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Red-haired moms/natural birth - Page 3

post #41 of 54
10/13/09 at 11:57pm
My mother is a redhead and had 5 babes with no drugs, one in a hospital. Though she was born a blonde and it later turned red, so maybe she doesn't count.

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post #42 of 54
10/14/09 at 12:03am
My strawberry blonde son seems to have the pain med thing.

At age 4, he had to get chin stitches. At the time, I thought the doctor at the urgent care clinic just didn't wait long enough for the lidocaine to kick in, because he felt everything.

And even so, at 4.5, he stayed perfectly still and let them finish the stitches.

Last month he was dx'd with Lyme, with fear that he had Lyme meningitis. SO he had to have a spinal tap. The ER doctor went through his whoel spiel about "after the shot, it might feel funny, but it won't hurt." And then it DID hurt: DS whimpered "It hurts, you're hurting me," and the doc said "Oh, buddy, you're just feeling the pressure," and DS said "NO! IT feels like BURNING pressure."

Again, he stayed perfectly still for the procedure, but it clearly hurt him.

Finally, he had to have a PICC Line put in, and finally, the nurse who did it figured itu out. After one shot of Lidocaine didn't do it at all, she gave him a second one. And blissfully, it finally took. "Some folks just need a bit more," she said. THANK GOODNESS. I'm just so sad for DS that it took two VERY painful procedures during which he was under-medicated to figure that out.

But: Note again that his pain tolerance, even as a little little boy, is higher than his peers. Pain tolerance and meds issues aren't the same thing.
post #43 of 54
10/14/09 at 9:55am
I don't think I count as a redhead, although I had red hair at birth. Now it's really dark, with red highlights. But either way, I don't believe for a second that there is a single gene responsible for determining pain threshold. I'm not even entirely sure I believe in the concept of a pain threshold. A person's experience of discomfort is effected by so many things (exhaustion, emotional stability, support or lack thereof, fear, etc.) I don't think there it is as black and white as that.

That said, I do know several distinctly redheaded women who had AMAZING, pain-free Hypnobabies births, so maybe redheads need to consider Hypnobabies as their default birthing approach, rather than dealing with ineffective epidurals.
post #44 of 54
10/14/09 at 10:50am
i am a redhead, and I have Fibromyalgia. the fibro makes everything hurt more anyway. but i had a natural birth with my last child. it was awesome. a doula helped me to get far enough they couldnt give me anything anyway. i also had a quick labor. i drank RRL tea the last half of the 2nd tri and the whole 3rd tri and during labor. way easier than my first 2 which ended up with epis. youcan do it.
post #45 of 54
10/14/09 at 10:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sudonk View Post
That said, I do know several distinctly redheaded women who had AMAZING, pain-free Hypnobabies births, so maybe redheads need to consider Hypnobabies as their default birthing approach, rather than dealing with ineffective epidurals.
That's probably a great point. With 1, I apparently put myself into a trance the entire time; didn't speak, didn't communicate other than to whisper "vomit" when I needed to vomit (everyone cheered, I had no idea why bc I was so out of it, but yay transition!) Even my OB said it was "really creepy."

On one hand I'd like to be more present this time, but on the other, if it works, it works!
post #46 of 54
10/14/09 at 11:05am
I am currently preg. with #5. I only had IV drugs with #2 because she was an induction (not entirely for the pain, long story). #3 was born so fast they didn't have time to give me an IV at all, and #4 was at home.
Look at all the pain relief techniques. Personally I grew up with traditional meditation, and learned yogic breathing as an adult, and that was enough for me.
My hair has gotten darker too. But only my husband and my midwife know that I AM a natural redhead.
post #47 of 54
10/14/09 at 1:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ErinYay View Post
That's probably a great point. With 1, I apparently put myself into a trance the entire time; didn't speak, didn't communicate other than to whisper "vomit" when I needed to vomit (everyone cheered, I had no idea why bc I was so out of it, but yay transition!) Even my OB said it was "really creepy."

On one hand I'd like to be more present this time, but on the other, if it works, it works!
If you want that level of focus and comfort while being "more present this time", then Hypnobabies is an excellent choice for you! The basis of it is "Eyes Open Childbirth Hypnosis" that allows women to create that deep level of self-hypnosis you experienced instantly using simple cues any time she wants it (like at the peak of a transition contraction), and also be able to remain relaxed and in hypnosis while moving easily, chatting and generally feeling completely "normal". That's why so many Hypnobabies women are treated like they're either not in their birthing time, or only just beginning it moments before their baby arrives. Their caregivers all think they're behaving too "normally" to really be making progress! My midwives almost sent me home without checking me because I was so calm and smiling when I arrived. They kindly told me that I was too happy to be in "real labor" and tried nicely to make me think that going back home was a good idea that I came up with on my own. I insisted on a check and it turned out I was fully dilated. They let me stay. In fact, Hypnobabies made it so easy for me to relax and focus that about 1/2 way through my birthing time, I actually spent a couple hours finishing our taxes while calling out to my husband every time I felt a birthing wave, so he could time them. The friends who were there were a little freaked out by the fact that we weren't acting all frantic, but there was definitely nothing about my behavior that was "creepy".

Most women who have particularly comfortable births find that at some point their relaxation sends them into a natural self-hypnotic state, whether that was their goal or not. Hypnosis does such a great job of releasing endorphins and increasing comfort, it makes sense that the body strives to achieve that during birth, if we allow it!
post #48 of 54
10/14/09 at 5:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sudonk View Post
If you want that level of focus and comfort while being "more present this time", then Hypnobabies is an excellent choice for you!
Thank you so much! I've been toying with Hypobabies- this clinches it! Thank you thank you!
post #49 of 54
10/15/09 at 3:35am
My dentist claims there really is something to the redhead anesthesia not taking well. I prove it nearly every time I go. Ugh.

Labor? I have a very high pain tolerance. I know you can see in my siggy that I have had 2 c/s. However, I have been through plenty of laboring and all without meds. The first was Pit augmented and still no pain meds.
post #50 of 54
10/15/09 at 12:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ErinYay View Post
Thank you so much! I've been toying with Hypobabies- this clinches it! Thank you thank you!
Excellent, I can't wait to hear all about it!
post #51 of 54
10/15/09 at 1:02pm
DEFINITELY!!! i have red hair and a much higher pain tolerance than most people i know!!
post #52 of 54
10/16/09 at 3:37pm
Reading all these posts is so strange to me- I'm a redhead and am soooo sensitive to meds- the tiniest bit goes a long way with me and have actually been overdosed by doctors because I need only the tiniest bit to work! Go figure, I seem to be the opposite of the trend here.
IMO pain tolerance during birth is SUCH a personal thing- I really feel like we alll experience it so differently that its really hard to compare.
I tend to do fine with pain- but am terrible with fear, and its amazing how those two things can be so interconnected at times! Thats why I like to focus on my state of mind- where I am mentally, because it can make a huge difference for me personnally. (Easier said than done!!)
post #53 of 54
10/16/09 at 3:43pm
I'm a redhead-born fiery orange but now auburn-I'm fair skinned, freckled and green eyed...and I have a very high tolerance for pain-5 natural births no meds and two were malpresentations with extended labors. (*whew*). and believe me-I can handle pain a heck of a lot better than many people I know. I've tested the theory!

That being said, I do have a screw up in my nerve placement in my face-dental work is a nightmare cause I have to have 2 or 3 x's the numbing stuff in various places due to strange anatomy in there! The dentist DID remark about it being cause I am a redhead...
post #54 of 54
10/18/09 at 12:42am

Been there and survived that, three times over!

Hi mama,

as a red-head with three births behind her, I can tell you that YOU CAN DO IT with great certainty. Not only did my birth experiences go smoothly and beautifully, I think our "red headed nature" makes it even easier to labor! For me, imagining contractions like waterfalls, following the flow to out to the sea, taking a breath and knowing the tide was ebbing me that much closer to my babe was all I needed. You know your body, and you know you CAN do this, so just set your focus and trust yourself....the power is all right there, and the pain is oh-so-temporary. good luck and happy birthing!!!
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