Sort of a spin-off to my other thread...
How would you compare your L&D experiences? Were they similar or totally different?
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Subscribing! I'm curious too!
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totally different. great idea for a swarm post with our mamas of two.
but i'll summarize -- charlie came on due date, VERY PAINFUL labor for hours upon hours!, got epidural, pushed 3 hours, had c-section, pretty easy recovery, but bad hospital experience.
olive came 5 weeks early, had an unplanned vbac (was going to get a c-section), awesome hospital experience, much harder recovery than expected since it was a vaginal birth and not c-section because olive had to stay in the hospital longer and i had to walk back and forth so much. got an epidural and it was a pretty easy labor!
the second time was so much more positive and dare I say.... easy?
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hmm... well I went into labor naturally with #1 and labored for 24 hours before delivering. Early epidural that resulted in 3 epi failures, 3 hours of pushing, vacuum extraction. With #2 I was induced at 39 weeks with pitocin and broken waters, labored for 8 hours. Later epi that resulted in spinal catheter, pushed 3 times and baby slipped right out! Second was worlds easier!
Recovery both times was rough though. With #1 I had membranes left inside me that started coming out 2 weeks postpartum, so back to the hospital I went. Thankfully I did not need a D&C. With #2 the dural puncture led to a spinal headache so I needed a blood patch 3 days postpartum. I've had 6 epidurals in 2 deliveries!
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Totally different.
With my first I was emergency induced due to Preclampsia at 37 weeks. It was very scary. My family was told I was probably going to have a stroke (I was only 20) and I after 13 hrs of labor including 6hours of pushing I tore from end to end and recovery was beyond awful.
With my second I was scheduled to be induced on the morning I went into labor naturally. I got my epidural at 10am, my water broke at 10:15 and 4 hours later I delivered an almost 9lb baby with only 6 pushes and 10min with only one tiny tear that required just a little stitch.
I was back to normal and having sexy time with in 3 weeks (I know bad).Two different doctors and totally different care completely.
This time around I am hoping for something like the last one obviously. -
My second experience was TOTALLY different, but I also did alot of things different to ensure that!
1st. Wanted natural birth in hospital with "supportive" ob.
Got to the hospital at 2cm in prodromal labor (17hours) with sporadic contractions 2 days "past" my edd. They immediately admitted me, and started pitocin. Shortly after I accepted stadol to help with pain.... the nurse asked me literally 10 times if I "was sure" I didn't want anything and I took it to shut her up. From there I was stuck in bed, out of it, and of course pit wasn't working so they up'd it and up'd it, then broke my water, started an internal monitor, more pit.... baby not handling contractions well anymore SO they stopped the pit & administered an epi "just in case" started contractions again watch for another 1.5 hours & then I needed an "emergency" cesarean. Total labor time was 31 hours.2nd: Planned an hbac with a midwife. all the details are in my birthstory here:
http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/my-completely-unmedicated-hbac-turned-hospital-birth-almost-cesarean
It was amazing & I'll never plan another hospital birth ever again.. EVER! -
Different, but the second was adopted
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@Mrs. Bee: I would be interested to read that swarm post!
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@FutureMrsMcK: actually i already had a friend write a post on her two different experiences, and will ask a couple of other moms to do the same. it was really interesting... she just sent it ot me today but the post will go up monday.
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Somewhat similar. My first was 12 hours. 2nd only 4.
I felt more and had a better 2nd experience though: I was seriously sleep deprived and out of it during my first. -
Both pregnancies and delivery were very similar for me. I recovered much quicker with the second though.
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Subscribing! I love hearing about people's l&d experiences.
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Both of mine were c sections but with my twins I was admitted four times and released before they finally did an emergency c section when my BP sky rocketed. During the c section my BP tanked and they gave me all kinds of meds to counteract that. I was loopy and in recovery for 4 hours before I was reunited with DH and the babies
The second was scheduled and and easy morning. Everything won't beautifully and I was reunited with her on 20 minutes after I was stitched up.
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My deliveries were incredibly similar. I went into labour with both kids around in the morning, and both labors lasted 12 hours. I pushed for 30 minutes both times; DD was born at 8:31 pm and DS was born at 8:59 pm. I had some difficulties postpartum with DS, but otherwise my deliveries were nearly identical.
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Different:
1st: natural fast labor, manageable pain, got an epidural last minute and pushed for three hours. Recovery was long and awful, I took serious pain meds (not just Advil).
2nd: induced with pitocin. Once my water was broken, labor was fast and horrible, pain was not manageable, got the epidural, pushed for 15 minutes. Recovery was really easy and I didn't need pain meds.
Post partum was about the same with both other than recovery, except with my first I had PPD and I haven't had it with my second (yet, knock on wood!)
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My 3 delivieries were all very different:
DD1- Didn't really have a prefence going into labor to do it natural or not. Got to the hospital and the noticed problems with DD. Not wanting to do a c section on me (I was 17 at the time), they started pitocin. I had no pain medication at all. Pushed for about 45 minutes. Had an episiotomy and tore- resembled Frankenstein down there for a while.
DD2- Got to the hospital at 4 cm, labored a while and then got a dose of Stadol. Completely stalled my labor. Got to 10 and started pshing. DD was sunny side up so I got an epidural at 10cm. Pushed for about 30-40 minutes. A couple of road rash spots, but no tearing.
DD3- Had regular contractions for days- 10 mintues apart. Got to the hospital at 7cm. Requested an epidural right away. relaxed for 20 minutes, felt everything again and then in 3 contractions delivered DD. No damage down below.
All of my recoveries were pretty easy though, I was up and moving right away with all of them. Got back into regular clothes pretty quickly too.
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Very different.
With DS I was induced for medical reasons and labored for 18 hours. I had pitocin and eventually an Epi. I pushed for 3 hours and almost ended up with a c section many times. Thank god for my midwife if it weren't for her I would have ended up with a c section. As DS gets older I can finally see the beauty in his delivery but in the moment on that day it was a very traumatic frightening experience.
With DD I went into labor on my own at 38w6d. I was in early labor for 22 hours and active labor for 3 hours. We got to the hospital at 10:45pm and she was born at 1:14am. I only pushed for 5 minutes. I did not have any pain meds with her although I was screaming for an Epi towards the end but it was to late and I'm happy I did not get it.
With both my children the moment they were born was very life changing. I had an extremely emotional reaction with each of them. I really thought my planned unmedicated birth with DD would be somehow more meaningful and I would have this different feeling then I did with DS but honestly delivering DS with an Epi was just as life changing and amazing as delivering DD med free.
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