Birth and Pain
For those of you who haven't given birth, you've probably heard stories from your mom and your aunts, and it's likely that when you try to imagine how child birth feels you cringe a little inside. If you're like me, you may have even teared up a time or two thinking about it.
You see, I was the person who told the midwife I was interviewing that I had a "really low pain tolerance." And I wasn't sure she understood how LOW I felt it was. We're talking, stub your toe and tear up kind of low. However, I was assured that I was "stronger than I thought" and that "I'd be surprised." I seriously doubted this.
When I first became pregnant I thought, "I've just got to have an epidural. There's no other way I can push out this baby." And I clung to that for a while. But then, overtime, the thought of having a natural birth became less and less scary, and the more I read and understood the process of birth, the less afraid I felt.
When the time came, I HAD a natural birth! And it was awesome. It was hard, yes. But it was totally doable. Like, not the near death experience I had always imagined but more of a natural process that gradually built upon itself in stages giving me time to adjust to the next level of intensity. After Ellie arrived, (from first early contraction to end was about 35 hours), I said to everyone present, "Man, why doesn't everyone do it that way?"
This is not to say that everyone SHOULD, because by whatever means you choose to get your baby here is AWESOME! You're their mom and no ones knows better than you do what they need. <3 But it IS to say, that if you WANT a natural birth and are just doubting your abilities, you can do it! You were made to do it, and if you prepare and use what you've learned through the process you will do great! Your body is MADE to give birth.
You see, I was the person who told the midwife I was interviewing that I had a "really low pain tolerance." And I wasn't sure she understood how LOW I felt it was. We're talking, stub your toe and tear up kind of low. However, I was assured that I was "stronger than I thought" and that "I'd be surprised." I seriously doubted this.
When I first became pregnant I thought, "I've just got to have an epidural. There's no other way I can push out this baby." And I clung to that for a while. But then, overtime, the thought of having a natural birth became less and less scary, and the more I read and understood the process of birth, the less afraid I felt.
This is not to say that everyone SHOULD, because by whatever means you choose to get your baby here is AWESOME! You're their mom and no ones knows better than you do what they need. <3 But it IS to say, that if you WANT a natural birth and are just doubting your abilities, you can do it! You were made to do it, and if you prepare and use what you've learned through the process you will do great! Your body is MADE to give birth.
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