Is natural childbirth possible if you have an aversion to bodily fluids?
ByI am 38 weeks pregnant and very excited to start my new life! I would like to deliver naturally because I do not want my baby exposed to drugs of any kind. However, I have a pretty big problem with bodily fluids of any kind, especially blood and vaginal secretions. My heart starts pounding when I see or, worse *smell* them and I feel like I’m going to pass out.
What what I understand, after a natural delivery they put the baby onto your chest. Do they wash the baby thoroughly before doing this? Are the nurse’s careful not to touch your hands or face with their own hands (which may have fluids on them?)
My husband tells me to stop worrying since he thinks I am too much of a “princess” to deliver naturally anyway. But I don’t want an epidural for my baby’s sake, and also because I have a phobia about needles.
Do they still put the baby on your chest if you have an epidural? Do they clean the baby thoroughly in that scenario? I just want to do what’s best for my baby AND for me.
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9 Comments
February 28th, 2010 at 9:03 am
You probably will want to hold your baby as soon as she comes out, but you can request that she gets cleaned up first.
February 28th, 2010 at 10:03 am
Honestly, you will be so involved in pushing the baby out you will not even think about it, plus you cannot see down there anyhow the only blood and stuff you will see is on the baby and I tell you once they are out that stuff does not even matter.
February 28th, 2010 at 10:32 am
When both my children were born, they were put on my chest as soon as they came out….so no, they weren’t clean!(I didn’t have an epidural for either, but I’m assuming they don’t clean them either!) They don’t get thoroughly clean(a bath) until a few hours after they are born. When your baby is born, you’re not going to care if they’re clean or bloody or whatever….you’ll be too excited and joyful to care! As soon as that little baby lays on your chest, you instantly fall in love….bodily fluids and all!!
February 28th, 2010 at 11:06 am
You are going to be getting more “stuff” on you the next couple of years than you can ever imagine. Between dirty diapers, burping and throwing up, runny noses, booboos that bleed, you might as well get used to it. Only Debbie Rowe got away with never touching any “stuff”. For some reason, when it is your child, it just doesn’t matter.
February 28th, 2010 at 11:44 am
well princess,
you obviously arent that afraid of “bodily fluids” because your 38 weeks pregnant and im pretty sure in order to get that way you have to have sex with hubby which includes bodily fluids….
Buuuutttt….. if you dont want to see it ask them ahead of time to put up a seperator, like they do for c sections, and not to bring the baby near you till he/she has been cleaned…
that being said you have a rude awakening coming if you think its guna be cake having an new infant in the house…. think of all the spit-up/vomit and poop and pee, and if its a boy, usually you get peed on the first couple times you change him, until you learn otherwise….
my advice? get over it and be happy you can get pregnant, some people cant…..
February 28th, 2010 at 11:55 am
I would ask your OB/GYN about a birthing pool. This way you won’t smell or feel the bodily fluids and the baby will automatically be washed when it hits the pool. Also, the water reduces the pain and pressure caused by labor pains and childbirth.
February 28th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
Tell the doctor when you first meet them that you have this fear, they won’t push anything on you that will stress you out. It doesn’t matter if you have an epidural or not, although if your blood pressure drops, you wont have a choice, they will have to give you one to stabilize it.
Perhaps as the baby comes out, the doctor can give the baby straight to your partner, who can quickly wrap him/her up (to cover its icky body) and wipe its face then bring the baby over to you to see.
You can request for the baby to be bathed while you are in the delivery suite. What’s best for the baby, is to not have a stressed mother and the doctors will do whatever they can to avoid that.
Just be very clear about what you want/don’t want, and if they don’t listen, ask for another doctor or be extremely stubborn about it until someone takes you seriously.
Also an idea for a birthing position so you cant see any blood, lay on the bed, with the back lifted up so you are kind of sitting up, but a little layed back for comfort, ask for the things they prop your legs up in, and then drape a blanket over your legs. Your legs will give you something to push of aswell as blocking out the blood.
The epidural is safe for the baby, and doesnt hurt as much as you would think. If you get them to do it mid contraction, you won’t even feel it go in. But since you want to do it naturally, put your foot down and make sure it is done your way!
Good luck!!
February 28th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
I didn’t get to hold my son right away because his heartrate had slowed while giving birth and they had to get him checked over first..
Have you tried consuling for these problems? I mean, you have a monthy period and yet have panic attacks over bodily fluids, this doesn’t sound healthy for your mind. And for it to bother you so much that you want your baby cleaned before holding him is troubling.
However, you can request that the baby be cleaned first and I suggest you get yourself some help.
February 28th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
they usually place them there right away, but you can request for them not to, personally I found birth amazing, “gross” was the furthest word from my thoughts