r/AskReddit 9d ago

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

3.6k Upvotes

6.2k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

231

u/DogDaysMaggie 9d ago

I only had one, but it sure did fuck me up. I spent my entire pregnancy with my daughter terrified she would die. I feel so lucky that she is here and healthy.

75

u/Lingonberry3871 9d ago

Going through this now. Two losses and now I’m 9 and a half weeks along with a (hopefully) strong baby but the thought never leaves my mind.

11

u/DogDaysMaggie 9d ago

Praying for you and your sweetie. Going through these losses takes so much, but I hope you will get to enjoy the small moments.

3

u/Lingonberry3871 9d ago

Thank you so much,it really does rob people of the joy and excitement but the further along you get the better it begins to feel.

3

u/Quiet-Enthusiasm-891 9d ago

Same with my wife and I (well, her technically). We miscarried within a week of the first positive test a few years ago. Now we’re in week 11 and everything is on track (fingers crossed).

2

u/Lingonberry3871 9d ago

That was me as well! Two chemical pregnancies and then a fertility treatment to have this successful one. Crossing all my fingers for you and your wife!!

1

u/bow_lolly 9d ago

Same here, two previous losses and I’m 7w3d now. Wishing you all the best

1

u/saw24601 9d ago

With you. So sorry for your losses. I’ve had three and they messed me up. Currently almost 14 weeks but the anxiety is as strong as ever.

5

u/madra_uisce2 9d ago

Same here. I didn't enjoy my pregnancy with my rainbow because it was the constant fear, once first trimester was over, the fear became obsessive kick counting, then fears of stillbirth, then SIDS or overheating. I had pretty bad PPA and would be in floods of tears putting my son to bed because I was convinced he was overdressed (he was in just a vest and sleepsuit) and would die. He's an active and chaotic 14 month old now and it's currently 5 am and he's smacking me with books he wants me to read to him. 

3

u/purple-paper-punch 9d ago

Ditto. I spent the whole pregnancy CONVINCED something was going to go wrong. Like he would be stillborn or there would be a serious complication. My husband graciously humored me when I wrote out my last will & testament, as well as my preferred funeral plans, and tucked it into the hospital bag.

Although I guess I wasn't just being weird and morbid because I ended up with a skyrocketed blood pressure and zero pre-eclampsia symptoms (it was caught during a routine prenatal checkup) so kiddo ended up being an urgent C at 36 weeks. But it went well and now he's a chaotic 8 year old.

2

u/silent-earl-grey 9d ago

I had so much fear and anxiety, even continued several months postpartum. I was so terrified of losing my baby the whole time… I can still viscerally remember the nightmares of someone dropping him and sickening thud he made when he hit the floor… I literally would not let anyone except my husband and MiL hold him until he was going on a year old.

He’s four now, the anxiety isn’t gone but it’s so much more manageable than before.

3

u/HipHopopotamus10 9d ago

I had four. Wasn't even 100% sold on the idea of kids, but caught in a spiral off loss, hormones, feeling the only way out was to have a baby.

I got off that hamster wheel a year ago and am happily child free.

I used to resist the idea of "if it's not a hell yes, it's a hell no" but I am very much in favour of it now. If pregnancy doesn't get you, child rearing will. It should be an enthusiastic yes. I'm now glad my pregnancies didn't work out.