HDBD! (And randoms)

[icedtea]

Dec 7, 2016 16:11:25 GMT -5 akraus2015 said:

I either have the flu, or this baby is trying to kill me. I actually threw up on the side of the interstate this morning.

I know I'm supposed to be grateful and all, and that I shouldn't complain because I'm finally pregnant, but HOWWWWW do women do this and it's like NBD?? I'm hating my life so much right now.

😩😩😩

Pregnancy is a wonderful, amazing, glorious thing.

It is also uncomfortable, painful, and frustrating. 100% okay to own that. I had to cancel an appointment last week because I was dry heaving too much to drive.

I'm sorry it's kicking your butt! I hope 2nd is better for you. In the meantime, do what you gotta do. 

[icedtea]

I admitted this recently in my bmb, but I am terrified of labor. Always have been, even as a child. I'm mostly just not thinking about it for now.

[akraus2015]

Dec 8, 2016 18:50:21 GMT -5 icedtea said:

I admitted this recently in my bmb, but I am terrified of labor. Always have been, even as a child. I'm mostly just not thinking about it for now.

I hadn't thought about it much until this thread. Now I'm second guessing my choice to use a birthing center where an epidural isn't an option. I mean...someone be honest with me. How bad is this shit really going to hurt??

[icedtea]

Dec 8, 2016 18:58:06 GMT -5 akraus2015 said:

Dec 8, 2016 18:50:21 GMT -5 icedtea said:

I admitted this recently in my bmb, but I am terrified of labor. Always have been, even as a child. I'm mostly just not thinking about it for now.

I hadn't thought about it much until this thread. Now I'm second guessing my choice to use a birthing center where an epidural isn't an option. I mean...someone be honest with me. How bad is this shit really going to hurt??

I also plan on not using an epidural (though we'll see what happens). I'm not really afraid of the pain, it's more the uncertainty. 

[marshian]

Dec 8, 2016 19:23:43 GMT -5 icedtea said:

Dec 8, 2016 18:58:06 GMT -5 akraus2015 said:

I hadn't thought about it much until this thread. Now I'm second guessing my choice to use a birthing center where an epidural isn't an option. I mean...someone be honest with me. How bad is this shit really going to hurt??

I also plan on not using an epidural (though we'll see what happens). I'm not really afraid of the pain, it's more the uncertainty. 

+1 for no planned epidural. I don't like pain, but I tell myself millions of women have made it through and then go on to do it again, so I can do it too. I will be reading any and all strategies for managing the pain, though! And we're getting a doula to help.

[silvermelody]

If you are planning to do birth center or no epidural: GET A FREAKING DOULA

I would have caved much earlier on pain relief without my doula there, she was a rockstar. She also kept me calm and helped me make rational decisions during what is generally a pretty irrational and emotional experience.

My entire labor was on pitocin and at the end it was nearly the maximum dose. So I can't comment on how painful an unmedicated labor really is because everyone I know who has been on pitocin says pitocin contractions are worse. I was also exhausted and hungry, long inductions are not the ideal way to birth a child.

[jubilantsquirrel]

Dec 8, 2016 18:58:06 GMT -5 akraus2015 said:

Dec 8, 2016 18:50:21 GMT -5 icedtea said:

I admitted this recently in my bmb, but I am terrified of labor. Always have been, even as a child. I'm mostly just not thinking about it for now.

I hadn't thought about it much until this thread. Now I'm second guessing my choice to use a birthing center where an epidural isn't an option. I mean...someone be honest with me. How bad is this shit really going to hurt??

I can't really explain the pain, it's unlike anything I've ever felt, but it's also temporary. The pain goes away after the contraction is over and I can't even begin to tell you how much of a relief you feel the second you push that baby out of your body. It's instant and amazing.

If you're not already planning on it, I would definitely take a birthing class and look into various methods to help you deal with the labor pains. I didn't do any of that because I never intended on going med free, so my way of dealing with the pain was to scream my head off like they do in the movies.

It's absolutely doable and I think if you really want to go med free and you have tools to help you deal with the pain, you'll be able to do it.

[akraus2015]

Dec 8, 2016 19:50:35 GMT -5 jubilantsquirrel said:

Dec 8, 2016 18:58:06 GMT -5 akraus2015 said:

I hadn't thought about it much until this thread. Now I'm second guessing my choice to use a birthing center where an epidural isn't an option. I mean...someone be honest with me. How bad is this shit really going to hurt??

I can't really explain the pain, it's unlike anything I've ever felt, but it's also temporary. The pain goes away after the contraction is over and I can't even begin to tell you how much of a relief you feel the second you push that baby out of your body. It's instant and amazing.

If you're not already planning on it, I would definitely take a birthing class and look into various methods to help you deal with the labor pains. I didn't do any of that because I never intended on going med free, so my way of dealing with the pain was to scream my head off like they do in the movies.

It's absolutely doable and I think if you really want to go med free and you have tools to help you deal with the pain, you'll be able to do it.

This visualization made me LOL. This will probably be me.

[jubilantsquirrel]

Dec 8, 2016 19:56:46 GMT -5 akraus2015 said:

Dec 8, 2016 19:50:35 GMT -5 jubilantsquirrel said:

I can't really explain the pain, it's unlike anything I've ever felt, but it's also temporary. The pain goes away after the contraction is over and I can't even begin to tell you how much of a relief you feel the second you push that baby out of your body. It's instant and amazing.

If you're not already planning on it, I would definitely take a birthing class and look into various methods to help you deal with the labor pains. I didn't do any of that because I never intended on going med free, so my way of dealing with the pain was to scream my head off like they do in the movies.

It's absolutely doable and I think if you really want to go med free and you have tools to help you deal with the pain, you'll be able to do it.

This visualization made me LOL. This will probably be me.

MH told me I made his ears vibrate this time. I definitely had a sore throat afterwards.

[icedtea]

I have a great doula, getting one was a must for me.

akraus2015, I'm not sure of your area, but definitely look for natural birthing classes, and maybe some hypnobirthing if that's your thing.

[hpnegirl]

Dec 8, 2016 18:58:06 GMT -5 akraus2015 said:

Dec 8, 2016 18:50:21 GMT -5 icedtea said:

I admitted this recently in my bmb, but I am terrified of labor. Always have been, even as a child. I'm mostly just not thinking about it for now.

I hadn't thought about it much until this thread. Now I'm second guessing my choice to use a birthing center where an epidural isn't an option. I mean...someone be honest with me. How bad is this shit really going to hurt??

It sucks, it hurts like hell. No way to sugar coat it. There's nothing like it and I am not looking forward to having to do this all again. I felt like I had been hit by a bus for a few days afterwards. That first postpartum shower though is still the best shower I've ever taken

I'm told kidney stones are worse but I can't say as I've never had one. You have to remind yourself it will end even when it doesn't feel like it and take each contraction one at a time. My L&D nurse was ah-maz-ing. Seriously. She helped me focus through the pain until I was too exhausted to keep going.

Also, for those planning on an epidural, keep in mind that you may not get one, either it doesn't show up on time, it doesn't work, or because you are not eligible by hospital policy, and have to go med free.

There is also such a thing as a "uterus massage" in the hospital after you deliver. It's a misnomer. They are not massages!

[jubilantsquirrel]

When I was in labor I may have told MH that I hope he gets kidney stones. I'm not nice when I'm in pain.

[thelittleredm]

Honestly, labor pain is such an individual thing and there is such a variety of reasons for it from how your baby is descending (or not descending) to the amount of fear you let effect your mindset.

I was so angry and frustrated about people telling me over and over that I'd never have my baby med-free, I kept that thought in my mind my whole labor. It was a really effective way to take charge of my thoughts and help me through the pain. I'm also really good at focusing on nothing. Literally. I focused on the color black and keeping my moans/groans as low and deep as I could during contractions. My doula was a freaking godsend. She didn't keep asking me what I wanted, she just tried different things and used them until I wanted a change. And she was very direct about telling people what they could (read: should) do to help me and H out. It was great.

I will say, there were at least two times I actively thought about the fact that epiderals must feel like heaven. But then I'd follow those up with "but you can do this because women have for centuries and you're going to meet your baby at the end of all this" and that really got me refocused. But it wasn't an easy thing and it was painful.

But hey, your body does amazing things to help cope with the roller coaster that is labor. For example, I know labor was painful. I know I sobbed toward the end when everything hurt so bad and I was stuck flat on my back during horrific back labor because it was the only way they could get a read on DS's heart rate, and I know the peanut ball did its job super well and that I felt like it was one of the most painful positions to be in. But I don't really remember the pain. I remember what happened but I don't associate it with any particular level of pain but rather what I was feeling emotionally and what was going through my mind. I know it hurt like a bitch. I remember the pain of them massaging my uterus better than I remember the pain of labor and having DS.

This all said, I would've asked for an epideral in a heartbeat had my labor been super long.

Also, I just can't say enough that your support team is crucial during labor. They have to be on the same page as you before you even go into labor. I told my little team of doula, husband, moms, and nurse that they were at no point to ask if I wanted pain meds. If I requested meds or suggested maybe I wanted them, they could ask once if I was sure and if I said yes or no, that was my final answer. And if they didn't think they could do all that, they needed to leave.

[icedtea]

Dec 8, 2016 21:36:08 GMT -5 jubilantsquirrel said:

When I was in labor I may have told MH that I hope he gets kidney stones. I'm not nice when I'm in pain.

I may steal this.

[thelittleredm]

To go along with my Dear Diary post about labor, I will say that as of a couple days ago, I've been having anxiety about it. And most of that is centered around the fact that I don't feel like I have an accurate grasp on what the pain was really like and I feel like maybe I'm not giving it enough weight in my mind.

So, don't worry FTMs, STMs worry just like you

[mustloveerica]

Dec 10, 2016 13:48:33 GMT -5 @wineandcupcakes said:

Dec 8, 2016 18:50:21 GMT -5 icedtea said:

I admitted this recently in my bmb, but I am terrified of labor. Always have been, even as a child. I'm mostly just not thinking about it for now.

I don't think about labor at all. Ever. Like, one day I'll roll up to the hospital and we will decide vaginal or abdominal exit. And then I may have an "oh shit" moment. But that's it. If every woman ever who has had kids can do it, then so can I.

This is how I feel as well. I know it will hurt. I accept that. A few hours of pain for a lifetime of happiness and the chance to hold my girls that I have worked so hard for. Worth it.

[icedtea]

Dec 10, 2016 13:48:33 GMT -5 @wineandcupcakes said:

Dec 8, 2016 18:50:21 GMT -5 icedtea said:

I admitted this recently in my bmb, but I am terrified of labor. Always have been, even as a child. I'm mostly just not thinking about it for now.

I don't think about labor at all. Ever. Like, one day I'll roll up to the hospital and we will decide vaginal or abdominal exit. And then I may have an "oh shit" moment. But that's it. If every woman ever who has had kids can do it, then so can I.

This is pretty much what I'm going with. I have to do it regardless, so I'm enjoying blissful ignorance for the moment.