low pain tollerance and natural birth

[lauren22]

thanks for all the fab advice and suggestions i appreciate it heaps
so i had a very long chat with dad and im going for a drug free vaginal birth. Very full on for the first baby but i figure god invented me to do this so i'll do it for my baby i will have the drug option if completley necessary in the birth plan but im gonna try and fight it out after all tiger has fought to hold on so ill fight for tiger
thanks gals
xx

[Bathsheba]

Sounds as if you have arrived at a great conclusion

I was going to post that if you have a low pain threshold then stick with natural labour plans. I have heard that having a c-section is actually very painful in the recovery period. So even though my threshold got "lower" with each of my 3 births I knew that dealing with the pain for one day was waaaay preferable than dealing with it for weeks afterwards. Bit like ripping off a band-aid; would you do it fast and get it over and done with or drag it out sloooowly? though, at the end of the day do what is right at the time. I recommend drafting up a birth plan... I found the hopsital staff took them more seriously with each one (I had a 12 year spacing with my births). Write down what you would ideally like to happen... but factor in the unexpected. And like Trillian suggested, maybe enlist the help of a doula. I had one for my third birth. She can be the best pain relief you could ever find! Don't underestimate the power of a calming voice and a trustworthyy, constant presence (mid wives are nortoriously busy and you could be dismayed at how much you are left to your own devices). BellyBelly has some amazingly helpful articles about doulas and the role of your partner at birth.... don't forget to check them out

[Lolli]

You go girl I'm aiming for the same this time round. i have an extremley low pain tolerance- I've been known to pass out from the pain of banging my finger with a hammer - and the first time round I had gas and a pethidine shot. In hindsight, they didn't help at all- only restricted my body from doing what it should have been (cause the peth just made me soooo stoned, it was ridiculous). I think it was more panic than pain that made me ask for them.

[Bathsheba]

Good idea Lori I agree, I did that too the first time around (asked for peth and gas) and yes: it only made it worse. By the time I had my third I resolved to try to avoid all that and I found that my body compensated naturally by actually giving me far superior natural "relief" in the form of longish periods of pain "lull". Just before transition I found that my body actaully gave me a break... it was weird... I felt tired but the pain really subsided and gave me a good half hours break just before it came time to push. I suspect that taking all that "pain relief" in my first two labours interfered with this process. Let me tell you it was very surprising, and very welcome!

[Lenny]

I tend to agree with most of the posts here, and i was secretly pleased to see you have your mind set on vaginal birth. Good for you.
Pain tolerance has little to do with it, it's all about your labour. For me i think the great thing about the vaginal delivery (for me) was that once it was over, the pain was all gone. Even the stitches weren't that bad. I would definitely do it that way again if i can, so that means it can't be all that bad, aye!
Yep, it's painful, but as the other's said, it's constructive pain. And you can always just squeeze DH's hand a little bit tighter !!

Good luck, I hope you have the birth experience that you dream of.

[lauren22]

thanks guys
finally getting passed one of the big decisions left me feeling empowered today.
I got alot accomplished and I feel fab
starting to collect all my info I'm so early and so excited ahahahahah.
thanks again for all your amazing advice BB really is the best for answering all the questions that you need a mothers answer for

[Rooey5]

Oh dear...

After reading all the posts about people with a low pain tolerance handling labour superbly, I'm concerned!!!

I have a pretty high pain tolerance (after all the poop I went through as a kid, I need it!), so I hope the oppsite isn't true when it's my turn and I become a blubbering mess!!!