Will I be able to tolerate the pain of childbirth???

Question

Just this AM I experienced a tight charley horse in my leg. I thought to myself, "I'll just practice my breathing and try to relax my other parts of my body...like how I was taught to react to labor pain." WHATEVER! All my efforts to relax, breathe and tolerate the pain were useless! All I wanted to do was curl up and scream...you know that feeling! So, I remember being told that labor was like a charley horse in the stomache... If I couldn't relax during a CH in my leg for a minute, will I make it through labor without an epidural? Is there anything you suggest that I could practice to help myself tolerate the pain? Any words of wisdom?

If all goes well, I will be delivering my baby in early June (6/6/07 due date)

Answer 1

If you get another charley horse in your leg all you have to do is flex your foot or stand on it. That should help your muscle relax.

If you are wanting a natural childbirth you need to prepare and get some tools to use during labor. Lamaze classes usually don't cut it especially if you take them at your hospital. Most hospital preparation classes tell you how to be a compliant patient instead of encouraging you to do what your body needs to do, and questioning the "american" way of giving birth- ie: on your back with an epidural. Sure, people love to get the epidural but by no means does it make childbirth easier. In fact, the epidural can cause a multitude of problems for both you and your baby, all of which can be avoided by finding your inner strength and wisdom to follow your body and birth your baby the way nature (or God) intended.

My first suggestion is to seek out a care provider that supports and uses practices the promote natural birth. These 6 practices are:
~ Labor begins on its own
~ Freedom of movement throughout labor
~ Continuous labor support
~ No routine interventions
~ Non-supine (upright or side-lying) positions
for birth
~No separation of mother and baby after birth
with unlimited opportunity for breastfeeding

Here is more information to decide if your care provider will support you in your birth choices
http://www.motherfriendly.org/resources/10Q/

The next step would be to find a childbirth education class that encourages and supports natural birth and you making informed decisions about your care. A few places to look:
http://bradleybirth.com
http://www.birthingfromwithin.com
http://cappa.net/members.asp- do a search for childbirth educators
http://www.icea.org/exparents.html- click the link "childbirth educators" and then do a search in your area

The next step is to read great books about birth.
A few are:
The Thinking Woman's Guide to Childbirth by Henci Goer
Prenatal Parenting
Birthing From Within by Pam England
Gentle Birth Choices by Barabra Harper
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
The Pregnancy Book by Dr Sears
The Birth Book by Dr Sears
Active Birth by Janet Balaskas

and there's more. Look in your library to see if any of the above are available or you can buy them cheaply off of amazon or ebay.

Next,
look into hiring a doula. Doulas are great at supporting normal birth an can help you with alternative tools to use during labor to cope with the contractions. Studies have shown that the more support women have during birth, the more likely they are to reach their goals of a natural birth and are more satisfied with their experience.
There are several places to look for a doula, and many of them offer their services at a lower or no cost if money is an issue
http://www.cappa.net
http://www.dona.org
http://www.bellywomen.net
http://www.doulanetwork.com
http://www.doulaworld.com

And last of all- surround yourself with people who support you in your decision to have a natural labor- friends and family members
can greatly affect our choices and how we feel about things- birth in particular- if all you hear is that birth is too hard and you can't do it- you wont. But if you seek out women who have had natural birth and ask your friends and family members to be positive and non-judgmental, it will help tremendously. And if they can't be positive and non-judgmental tell to to keep their opinions to themselves, you are not interested in hearing about their own feelings of "failure" (because that's how they truly see their own birth experience) and you don't need their baggage during your pregnancy and birth.

I hope I've given you a lot to think about and I hope you think about your pregnancy and birth options and you are able to chose the path that's best for you.

Good Luck.
And feel free to contact me if you need more information.

Answer 2

I have a VERY low pain tolerance. And I'm afraid of needles. I do not know the reason you are against using epidurals, but it REALLY was not as bad as I thought it would be (I was against them until I was stuck at a 6 dilation *giggle* ).

At first, the pain was more like period cramps. I've always had BAD cramps (the kind that make you feel sick to your stomach), so I really wasn't bad at all - in fact, I didn't FEEL anything crampy until I neared a 5cm dilation. When I hit 6, however, I got stuck and wasn't dilating further for a while. It didn't start out bad at all, but they gave me something to relax me so that I COULD dilate more, and all of a sudden....oooooof. (not to scare you) I started to SLOOOOOWLY dilate more, and it got REALLY painful. And all of a sudden, I found myself asking for the epidural, though not without a little hesitation. I was SO scared about the needle and all, but it was a LOT better than I thought it would be, as the labor pains killed much of the needle pain. After that, it was a piece of cake, the birth went well, and my daughter is 2 years old now!

Some people, like my sister, have major problems with charlie horses, and yet, she went into labor, it was ....she described it as painful but not intolerable, and she was only in labor for 6 hours. I was in labor for a day and a half. So it all comes down to the situation. You never know what you can tolerate until you're in the situation, and everything before your first time in labor is NO comparison at all.

I don't know if this helped, but my intention was to tell you that everyone is different and pain is different when you're in labor than when you're not. I'm still afraid of needles, and they still pain me, and if I were to get pregnant again, I'd still probably worry about whether I'd need an epidural or not....but...I'd know that I'd not be without help. The nurses were all friendly and willing to do whatever they could to make me comfortable, and my husband was often crazier than I was. *grin*

Answer 3

A charley horse is worse than labor. Besides that, relaxing every OTHER muscle won't help with that because it is different. Pain is your bodies way of telling you that something is facing illness or injury. Labor is neither of these things. There is cramping in the muscles around the uterus from the exertion (just like menstrual cramps) but that's it. Breathing deeply and relaxing the body to help save energy for the muscles that need it works in labor because it is different than a charley horse. It isn't about tolerating pain, its about realizing that it isn't there. You can make it through menstrual cramps, when it comes time, your body will give birth with our without your consent. You will relax and let it come, like waiting for a wave in the ocean. The contractions will come and they will do their work. You will not fight them and not worry about them. You will think of the baby, what the baby needs, what the baby will look like, what the baby will sound like. Labor is a part of life, it is NOT an illness or injury so don't fear it. Talk with you doctor and take a class if you want to. Don't dwell, I assure you, a charley horse is way worse.

Answer 4

It is very painful of course, everyone already knows this. However, it is the easiest pain to forget about once you hold that baby in your arms. My little boy is 2 years old now, and I was scared to death before having him b/c of the pain. I went for a long time in pain w/out having any drugs or an epidural. But let me tell you, don't try to be a hero and go w/out it. The epidural is great in the long run. Then you can actually enjoy the birth and enjoy holding that baby in your arms!! You might be nervous before you go into labor but once you start you'll just figure things out as you go. I took breathing classes but then ended up doing my own thing that worked better for me anyhow. So you'll do the same!! Good luck!!

Answer 5

Its kind of hard to determine how you will react when it comes to delivery. I said yeah I can take the pain and with in 30 minutes of the doctor breaking my water I was screaming for the epidural. It was much easier the second go round though. The first child is said to be the hardest. Some people don't have alot of pain. You can decide when the time comes. Don't be scared now...it will all be ok! Good Luck!

Answer 6

Take Lamaze classes to get some better insight into delivery and your options. Remember, there is always an epidural. It is safe for your baby and it will let you relax, enjoy and be a part of the delivery. There is nothing wrong with getting some pain relief. You wouldn't have a painful medical procedure done without medication so why do women have to push natural childbirth as being the way to go.

Answer 7

You will be able to tolerate the pain of childbirth. I say this because the end result is worth it. Yes it hurts like no other pain but you are not thinking about it. I gave birth to an almost 10lb baby with no drugs. The only thing you think about is being able to see and hold your baby. The only thing I can suggest is start walking it will help with the labor. Good luck!

Answer 8

That was my due date as well with my first however she came 4 days early.

Child birth is best done with a epidural.

Who wants to feel all that stretching and burning. I had some fears as well with my first but all came out just fine. You forget about all the pain anyways when you see your baby.
Good luck

Answer 9

Well, with my first girl, I was induced a little over a month early. I got a epidual with her about 30 minutes before the doctor broke my water, and I had her less than an hour later, and it was a breeze, I pushed maybe 5 times didn't feel a thing it was great. She was only 4lbs 13 ozs though but I was 5'4 and weight about 120 at 8 months, so I was very small. Then with my second, I was like hell yeah I want the epidual, She was also induced at a little over a month early and the stupid nurse said she would call them to give it to me when I got to 6 cm. Well finally got there, she called they came down gave it to me, while my doctor waited to break my water, they got done, laid me down for the doctor, he broke my water and asked me to wait so he could make his rounds, not sooner than he got out the door, they were calling him back in. My Epidual did not have time to kick in, that was the worst thing I have ever experinced. I even asked the doc. to wait and come back later, I wasn't really yet. Holding my little girl 30 minutes later made it all beter, but with my next one, I am getting the epidual in the 8th month. I am not waiting, I am getting it as soon as I can. I will not ever go through that again.

Answer 10

I highly recommend Lamaze classes if you are set on a natural birth. They really help a lot. I had my last one with it and no pain meds no problems. But if you must have some medication an epidural is better for baby than the shots of morphine.And dont beat yourself up over it either - there is no shame in taking pain meds when you need them.

Answer 11

first of all Congrats on your pregnancy! You know I think you can handle it, you just have to have an open mind to it. My advice to you is don't try to be a hero, if the pain is really unbearable get the epidural, you should enjoy your labor experience. I'm still undecided about the epidural and I'm due now anytime. I wish you all the luck ever!