Shocking realities of childbirth revealed by women online
Childbirth is no picnic.
Women have revealed the good, the bad and the very ugly truths behind giving birth in an eye-opening Reddit thread.
From to breaking your coccyx bone to wearing adult nappies, here are some of the cold, harsh realities that women experience during the miracle of procreating:
You will leak, a lot
“Lots of women wear adult diapers,” explained one woman, who said that they can be extremely useful in combatting the vast amounts of fluid that leak from a woman’s body after she has given birth.
“You and your baby will be exhausted and leaking from all kinds of strange places,” added another, who also advised wearing disposable puppy pads.
If you have a caesarean, your recovery period will be longer
“I had three kids born vaginally, no meds,” wrote one mother.
“My last had a true knot in the cord and was born via c section. Believe me, if you can have a vaginal birth, do so.
“The recovery from a c-section is so much more painful and so much longer. Abdominal surgery is no joke.”
Another added that complications are more likely with Caesarean births and advised expectant mothers to always opt for a vaginal birth if possible.
You might break a bone
“When my mum gave birth to my brother he broke her coccyx bone on the way out,” wrote one user.
“They found out a few weeks later that he’d also broken his collar bone. So apparently it wasn’t that he hated baths it just hurt him to move his arm.”
You might lose control of your bowels
One mother has confessed to the tearing she experience when giving birth, explaining that she had “developed a micro-fistula and rectocele (along with nerve damage)” which led to bowel and bladder incontinence.
“I was extremely fortunate to find an amazing pelvic floor PT who helped me get back a lot of bowel control. While I’ll never be 100%, I have managed to avoid surgery for now and am able to manage my issues.”
You might not be able to have sex for a year and a half afterwards
Typically, new mothers are advised not to engage in any sexual activity for the first three to six weeks, until any post-birth bleeding has completely stopped.
However, in severe cases, giving birth can cause vaginal and/or perineal tearing, which can stop couples from having sex for much longer periods of time.
“You can actually develop vaginismus from the trauma to the area,” explains one mother.
“I learned that first hand! I couldn't have sex for over 18 months after,” she added.
