Welcome back to Monday Mamalogues friends!
We had a lovely turn out from last weeks first 'link-up' and we're always welcoming more to the mama circle here.
(I've even *mastered* the html beast and created a button you can copy/paste at the bottom of your posts (you'll find it in the right column below--------> ).
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| Hudson born ~ 02.15.12 |
Well I'm back with my second part of the four-part series: 'what no one tells you' and this highly sarcastic subjective one is about:
Labour/Delivery
Oh, where to start...
One of the primary concerns that I remember with approaching my first labour was: "how will I handle the pain"?!
Because you hear so many extremes about it:
*Pushing a watermelon out a grape sized hole.
*A tigress roar and 'pop' you have a baby!
*Euphoric.
*Excruciating.
To all of that, yes.
Maybe we fear pain so much because we live in a culture of self-cushioning.
Got an ache? Medicate.
Too hot? Air condition.
Too cold? Crank the furnace.
This whole notion of 'embracing' or 'pushing through' (instead of running from) pain is quite foreign to us. I remember dropping a jar of olives on my toe while pregnant and forcing myself to 'breathe through the pain' instead of the usual cluster-cuss-shrieking-hopping-on-one-foot reaction.
Both labours I've experienced were full throttle intensity thanks to being hopped up on Oxytocin (since both babes were 2 weeks overdue... and required some 'encouragement' to get out... lazy babies). I was still convinced I could push through the labour without taking pain medication. Ha.. hahaha.. ha.
During Azriel's birth I had to get an epidural due to complications (birth story).
During Hudson's birth I managed to make it through (birth story).
But that intensity of every molecule in your body pulsing pain came close to making me feel completely unhooked.
Every woman who has experienced birth is a super hero.
You feel ready to take on any challenge in life after that.
One of the primary concerns that I remember with approaching my first labour was: "how will I handle the pain"?!
Because you hear so many extremes about it:
*Pushing a watermelon out a grape sized hole.
*A tigress roar and 'pop' you have a baby!
*Euphoric.
*Excruciating.
To all of that, yes.
Maybe we fear pain so much because we live in a culture of self-cushioning.
Got an ache? Medicate.
Too hot? Air condition.
Too cold? Crank the furnace.
This whole notion of 'embracing' or 'pushing through' (instead of running from) pain is quite foreign to us. I remember dropping a jar of olives on my toe while pregnant and forcing myself to 'breathe through the pain' instead of the usual cluster-cuss-shrieking-hopping-on-one-foot reaction.
Both labours I've experienced were full throttle intensity thanks to being hopped up on Oxytocin (since both babes were 2 weeks overdue... and required some 'encouragement' to get out... lazy babies). I was still convinced I could push through the labour without taking pain medication. Ha.. hahaha.. ha.
During Azriel's birth I had to get an epidural due to complications (birth story).
During Hudson's birth I managed to make it through (birth story).
But that intensity of every molecule in your body pulsing pain came close to making me feel completely unhooked.
Every woman who has experienced birth is a super hero.
You feel ready to take on any challenge in life after that.
Although the challenges of becoming a mother... that I wasn't feeling quite ready for.
They plop that baby in your lap and you sit there stunned.
'Now what do I do with them?' I thought.
And then, wonder of wonders... they actually let you take this precious helpless bundle of baby home with you! You feel like you're walking out of a bank with all their money.
Like any moment now someone's going to run after you and say 'wait, you're not fit to be parent!'.
But you keep driving.
The first day of the rest of your life - as a parent - has begun.
It's about to get a whole lot of crazy up in here...
next week: what no one tells you about infancy!
mama Mel ;o)
Welcome to any/all mamas out there who would like to LINK-UP in the mamalogue circle here:
They plop that baby in your lap and you sit there stunned.
'Now what do I do with them?' I thought.
And then, wonder of wonders... they actually let you take this precious helpless bundle of baby home with you! You feel like you're walking out of a bank with all their money.
Like any moment now someone's going to run after you and say 'wait, you're not fit to be parent!'.
But you keep driving.
The first day of the rest of your life - as a parent - has begun.
It's about to get a whole lot of crazy up in here...
next week: what no one tells you about infancy!
mama Mel ;o)
Welcome to any/all mamas out there who would like to LINK-UP in the mamalogue circle here:
