Saturday, March 19, 2011

Labour of Love.

Morning folks!
Wasn't Comic Relief good last night?  Had me blubbering like an idiot, I can't believe that children are still starving in this day and age....it's disgraceful.  Now that I'm a mum it seemed to hit me even harder, I could relate to the mothers clutching their babies, hoping that someone would help them.  Utterly heartbreaking and after each short film I trudged upstairs to check on my own Bubba, trying not to wake him with my sniffles.  I'm so grateful to live a life where we don't want for basic amenities, where I can take my child to a hospital for excellent care when he's sick and know that although we're not rich financially, we are millionaires in comparison to lots of people struggling across the world.
Shame on you if you didn't donate any money!!
Anyways, back on topic, I thought I'd post about something I wondered about most whilst pregnant. 
What does labour actually feel like?
Obviously it's different for everyone but I found it very frustrating to be told 'it's like strong waves of period pains'.  Having now experienced it I would agree that, for me, the first 9 hours were like waves of strong cramps and very much bearable.  I then went from 1 to 7cm within an hour and, believe me, the pain was not like cramps.  The only way I can describe it is similar to when I was riding a bike many years ago and pulled the breaks to hard forcing my pelvic bone into the crossbar.  It took my breath away so much that I toppled off the bike totally winded.  It was that sort of pain where it's so overwhelming it takes your breath away and made me lose control of my body.  During the latter stages of labour I would fall to the floor with each contraction and writhe about totally oblivious to anything going on around me. After my c-section I phoned my mum and asked why she hadn't told me the truth about labour pains and she said she didn't want to frighten me, which I can totally understand.  I think that it was the total shock of the intense pain that caused me to lose control, had I known then yes, I would have been more aprehensive of labour but also much better prepared!
At least I'll know for next time I guess!
Well, we're clearing lots of shite out of the house today in anticipation of it going up for sale this week.....I dread the day we actually move but, if we get the lovely old cottage we've seen, we should be much happier and create a better environment for Bubba to grow up in.
That's all for now, hope you're all enjoying the sunshine xxx

3 comments:

  1. No matter how much I told myself it would hurt more than anything i've ever felt, it still took my breath away. I had 2 days of mild period pains on and off which I dismissed as BH, then 3 hours of stronger but very bearable cramps (during which I drove to hospital!), then all of a sudden it ramped up and I don't know how quickly I dilated (as no fucker assessed me) but it felt like I went all the way in the space of 2 very blurry hours. At which point I was finally assessed (as she was ready to freakin pop out) and told she was breech. EMCS and labour pains for nothing! Win!

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  2. I think it's that sudden ramp up in pain that's the shocker, I remember watching other girls arriving on the labour ward with new babies and a stunned look on their faces....I don't think they had expected the pain of labour either.
    I have a dilema now when I have another baby....try again for natural labour and hope it's worth it or just go straight for the c-section and slow recovery.
    I guess I have to wait and see but it shows that labour can't be all that bad if I'd even consider it again :)

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  3. I was examined by the midwife when she arrived at our house,I was 4-5cm,my waters broke as she did it and after 2 horrendous contractions I was up and ready to push which was a shocker and I also didnt feel in control although I was lucky as a couple of puffs of g&a seemed to let regain it a bit!

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