There are those who want to experience ALL of what labor and delivery has to offer (looks the other way and whistles), and then there are those who want to be pain free and on cloud nine (raises hand like a child in elementary school, oh oh oh me me)! I have experienced them both and will like to give some encouragement to both sides of the fence.
Natural-Does it hurt? YES. Can you do it? YES. For me, having a natural birth was not planned, it just happened. However, I did it, I made it, and it really was not that difficult. I genuinely understand that everyone has a different level of pain tolerance, so this is MY EXPERIENCE, not to over shadow or under shadow anyone else.
Here's what got me through NATURAL LABOR...( and what I heard helps :) )
- Visual Distractions and Meditation. I focused on that clock in the room as if my life depended on it. I watched T.V, and read books. Yes, I still felt the contractions and did stop what I was doing to deal with them, but I immediately refocused on something else (ultrasound picture, picture of favorite vacation etc).'
- Massage...My mom was was massaging my back throughout contractions, and I would rub my abdomen. I think just the touch of someone that I love and cared about was comforting and distracting.
- Words of encouragement. While massaging my back, my mom continually encouraged me, and insisted I was okay and i could do it, therefore i believed it. I didn't want to let my mom down so I pushed through.
- Water Birth. When I was a Mom-Baby nurse, many of my clients went to The Birthing Center (a place for natural holistic births), and was very impressed with the calming effects of delivering in a warm jacuzzi bath.
- Lastly, I need to mention I was in premature labor and was getting Magnesium Sulfate to stop my labor. Every time I rang the bell to let the nurse know I was in pain, she kept telling me I was okay, the medicine I was getting was stopping the contractions. So I believed her. I did not get indignant and insistent about them doing something about my pain until I was about to jump out my skin, and at this point..I WAS 10CM DILATED. So the only thing left was to push.
I can't comment on the effect it had or didn't have on my baby, because he was whisked away to the NICU, and I couldn't even hold him immediately. I know, I felt great afterwards, was able to shower and walk around immediately. I did not have any residual pain from where the epidural goes. Nor was I groggy or sleepy.
For me, I had a natural delivery ONCE, out of FOUR, because I did not feel the need to be in an excruciating amount of pain unnecessarily! I say kuddos to moms who go this route VOLUNTARILY and REPEATEDLY. I sincerely tip my hat off to you.
