Shay Mitchell shows her dramatic 33-hour labour in new birth video
22 October 2019, 17:41
There's no doubt that women's bodies are amazing – and Shay Mitchell's gruelling 33-hour labour proves it.
Shay Mitchell and her boyfriend Matte Babel welcomed their first child in October. The Pretty Little Liars star made the announcement on Instagram, alongside a photo holding her baby's hand. Aww.
Although Shay appears to be in baby bliss right now, you'd never guess that she had just been through a gruelling 33-hour labour. Yes, that's more than a day experiencing contractions…
READ MORE: Shay Mitchell shares first picture of new baby girl with boyfriend Matte Babel
Shay shared a dramatic YouTube video documenting her labour experience – and it's wild. In the opening of the 11-minute clip, Shay looks absolutely petrified as she captures the moment her water broke.
"Oh my God, my water's breaking," she says to camera. "For shit. Wow this is such an attractive look right now. Thank God I'm wearing these diapers. I mean… I think I should call Matte."
There's then a manic dash to the hospital and Shay is in full-blown panic mode because she can't feel the baby moving, having experienced a miscarriage in 2018. "[The doctor's] asking me if I can feel her moving and I can't," she says. "I'm like... it freaks me out, it really does. 'Cause this last time I felt pain like this was, not a good experience."
When she arrives, Shay immediately gets the all clear following an ultrasound – and then the real fun starts. Shay and Matte begin waiting for their little one to arrive and a mere 13 hours in the doctor recommends giving Shay Pitocin to help move the process along a little faster.
However, Shay's doula (A non-medical professional who supports who supports the mother through childbirth or after birth) Andrey reveals that the drug will make Shay's labour "pretty rough" from then on. Yikes.
READ MORE: Shay Mitchell and boyfriend Matte Babel are expecting their first baby
Shay gets the Pitocin, while Matte gets some much needed sleep. Poor Shay can't sleep though. 23 hours in and Shay hasn't slept in two days. Irritated and in pain, she gets an epidural.
If you've been watching Shay's YouTube series, you'll know her partner Matte was against her having the injection, which relieves pain, because he's a "hypochondriac" and "afraid of drugs". But, of course, Matte had a lovely nap and wasn't experiencing the pain so he had no dog in this fight.
Surprisingly, by the 30-hour mark Shay was still in early labour. At this point, Andrey was worried about the chances of infection because Shay's waters had been broken for so long. However, they stuck it out trying to avoid a caesarean.
A lengthy 33 hours in and 10cm dilated, Shay was ready to give birth – and it's so emotional. Shay burst into tears as her newborn daughter entered the world. Honestly, have your tissues at the ready.
Shay held her baby for the first time, before finishing off the delivery in style – with a glass of bubbly.
Later, Shay revealed on Instagram that she stayed in hospital an additional two days after her daughter was born. And despite the long birth, she said it was the "best experience" of her life.
You can watch Shay's full birth video here.
My Labor and Delivery - Ep 6 Almost Ready
She wrote on her Instagram Story: "Nothing can prepare you for the feeling you get when you hold your child for the first time."
