Fast, Hard, Traumatizing Past Births?

[grace's voice]

Now that we're all pg again...

Is anyone else dealing with trying to overcome trauma from a crazy fast, hard birth?

I've been having panic attacks thinking about it everyday since I found out I was pg. I feel like I haven't processed the last birth and I'm SCARED TO DEATH of giving birth again in Dec. It wasn't that anything went wrong or anything, I just felt like it came out of nowhere, thrashed through me violently, and left me not really know what had just happened.

I think it would really help to talk about it!

[annettemarie]

You may want to visit the traumatic birth experience tribe, here.

[momto3wantingmore]

My last birth was very hard and traumatic for me. I had planned to VBAC and ended up with another c/section that was not needed they only wanted to do it cause I had 2 already. Post partum was somewhat Ok till day 5. That is when it all went to crap and changed my life forever. My entire scar from hip to hip reopened all the way down to the thin membrane that covers your organs (the Facia). Thankfully I didn't have an infection as I had the last time it happened to me but from then on it was very painful. Had to have a nurse come to my house and pack my open wound, ended up back in the hospital as the pain was way too out of control, left with a picc line (more permanent IV) to give myself morphine before they did the dressing changes and this went on for about 3 months. Ended up not being able to breastfeed my daugher after 7 weeks, lost 60 pounds in a little more then a month. Lots of pain meds make me unable to really remember anything but the pain, can't even remember my daughter in those first few months, walked away with PPD and PTSD. I am terrified of having the same thing happen no matter what I deciede as this can happen with planned c/section too. I am hoping and praying with every fiber in me I won't have to worry about this happing again and pray that I have a vaginal birth this time.

[LoveMyJonah]

Nothing particularly bad happened with my birth either, but I had a therapist diagnose me with PTSD. I didn't sleep for months, I had a hard time processing it as you had mentioned. I do feel that I'm passed it now, but I do get panic attacks when I think about laboring naturally in a hospital with a gown and tubes coming out of me. I know I don't want that again and I now know how to avoid it. I didn't know how to avoid it then. I was also at a VERY anti-NCB hospital.

If there were things that bothered you, just try to do some research and see if there is any way you can prevent it for the next time. I would think its hard to SLOW a labor down, but I have no idea, maybe there is!

[blairinargentina]

definately dealing with that here too. to make a long story short, i had a placental abruption with my dd, while i was in labor at the hospital. so my last memories of her birth were very, very traumatic. and i was unconscious for the c-section and don't remember the first few days there after. spent most of it being gravely ill. also had ptsd, not suprisingly.

so this time, while i know i will be having a c-section i am trying to talk to people to hear what it's like (to be awake! during it!), what to expect, etc. i have found that having a big "debrief" with my doula, midwife, and the surgeon helped alot. but i will probably have to re hash it all again with my (same) midwife before number two is born.

[JoyofBirth]

I have the opposite situation. I have incredibly long labors and am so not looking forward to that. Seeing how I"m so nauseous right, I can't even think past getting through this day. You should read Birthing from Within. It has a lot of helpful exercises. *Wondering where mine is, so I can take my own advice.* I will also say that your second birth is notoriously your fast one. Though it can happen again, it is unlikely that you will have a crazy fast birth again.

[grace's voice]

Originally Posted by JoyofBirth

I have the opposite situation. I have incredibly long labors and am so not looking forward to that. Seeing how I"m so nauseous right, I can't even think past getting through this day. You should read Birthing from Within. It has a lot of helpful exercises. *Wondering where mine is, so I can take my own advice.* I will also say that your second birth is notoriously your fast one. Though it can happen again, it is unlikely that you will have a crazy fast birth again.

Heeeey... were we in the same DDC last time??
I remember glancing through Birthing From Within last pg, but I don't think I read much from it. I'll check and see if the library here has it.

I have a friend who, with both of her children, labored for 3 days... crazy. Active labor, not just those labors that take a while to get going. She did it at home. She found out later that she's severely allergic to latex and her mw had used latex gloves, so what happened was her cervix swelled up and the babies had a really hard time making their way out.

I'm just trying to be thankful for my uhh.. efficient... body. Esp after reading these posts... my heart goes out and I'm counting my blessings.

[JoyofBirth]

I started off in June of 06 DDC last time but then switched to July when they changed my due date early on. Which were you in?

[grace's voice]

I was in June. Your name looked familiar and I figured since your baby was born just into July it was possible. I did poke around the July DDC a bit when I started thinking my baby was NEVER going to be born.