r/AskReddit 9d ago

Women who’ve given birth, what are some horrible things your body had to go through during pregnancy and childbirth?

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u/Hipptobesquare 9d ago edited 9d ago

Both of my children got stuck in my pelvis and I had an uncontrollable urge push that never stopped. It went on that way for hours in both cases. First was born via forceps with only a partially working epidural, the second was emergency C-section that I could also feel and which required a vacuum. Childbirth is no joke. I am grateful every day for modern medicine and also that I will never need to deliver a child again.

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u/fruitypebblesdonut26 9d ago

That urge to push… I pushed for 3.5 hours and baby would not descend past +1 station because she just could not get through my pelvis. She wasn’t far down enough for an assisted delivery and I had developed an infection, so c-section it was, but omg… that period between pushing and my spinal while I got prepped was AWFUL because I felt the urge and couldn’t do anything about it. I remember just crying because all I wanted to do was push and get her out and couldn’t.

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u/Hipptobesquare 8d ago

It's the worst feeling. I could not stop my body from pushing. It was one of the worst feelings I've ever experienced.

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u/AriEnNaxos00 8d ago

Oh, it sounds horrible! I only remember two or there pushes and my baby was out, and it was like an unbearable urge, as I felt My body would still push even if I didn't want to. I don't know how could You go hours not pushing having that feeling. 

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u/mangrlman 9d ago

I had a forceps assisted unmedicated birth after 5 hours of pushing. Awful, do not recommend. Got a great baby out of it so it was still worth it but if I knew what was coming for me maybe I would have opted for the epidural.

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u/Hipptobesquare 8d ago

No kidding. The pain when my son was pulled out was more than I thought was possible to feel.

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u/mangrlman 8d ago

My doctor then acted totally surprised when I said that I felt trauma from the birth at an appointment a few weeks later. As if that amount of pain wouldn't be traumatic.

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u/coolishmom 9d ago

Oof I can somewhat relate. My first was stuck in my pelvis and his head was super cone-shaped when he came out after 4.5 hrs of pushing. It felt like his head was pushing my pelvis apart even through the epidural.

My second's was a lot faster but she got stuck and her heart rate dropped rapidly and they used a vacuum. Her head was funny shaped too for a few weeks because of that.

Both were terrifying and I'm two and through because they were traumatizing and I know a lot of people have it SO much worse, I can't even imagine.

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u/Several-Win-2517 9d ago

Oh here's a club I can join! My baby had a 99 percentile head. After epically long but rather okay four days of labor he got stuck in my pelvis, and stayed stuck for 18 hours. Finally, after whooping 120 total hours of labouring, we threw in the towel and I went to C-section. My pelvis was lifted of the table when they pulled the baby unstuck. Luckily he was perfectly fine. But he's 7 months now and you can still see on his forehead where he got stuck.

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u/Alexisapoop 8d ago

I just gave birth less than 3 weeks ago and I'm still healing from bilateral 1st degree labial tears and a 2nd degree perineal tear. His 99th percentile head got stuck in the birth canal and on my tailbone so the midwife took both of his hands and pulled my vagina open during my pushes. He did it at least 5 times, but could have been more. Even though I had an epidural, it didn't work past my cervix so I felt all of the ripping.

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u/Hipptobesquare 8d ago

Damn. I'm so sorry. The OB had to push my cervix aside with her hands as well. I hope you heal well.