why we feel pain in labor and pain relief methods

[Indadhanu]

I just can't get enough of this info...

yogababy: I'd like to be the first to buy that book as soon as its published, or sooner!

I especially like the explanation of how the uterus works, and why we feel pain.

I don't know whats its called, but when I feel pain (which is regularly as I am quite clumsy... my specialty - picking up pans that have just come out of the oven with my bare hands... actually off-topic but anyway, I managed to chip my forearm bon in the toilet while pulling my pants up... lol, did that give you alla giggle?!?! Its funny now, but not really at the time!!!), I shut my eyes and imagine that it is not pain, and I just breath through it until it stops being pain. Is that something you can do in labour? I'm guessing it is, but wondering, does it have a name?

Actually, funny thing, I use music cues on a day to day basis. Usually it is because I am at uni, and get very nervous before an exam, or find it hard to concentreate if I have an assignment due, I listen to music in a relaxing place first, like in bed or in the bath, and train myself to relax when I hear the music, and then I take my iPod and before the exam, or while I am studying, I listen to the songs. I even sing them to myself in my head during the exam. I also take big breaths and imagine I'm breathing all the tension out. Works a treat!!!!!

I have told Shel that this is what I will be doing - music cues to help relaxation. But I thought it was jsut something I had made up, and that it probably wouldn't work! Thanks for all this info, its really great.

I feel so confident that I can have a natural, intervention-free, drug-free birth (when I actually get pregnant and up to the stage of actually giving birth!!!), even if people around me seem to think otherwise!