Do I watch all of these videos? Yes. Am I pregnant? No. Have I ever been, or will I ever be, pregnant? No. Do I have pregnant friends? No. But I'm fascinated. So I'm here.

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Love it! Thank you for being here!

@BrittanyLJMundy

2 жыл бұрын

I’ve had 4 kids with no intention of having more, yet here I am 😂

This was SO helpful! I’m pregnant with my second, but never experienced labor pains with my first as we had to have a planned c-section. Hoping to try for a vbac this time! Knowledge is power, and your videos are giving me that! Thank you!

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Knowledge is power! 🙌🏻🙌🏻 Good luck with your VBAC!!

I was binge watching your videos my last pregnancy here I am back again. I love you.

I actually touched my nose, chin, and forehead when you were talking about the firmness of the uterus during contractions. It was so cool to learn about it this way! So many people talk about the danger of being scared during labor and how that can just prolong your process, so I’m trying to learn everything I can and I plan to take like six combs with me to the hospital. Hahahahaha.

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Yes!! Knowledge is a great way to help break the fear-tension-pain cycle! 💗💗

@valeriepark9444

2 жыл бұрын

Saaaaame

@ashleybellerose7104

Жыл бұрын

Same lol

Had the baby 7 weeks ago unmedicated and already starting to forget what the pain felt like (funny how that works), but I do know that it was the most intense pain of my life, but a pain I was still able to handle nonetheless. Felt the contractions most strongly in my hips, as if the pain was wrapping around my hips, and I could only labor even remotely comfortably on my hands and knees, any other position felt like hell. Had what was termed a precipitous labor, going from 1cm to birth in an hour and a half, so I think the intensity of the pain was due to the speed of the labor. I could handle the contractions easily until they were one on top of the other in the last couple hours. In hindsight, I'm glad and proud of myself for handling the birth unmedicated. It's a rare life experience and I believe the female form of going into battle. 💪

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Way to go! You’re right, fast labors are intense!

A bit late but thank you for this very informative video! Your energy makes me feel like labor is a roller-coaster but I can see the whole track before I start. Due in March - subscribed to you for more advice and wish me luck!

The human body is so amazingly complicated and there are so many factors in birth that it is amazing anyone gets born at all.

The most accurate contraction description that I (a bio mom of three) heard was REALLY intense period cramps.

This was the best ever, and the sweater talk in the beginning was epic 🤩🤰

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Love my uterus/cervix sweater!

Thank you for this! I am going to be induced in two weeks (I’ll be 39 weeks) and I’ve been wondering what contractions actually feel like. So helpful!

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Yay! Good luck with your induction and delivery! 💗

@silverscapes9628

2 жыл бұрын

Good luck! Also, as someone who’s done induction, be vocal. I didn’t know what I was feeling was contractions (they felt exactly like period cramps for me) and they weren’t being caught on the monitor so my nurse kept upping the pitocin to induce contractions. It led to really intense contractions with no breaks and stalling. Other than that, my birth went beautifully. You can do it!

So helpful, thank you, and love the cervix sweater 😂

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

It’s a closet staple 😂

Your videos are so fascinating! I'm so so excited to go back to school in the near future and study to become a midwife, you and Mama Doctor Jones are two of my biggest inspirations, I'm fascinated by all things pregnancy, birth, labor, and the female reproductive system, have been for as long as I can remember. These videos are so educational too, and I feel like I learn so much and they're giving me such a great base of knowledge before I start my studies in the near future!

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Yay! We need more midwives!!

Great video. Thank you

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome!! 💗💗

Bahaha love that the cervix sweater has returned! 🤣

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

It’s my fav outfit!!

(With my first) I was expecting a lot worse since everyone makes it seem so scary so I didn’t think I was in labor. I went in because of the consistency and figured they’d just turn me away if it wasn’t. I was at a 7, got my epidural at 8. 90% effaced, 0 station. It felt like a blood pressure cuff type of squeezing and leaning over and rocking helped me. Sitting was super uncomfortable. It was all VERY intuitive and I agree with the loose stool all morning. 😅 I’m almost 22 weeks with my second and thinking of trying for unmedicated to avoid the injuries I got with my first delivery. Would love honest videos on describing that!

@fairytaleviola

2 жыл бұрын

What injuries?

@citychicken9949

2 жыл бұрын

LOL, Same! I went to work and everything thinking it was braxton hicks haha! I got to the hospital and I was 6cm! I didn't get the epidural since I had already made it that far, so figured I'd just go unmedicated lol. I had my daughter 4 hours after getting to the hospital lol. "Transition" was HORRIBLE but luckily, for me, it didn't last very long and by the time I felt ready to give up (because the pain was pretty intense) I was ready to push lol. If I decide to have another child I would go unmedicated again lol.

@marindavis371

2 жыл бұрын

@@fairytaleviola my husband dropped my leg which caused a labral tear in my right hip, I’ve had pseudoarthrosis in my L5 and lasting SI/SPD type pain. Then the Dr lied about tearing/needing stitches and a ton of drama with that etc. The Dr who placed my epidural was fantastic!

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Ugh, I’m so sorry you’ve got injuries related to the epidural. Definitely speaks to the fact that each labor is different that you walked in 7cm dilated thinking “is this labor?” I hope you have a similar experience with baby #2 so you can easily rock the unmedicated birth that you desire!

@letty88

2 жыл бұрын

To be honest I thought when I had my daughter 4 years I thought oh the contractions will be a piece of cake. WRONG. It was the absolute worse pain I have ever felt in my life til this day. 🙄 No joke. My back lower back felt like it was going to break. My lower stomach was cramping up so bad. 😩 I might sound like a drama queen lol but that's how I felt at that time.

Love your videos! Could you make one about pregnancy/labour with vulvodynia and chronic pelvic pain due to muscolar hypertone? That would be extremely helpful! 🙂🙂

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

I've got a couple of videos with Dr. Little (a pelvic floor PT) you should check out. I think they might be really useful!

My first labor the contractions were wave like. The pain started at the top of my belly moved downward, held all over for the peak and then continued the wave with relief starting from the top and working it's way down. It was very different from my Braxton Hicks because those were instantaneous tightening like squeezing a fist while the labor contractions had the wave/downward movement. I actually stopped feeling my contractions while pushing and had to guess when the OB told me to push when I felt a contraction. (Unmedicated, only used nitrous oxide prior to pushing) My second labor was completely different to the point that it took me 2hrs to even realize I was in labor. I ONLY felt pain in my inner thighs. It was kind of like a charlie horse leg cramp but only in my thighs. I seriously thought I was just having leg cramps off and on but after about 2hrs I thought "maybe I should time these" and yep 5-1-1 and started getting more painful. I could hardly stand or walk between contractions by the time I got to the hospital. My entire labor the contraction pain was only in my legs (again basically unmedicated delivery, nitrous oxide used prior to pushing stage)... I still have no idea why this was the case and I had never heard of "thigh labor." Definitely a lot more painful than "normal" labor contractions. All that said, labor is totally doable. Can't wait to see how different my labor will be when we decide to have baby #3 some day 😂

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Thigh labor seems to be related to the ligaments connecting the uterus to the pelvis! Our bodies are so crazy and it’s definitely more “rare” but not unheard of!

Okay the first part was both hilarious and disturbing. hahaha the colour of the collar/shirt as well . Dyingggg

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

It’s a classic around here 😂

All back labor so really didn't feel much, just aching coming and going low in my back and hips. And very quick just over an hour and half 😁 first baby too! X

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Wow, that is fast!!!

@bethtaylor1368

2 жыл бұрын

@@Nurse_zabe watched your channel religiously leading upto labor and birth. Was invaluable and made me feel so much more relaxed and prepared for whatever could happen. Thank you 😊 x

I remember telling myself “I’m gonna forget this pain and want to do this again. Please please remember this so you won’t have another, this is horrible, it hurts so bad, literally feel like I’m dying, etc.” Why do I still want to have another!?

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Because you’re supposed to forget! I honestly said the same thing after #2 unmedicated. And then #3 was also unmedicated. 😂😅

I love the PAIN acronym, esp the "intermittent" part. When people learn I had 2 unmedicated VBACs with bigger babies, they seem so impressed, but I explain that labor was no where near as difficult as suffering through gall bladder attacks, which IME were unrelenting, continuous pain I could do nothing about (except take opioids) and which produced *nothing* when it was over for all the effort and agony except that it was done. With labor pain I could move to change the intensity AND it was over in a minute. That old axiom "I only have to do one ctx at a time" was so helpful psychologically!

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

The intermittent part definitely helped me. And the fact that they weren’t all the same intensity until the very end! Some would be rough and others not so bad!

@karameader156

Жыл бұрын

Yes! I started getting gallstone attacks just a few weeks after birth. I described it as feeling worse than labor.

I love the cervix sweater😂❤️

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

I always love when I get to pull it out

@leesee22ag

2 жыл бұрын

@@Nurse_zabe I just has my 5th baby 1st daughter a month ago and you helped me so much!! She was my 4th natural birth but she threw Me through a loop and was born in her sac! So there was so much more pain!

@kelly1827

2 жыл бұрын

@@leesee22ag Huh, that's interesting that was your experience. My youngest was born "in the caul" and although her labor was 3x as long as my previous labor (in which my water broke 1st and then ctx started) it seemed much more mellow. She was also 10oz bigger than her sister. Curious!

Currently being induced and starting to have contractions so this is perfect timing 🤣

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Oh my gosh, good luck!! 💗💗💗💗

When your 36 weeks and find this video very helpful!!!

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

I'm sure in a past life you were a teacher! 😂 I will have to show my husband this video when the time comes.

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

I wouldn’t be surprised. I love teaching! But also, a lot of nursing is educating patients!

Mt entire labour was in my back. My water broke during the night (I thought I were myself 🤦🏼‍♀️) and that was when I went to the hospital. The rest of the contractions felt like a vice was strapped to my lower back and pulling my hip bones apart. I was so scared for every contraction. I decided on an epidural (after being stuck on 5cm for 8 hours) and 45 minutes later my son was born.

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Back labor is so rough! Sounds like the epidural was the perfect choice to help release tension and help baby be born!

You are hilarious, and your visuals are so memorable. Thank you for this. I am wondering if one has a fundal fibroid if that will affect how contractions are felt by either the laboring mother or the doctor. The texture of the fibroid is different from the uterine wall, I can already tell… so the nose/chin/forehead test doesn’t apply?

I needed this$ because I am on my third baby! And this time I’m like fully connected to my body! But these Braxton hicks and also normal contractions are doing the most!!!! I have Braxtons hicks and contractions back to back! I don’t even know if that’s possible but 32 weeks but baby is measuring 33 weeks, a week and half already ahead so I don’t believe it’s Braxton hicks anymore but more like contractions 😩😩😩

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

I definitely felt Braxton hicks contractions way earlier with my 3rd. But if you're ever concerned it's never a bad idea to touch base with your OB for a quick check!

I guess I had back labor because my contractions just felt like I was being stabbed in my lower back multiple times over and over. I wonder what a typical labor is like .. so curious to watch!!! ❤️❤️

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Back labor is the worst 😩😩

I had back labour, so it felt like a giant hand was crushing my spine, and then stopping, then starting again. I found heat on the back helpful, but nothing stayed hot enough for long enough, so there was a lot of microwaving of wheat bags and filling hot water bottles way more often than expected! I'm having a c-section next time due to ending up with a third degree tear, but I would definitely recommend others buying two or more wheat bags so you can have a rotation happening!

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Heat is AMAZING for back labor! Definitely not a fun feeling.

Are you familiar with coupling or double peaking contractions? When I was laboring with my daughter I experienced what I called twin peaks!! Nurses never acknowledged it so I assumed it was normal progression of labor.

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Often coupled contractions are an indication that baby is malpositioned. Sometimes OP (sunny-side up) or acynclitic. The uterus is trying to help rotate the baby!

I’m pregnant with my first one and I’m currently at the end of 7 months and I feeling a lot of Braxton hicks for the past two days it has been very consistent but it doesn’t hurt or last very long so I’m not to worried but I drink a lot of water I go on walks so I don’t understand why I have so many Braxton hicks a day

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Some people are just more aware of them than others. But if you’re ever concerned it’s never a bad idea to touch base with your OB!

Where do I need to go for you to be my l&d nurse??? You are SO amazing!!

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

You are too sweet. Chances are I won't be you L&D nurse, but good news is most nurses love their job and are AMAZING!

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

(although they probably won't have a cervix sweater)

The worst contractions felt like a huge painful bowling ball stuck in my pelvis.. but, I was induced and baby was sunny side up. Also, my epidural did not work. I’m wondering if it will work this time?! Watching your videos to help my anxiety.

My contractions felt like intense period cramps or gas pains. With my second, I also had several contractions where they flowed from my stomach to my thighs, which felt like the gripping sensation of a Charlie horse but in my thighs. I knew that could happen, but I didn't know what movements or positions could help that sensation. Maybe you could do a video on that?

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

I feel like thigh labor isn’t talked about as much but definitely can happen. I’ll see what I can put together to help!

For me it started off like light period pain and slight tightening that would taper off really quickly. When it came to active labour though... woah, it felt like stubbing my toe over and over again but it my stomach, that’s the only way I can explain it for how it was for me 😂

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

I’ve never heard it explained like that, but it’s kind of like your baby is stubbing it’s head on your cervix 😂😅

@lucidrover2385

2 жыл бұрын

@@Nurse_zabe I gave birth a couple months ago and stubbed my little toe the other week and it took me right back to the contractions when they were peeking and I was puffing away into the gas and air 😂🤦‍♀️

@NadiaSeesIt

Жыл бұрын

This description made me laugh but with lots of empathy! I hope I can bring the memory of this comment through birth and laugh about it - the things you can stand! Congrats mama!

I didn't feel separate contractions. I was I'm hospital already beacuse my waters broke at 29 weeks. Apparently we were spine to spine. I just woke up in really bad pain. I thought it was just because they made me sit down all day. They checked me and I was 7.5cm. I said I thought I'd feel the pain go away not continually pain. They said they didn't know. But they rushed me in. 30min later she was here. They just told me to push when they needed me beause I just felt it constantly. Was that normal?

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

I’ve seen this happen with preterm rupture of membranes before. How many weeks were you when you delivered?

@harleylorraine

2 жыл бұрын

@@Nurse_zabe I was 29 weeks. 1day after my waters went. They wanted to see if my waters would stop. But when the pains came they checked my blood pressure and it shot up even though I wasn't panicking. They said I could have got pre clampsia recently and not known it. My placenta had to be pulled out with a spinal after we gave birth because it wouldn't come out. They said it was very small and not very healthy looking. But unfortunately they never told me why everything happened like it did. I honestly have no clue what happened the whole time except the 7.5cm part. I think because it happend in less than an hour and so prem they all freaked out.

@briannabelliconish2828

2 жыл бұрын

I had the same! But mine was full term (she was born on her due date) HOWEVER I had a previous tailbone injury when I was a lot younger and the baby was directly on that fracture, so I believe a lot of the pain was from that (re-injury of the tailbone.) I wonder if you suffered a tailbone injury as well? I've heard it's common (but im not in the medical field- obviously nurse Zabe would have more info about this)!

@harleylorraine

2 жыл бұрын

@@briannabelliconish2828 lord knows. I never went to the hospital for anything like that but it could ha e happened.

I dont know... what i am feeling, but i doubt it has ever been a real working contraction. Still waiting and i hope my body can do it i am a bit worried it does not. Its like at the beginning of pregnancy where you see a million symptoms but they could all be imaginary and you are not really pregnant, but its with labor, is that a sign, is it coming along, oh that was painful but was that a contraction or just...whatever?

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

When true labor kicks in, it’s usually hard to miss. But it can be so hard when your symptom spotting everything at the end of labor. I totally felt that last year with my third baby 😩😩

My contractions were all in my hips, butt and thighs. It took me a while to be able to time them accurately, because I wouldn’t notice them until they hit their peak. It was super strange. But that’s how my period cramps were before baby. I actually felt like it helped me manage them better. 🤷‍♀️ My pre-baby periods were truly so much more painful than my labor. 😳

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

I’m hearing hip and thighs a lot! It’s crazy how we can all feel like so differently!

@hannahtindall8169

2 жыл бұрын

@@Nurse_zabe Yes! It was so surprising to me! My best friend has had 5 babies and she said her labors were all belly. 🤷‍♀️

I feel like this isn't the first time you've been birthed from a turtleneck 😅 I swear my contractions that I got from nursing my last baby were worse than the contractions that I got during labor. At least I'll be prepared this time around 😅🥴☺ Edit: I know it was the cervix sweater!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Definitely not my first time 😂😂😂. And after births cramps can be intense!

All of this is terrifying

@rettahenry4267

2 жыл бұрын

It's ok!!!! Watch a bunch more videos so you desensitize yourself❤️ I watched natural births non stop then pushed her out in 12 mins... It seems suuuper scary until it's happening then it's like your body just relaxes...it's wierd... To hen you forget the pain LITERALLY withing hrs of having the baby... You remember it hurt, but not how much or what it felt like... It's very strange...❤️

@fairytaleviola

2 жыл бұрын

@@rettahenry4267 oh it’s the permanent hemorrhoids and mental trauma of it that scares me not the pain

@libbycatherine

2 жыл бұрын

@@fairytaleviola You can get them removed if you need to and find yourself a good therapist who does EMDR for any trauma. I feel better knowing there are treatment options postpartum lol.

@fairytaleviola

2 жыл бұрын

@@libbycatherine is it all worth it tho?

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

I feel ya, it’s really intense! 😅

I can’t remember what they felt like… all I know they hurt like a b*tch 😂 thank goodness for epidurals (I had back to back labour too)

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 epidurals. And back labor is the WORST!

@itswaytoomucheffort5424

2 жыл бұрын

@@Nurse_zabe absolutely awful! They wouldn’t let me go onto a birthing ball (the only place I was remotely comfortable) as they wanted me to monitored the entire time. But my daughter was born in 6 contractions my midwife said I smashed it as I’m a first time mum!

My contractions felt like I was having a Charlie horse happening in my abdomen.

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

It’s a really strong muscle contraction similar to a Charlie horse, but doing way more work!

Uh oh looks like it's time for a c-section lol.

All your missing is your husband walking in and asking what in the world you are doing

I’m not a birthing person ! I’m a birthing WOMAN !

@Nurse_zabe

6 ай бұрын

Then when I’m talking to you, specifically I would say that. Or better yet, call you by your name

For me it felt like a bowling ball was expanding inside of my pelvis and then obvs stopped expanding when the contraction was over. 🎳🌊

@Nurse_zabe

2 жыл бұрын

Never heard that before, but I love that description!