# Did you have nightmares immediately after birth?



## EStreetMama (Sep 5, 2003)

I had truly horrible nightmares for a couple weeks after my baby was born. Just wondering how common this is, and if anyone has any theories about the cause.

I did have post-partum pre-eclampsia, and was severly anemia, so maybe that was the cause. I had a homebirth so no drugs (well, ok...I did beg for tylenol at one point!







)


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## littleteapot (Sep 18, 2003)

After my daughter was born I had nightmares for two weeks about suddenly having to give birth AGAIN to a full term baby in my totally crashed state, except that the few seconds of "ring of fire" pain was actually the entire pushing phase.

After my son was born and died, I had horrific and violent nightmares about abusing my husband. Both physically and sexually. In many of them he didn't know I was abusing him, or would do nothing in response, and this would prompt me to do it more. Those were so, so awful.
A lot of people said that was about control, because I'd ended up with a really violating emergency c-section and was treated terribly the first night and humiliated. Still, even knowing where they come from, they were probably the worst nightmares I've ever had.


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## boscopup (Jul 15, 2005)

No nightmares here, but I didn't have any medical issues (baby was in the NICU for 4 weeks, but I knew he was going to be fine). It makes sense to me that a horrible experience, either at birth or postpartum, could cause nightmares.


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## aprildawn (Apr 1, 2004)

my nightmares came three months after DD1 was born. i also had some mild ppd in the first few months after she was born. i think it was all related. in my nightmares i'd feel a presence in the room and something (someone) would either be chasing me or strangling me. i'd try to call for help or scream but couldn't. eventually i'd be able to scream and i'd wake myself and dh up. thankfully the baby slept right through it.

thanks for the poll. i always kinda thought i was a rare case.


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## CryPixie83 (Jan 27, 2004)

I didn't, but I was too exhausted to dream at all.


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## mothragirl (Sep 10, 2005)

mine were so bad i would wake up screaming and crying. a few nights i couldn't even sleep because i didn't want to have the nightmares! they were so graphic and awful, i can still vividly remember some of them. i had a wonderful birth and was very healthy pp so i don't think that has anything to do with it.


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## AnditheBee (Oct 3, 2003)

I didn't, but I did have "physical flashbacks," for lack of a better term. I would feel like I was pushing again, or wake up actually pushing. I had a hard time trying to stop it, too. I guess that's what happens when you push for 8 hours... To be honest, I don't think I dreamed at all in the first week post-partum, which is really weird for me.


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## Stephanie L. (Jun 7, 2005)

My first thought is that you're really tired and when you do get a chance to sleep you're going into deep REM.

I don't remember having nightmares at all, I said, "No". My births were pretty lovely, though. The first had minor complications (blood loss), but nothing to haunt my sleep, fortunately.


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