NOBODY wants to talk about postpartum depression and pain in labor...

I don't think I had postpartum depression but for some reason I don't fully remember my baby girls first 2 weeks of life. I remember only bits and pieces of it. That in itself upset me at the time. I had an excruciating labor, I remember having never ending contractions, a constant pain, that wouldn't go away, it was horrible. I tried walking, sitting, lying down in different positions and the pain would never subside. I ended up having to have an emergency c-section. The cord was wrapped 3 time around my daughters neck. I hated the spinal block, it scared me not able to feel my legs. I was in tremendous pain following the birth. They released me after 2 days and from there I don't remember much.

Fortunately I never had to deal with postpartum depression or any other kind of depression but in my experience, women are a lot more open about discussing it now than a few years ago.

I had a natural birth with my son. I felt everything and it was all painful. I think the contractions were the worst though. When he finally came he was 8"8inches. I don't remember having depression, I was just sleeping a lot.

I was 2 weeks overdue and was taken into hospital on the Sunday evening to be induced. I had the first attempt at about 7pm Sunday, the second at around 1 am on the Monday. I didn't sleep at all that night as it was uncomfortable but not exactly painful. I had the third attempt at around 8 am on the Monday and spent a lot of time walking around in the tiny space of my cubicle. At about 12.30 pm the contractions got a lot stronger and I called the midwife who took me to the delivery suite. I was still only 4cm dilated so at 3.30pm they broke my waters. As soon as I stood up after that the contractions were very painful and I panicked, thinking I'm only 4cm and how was a I going to cope?! I had a bath which gave a little relief and then the midwife said that the birthing pool was now free if I'd like to use it. I walked down the corridor to the birthing pool and when I got in there they had classical music playing and dim lighting. I said something stupid like "Is all this for me?" As soon as I got in the water at 5.30pm I felt back in control and the pain eased greatly. Unfortunately I kept falling asleep between contractions but I asked for an epidural at about 9pm but the midwife said I'd have to get out of the pool, she'd have to page the registrar, etc etc. Enough to put me off! My gorgeous 9lb 1 oz boy arrived at 9.38 pm but what was really bizarre was that after I'd delivered his head under water I had no more contractions whatsoever and couldn't push the rest of him out. I went back to sleep! The midwife had to wake me up and my husband had to haul me to my feet in the pool. Basically she and gravity worked together to get my son out! As I had no more contractions I had to have an injection to deliver the placenta. Once I got out of the water and helped onto a bed the pain hit me. It felt like I'd been kicked between the legs and when the midwife examined me I actually swore at her and refused to be examined anymore! I did tear but didn't get stitches, something that probably I should have had done. It's true about forgetting the intensity of the pain but my overall lingering emotion is one of great pride. I delivered my healthy son, we were both ok and if I'd had to do it all over again, the same length of time and with no pain relief other than warm water, I could have right there and then.

My water broke at 8 am on the dot. We thought it was going to take all day and finally made it to the hospital about 9am. When i came in i was at 3cm. My contractions were coming fast and hard. So my doctor gave me Stadol for the pain, it did nothing but make me sleepy and loopy. I still was able to feel everything!! I wanted an epi but I was going way too fast for that. They checked me again i was at 4cm, then came back to check me again less then a hour later, and i was already at 10cm and ready to push! I was passing out in between contractions and pushing. My little bundle of joy Aidan Joseph was born at 11:35am on June 5th, 2006. My labor was 3 hours and 35 mins!!

Pain is a part of labor and delivery. Once the pain is over it is hard to describe. You remember being in pain, but the intensity of it really doesn't register. My second birth was very hard. I labored for 5 hours before delivering my daughter. She was born face up and the cord was wrapped around her neck. Because of her position, she was pushing on the cervix and it wasn't dyalating enough to push her head through. The nurses reached inside and aided the cervix while I pushed. That I recall was not easy. I began to tear as they had to push on my abdomen to rush her delivery. She was blue. I did not have any pain medication, nor did I want it. Some women want to be medicated, I felt that birth is natural and when it is done you don't remember anything but having that sweet little bundle in your arms.

I disagree, I work with families and its one constant topic amongst the mothers, They talk about the 'baby blues' and their labour experiences constantly and in vast detail. I can't imagien where you have the idea that nobody talks about it!

Wow, good luck on that! I can't help you, I don't have children and don't know anything about it, but here's a bump to keep your discussion on top so you can get some help! ^^

I didnt have post pardum or much pain in labour, I wasnt sure if i was in labour or not so when we got checked out I was in labour. I had an epidural and everything went pretty smooth. it was about 8 hours all together and 2 hours of hard pushing, there was only a small amount of time when I doubted my self, once he was out everything was fine

I'm not sure what you are looking for but I have given birth three times. The first was with an epidural that didn't work right at first and there was definetly pain involved, my second was my most painful so far completly natural, my last was also completly natural so there was the normal birth pain which is very strong. I have not ever suffered from postpartum depression at all and in fact seem to have a much elevated and happy state of mind for many months after.

I had a huge response to my questions about postpartum depression... maybe some of their responses could help you http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/344353.aspx

I am never going to forget the birth of my daughter. It was a Sunday and I had spent all day working. I worked as a retail store manager at a small discount store. During the day, I got a call from my boyfriend who went out with a snowmobile ride earlier with his friends. Anyways, he calls and says that he thinks he got hurt because he is in a lot of pain. Of course, I tell him to go to the hospital and get it looked at. He, being a typically man, said that he would later if it got really bad or wait until the morning because he was "watching football and had friends coming over." I trust his friends so, I said well still let them come over and you get your injury checked out, but no. But, wouldn't you know that is the same night I went into labor. About being home a couple of hours my water broke. So off to the hosptial we go. I was in so much pain, but so was my boyfriend. He wouldn't stop complaining and I even grabbed him apparently where it hurt. I started screaming about how he had no idea what pain was like and I told him to just "shut up and be quiet." My mom told him that it might be a good idea if he went and got it check out, since we were already at the hospital. I had two epiderals (I am not sure how to spell it). At one point they thought I wouldn't be able to have a natural birth because my daughter kind of got stuck, but it ended up okay. My boyfriend also ended up making the birth because my dad went and got him when they said it was time. He also ended up having a broken collar bone.

Boy, this is really a "soap box" issue for me so pardon if I get started and get wound up. I really feel that America doesn't support new moms well AT ALL. The average mother goes back to work full-time after only two weeks! Here she is, expected to just "continue on as usual" and she is probably still bleeding, hasn't gotten five hours straight sleep in over a month (does anyone get five hours sleep the last two weeks without having to get up and go pee?), and is learning to deal with a whole new little life that is her responsibility to raise and comfort and nurture and feed and provide for..... It is an amazing amount of change in a VERY short period of time and instead of supporting her we treat her like it's no big deal. In India they did not allow the mother to leave the house with the baby for a month. 30days. For 30days women of the villiage or town and her family would bring a meal each day and help tend to the house so the mother and the baby could have uninterupted time getting to know eachother and learn how to respond to eachother. Only then did they leave the house and resume their work, etc. And usually even then the infant would travel WITH the mother, and not be seperated. Seperating mother from baby so soon is unnatural and is part, ONE part of many contributing factors, to a high post partum rate in America. One of the highest in the world. Bleh! You got me started!! **laughing**