Comments on: Life Within a Life

By: Kristabella

Kristabella — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:15:54 +0000

I’m going to guess that every pregnant person has had these same feelings. I’m not pregnant but my best friend (and best drinking buddy) is and I just think about how we are so grown up and why can’t we go back to the days of sitting in bars for 12 hours watching college football? Why do we have to be old and have jobs?

By: Shelly

Shelly — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:28:43 +0000

Whoops. So much for name anonymity on the web.

Sorry about that.

By: Shelly

Shelly — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:24:54 +0000

Ok, the smell. I don’t remember a smell when son #1 was born, but I certainly do for son #2. It’s not horrible, but reminicent of the last day of your period….just kind of rank and YUKKY…..something you don’t necessarily want to share with ANYONE?

I also don’t remember the smell while delivering, but more so on the baby……he was wiped up, but not bathed, and his hair had that, well, distasteful smell……I smelled it the other day, and thought first of all “ick”…I HATE THIS…..then I thought….hmmmm, that’s what Carter smelled like when he was born………your period and your son in one thought process seems a little……..weird, ya know? Sorry for the TMI.

My best friend also noticed it on him, and she was there during the delivery and didn’t mention it during the PROCESS….just on the kid…….

But think about it…..you shed that stuff EACH MONTH and suddenly it’s all trapped up in there WITH A BABY for 9+ months….it’s bound to be not so savory. Sorry Jonna if that makes you ‘lurch’.

But that would be the only smell I could think of……….even the poop is cleaned up pretty quickly by nurses, so it isn’t lingering too much……

By: Gaby

Gaby — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:27:44 +0000

Sweet Jesus, I did not want to know about smells! But now that it’s out there, I feel like I can share a story somewhat related (“somewhat” used loosely here): My husband and I were watching “Dirty Jobs,” and Mike Rowe (mmm) was helping deliver calves. My husband, country boy that he is, said, “I’ve done that. Many times. It smells pretty terrible.” And I nodded, figuring that cows smell normally, so they probably do smell when delivering, sure, that makes sense.

And NOW? Now I discover that humans smell too! Guh. No good.No good at all.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:39:37 +0000

The smell – funny, I never heard anyone talk about it before I had a baby, and yet I can agree with the comment. Yes it is like the period smell, but about a million times worse (maybe because you can’t use tampons). To me, it wasn’t during the delivery, but afterwards for a couple of weeks. It was pretty gross. But I don’t think my husband noticed, he never said.

By: -R-

-R- — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:18:33 +0000

My baby class teacher said that the delivery room ends up smelling really bad, but the mom doesn’t usually notice because she doesn’t usually leave the room. She told all the dads to bring smelly chapstick, like Carmex, and put it on their upper lips if they leave the room and come back in (so that they smell Carmex instead of… whatever the delivery room smells like).

By: Susan C

Susan C — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:05:19 +0000

I had two kids via c-section, but have no recollection of smell during the deliveries. However, after not being able to shower for a couple days due to the surgery, I became a bit smelly myself. If you have a chance to bathe before going into the hospital- do it!

By: Katie

Katie — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:33:06 +0000

P.S. Re: the smell. My cousin is a nurse and when she did her L&D rotation, she got to assist with the birth. She told me the smell of the placenta stayed with her all day. So maybe that’s what they were referring to?

By: Katie

Katie — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:31:40 +0000

I kow exactly what you mean! When I got married, I felt like, “Oh my gosh, now they’re going to know I’m definitely having sex!” I can only imagine that pregnancy is a confirmation of that!

By: claire

claire — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:45:50 +0000

How funny that you’re uncomfortable being pregnant around your parents. I love that – i could just imagine feeling the same way. Anyabeth’s comment sums it up – “something very odd about your dad being so proud you did the hoopty”. Too funny.