Wednesday, 14 January 2009
-
My Second Pregnancy, But I'm Still Anxious about Labor and Delivery
Guest post submitted by The_Syrup_Gang
As my due date of March 9th nears, I grow more and more anxious and nervous about my labor and delivery. You'd figure that I wouldn't be since I have already done this! However, I didn't experience the best of circumstances last time.
I had to be induced about two weeks early because of terrible swelling. (Preeclampsia was a real danger.) I didn't catch any sleep the night before the I checked into the hosptial, and my induction was scheduled for 6a.m. I was flat on my back from 6a.m. to sometime after 7p.m. (when I had my son). I wasn't allowed to get up nor move around. (During early labor I think the nurses allowed let me use the bathroom just once.)
I'm hoping this time around the labor is much quicker and I spend a little bit of the time walking around and at home. I am definitely getting the epidural again though. Even though it seemed to wear off at the end when I was pushing (I was pushing for about two hours), it helped me get about thirty minutes of sleep. I think the anesthesiologist told me there would be a little bit less, so I could feel when to push. I guess I am not one of those women who enjoys being pregnant.
I do not look forward to the pain of labor and delivery, but who does? I know from firsthand experience that the agony is a part of pregnancy but that the end result is miraculous. Still, I'm scared. I just want to have my baby in my arms already! Too bad we can't skip straight to that part!
Am I the one of a few women who feels this way when giving birth the second time around? Are there any second, third, or fourth time mothers out there who are still anxious and nervous because their previous pregnancies weren't positive experiences?
-
recommend
- recs 0
-
share
-
email
- sent 0
Related Posts
Post a Comment
- Back to momaroo's Momaroo Site!
- Note: your comment will appear in momaroo's local time zone: GMT -05:00 (Eastern Standard - US, Canada)
Comments (25)
I was anxious about giving birth the 2nd time around. My 1st one lasted 24 hours and a bunch of things went wrong. However, d-day was awesome. I handled the pain like a champ, and I was in labor for only 2 hrs. It's amazing what the body can do. You can do it Mommy!
I'm due March 14th...just a bit after you!
It's also my second and I'm nervous too. I was induced three weeks early with my first and I'm really hoping I can go full term this time and maybe start labor on my own.
I was nervous with my 2nd because I was going with a totally different labor/delivery option.
My 1st was a normal hospital birth - IV pain meds, epidural. But it was a horrible experience for me. They gave me too much of the epidural and I couldn't feel to push at all. I tore very badly (had to have a blood transfusion) and my baby had a fever from the difficult delivery (3 hours of pushing) so I wasn't able to see him for the first three hours of his life.
With my second I had NO desire to do all that again. I decided to use a midwife and had a home waterbirth. It was wonderful - no tearing, I got to hold the baby immediately and she was never out of my sight, I was up walking around within a couple of hours. No drugs, which of course was the scariest part - since with my first I didn't even really feel any contractions - but it wasn't as bad as I expected. The water really helped tone down the contractions. Anyway, if I can convince my husband to have a third baby, I can't wait to do a home birth again! I absolutely loved it!
no matter how many times you go through it, each time is different so being worried is natural...
I am having my second - due Feb 8th.
I had something similar to your experience: induction, laying on my back for hours, epidural, etc.I am nervous, but excited.I am hoping this labor/delivery will come more naturally!I just had my second but didn't have any time to be nervous! At my 37-week doctor visit, I was told they didn't think the baby was growing, they did an amnio, and I went to the hospital that night to be induced. It was so chaotic. I will still be nervous with any other children I may have - labor and delivery is nerve-wrecking.
My situation was different. I had a very easy first delivery, very by-the-book. My labor only lasted about 9 hours. I had a comfortable epidural that wore off just enough to allow me to be an effective pusher. I only pushed for about 20 minutes and my little man was here. A small second degree tear was my only problem. We had an easy first few days home as well.
So I'm worried that I won't have another good experience. On top of that, this little man, due March 3rd, is at least a pound bigger than his brother was at the same point in my pregnancy. I have another ultrasound when I get closer to my due date (probably around 37 or 38 weeks) and if he weighs 9lbs 15oz or more, I get to have a c-section, something that I fear more than anything. I had such an easy recovery from the vaginal delivery with my first son. I dread having to recover from a c-section with a busy two-year-old underfoot.
I am having my 4th boy in early June ... and I am still unsure about it all. Every pregnancy and delivery is different (my first two were more than 24 hours each and the last one was a total of 6 hours), so I think it is natural to wonder about how it might go this time. I actually had a dream already that I couldn't get to the hospital in time and ended up delivering in my bathtub with only my 2 year old there with me. Just try to relax the best you can and don't be afraid to ask your doctor questions ... even if it is your second one. I hope that everything goes well for you.
It makes you wonder why labor is so horrible -- they won't let you do things on your own. You get induced... you have to lay down the ENTIRE time and with that being said, it does become a very painful experience. I was very content with my first pregnancy & delivery. I was in labor for 13 hours and pushed for 20 minutes. I had no pain meds. I was very proud of myself. I would be anxious and scared if I had a second one, being scared that it woud leave a bad experience in my head with pregnancy and delivery. I think that is a reason why I don't want anymore. I thoroughy enjoyed my pregnancy and delivery and don't want to have my last thoughts hating it.
Good luck and congrats!
Considering I just found out... I'm ecstatic! I'm scared beyond belief that I will be having a baby in about 7 months. I'm scared to know that I could miscarry. I think it's a wonderful gift and I couldn't be happier. I do indeed want to find out the sex. I understand completely where you are coming from. I do. Maybe, this could be a positive experience for you. Congratulations!
-Suzanne
I was nervous with my second one. Not really because of my first delivery. With my first baby I was induced at 41 weeks one because I was late and two because I developed severe pre-eclampsia. I had extremely high blood pressure and I was okay with staying in bed because there was a real concern that I could have a seizure. I didn't have any of those problems this time so that didn't scare me. 10 years later when I had my second baby I was an L&D nurse. I would worry about rare things that could possible happen. Anyway my second delivery went great, better than my second. I was induced but I wanted to be. I moved around with wireless monitors until I was ready to have an epidural. I got my epidural and a few hours later I had my son. With both my children I had to push two hours. I am pretty small person and I am sure if I have a 3rd child I will have to push a while too. Although with my seoncd child he refused to rotate to the looking down position and came out face up.
Hey Girlie!
I think its totaly normal to be a little scared. Def. after the way Ryan came to be. But rememeber Kara, the way is paved. You aren't swelling like before (that was something that gave me nighmares. Your poor feet!) and God has you in his protective hand. I would bet $100 that this time will be much much better. The dr. is keeping a close eye on you, and you and I both know how awesome Mesko is. Just try and take it easy, and get lots of sleep, because well... you probably won't get much come marxh. Can't wait to see that beautiful baby!
@MommyDolce - I'm glad that your second time around was a much better experience! Thanks for the comment
@MlleBaroque@xanga - It sounds like we are in the same boat! Congratulations on a March baby! I hope all goes well for you too.
@TashaDW_18@xanga - I really wanted to try a water birth the first time. I even asked my doc if they had anything like that at the hospital, but they didn't. Having a Paramedic as a husband, he wanted me to be at the hospital because he knows what all can go wrong in a short amount of time, God forbid. I was already in bad shape from the severe swelling and high blood pressure. I think that the water would be so calming and relaxing though. I'm glad you had a good experience with it!
@babyK102982@xanga - Thank you so much for your comment and your story
! I am sorry to hear about your bad experience with a midwife, but you have turned that into something positive for sure. Congrats on deciding to become a midwife yourself. I am sure you will make a wonderful one.
@tedder6@xanga - Thank you so much, Jerusha!
@reasmom@xanga - Congrats! It won't be too much longer for you. I hope that you have the labor and delivery you want!
@The_Syrup_Gang@xanga - Thankfully I had a wonderful midwife with my first birth. The funny things is that she had been out of town for almost my entire pregnancy so I didn't even get to have a prenatal visit with her before the birth, but she was the midwife on call. She turned out to be the sweetest, most encouraging woman and I'll remember her kindness for the rest of my life. The midwife for my second labor was one I had had several visits with and thought I was really going to like. Perhaps it had something to do with the early hour of the morning (4am)? Or she thought the tough love approach would work? Regardless, I think that any negative approach should be avoided because labor and delivery is such an important event in both a woman and a child's life. Pain is a memory associated with labor that will naturally fade with time leaving pleasant thoughts behind, being treated rudely and carelessly is not, trust me I should know. Here I go again, writing a short story and not a comment. LOL. The last thing that I want to say is, it's your birth story, not anyone else's, and if you are unhappy with the way things are going and you think it is going to affect how your child comes into the world, insist on a change, be it another doctor, midwife or nurse. I wish I would have. (p.s. as a general clarification to everyone here, I'm not talking about being mad because your doctor/midwife won't give you more pain meds, I'm speaking about something such as you cannot push properly because of the position you are in and they won't allow you to change.)
All in all though, my midwife experiences were fabulous, so I'd hate to discourage someone from using midwives. Heck, that's one of the reasons I want to become one. LOL.
You should take a Bradley Method class, you will feel very prepared and have lots of confidence in yourself. I've had 3 babies naturally and all were incredible experiences (not easy, but amazing).
Oops my previous comment has the wrong due date, my due date is April 18th! so two more months
i loveall u pregnant women
u are very beautiful
ibrahim_himooo@yahoo.com
add me only pregnant women
Lace Wigs
Wedding Dresses