re: Labor is supposed to be painless?

Quoting Tait's Mommy:“ Let's keep this civil ladies, I know Sloan will come in here and debate with us, as I wish her to do. ... [snip!] ... and relaxation methods etc... How do you feel about this. Is there a way childbirth can be natural, and painless? If so why?”

I think it can be but it wasn't for me and that was very frustrating. I felt like a total failure when I finally asked for the Stadol which didn't work at all, then later the epidural.

Quoting Tait's Mommy:“ I know she's full of shit lol. I just wondered if anyone out there was as ignorant as her. here's ... [snip!] ... http://forum.baby-gaga.com/about269312-2.html and this is her profile: http://members.baby-gaga.com/member393974 ”

p.s. Is this your idea of "civil?"

Quoting Sloan:“ p.s. Is this your idea of "civil?"”

yep  


again, I cant wait to read your labor story. I really have nothing else to say to you, as I have tried all I can to get some answers out of you.

Quoting Tait's Mommy:“ Let's keep this civil ladies, I know Sloan will come in here and debate with us, as I wish her to do. ... [snip!] ... and relaxation methods etc... How do you feel about this. Is there a way childbirth can be natural, and painless? If so why?”

personally, my labor wasn't painless, but i managed to get it under control... for a decent amount of time.

it is fully possible to experiences a labor that is essentially pain free.

there are two parts to experiencing pain in terms of how the brain is activated when pain receptors are stimulated.

the first part is purely physical, wherein the pain receptors make contact w/ your sympathetic nervous system, which will cause an involuntary reflex -- e.g. if you touch something burning, you will automatically draw your hand back.

the second part is the emotional reaction to the pain and is very individual-- and accounts for why people talk about pain tolerance and is also the part of the pain experience which you can train yourself to control... and is what the hypnobirthing methods gain control over.

a clear example of the division between the physical and emotional experience of pain is the following story i read from a neurologist who was working on a case w/ a man who was experiencing horrible deabilitating back pain which they could not find the source for.

eventually they decided to perform a brain surgery that would cut the neurons that communicate pain to the emotional part of his brain.

the next day the surgeon returned to find his patient sitting at a table w/ another patient playing cards as if had never experienced anything. he looked at his patient and said, "wow, looks like you're not in any pain anymore."

the patient smiled wanly and said, "no it feels like there are knives stabbing me in my back, but i just don't care anymore."

if you don't know, labor is the uterine muscles and corresponding regions contracting to lower the baby into the birth canal... it is arguable that there has to be the seizing up pain that many women experience.

either way though, i have read many many accounts of women self-hypnotizing themselves into a place where they experience their contractions as a growing pressure in their pelvic region and yes, w/out any pain.

i intended to do this myself, but didn't actively train prior to my three-week early baby... i was sort of thinking i could do it w/out the new agey stuff but was caught totally off guard when i went into labor. still, i managed to get it under control once i accepted that i was truly in labor and there was nothing i could do. i even managed to lay down and sort of nap mid labor.

and yeah, i'm not a bible believer so i don't think that we should experience pain.

i've watched goats and cats give birth and none of them make a sound while they're laboring or giving birth. i reckon a lot of this has to do w/ their fundamental acceptance of their laboring state.

personally, the pushing part was not as bad as the labor b/c it was so concentrated (and short-- only 18 minutes) that pain wasn't even part of the equation-- i felt the ring of fire, but i was so ready for max to come out all i truly experienced was a massive straining pressure.

so don't knock it just b/c your labor was the most painful experience you've had... if i ever get pregnant, i will do everything the way i did before, but be more mentally prepared for pain and have actively trained myself to get to that place.

Quoting Mara:“ personally, my labor wasn't painless, but i managed to get it under control... for a decent amount of ... [snip!] ... everything the way i did before, but be more mentally prepared for pain and have actively trained myself to get to that place.”

Thanks for the input, honestly, this is what I was looking for. I wish I could have a painless labor, I just dont believe it can happen.

Quoting Tait's Mommy:“ Thanks for the input, honestly, this is what I was looking for. I wish I could have a painless labor, I just dont believe it can happen.”

but that's the problem then... if you believe it can't -- that's your emotional belief, you will always be unable to.

this isn't like believing in santa or jesus either-- it doesn't take faith.

it's fully possible for logical reasons-- based on the mechanics of birth, how the nervous system handles pain, and b/c i personally experienced being able to start removing the pain in the middle of labor... i know it's possible.

so, if you choose not to believe it, well you'll never be able to do it painlessly, but it is possible for those who're willing to take the time to train themselves in pain management.

Quoting Tait's Mommy:“ Thanks for the input, honestly, this is what I was looking for. I wish I could have a painless labor, I just dont believe it can happen.”

Like I said. I was uncomfortable, but never in pain. It wasn't that bad, really. I liked being waited on .

According to hardcore christians..childbirth pain was part of the punishment that eve received for eating the apple.

Also...a LONG ASS time ago...if you as a midwife tried to ease the labor pains of a woman in labor you were considered either a heretic or a witch...and a woman who ACCEPTED help to ease the pain would be ostracized as having sold her soul to the devil for the pain relief...OR treated as a heretic as well.

Quoting Satan:“ According to hardcore christians..childbirth pain was part of the punishment that eve received for eating ... [snip!] ... ease the pain would be ostracized as having sold her soul to the devil for the pain relief...OR treated as a heretic as well.”

That is crazy!

Quoting Gabby311:“ That is crazy!”

Yup.

Lot's of stuff that they belived back then we now consider crazy.

Whilst my labour wasnt completely painless i can honestly say it wasnt half as bad as i was led to believe. The contractions hurt like hell but once i got my breathing under control they were bearable.

Megs got stuck so i was pushing for close to 3 hours and yet i was fine (it was a natural birth). This is partly down to a fantastic midwife who never let me give up once. Honestly the guy is my hero.

Because Megan passed meconium in the womb i was hooked up to a monitor so couldnt move round much. I think if i had been able to use the birthing pool and ball like i'd wanted it would have been even less painful.

Quoting God:“ I imagine it's possible, but I could only see it happening in certain people with high pain thresholds, ... [snip!] ... thresholds, or someone who has mastered the art of blocking their pain receptors, heh. Man, I'd love to learn that trick. C.”

Yeah your telling me!! I wish I could do that too!

Quoting Satan:“ According to hardcore christians..childbirth pain was part of the punishment that eve received for eating ... [snip!] ... ease the pain would be ostracized as having sold her soul to the devil for the pain relief...OR treated as a heretic as well.”

In my religion we don't look at Eve as someone who we are punished for,we are punished for our own mistakes,and Iwas surprised to hear that people really thought that and feel likeno wonder some people look down onwomen, when in reality bringing a child here can be pure hell .I think it's the exact opposite, she did what she had to do, and childbirth is a wonderful thing, so is the epi imhumble Opinion I guess I would've been a witch back then LOL

LOL

My insurance says that my childbirth is supposed to be painless, by way of epidural and I so I took advantage of that!