Weird Labor / Birth Fears [labor birth] [labor and delivery]
Does anyone have any fears about the process of labor and childbirth, which can be a bit irrational?
Me, Im terrified of the catheter! Im not afraid to push a twin of a small opening, but Im afraid of the catheter in willput them after I get an epidural!
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Reply:I think we are all fearful about certain things during the birthing process, and sometimes people think we are silly, but our phobias are real. I was not sure if you meant an epidural catheter or bladder catheter. I know that I will not have anything stuck in my back. I will most likely be having a c-section and my doctor is going to put me out. I am more terrified of a bladder catheter. My sister is in the medical field and she says they are terrible. I would also be embarrassed to let any family in my room and see me hooked to a bag. I am really weird that way. My sister says a person can refuse a catheter and she told me when an emergency c-section is done, they don't have time to put a catheter in anyway. I figure if I'm going to have a scheduled c-section, I will know ahead of time that I need an empty bladder.
I had my daughter 12 years ago naturally, (except I had some demerol) but I was not as scared then as I am now. I was young and naive then. Now I am older and know what can happen. But just hang in there.. We will all make it through :wave:
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Reply:Well this will be my second, I had a scheduled C section with my first and will with this one also. I was actually hoping for the C section the first time cause I had anxiety of natural childbirth, not knowing when or how long it would take. Then I ended up having a low lying placenta and had the added fear of bleeding and having to be rushed to the operating room. So I was comforted in knowing I was having a sch C section. I had a spinal, and honestly the worse thing about that one and what I dread about this time is the cathater in the bladder. I swear that hurt worse than my spinal. And I did really good afterwards also, so the cathater is the only thing I am dreading. I had to deal with that thing for like an hour before I got my spinal and it was like torture.
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Reply:Relax ladies, I too was sooo worried abot the pain, ect. Don't watch the birth stories on TV, I used to watch everytime they came on, but trust me, they make it look a lot harder then what it actually is. If you are getting an epidural, you will just feel pressure, not pain, and once it takes effect, you will be fine!! you won't be able to feel any pain at all! My babies weighed 9lbs. With the first, I had to be cut from front to back (tmi- iknow) and I swear, I never felt it at all!! Good Luck to all, I promise it is not as bad as you are thinking!
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Reply:I don't know what they gave me, but they put something in my iv that didn't exactly get rid of the pain of the contractions, but they weren't so intense. Pain was manageable. And after it was all over I asked if it would've made a difference it I'd had the epidural and the doctor indicated that I probably still would've been in labor?
I did have to have an episiotimy, but the numbed the area, so I didn't feel it. I did have a small accident — but the nurses swoop in and clean up the area very quickly, just replace it with more paper sheets, etc. They're used to it.
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Reply:The one thing that I'm afraid of is getting an episiotimy. I can handle birth and stuff because I feel like that's completely natural and I have control over my body but to have a surgical incision in such a delicate area, really, really freaks me out. Someone told me that at the hospital I'll be giving birth at, they almost routinely give episiotimies to first time mums. I've been reading the literature about it and, for the most part, most authors tend to agree that episiotomies are not ALWAYS necessary. Some even say that tearing is better than having an incision made. if they come at me with a knife (or is it scissors?) I'm going to protest wildly.
I am afraid of this one too. From a medical standpoint, you are much better off if they cut you than if you tear. it is a much cleaner repair job when they sew you up if both sides match cleanly rather than jagged. I have also heard and read that if you have one done vs tearing you are less likely to have problems with sex and your bowel control afterwards. Plus, the babies head puts alot of pressure down there and sort of numbs things and the doc will numb the area with a shot. Everyone i have talked to said that everything else hurts so much at that point that you don't even feel the needle and the cut. I am still scared to death though! :rolleyes:
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Reply:My biggest fear is having a massive seizure during labour. I have Epilepsy and have been reassured that having a big seizure is unlikely but I can't get the thought out of my head. If I have a section my biggest fear is bleeding to death. I know how routine sections are these days but I guess being a first time mom I can't get over these fears!
Malizoom..I agree with you. Getting an episiotomy freaks me out big time. I don't know which would be worse..getting one of those or having a big tear because I refused it! 
Nicole x
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Reply:The one thing that I'm afraid of is getting an episiotimy. I can handle birth and stuff because I feel like that's completely natural and I have control over my body but to have a surgical incision in such a delicate area, really, really freaks me out. Someone told me that at the hospital I'll be giving birth at, they almost routinely give episiotimies to first time mums. I've been reading the literature about it and, for the most part, most authors tend to agree that episiotomies are not ALWAYS necessary. Some even say that tearing is better than having an incision made. if they come at me with a knife (or is it scissors?) I'm going to protest wildly.
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Reply:My biggest fear is dying. I know that nowadays it doesn't happen like it used to, but you still hear stories about it happening. I'm afraid I'll have something wrong with me and my doctor will brush it off as normal bleeding, pain, etc. and it'll really be something wrong, but they won't investigate because, "what does she know, we're doctors and she's never had a baby before". So I told DH he has to be hyper vigilant to make sure I'm taken care of so I feel safe and comfortable.
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Reply:My #1 fear is a c-section. This will be my 3rd baby and I plan on going natural. The 1st baby I had an epidural and felt nothing which was good. I had a ton of stitches which was the worst part of the whole thing. 2nd baby I had an epidural but it did not work and I freaked out. I was hyperventilating and hollaring for them to fix it and nobody did anything. It was not too bad though. I pushed my dd daughter out in 15 minutes so it was very painful but quick. With #3 I hope I can do it natural but if I need pain relief I will probably do something besides the epidural. Now I have a fear that it won't work and I'm not going through with a big needle poked in my back for nothing.
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Reply:Thanks Gatsbyluvr! I will try to tivo the "preg. for dummies" for sure and the birthday shows too!
the more info – the less scarey – if not at first…. you get used to it the more you expose yourself to the info!!!! hee hee!!
xx
Reply:guy- I'm not pregnant (I'm only 18), but since I want to be a doctor, I also watch the labor and delivery shows. Do you get Discovery Health Channel? Their shows are a lot more realistic than "A Baby Story" on TLC. They actually show you what reallly happens, and when they do an epidural, the catheter is shown. I wouldn't recommend watching "Babies: Special Delivery" because they show a lot of high-risk cases that would probably make you worry even more, but "Birth Day" is pretty good- they show different conditions, anywhere from pre-eclampsia to having one twin breech, and it always has a happy ending!
I've learned a lot from "Birth Day," and ocassionally, they'll air this three-part series called "Pregnancy for Dummies," and let me tell you, that watching it was like experiencing pregnancy and labor because it was so informative! God bless! :angel:Reply:guy – what other meds are they going to give you?
OH MY GOD – i don't like the sounds of the catheter either folks! I watch those darn baby shows so I get brave – at first the scared the heck out of me – but now I like it cause I can ask for meds/epidural etc. and I know what to expect if its a c-section etc.
But they NEVER show that they give you a catheter!!!! good grief! I am so constipated anyway = maybe nothing "else" will come out no matter how hard I push – LOL!!!
Reply:Well to be honest with you, I just had my daughter 3 days ago and did take the epidural when they insert the catheter you are so frozen that you just feel a little pressure but no pain. it is scary at first but there's nothing to it and the epidural really helps take the edge off the pain.
Reply:Just wondering is everyone meaning a catheter with epidural? Or a catheter in the bladder?
Reply:You shouldn't be sorry about your fears Drewsmom. We all have fears and as foolish as they might seem to some they are very real to us. This thread was made so that women like ourselves could express our fears with others and help each other by understanding.
Reply:Im scared that this one will end up in the NICU when he is born just like my first. Im scared that this one will have the clubbed foot like they think and he will have to go into surgery. I am scared that I will be in labor as long as I was with my first. Im scared that I will not have control over my bladder like the first time.
I know they are not weird fears but thats what I am scared of. Sorry.
Reply:yes, the thought of a catheter scares me big time. I just can't imagine! I go to nursing school and we had to practice putting them into "the plastic body part", and just practicing on something plastic made me extremley woosy! I really don't want that put in me!
My big fear is "having an accident" on the bed. I know at the time it will be no big deal and no one will care but gosh, can it get more humiliating. Once I see my baby I won't care about any of that though…
Reply:Its really gonna be worse on me which I haven't gave it much thought because im only 7 in a half weeks but this is my first and I have really bad anxiety and I have bad panic attacks I really don't know how i'm gonna handle it until I get there. I'm afraid i'm gonna have to have a C-section because all my moms sisters had one and all there daughters had one. Isn't it weird that my grandma had all 13 kids out her crotch and all of her daughters have had c-sections??? I will probaly use pain meds because i'm not the type of person that handles physical pain too well!
Reply:ratatosk, what kind of meds did they give you? I am scared of having an epidural. I dont want one cause it seems like everyone in my family has bad side effects from them. And my moms friend pased away because of some sorta rare reaction to it. ahh I am scared. Today I was watching baby story and this lady was going without meds. It freaked me out..I need to stop wathcing those shows..LOL.
Monica
Reply:My biggest fears are 1, dying, 2, badly bleeding, and 3 a c- section and 4, the epidural. The whoel being a wake thing while having someone cut me in half is not my cup of tea. Even though there is a screen and everything it stills freaks me out, and there is no way anyone is going to give me an epidural. It just reminds me of someone harpooning a whale. It gives me the creeps!
Reply:I was afraid of the epidural, so I asked for something else. Just the idea of having a needle, stuck in my back creeped me out so badly, I couldn't stand the stress.
Reply:Does anyone have any fears about the process of labor and delivery that may be a little irrational?
Me, I'm terrified of the catheter! I'm not afraid to push a set of twins out of a small opening, but I'm afraid of the catheter they willput in after I get an epidural!
I have many fears. That I will die of the pain, that my husband will think less of me. That it will hurt so bad that I will never have any more after this one… The episiotomy is what scares the heck out of me. I have read way to many horror stories about that one!
I had one similar to yours as well and i asked a friend of mine who is now expecting #2 and she is a nurse. She said she didn't have one, she used a bed pan. You have a right to say you don't want one, just like you don't have to have an enema unless you want one.
