My book #Belabored comes out tomorrow and the best/worst part about writing it was hearing everyone's labor stories. I know there are many ways to mother and not all of them involve labor. But If you have them let's hear them! I'll tell you mine. The news sucks today anyway

With my first my water broke but I wasn't having regular contractions. I went in and labored 12 hours with pitocin and eventually with an epidural (would love an epidural rn actually). Pushed four hours. She was vacuumed out.

Afterwords I was passing in and out of consciousness, not sure why. Doctor was worried. I had no idea what was happening. I finally wake up with the doctor giving me a suppository and watching a nurse mop up a giant pool of my blood on the floor.

Me: Is that my blood?
Nurse: Yes
Me: It's like the tide at Omaha Beach

*I pass out again*

I had no idea what was happening and no one told me. When I asked, my doctor told me I had some bleeding not to worry. My recovery was rough. It wasn't until I went to have my second and I was having nightmares about my blood on the floor that I finally found out what happened

I had postpartum hemorrhaging and serious and rare condition and it can be life threatening AND NO ONE FUCKING TOLD ME! They were all like, don't worry about it.

I'm still so mad. Like if you almost die during knee surgery they TELL YOU. But I had a lady doctor so I thought I'd be fine.

I just wish laboring women got some goddamn respect. Like I'm birthing a human please tell me what the hell is happening. My doctor absolutely refused to tell me how many stitches I got. Still. To this day.

Also, please pre-order my book https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/lyz-lenz/belabored/9781541762824/