Milly

It's amazing just how many women go through this intensely traumatic experience and yet so many don't talk about just what labour is like. It really is amazing how women forget the pain, or the pain is somewhat belittled by the joy of having this amazing new human being that is with you forever. I think the pain is put into context when you see the baby as you realise it as all worth it.

Well, labour is different for all, but before i went into labour i was told it would be like a giant poo! I think that is actually quite accurate. There is intense pressure on the lower back as the baby's head is moving down further and further. Its strange, i always thought the pain would be in the stomach, but its all in back and then as the baby reaches the exit point, you suddenly feel a strong contraction in the bum, it feels like your bum is about to explode, thats right, the bum, not anywhere else...so its strange, not what the new mother would expect, but it is like one huge poo.

People say the crowning is the hardest part of the whole labour and yes, it is the most intensely painful, but it is the most motivating. As the head is coming out, you can feel the movement of the head exiting with every push, and that drives you to push harder to end the pain whereas with the other contractions during labour, you feel like its just pain and you aren't achieving anything. With all that Gas and Air going into the blood stream you lose sight that this labour will soon come to an end, and in fact i felt like it would never end.

It's amazing, but during labour i found that my hearing was heightened and people's voices were very important in either keeping me going or demoralizing me completely into a state of panic. In my first labour, the midwife was rough with me, shouting, screaming etc..her voice was making me hyperventilate! In my second labour, i had a calm voice speaking to me, telling me it would be ok and i am doing well and the effect was astounding on my behaviour. I felt so much more in control of what was happening to me, and i didn't feel like i was losing my sanity from the pain like i did in the first labour.

I feel like writing a book on midwife care and the effects on the labour experience...maybe this is the start to something bigger!