With 6 days to go, I am excited about meeting our baby, and remain positive and relaxed, although yesterday I did have a bit of a wobble and a good cry, which I am told is quite common when so near to the birth. I am under no illusion that labour is going to be probably the hardest thing I have ever been through, but with the help of hypnobirthing I have been training my mind and body to reduce fear and tension. I hope to go through every contraction as a productive feeling and see it as one step closer to meeting my baby.
Whilst trying my hardest to work on this bubble of peace, I have had family, friends, work colleagues, acquaintances, midwifes and strangers all chomping at the bit to share their negative horror stories about pregnancy and childbirth with me.
Why do mothers feel compelled to “tell their stories” as if it’s universal fact anyway ? I try to think, for every horror story there is a beautiful one round the corner.
Is it therapeutic for them to share?
Is it some badge of honour?
Is it empowering?
Here are a few of the stories folk have shared with me :
* Oh my God, birth was the most traumatic experience of my life!!! I was in labour for 9 days. No really. NINE DAYS ?! I didn’t eat food or drink water that entire time so when I went into the hospital they all thought I was going to die
* I have haemorrhoids the size of golf balls and the veins in my eyes are permanently popped
* Half the hospital staff has seen my vagina.
* I would rather spend the rest of my life stabbing myself in the eyes with bamboo shoots than give birth again. But good luck with yours!
* My neighbour gave birth to a lovely baby boy over the weekend, but they lost him on Monday, Oh… I probably shouldn’t have told you that
* Don’t bother with a birth plan, you will be screaming for every drug under the sun and it will only go out of the window
* Childbirth is like being kicked in the balls…. I doubt any women can understand the intensity of pain we guys face when we get hit in our testicles
* It’s like sharing hell with Hitler, said a former midwife?!
* Don’t breastfeed, my wife’s boob’s look like cocker Spaniels ears. Why do they always compare the breasts to Spaniels I wonder?
* Book an epidural as soon as you can, it’s the most unnatural thing you can do, is give birth
So there are a few of the horror stories so far, and then there’s my lovely little gran…. She loves a good horror story, but she’s forgiven, because she’s 91 and can’t remember telling me every time I see her.
In light of the above, from this day forward I will only be surrounding myself with positive and successful birth stories? So does anyone have a happy story to tell? I'd love to start a positive blog vibe for other mothers to visit when they need to escape the horror stories. I know other women must feel like I do. If you have a good story to tell, the positive things you felt, the wonderful emotions, even some of the funny stories associated with being pregnant, then please either leave a comment, or email me:
craftystash2013@hotmail.co.uk
I will publish them so other mums to be can share our good vibes.
Thank you
Awe bless ya hun. Everyone has their stories, and after the birth you'll have yours, a lovely productive experience. Look what you end up with, a beautiful baby. Some people have their dentist stories. Some hood some bad, but they always soup them up a bit. I've got 2 boys all growing up now, and I'd do it all again. Enjoy the birth it'd a wonderful experience, if it was that bsf would people keep having babies? There you go, enjoy x
ReplyDeleteI am a mother of a Son and Daughter and wouldn't change it for the world. If having a baby was that bad we would be a nation of one child families, My Daughter has three boys and I was at the birth of two of them, ( the third didn't want to wait and was born 10 wks early lol ) and you would never know he was a prem baby. Yes there will be some pain, but after your baby is born you will soon forget all about that. Enjoy your last few days of rest, because very soon your days will be filled with love, new experiences, joy and happiness. Wishing you the very best, Love from Christine XxX
ReplyDeleteMy sister told me it's like being constipated then passing a watermelon! She was right :)
ReplyDeleteMy labour was 3 hours 45 minutes and I slept through most of it (pethadine). Sure you'll be fine :)
X
Hi maz
ReplyDeleteEnjoy watching corrie spaced out your head on pethidine ��, and u can get away with shouting obscenities at your partner and getting away with it! Although he will remind you afterwards how many times u laid a log whilst giving birth ��. Just remember a small part is pain and the rest is the start of a wonderful journey and the next chapter in your life xx you'll be a wonderful mother Mazza xx
Mel x
It's hard work (that's why it's called labour).It's painful but soon forgotten when you hold your beautiful baby.I did it 8 times which resulted in me having 4 gorgeous sons and 4 beautiful daughters.Would i do it all again? You bet i would so it can't be that bad.You'll be fine i'm sure,enjoy every minute as it's soon forgotten xx
ReplyDeleteNow in my mid fifties, the day I had my son was memorable for many reasons!
ReplyDeleteI woke at 3am and thought "this is it" and went and made a cuppa. After a while I woke Mum up, who then came downstairs and had a vertigo attack, so I carried her back upstairs, and woke Dad up, telling him to look after her. Very confused, he then asked why she was up at 6am "oh yes, can I have the car keys, I'm in labour"
Not sure if the carrying Mum upstairs had anything to do with it, but after waking at 3am, my son was born at 8:05
Hi from a 64 year old. I had 3 daughters first in 1971 , 1974 and 1976. I never had any stitches or tears. My labour with the first started as backache and by the time I decided it must be labour and went to hospital it took at most 2 hours. I only had a pethidine injection. It was a wonderful expierence one I would do again even now. Just to add my eldest daughter had her first child age 38. She is 5' and a smig tall weight 8 and half stone wet through. Her first child was a 9lb and no stitches or tears. She listened to music in labour. Had gas and air and pethidine. She enjoyed the whole experience. Neither of us did any of the daft screaming or shouting portrayed on TV. And you'll always find people enjoy relaying horror stories. What a load of crap. Enjoy it gal. Lap up the attention you are given. We enjoyed it and am sure a northern lass especially Leonie's sis term will too. Love to all jacqui
ReplyDeleteGood morning. 20 years ago, more or less, as my daughter is borned on the 27th August, I was at a wedding friend. I had a lovely time, feeling a bit tired but except that perfect. It was warm, sunny and everybody was taking care of me as much as the bride.....Lol!!!! Round 20h I really felt tired and with my mum we went back home. She phoned the midwife who came and pick me up. We arrived at the hospital at 21h15, I lost the water at 21h30 and my "princess" arrived at 23h30. I was not allowed of peridural injection, so I had her "naturally" if you say that in English.
ReplyDeleteIt was 2 "easy" hours with not a great pain, except on my back, no shouting and screaming and a team round me which was stunning. I was so stressed during all my pregnancy, that the midwife (who was a friend) was scared that it might be a nightmare......But it wasn't at all. I knew it has to happen, so just done it. The morning after my gynecologist arrived and "shout" at me, saying it was not possible for a first child to have her in within 2 hours..... I always said it, and it's really true, it went so well that the day after, I was ready to do it again.
So just think about you and your baby and keep calm. I know, it's easier said that done, but sure your family and sis will be there to hold your hand. Love to you from France.
Laurence x
All I will say is enjoy the experience. This may seem a bit weird but the pain will fade, & the memories of your new baby's birth will live with you forever. Also look at the clock and think "this time tomorrow our new adventure begins - the three of us".
ReplyDelete