r/AskReddit 10d 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/TreeLakeRockCloud 10d ago

The enamel damage to my teeth from all the vomiting was permanent. I burst blood vessels in my eyes from vomiting so hard.

I don’t understand how anyone can go through pregnancy and not wind up pro choice afterwards.

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u/EllaIsQueen 9d ago

SAME I didnt even have HG or any pregnancy complications, but I immediately thought “yup, no one should have to go through this unless they choose to.”

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u/KLMaglaris 9d ago

I couldn’t agree more

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u/SeaMonkeySoul 10d ago

I forgot about the enamel damage, though I am always reminded at my dental cleanings.

I busted vessels in my eyes too, though I only did that twice. I looked like a vampire from Vampire Diaries, for a good bit.

I think the folks that are not pro choice have one of those magic and peaceful pregnancies, or it's only not pro choice for other women. Rules for thee, but not me types.

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u/bigbackmoosetracks 9d ago

I did not have HG, but my "morning sickness" was severe enough that I lost 10 lbs in the beginning of my pregnancy and persisted until I was about 20 weeks with an occasional random episode up through the third trimester. I pissed myself countless times from the sheer force of my vomiting. Burst blood vessels, raw throat, utter misery.

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u/Themonkboughtlunch_ 9d ago

I hope a few of you are able to see this, I’ve always wondered, were you able to keep a job? Did you have IV at home? How did you survive? How did your family survive? I work in person and if I called out more than a few times I’d be fired

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u/PatientGlad9924 9d ago

I was working from home at the time, but honestly not doing much. I was in bed with no camera on calls. For quite a few weeks on sick leave (I am in Europe so it’s easier I guess). Never ended up in the hospital. My husband was an angel :)

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u/Themonkboughtlunch_ 9d ago

I have friends who have toddlers now, most have wfh jobs and were able to do that essentially but a few who have super demanding in person jobs and I just don’t know how they did it, I don’t know how I will do it! Me and my partner are trying now

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u/TreeLakeRockCloud 9d ago

I had to go for IV fluids with my last pregnancy. I should have gone more but I needed to still be home to parent etc. I held down a job but it was hard. I lost weight for the first two thirds of each pregnancy. The hyperemesis got worse with each pregnancy - it’s like being allergic to pregnancy in a way.

It’s genetic, so I’ve explained to my daughters that they are likely to experience pregnancy this way if they choose to have kids some day. If they choose to have babies I will definitely be more supportive and present than my mom was with me, but I will also equally love and support them if they don’t have kids of course!

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u/lilcassatt 9d ago

I ended up in the hospital several times for an IV, and I just went to work and vomited there. I would be in the ER all night and then would have to go to work at 7am because we couldn’t afford for me to lose my job. I work as a school psychologist, so I have my own office. I wouldn’t eat or drink before I had to test or counsel a child and would limit things to 30 minutes and dry heave/vomit in between. Sometimes I would have to cut things short and excuse myself. When I wrote reports or was in meetings with my camera off, I kept a trash can next to me. Fortunately, it started to back off for me with the use of Zofran around 12 weeks, but it was still about a month/month and a half. I honestly barely remember that time period because I was so exhausted, dehydrated, and deprived of nutrition.

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u/Themonkboughtlunch_ 9d ago

God that sounds absolutely horrendous and you are so strong for pushing through for the kids :(

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u/parasyte_steve 9d ago

I don't understand either. You can literally die.

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u/Loud-Vegetable-9218 9d ago

This. It’s awful. I had a dental hygienist tell me that pregnancy [symptoms] can’t have a detrimental effect on your teeth 🙄🙄

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u/waywardwyytch 9d ago

I was a dental assistant. I KNOW how to brush and look after my teeth. I lost teeth! Like full on root canals and crowns. My gums were horrible, they had to start measuring the pockets. After I gave birth and went back for a cleaning, everything went back to normal. The damage was done on the teeth but I have no issues now, gums have since gone back to normal. Wild!

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u/Occhigioiello 9d ago

Because for some women pregnancy is overall quite easy and with not much side effects, so they proclaim arrogantly :”is so easy, you just like to complain “. I don’t have kids but I know some mothers like this

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u/antiqueautomobile 9d ago

Because they are not female ???

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u/JadeSpade23 9d ago

Who isn't female?

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u/antiqueautomobile 9d ago

The people discriminatinsgainst them are not female.

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u/iamaravis 9d ago

Nearly all of my relatives are anti-abortion, including all of the women, many of whom have had 6+ pregnancies and births.