[blparent] About labor pains

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

I probably shouldn't post this because I think I'm in a huge minority
here (yes, just realized the incompatibility of that statement, grin)
but here I go. I had zero pain associated with both labor and after my
c-section. I had pretty intense labor contractions, meaning I definitely
felt that tightening around my tummy, but I had zero pain of any kind.
My water broke at home like Niagra Falls. I stood in bath tub confused
as to if my water was breaking, as if that much liquid could have been
anything else, but I was having absolutely no pain. While at hospital,
nurses and doctors kept asking if those contractions hurt, and when I
said no, they were quite shocked.

I had to deliver via c-section for medical reasons, After all the
information given before and during, I kept expecting pain, but it never
came. Nurses kept asking, once again, if I needed pain meds yet, but I
never had any pain. It's only been three weeks now, and still no pain,
and I haven't struggled with doing normal things like cleaning or
certain kinds of activity like walking or going up and down stairs. I'm
not pushing it, but not struggling with any of this either. Again,
everyone seems shocked by this.

I have a true high tolerance for most pain, but even I expected a little
something from this whole ordeal. Also had stress to deal with, so maybe
this affected things, but I seemed to have a rather abnormal labor and
delivery, then again, I also experienced a abnormal pregnancy. More than
one medical person has said they should study me, ha-ha.

Regardless of pain or not, it's all worth it. Even having to deal with
baby in NICU, I would do it all over again just to have my little
snuggle bear, smile.

Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Read my blog at:
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
 
"History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan

Message: 7
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2012 16:30:59 -0600
From: "Jo Elizabeth Pinto" <jopinto at msn.com>
To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [blparent] Tracey, about labor pains
Message-ID: <SNT116-DS13C3EB11529F83A54B8AF3AC9A0 at phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="utf-8"

Hi, Tracey.  I was thinking about one of the posts you wrote, in which
you said that from what you had heard, labor and delivery would be quite
painful.  I didn?t feel that it was appropriate to write to you
privately since you?re new to the list, even if this is really beyond
the scope of blind parenting.  But I wanted to reassure you a bit.
Labor is uncomfortable, definitely, but especially if you take your
focus off the pain and do your controlled breathing during contractions,
like you?ll learn about in birthing classes, it isn?t excruciating or
anything.  If you?ve ever had a migraine or some sort of other chronic
pain, labor isn?t like that, what I would call negative pain.  It?s more
like hard work, or pain with a purpose.  Every time you get through a
contraction, you?re that much closer to the prize, and that?s enough to
get you ready for the next wave.  I was worried before I went into labor
that I wouldn?t stand the pain well, but I didn?t need any drugs for
most of the way along because the contractions weren?t as awful as I
thought they would be.  When I did take some Fentinol in my IV, it was
more because I was really tired from being up for too many hours
straight, and I wanted to have energy left for pushing.  Also, if you
find positions that work for you, that helps immensely.  I couldn?t
stand to lie on my back in bed, but when I sat up in a laboring chair,
which had a very bouncy back on it so I could rock freely and still be
supported, I did a lot better.  So try not to psych yourself up for a
terribly difficult experience ahead of time because labor and delivery
may be easier than you expect, and the real challenge comes after you
get that baby out.

Best of luck,
Jo Elizabeth