to those frightened by labor,

[babyberry000]

I posted this as a comment earlier and it seemed to help a few people so i want to post this to share with every one.


I read this on babycenter.com and it helped me a lot in the beginning when i felt like i wouldn't make it through labor when it came time

I am 5'2 with a small frame and had an 8lb 6 oz 23 inch baby with NO painkillers. I had a certified nurse midwife, a doula and gave birth in a hospital. Do not be afraid of childbirth. I was so upset at the thought of the pain of labor and delivery during my pregnancy that sometimes I would cry inconsolably. When you go into labor it starts out feeling like you are having diarrhea/menstrual cramps. All I could picture at the beginning was a triangle coming out of my stomach. The ache would start at my sides and come to an apex at the front. It gradually progresses to intense feelings in your uterus like something is being tightened around it mixed with severe diarrhea/menstrual cramp pain. Yes contractions get extremely uncomfortable, but if you can keep control of your breathing, let yourself make whatever sounds/exhalations feel natural to you and close your eyes and let yourself go into a very internal place you will be fine. I promise. The hard part for me was pushing, which lasted 3 hours and was very hard work and tiring. I had my baby after 18hours total of labor/pushing and made it to 9cm at home with nothing for pain relief and no painkillers/drugs at the hospital. It is so important to remember these things: 1. Breathe as best you can; do not allow yourself to get frantic. 2. The pain and uncomfortable-ness of labor stops as soon as your baby is out. 3. This is the only pain that I know of that has a positive outcome. Stay focused on the fact that in a matter of a few hours, you get to meet the beautiful child that you have had in you for the past 9 months. I was never a child person, I did not babysit or anything. As soon as I met my little girl, I was in love. And I was in complete shock that I had made it through everything alive, with no stitches or tears and no drugs. Childbirth is a total (pardon my language) mindf!!k but it is so real and so amazing that yes most women do forget after a couple of weeks the pains during the throes of labor and want to do it again. Women all over the world do this everyday in much less sterile places and with no support. Just remember, your body knows how to do this whether or not you think it does. It is such a primal thing and it happens to almost all of us. Remain positive and try to think about how every minute that passes is that much closer to your baby being in your arms.

posted 03/06/2007 by crashingforward

[squidbabeh]

I wantes to bump this just so more people could get a chance to see it.
Bump!

[teenmom1995]

Thank you! I am 38 weeks and terrified of labor though I just want to be in labor! This makes me feel better though. :)

[babyacorn]

Ps- The "truth" is that birth is a beautiful process. Yes it's more pain than you have ever felt before, but if you surround yourself with positive labour affirmations (google it, there are some good ones) your birth will be way more bearable than it would otherwise. Don't listen to debby downers!  It's pretty amazing what our bodies are capable of doing sorry to comment so much, but I'm a firm believer of woman's ability to birth

[babyacorn]

I think both sides are right, but what I think the biggest thing we need to be is confident confident in our bodies ability to birth our babies. Fear stops dialation, makes us lose control and also makes contractions more painful because you are tense instead of relaxed. I definitely felt lied to a little once I hit transition with my first because I waa not ready for how painful it was. Just had my second home water birth and what got me through it all was ACCEPTING the pain not fighting it. Telling myself the pain was good and was bringing my baby out. No tears no meds and I know it was due to doing almost exactly what this lady did. Our bodies were made for this ladies! You just can't think of the negativity it's not productive at all. And if your birth doesn't go according to plan, know that you did all you could to relax and prep your body. :) Wishing all you.ladies safe deliveries!! Xox

[mommyteonna]

Oh and one more fact,,, I swear at one point and time I was standing over myself looking at me in that bed looking back at myself. Oh and babyberry000
I'm not trying to take women hope away, I just think it's wrong to give women such strong hope about labor and tell them to breath and not to panic. But when the time come, it's all that hope you gave them that makes them panic. But if you give to them straight they got a better chance at preparing them selves for the day and they probably won't panic. Just saying. I wish people had kept it real with me, I probably wouldn't be so Traumatized about it if I had just knew the full truth.

[fangeorgetevin_1]

@Mommyteonna

[fangeorgetevin_1]

Haha ^^ I TOTALLY Agree Well Said Hun !

[babyberry000]

This was not posted to give women a false sense of labor, It was to help give women hope, women who are frightened, I'm sorry both of you had hard labor but this is supposed to help women not scare them,
To give inspiration and hope that EVERY LABOR IS DIFFERENT AND NOT ALL LABOR IS A BAD EXPIRENCE.
where on this post did i ever put painless and easy?

[mommyteonna]

I must completely agree with you. I am 100% petrified of labor. With my son I was not afraid because I had no idea just how HORRIBLE labor truly is. I did my labor natural with no medications. Was in labor for 23 hours did 5 at the hospital and by time I made it to the hospital I was only 3 centimeter dilated. The pain was unbearable, my back hurts so bad, I was extremely hot and a thin sheet felt like it weighed a ton. I'm now 36 weeks with my second, I'm ONLY afraid because I know what it's like. I'm sorry and don't want to frighten you ladies but I think it's best to go in expecting the worse and getting threw it, than to think it's all gonna be ok and that you can do this " like I was " and then find out it's the worse pain and you could possibly have nightmares for awhile.

[MommyPaws]

but you have to remember that different women have different pains..some go through labout fine, some don't...same as some have absolutely painless periods and some have the ones that you'd wish you die.. i'm like that.. two labours.. both horrible.. the breathing doesn't matter.. and after my second one, i DO NOT wish to go through it again.. it was shocking and very painfull..and short..almost delivered at home.. the ambulance was late..and how can i not get frantic if i'm worried that i'm not at the hospital and have no medical assistance..

[KaliBrooke]

Love this! ♥

[aug31]

This helped a lot! I just hope I can remember this when I feel the pain.

[babyberry000]

I just wanna make sure every one gets a chance to read it if they are scared. I was terrified! Then i found this and it really helped me GeT over my fear

[Pattyann215]

This is going to help a lot of ppl!! Glad you posted this

[babyberry000]

Bump

[doulamommy]

Breathing and relaxing between contractions are really both so important! I was able to doze off even during transition because I'd worked so hard to relax between. Conversely, my sister had to be given oxygen because she was hyperventilating and it was stressing her baby.

[Jesskah]

Loved this ! I'm terrified of going into labor I have 17 days left . It could be any day now and I just want my princess here already but I'm also very scared ! Thank you

[melissa_182]

Thank you, I feel more calm & relieved after hearing this. I can't handle much pain & my husband scares me by telling me not to pass out because I would pass out from really bad cramps when I was on my period.

[Jen9588]

Im 2cm dilated and 35 wks so glad i read this.!

[baybeelovee1214]

This story totally puts my mind at ease :) thanks!

[Sami3baby96179]

Pick up the book supernatural childbirth and have a pain free labor and birth... at least that'll be what I'm going for. I agree or bodies were made to do this... I don't believe it should be a horrible experience at all...

[babyberry000]

Just to be clear, i did not have my baby yet, i read this on a support group forum because of my extreme fear of labor and reading this helped me get over this, so I'm sharing this story i read with every one

[Shansmoon]

Thank you I am severely afraid if birth cause even as a teen they told.me I'd never get pregnant and if I did it could.kill me but I feel more relieved

[sweddy110]

Ooh my this is so beautiful ^_^ I'm 30+5 pregnant and this made me smile I'm due September and can't wait to meet my little man :D congrats and thanks for sharing :)