Ok, I used to think I was the only person who did this, but apparently not.
I was just talking to my mum about labour and birth and how big we all were, and naturally my 'little' brother came up because he was her biggest baby, at something like 12 pounds. I commented that I have no idea how I'd handle that and she said "I don't remember any of it". She can remember at least bits from the other 6 labours - but nothing of his - only that she didn't tear and the doctors decided 12lbs meant he was overdue.
Well, I don't remember ANYTHING of CJs either. I remember the telstra guy installing the foxtel the day before - and worrying I would go into labour, and I remember being woken up by the midwife at 5am the next day - but the 28th is a complete blank. All I can recall is "textbook" labour and delivery and... I didn't tear.
So is it just that faulty memory runs in my family, or are we not alone? Is there anyone else who cant recall the events of a labour?
Maybe it depends on your birth? My birth didnt go to plan and i felt quite traumatised by it and still am sometimes. Wish I could forget bits and pieces! But I will never forget that frist eye contact! Bliss!
I remember everything about my labour but I wish I didn't. It was a very traumatic birth and I have PTSS from it. I'm having a c-section this time, I know they aren't ideal and it's major surgery but I know its the only way I can get this baby out.
I went into labour at 1pm on the 18th & remember a lot of that afternoon / evening. I was at the hospital in the labour room all day on the 19th and I have very very little memory of what happened that day. I remember a lot of the night before going in for my c/s but the day is a blur with dotted memories here & there. Maybe because it was traumatic I managed to block a lot of it out??
I think you are lucky that you don't remember. I remember distinctly my labour and how I felt and also how I felt for months afterwards. I remember these things like it was yesterday, not a year ago. I also "feel" the pain of it all when I think about it. (Like a phantom pain type of thing). That is why when people ask me if we're going to start trying for number 2 soon I hate it so much. I'm now starting to say "when I've forgotten how I felt back then, I might be ready for another one"
So, as I said. I think you are lucky and I wish I could forget.
I remember all 3 of mine (not that ive had alot of time to forget them yet..LOL)
I found writing a birth story straight away helped...and i read all 3 often and i always talk about the labours with my DH constantly...he must get sick of me!
I don't remember much of the first at all, my hormones kicked in and I went into my zone, and when I emerged I had a baby!
My second I remember slightly more because it was faster but still it's very hazy.
Well thats the thing. I can remember the other 4. I sure do remember that labour really HURTS. That funnily doesnt worry me - dunno why, just completely at ease with what the body goes through with labour. After Lytas, which was my most traumatic, I remember I want them to keep their hooky knitting needles and short fat fingers to themselves. But cjs, which was by all others accounts my most cruisy labour - nada. All gone.
Its with no small irony that I meantion - both were our biggest babies. Hmmm. Right now this little funny saying keeps coming to me - and right now it feels so apt. "I have a photographic memory, but its run out of film"
I remember bits and pieces of it but dont remember being in to much pain for very long lucky enough it was short and sweet and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
I remember all of what happened with mine, even with Paige's and I was completely stoned on gas and Peth with her birth - I was in this wierd kind of place where I could hear everything that was being said, but for all intents and purposes I looked like I was asleep and I couldn't respond to them if they were talking to me. But I have a great memory for that sort of thing.
My mum on the other hand can hardly remember a thing about any of her births, but I just put that down to back then it was just something you did and you didn't linger on the 'story' of it kwim?
I can barely remember DS's birth - couldn't remember enough to write a birth story a month later when I tried to do it. Next time I'll try writing it straight away. DH remembers more than me - he was telling me this morning what I said after DS crowned! I just have to believe him.
Mind you I have a terrible memory anyway - I can't remember much before I was in high school (even when I was 18 I couldn't remember my primary school years - my siblings would reminice & I'd say really? they'd say you were there!)
I can remember pretty much everything still. The things people said. What I was thinking. What DH wasn't doing.
I do remember that normal labour doesn't hurt though, I guess if it had been physically painful my brain would have blocked it out as it seems to block out physically painful stuff.
I have a good memory generally though: I can practically run a memory video of my wedding day still!
The only things I remember from DD1 are what I told people over and over. I don't remember to actually picture it. I was putting it down to being 10.5 years ago. I remember a bit with DD2, it was under 2 hours so not alot to remember. With DS it was under 1 hour and i remember thinking at the time that it went ALOT faster than I thought, as in under 10 mins, not 49 mins, so maybe it's something like that, time seemed so much faster/slower than it actually was that straight away alot of the detail was gone?
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