It’s a given that every childbirth experience is memorable for mothers. Despite the pain and challenges, it’s a very fulfilling moment. For some, however, it was mostly crazy and traumatizing. Read about some moms’ childbirth horror stories here.
What can you read in this article?
- Childbirth horror stories shared in our TAP community
- Labor and childbirth horror stories explained
21 Childbirth horror stories from moms
In our TAP Community, we posted the question, “What is the most memorable moment while you are giving birth that you remember (Ano ang pinakanaalala mong moments while giving birth?)”
We got a lot of answers – from heartwarming sharings to unbelievable stories that you wish would never happen to you. Here are some of them (spoiler alert: some of these stories would make you cringe!):
Screenshot from theAsianparent Community app
Close calls
Can you imagine going to the hospital feeling the urge to give birth only to be advised to go home? What would you do in that situation?
“Pinapauwi ako dahil close cervix pa daw.”
One of the moms in our TAP community shared that the doctors recommended she go home first because of a closed cervix. After a few hours, her cervix opened up to 7cm. It was a good thing she chose to stay in the hospital.
Another going-home story shared by a mom said she was about to give birth but advised to go home because she was only 3 cm. She called up her OB-Gynecologist and thankfully, she allowed her to be admitted. Once she was placed in the emergency room, she was already at 6cm.
On the other hand, Mommy Pinky shared that the doctor told her that she was only 4 cm. When she went to the room, they were all shocked that the baby needs to come out already. Well, that escalated quickly.
Extremely painful birth stories
Pain is expected during childbirth. But how much pain are we talking about? For these moms, it seemed like they were in a whole lot of pain.
One mom shared the excruciating pain she experienced before her delivery. And after all the soreness, aches and complications, they decided to do a cesarean procedure on her. Before that, she was also injected several times on her spinal cord before the anesthesia took effect.
“18 hours monitored in the labor room, injection of magnesium sulfate due to headache and high blood pressure.” she shared.
Mommy Christine chose to look at the positive side, but there is no denying she had one of the most painful experiences during childbirth.
“No contraction pains during labor, no anesthesia during delivery, and the most heartwarming of all is the warmth of my baby’s body when she was placed on my tummy for the very first time,”she shared.
Another mom’s painful childbirth experience included not being allowed to sleep until she delivers her baby.
“‘Di ako pinatulog magdamag,” she said. Imagine getting zero sleep for the whole duration of the painful episode.
A caesarian mom of two shared that the sedative they gave her to make her fall asleep was not effective. Therefore, she was able to feel some procedures such as cutting her stomach and hearing every cut that is being done.
A mom who gave birth via cesarean did not have her husband by her side due to the pandemic. She also shared that it was her first major operation so far. One thing that she remembers the most was when she was injected with anesthesia on her spine.
Since it was during the pandemic, most of the doctors were wearing face shields. She said that she was able to see the reflection of what the doctor is doing through their face shield.
“Nagre-reflect din ‘yong pagtatahi niya.”
Another mom also said that her memorable experience during childbirth was the 16 hours of labor and stitches. She gave birth at a public hospital and assumed that they did not give her enough anesthesia so she felt the pain.
Emergency CS woes
“Bago mag-give birth, asang-asa akong normal delivery ako.”
The truth is we can never predict how we’re going to give birth. But for moms who expected and prepared for normal delivery, ending up on the operating table can leave quite a sting.
One mom who ended up on emergency monitoring for a cesarean procedure confessed that her baby’s heartbeat was not normal and she was very nervous at that time.
Mommy April, who went through 25-hour labor, also ended up having a cesarean procedure. However, like a lot of moms who had an emergency CS procedure, she said that everything was worth it after seeing her baby.
One mom shared that she went to two hospitals and a lying-in clinic first before giving birth but ended up having a cesarean delivery. She went with an ambulance and was injected by anesthesia. She was very nervous and just prayed for her baby to be safe. Thankfully, everything went well.
One mom also expressed her stress because she needed to deliver her baby before her due date. On top of that, they will be conducting a cesarean procedure as well.
“Sabi CS na daw, na stress ako.”
Still think labor is a walk in the park? Take it from these moms’ quick comments:
“Labor is really the most painful, its like your having exorcism!”
“15 hours in labor and it has been very difficult”
“24 hours labor on my own. It was hard. But thank God, it was a success”
Labor and childbirth horror stories explained
Like the horror stories you read and what you see in the movies, labor can bring about excruciating pain. But why does it happen? Is it the same for every woman who’s about to give birth?
According to KidsHealth, pain during labor is caused by contractions of the muscles of the uterus and pressure on the cervix. This kind of pain can be felt as a strong cramping in the abdomen, groin, and back, as well as an achy feeling. Some women experience pain in their thighs or sides as well.
Other causes of pain during labor include pressure on the bladder and the movement of baby’s head. It can also be caused by the stretching of the birth canal and vagina.
Pain during labor is different for every woman.
Women experience labor pain differently — for some, it can be like menstrual cramps; for others, intense pressure; and for others, extremely strong waves.
To help with pain during labor, the doctors advise moms to be prepared. Regular and appropriate exercise is recommended for pregnant moms to strengthen their muscles and prepare their bodies for what they are about to go through.
READ MORE:
Labor First Aid: What you can do if wife suddenly goes into labor
7 Possible injuries during labor and delivery to watch out for
Simply holding hands can help ease labor pain, suggests study
Isolation and postpartum depression
Other than the physical pain, some mothers felt that not having their spouses and family while giving birth was more terrifying. Moms like Camille and Lai experienced being alone in the room by themselves:
“Due to Covid protocols, I was the only one inside the hospital room.” “‘Yong ako na lang mag isa sa recovery room. Wala akong kasama na ibang mommies na kasabayan ko nanganak.”
For some moms, the scary part comes after giving birth, when the unexpected thing happens – they are fearful of being left alone with their child.
One mom shared that her postpartum depression led her to feel distant from her newborn. She didn’t even want to hold her at all.
What is postpartum depression?
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a clinical mental disorder that describes the unexplained sadness or fear that a mother feels two weeks after giving birth.
Because of the changes that we are experiencing with our body and our routine, new moms may feel at a loss to what is happening as they begin their parenting journey caused by the physical and hormonal changes that came with the new baby.
They may feel bouts of sadness, longing for their old life, and anxiety over their new role. This is called postpartum blues and lasts for about one to two weeks after giving birth.
Baby blues usually last for up to two weeks after the baby’s birth. However, if it lasts for longer than that, then it might be classified as postpartum depression.
If you’re having intense emotions two weeks after giving birth, it’s best to get in touch with your doctor so you can be tested for postpartum depression.
Don’t be ashamed to ask for help because your provider won’t think you’re weak or a bad mom for having these symptoms. According to research, about 1 in 8 women get postpartum depression.
Grin and bear it
A first-time mom shared her experience that she was so scared and nervous that she almost jumped on the hospital bed. Although she gave the doctor and staff a good laugh, they told her what she did was dangerous. So moms, make sure not to jump out of your bed.
Meanwhile, brave Mommy Jov who experienced an accident while giving birth says,
“All I did was to pray, asking for another chance to spend my life and everything with my baby and husband. Then while everyone’s in a panic kasi things went downhill and my life’s at risk, I saw my baby looking at my direction being held by the nurse which made me think that I can get through it and I did,” she posted.
If there’s one thing these moms have in common, it’s that they are willing to go through the eye of the needle just to make sure their baby is born safe and healthy.
However traumatizing, these childbirth horror stories can also be considered inspiring moments to other moms. Mothers are some of the strongest women in the world. With all the pain and sacrifice they did to deliver their baby, they deserve all the love and care. Salute to all the moms out there!
Source:
WebMD, KidsHealth, theAsianParent Community App