What does birth smell like?

[susannah14]

A friend of mine told me that his wife giving birth was one of the worst things he's ever smelled. He was holding her leg back and said it just hit him in the face.

Of all the things I've worried and agonized over, this is a new one.

Anyone have any experience with this? Does he just have a smelly wife? He thinks she might have pooped herself "a little bit" but it was mostly the combination of not having showered, all the liquids coming out, and I don't know what else.

Ugh..

 

[cassarita]

Hahahahahah omg I'm sorry. I just burst out laughing in my office. Whoopsie. I'm sorry I don't have any experience in this because I had a c-section. I think it could be possible she pooped her self a little bit while pushing. When my water broke it didn't have a smell so I don't think it would that. Unless maybe the baby pooped inside of her. Not sure. Maybe she just had a sweaty vag.

 

[sweetangel]

Ive never heard that one, but definately got me worried now Im a total freak about hygiene lol. x

 

[aysmith]

Haha oh god, as if I wasn't worried enough now I have to worry that it smells too lol xxxxxx

 

[lornapj83]

ive never heard of such a thing lol unless u poop yourself i have had 3 natural births and 1 emergency c sec too so maybe he had a wife and she poop a bit and trust me once your contractions start you dont really worry about anything hope this helps x

 

[fl00b]

hehe this made me chuckle too
i've never heard of anyone saying it smelt before, then again i think funny smells are last on the concern list when you're in labour!

 

[susannah14]

I KNOOOOW! I am also very hygienic...I mean, I won't even let my husband...ahem, go down there...unless I've just showered lol.

I am seriously worried about this. I just want to maintain some dignity!!!

 

[Nix]

I did a couple of years of midwifery training so have been at many deliveries and there is definitely a distinct smell but I never thought it was awful. It kinda smells like a chemical smell but I think this is the smell of the amniotic fluid. When I had my last baby I remember her skin smelling like it too when I first held her.

As someone else said maybe the smell he thought was a birth smell was actually some poo that had been pushed out at the time of delivery.

Anyways dont be scared of hygiene etc. You're all fine and I'm pretty certain that you wont care at the time so don't be worrying about it now lol xxx

 

[susannah14]

I did a couple of years of midwifery training so have been at many deliveries and there is definitely a distinct smell but I never thought it was awful. It kinda smells like a chemical smell but I think this is the smell of the amniotic fluid. When I had my last baby I remember her skin smelling like it too when I first held her.

As someone else said maybe the smell he thought was a birth smell was actually some poo that had been pushed out at the time of delivery.

Anyways dont be scared of hygiene etc. You're all fine and I'm pretty certain that you wont care at the time so don't be worrying about it now lol xxx

Thank you this helps a lot. Maybe it was just his wife who smelled lol. OH I do remember him saying that the baby pooped too. Would that have made it smell horrible?

 

[cassarita]

Could be. That mecconium first poo is horrid.

 

[likeaustralia]

She might have had an infection. I've read that bacterial infections can cause a distinct smell.

 

[Shadowy Lady]

ok this seriousely made me laugh and not ppl in the office are looking at me like I'm nuts! I never thought birth had a smell or had even heard of it.

I don't think you should concern yourself with it though. When you're giving birth things like this will not even occur to you. Btw I think your coworker was a tad insensitive for telling you this story anyway

 

[Mrs O Xx]

I never smelt anything when I had DS1 but with DS2 my waters kept leaking and most of the water came out when I pushed him out and he smelt like a wet dog

 

[Nix]

I did a couple of years of midwifery training so have been at many deliveries and there is definitely a distinct smell but I never thought it was awful. It kinda smells like a chemical smell but I think this is the smell of the amniotic fluid. When I had my last baby I remember her skin smelling like it too when I first held her.

As someone else said maybe the smell he thought was a birth smell was actually some poo that had been pushed out at the time of delivery.

Anyways dont be scared of hygiene etc. You're all fine and I'm pretty certain that you wont care at the time so don't be worrying about it now lol xxx

Thank you this helps a lot. Maybe it was just his wife who smelled lol. OH I do remember him saying that the baby pooped too. Would that have made it smell horrible?

Yep this could make a difference as you would lose the chemical kind of smell .My husband is useless with anything like this so I'm sure he probably thought I smelt in labour and it would probably have made him feel ill lol not that he would dare say anything though haha x

 

[Lil_Apple]

I KNOOOOW! I am also very hygienic...I mean, I won't even let my husband...ahem, go down there...unless I've just showered lol.

I am seriously worried about this. I just want to maintain some dignity!!!

Im exactly the my DH and going down there

I hate to be the one to break the news But there is zero dignity in childbirth lol

Having DS2 I had a canula (Im not sure how you spell it) In each hand and when I was pushing him out the force of my holding DHs hand and my face (for some reason) made them both pop out so I was showered in blood....nicee!! Add to that the lil poop I did that the midwife swiftly removed and swore I didnt do (but I knew I had. Glad I did actually as after that DS2 flew out!) The my placenta got stuck and I kid you not there were about 10 midwives/doctors 'goal end' having a peak..... ZERO dignity haha Infact almost minus on the dignity scales

 

[fuffyburra]

It smelt like lavender to me My daughter smelt like it for weeks, even my mum commented on it when she first cuddled her.

I agree though, zero dignity

 

[pepper3]

looks like im the only one. when my daughter was first pushed out and born, she smelt like meat starting to go off. like a butchers smell.. obviously didnt when she was cleaned up. she was a day early but showed signs she was over due with her skin so the dates may have been wrong?

 

[LAenne]

The only gross smells I have experienced in all the laboured I attend is of the mom has a whopping case of chorioamnionitis (placental infection) if it is bad enough it reaks and the amniotic fluid smells foul too. It isn't a pleasent smell. Maybe that's what he smelt. Other then that it doesn't really smell like anything.

 

[pickleton]

This is something I have wondered for a while! I mean there must be a smell with all the fluid and blood and sweat etc, but I assume everyone is too excited/stressed etc to notice.

I won't be having a curry any time near though! Imagine the smell if you pooped or farted lol! I'd empty the room for sure ha ha!

 

[Indigo77]

WTH! Why is he commenting about it? I would be mortified.

I think I'll ban my DH from the delivery room!