Comments on: It’s good for women to suffer the pain of a natural birth, says medical chief http://www.blissfulbirth.co.uk/blog/30/its-good-for-women-to-suffer-the-pain-of-a-natural-birth-says-medical-chief/ One Mother’s Quest For A Natural Birth Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:05:42 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Laura http://www.blissfulbirth.co.uk/blog/30/its-good-for-women-to-suffer-the-pain-of-a-natural-birth-says-medical-chief/comment-page-1/#comment-579 Laura Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:14:20 +0000 http://www.blissfulbirth.co.uk/blog/?p=30#comment-579 I was overwhelmed by the pain that the birth still was for weeks because I could not imagine this. But I think it did help me to realize what's happening in the birthing process itself and it gave me a feeling of such great power to have done it all by myself. I knew the risks quite well - the labour pain stops the very moment the baby is out, the epidural does not as well as the pain caused by a c-section. That is a great experience! I was overwhelmed by the pain that the birth still was for weeks because I could not imagine this.
But I think it did help me to realize what’s happening in the birthing process itself and it gave me a feeling of such great power to have done it all by myself.
I knew the risks quite well – the labour pain stops the very moment the baby is out, the epidural does not as well as the pain caused by a c-section. That is a great experience!

]]> By: fran evans http://www.blissfulbirth.co.uk/blog/30/its-good-for-women-to-suffer-the-pain-of-a-natural-birth-says-medical-chief/comment-page-1/#comment-505 fran evans Sat, 05 Sep 2009 17:43:34 +0000 http://www.blissfulbirth.co.uk/blog/?p=30#comment-505 I have to say I think this would have been more influential coming from a woman. My gut instinct is to say how on earth can anyone who hasn't experienced the pain of labour possibly comment on it. I realise that women's experience of labour can be very different but I have had two experiences of 'natural' childbirth now and I have to say it is excruciating and brutal. Despite my mum telling me about her difficult experience I was convinced after a course of antenatal yoga and reading up on active birth that mine would be different but ended up having very similar experiences ie 2 episiotomies. My second birth was at home which was great afterwards but also a bit scary at one point when the ambulance was called but I was too far gone to get into it! I think that in these days of pain relief when we can pop nurofen for periods, have access to dentists immediately and demand anastheasia for almost any medical procedure that we just aren't used to experiencing and dealing with pain to any degree - therefore childbirth is a shock. Its brutal and bloody and 'natural'. I think I did experience a huge state of euphoria and achievement after the birth however the pain and subsequent infections I am convinced made me unable to breastfeed as I couldn't even sit down. So I think there are a large amount of pros and cons but I really believe it should be up to each individual to express their choice. My sister had an epidural and found the birth experience to be fantastic and a truly memorable experience and went onto breastfeed so its not all bad. I have to say I think this would have been more influential coming from a woman. My gut instinct is to say how on earth can anyone who hasn’t experienced the pain of labour possibly comment on it. I realise that women’s experience of labour can be very different but I have had two experiences of ‘natural’ childbirth now and I have to say it is excruciating and brutal. Despite my mum telling me about her difficult experience I was convinced after a course of antenatal yoga and reading up on active birth that mine would be different but ended up having very similar experiences ie 2 episiotomies. My second birth was at home which was great afterwards but also a bit scary at one point when the ambulance was called but I was too far gone to get into it!

I think that in these days of pain relief when we can pop nurofen for periods, have access to dentists immediately and demand anastheasia for almost any medical procedure that we just aren’t used to experiencing and dealing with pain to any degree – therefore childbirth is a shock. Its brutal and bloody and ‘natural’. I think I did experience a huge state of euphoria and achievement after the birth however the pain and subsequent infections I am convinced made me unable to breastfeed as I couldn’t even sit down.

So I think there are a large amount of pros and cons but I really believe it should be up to each individual to express their choice. My sister had an epidural and found the birth experience to be fantastic and a truly memorable experience and went onto breastfeed so its not all bad.

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