Considering when my baby came out I looked at my boyfriend and said “never again” but now I’m like “I wanna do it all again!”. Funny how you forget the pain ha.
I had a very straightforward pregnancy but my waters went unexpectedly at 36+4 on the Thursday before Christmas. Went to hospital and was admitted and told if I hadn’t gone into labour by the Sunday they’d induce me. Friday morning rolls around and the consultant tells me he’s sending me home to wait and see if I go into labour naturally but I’ll be booked in for an induction at 38 weeks because they don’t want me to go past then.
Saw my community midwife on Christmas Eve and she was very surprised I’d been sent home. I’m convinced they just didn’t want me in over Christmas.
30th Dec (induction day) arrives and still no sign of me going into labour naturally so I go into the hospital for 8.30am. Eventually given the pessary which did bring on quite a bit of pain. Get to about 11pm and I go to the toilet and realise it’s fallen out. Get checked by midwife who confirms it’s definitely gone. After speaking to a doctor they decide they’re gonna get me straight on the drip as I’m high risk due to my waters going over a week previously. My first midwife in the delivery suite was amazing. I managed a few hours just breathing (midwife didn’t think I was contracting properly because I was handling it so well but after feeling my tummy she confirmed I was). After a while i go onto the gas and air as I was getting lightheaded from the breathing. Gas and air helped with the pain but didn’t help with the lightheaded ness and made me thirsty so I was drinking loads of water which I ended up throwing back up after about 20 mins... but after that I felt fine! At around 4am my midwife goes on her break and another one sits in. I’m so tired by this point I decide I want an epidural (which surprised me as the thought of them makes me queasy). I 100000% regret that epidural. it didn’t completely take the pain away but made contractions a bit more bearable. my first midwife finishes her shift and my new one comes in. She was lovely but she missed so many things. They were due to check how dilated I was at 8.45 but about an hour-hour and a half beforehand I started feeling a huge pressure down below. Told midwife but she didn’t seem to know what that was?! Then the baby dropped off the monitor (now realise that was because she had dropped down ready to come out). Then I start shaking uncontrollably like I’m freezing but I wasn’t cold. Again midwife didn’t seem to know what was wrong with me. She then decides to check me early and realises I’m 10cm and ready to push. Which looking back I think that’s why I was shaking and had the huge pressure - because my body was telling me to push and I wasn’t. Unsurprisingly baby got stuck and I wasn’t pushing effectively at first so resulted in an episiotomy (with no anaesthetic because one of the doctors was all “she’s had an epidural so she won’t feel it” but let me tell you, I FELT it. That was the worst pain of the whole birth) and forceps. Baby then had to go to NICU as she was struggling to breathe. She had a pneumothorax and also an infection (probably from my waters going and being left for ages) and so we were to stay in hospital for 5 days while she had antibiotics. The day after she came back to the ward she ended up under a blue light for bad jaundice. After 24hours she was all good but that was also the day before she was due to finish her antibiotics and we’d be able to go home... the same day my blood pressure spiked and the midwives wanted me to stay in for monitoring so we were in for another few days
. Spent a week in hospital in all.
Not great for someone with health anxiety!! But I got through it. We’re so much stronger than we realise.
I had a very straightforward pregnancy but my waters went unexpectedly at 36+4 on the Thursday before Christmas. Went to hospital and was admitted and told if I hadn’t gone into labour by the Sunday they’d induce me. Friday morning rolls around and the consultant tells me he’s sending me home to wait and see if I go into labour naturally but I’ll be booked in for an induction at 38 weeks because they don’t want me to go past then.
Saw my community midwife on Christmas Eve and she was very surprised I’d been sent home. I’m convinced they just didn’t want me in over Christmas.
30th Dec (induction day) arrives and still no sign of me going into labour naturally so I go into the hospital for 8.30am. Eventually given the pessary which did bring on quite a bit of pain. Get to about 11pm and I go to the toilet and realise it’s fallen out. Get checked by midwife who confirms it’s definitely gone. After speaking to a doctor they decide they’re gonna get me straight on the drip as I’m high risk due to my waters going over a week previously. My first midwife in the delivery suite was amazing. I managed a few hours just breathing (midwife didn’t think I was contracting properly because I was handling it so well but after feeling my tummy she confirmed I was). After a while i go onto the gas and air as I was getting lightheaded from the breathing. Gas and air helped with the pain but didn’t help with the lightheaded ness and made me thirsty so I was drinking loads of water which I ended up throwing back up after about 20 mins... but after that I felt fine! At around 4am my midwife goes on her break and another one sits in. I’m so tired by this point I decide I want an epidural (which surprised me as the thought of them makes me queasy). I 100000% regret that epidural. it didn’t completely take the pain away but made contractions a bit more bearable. my first midwife finishes her shift and my new one comes in. She was lovely but she missed so many things. They were due to check how dilated I was at 8.45 but about an hour-hour and a half beforehand I started feeling a huge pressure down below. Told midwife but she didn’t seem to know what that was?! Then the baby dropped off the monitor (now realise that was because she had dropped down ready to come out). Then I start shaking uncontrollably like I’m freezing but I wasn’t cold. Again midwife didn’t seem to know what was wrong with me. She then decides to check me early and realises I’m 10cm and ready to push. Which looking back I think that’s why I was shaking and had the huge pressure - because my body was telling me to push and I wasn’t. Unsurprisingly baby got stuck and I wasn’t pushing effectively at first so resulted in an episiotomy (with no anaesthetic because one of the doctors was all “she’s had an epidural so she won’t feel it” but let me tell you, I FELT it. That was the worst pain of the whole birth) and forceps. Baby then had to go to NICU as she was struggling to breathe. She had a pneumothorax and also an infection (probably from my waters going and being left for ages) and so we were to stay in hospital for 5 days while she had antibiotics. The day after she came back to the ward she ended up under a blue light for bad jaundice. After 24hours she was all good but that was also the day before she was due to finish her antibiotics and we’d be able to go home... the same day my blood pressure spiked and the midwives wanted me to stay in for monitoring so we were in for another few days
. Spent a week in hospital in all.Not great for someone with health anxiety!! But I got through it. We’re so much stronger than we realise.
Hope your little one is doing well now.I genuinely thought I’d be more traumatised by my birth than I am. Considering when my baby came out I looked at my boyfriend and said “never again” but now I’m like “I wanna do it all again!”. Funny how you forget the pain ha.
I had a very straightforward pregnancy but my waters went unexpectedly at 36+4 on the Thursday before Christmas. Went to hospital and was admitted and told if I hadn’t gone into labour by the Sunday they’d induce me. Friday morning rolls around and the consultant tells me he’s sending me home to wait and see if I go into labour naturally but I’ll be booked in for an induction at 38 weeks because they don’t want me to go past then.
Saw my community midwife on Christmas Eve and she was very surprised I’d been sent home. I’m convinced they just didn’t want me in over Christmas.
30th Dec (induction day) arrives and still no sign of me going into labour naturally so I go into the hospital for 8.30am. Eventually given the pessary which did bring on quite a bit of pain. Get to about 11pm and I go to the toilet and realise it’s fallen out. Get checked by midwife who confirms it’s definitely gone. After speaking to a doctor they decide they’re gonna get me straight on the drip as I’m high risk due to my waters going over a week previously. My first midwife in the delivery suite was amazing. I managed a few hours just breathing (midwife didn’t think I was contracting properly because I was handling it so well but after feeling my tummy she confirmed I was). After a while i go onto the gas and air as I was getting lightheaded from the breathing. Gas and air helped with the pain but didn’t help with the lightheaded ness and made me thirsty so I was drinking loads of water which I ended up throwing back up after about 20 mins... but after that I felt fine! At around 4am my midwife goes on her break and another one sits in. I’m so tired by this point I decide I want an epidural (which surprised me as the thought of them makes me queasy). I 100000% regret that epidural. it didn’t completely take the pain away but made contractions a bit more bearable. my first midwife finishes her shift and my new one comes in. She was lovely but she missed so many things. They were due to check how dilated I was at 8.45 but about an hour-hour and a half beforehand I started feeling a huge pressure down below. Told midwife but she didn’t seem to know what that was?! Then the baby dropped off the monitor (now realise that was because she had dropped down ready to come out). Then I start shaking uncontrollably like I’m freezing but I wasn’t cold. Again midwife didn’t seem to know what was wrong with me. She then decides to check me early and realises I’m 10cm and ready to push. Which looking back I think that’s why I was shaking and had the huge pressure - because my body was telling me to push and I wasn’t. Unsurprisingly baby got stuck and I wasn’t pushing effectively at first so resulted in an episiotomy (with no anaesthetic because one of the doctors was all “she’s had an epidural so she won’t feel it” but let me tell you, I FELT it. That was the worst pain of the whole birth) and forceps. Baby then had to go to NICU as she was struggling to breathe. She had a pneumothorax and also an infection (probably from my waters going and being left for ages) and so we were to stay in hospital for 5 days while she had antibiotics. The day after she came back to the ward she ended up under a blue light for bad jaundice. After 24hours she was all good but that was also the day before she was due to finish her antibiotics and we’d be able to go home... the same day my blood pressure spiked and the midwives wanted me to stay in for monitoring so we were in for another few days
Not great for someone with health anxiety!! But I got through it. We’re so much stronger than we realise.
I had Epidurals with baby 1 and baby 2, and i had excessive shaking with both, it wasn’t until I had baby 3 that I was told it was a side effect of the epidural!
She’s doing really well now thank you.
Ah I did think it could be that - I asked the midwife at the time if it was because of the epidural and she was very nonplussed and went “uhh... it could be” but just kept asking me if I was cold.
8 hours of back labour, epidural didnt work, 3rd degree tear and I couldn't walk for 8 weeks because I felt like my faff was going to fall off! Hes 3 and a half now and I still dont feel right down there 
needless to say he was my first and last!!
needless to say he was my first and last!!My first baby was due 20th December, I’d had issues on and off through the pregnancy with reduced movement but every time I went in to be checked out I was always told it was just because I had an anterior placenta which made it harder to feel movement. It gets to 22nd December still no baby and I had my normal midwife appointment and my blood pressure was really high. I didn’t have any other symptoms of Pre-eclampsia so they told me to come back the next day and have it checked again. I came back the next day and my blood pressure was fine but I mentioned I hadn’t felt the baby move much that day so they sent me to hospital to be checked over. This was probably my 4th or 5th incident of reduced movement so they said they were going to induce me the next day (Christmas Eve). That night I started having contractions anyway and went in the next day to be induced. The actual ‘labour’ was fine my contractions weren’t too bad and I managed on just gas and air until suddenly I needed to push. I kept saying I needed to push but no one was really listening to me and my body was actually pushing by itself which was really dangerous as I wasn’t dilated enough yet. This went on for maybe an hour and my babies heart rate was dropping with every contraction. More and more people were coming into the delivery room but they weren’t really saying what was going on and then they had a shift change. I now had a consultant in the room and I told her I needed to push. They checked to see if I was dilated enough and by now I was 9cm. I was told I had to get the baby out quick or I’d have to have a c-section so I had a ventouse delivery and within 3 pushes my beautiful baby was out. He was so tangled up in his cord he wasn’t breathing and had to be resuscitated in front of me. He weighed a tiny 5lbs 7oz and was born in Christmas Day. He was taken straight away and I didn’t see him for 2-3 hours while they were getting him stable in NICU. Whilst I was being stitched up the consultant just casually said if you hadn’t had him today your baby would have died. We spent 5 days in hospital as he was on antibiotics for suspected sepsis and just had a horrible time generally in there, the midwives were quite rude and they were really pressuring me to breastfeed which I wanted to do but both me and my baby just were not getting the hang of it very easily and instead of being encouraging I was just being told I ‘wasn’t doing it right’.