Does anyone else do this?

[Eli's_mommy]

I don't know why I do this to myself...but everytime something really painful happens to me lately, I wonder- "hmmm, could I do that for about 24 hours if I had to? Labor is going to hurt more than that..."

Why do I do this to myself?!!! This is my first baby and I'm due in less than four weeks, and I'm generally pretty confident- but I worry when I think like that!!! I had a god awful leg cramp that woke me out of my sleep last night and I was thinking I would just die if I had to deal with that for that long. I've had leg cramps before, but this was BAD BAD BAD. It lasted for almost 10 minutes and I was screaming at my poor DP to make it stop.

I've also had braxton hicks that I couldn't walk or hardly move through and had to focus on my breathing.

I am scared that I'm just a wimp!

[KC in KS]

Yeah, I did that before DD was born. It's not really all that useful.

- Labor builds over time (it doesn't wake you screaming like a leg cramp). You have time to adjust.

- Labor isn't just one never-ending contraction. In fact, a 10-minute contrax like your leg cramp would be amazing! You only have to deal with it (usually) for a minute or two.

The Braxton Hicks are probably pretty good practice, though.

HTH
KC

[mikeandtoribaby]

As soon as I read this post, I could not start laughing! First time mommy here also and I have been doing the samething for months. I went to put something in the oven the other night and the phone rung and startled me and I jumped. Stupid me, my hand was still in the oven and I now have this quarter size burn on my hand. The first thing that I thought of was, I better suck it up because labor is probably going to be alot painful. I say the samething when I wake up throughout the night because my pelvis hurts. So funny!!!!

[Stephanie L.]

When I took a Birthing From Within birth class we did exercizes to "prepare" for withstanding extended discomfort. We hed an ice cube in our hand without moving it as long as possible. It was HARD!!

Labor was NOTHING like that. Either time. "Labor Land" was a place far away, and was unlike anything else ever before. Sure it was painful, but that was nothing. Kind of irrelevant. Funny how difficult it is to explain. But what was painful seemed to not matter. The need to get into a inward place to focus, concentrate, and meditate was prevalant.

I know people say it feels like menstual cramps or whatever. For me it was a little bit like that~but not exactly. The pain was just a little factor in the big picture. When you stub your toe or whatever it's just not going to relate to labor. (In my own experience, of course!)

To prepare, be ready to close your world off so you can focus. Think of opening up and give in to the intensity. A contraction will end after a few seconds. If you (and your brain) fight it then you can be making it longer and harder for yourself. It was truly amazing how much "easier" it was once I focused on circles and said (or yelled!) "open open open". Instead of ouww... oooooh... uhhg.

Best wishes to you!

[2+twins]

I've done this with every pregnancy! I think it's totally normal to panic like that. But having been through labor/birth twice now I'm able to remind myself that the pain in labor is just different somehow. I don't have to fear it. I don't have to fight it (like I tend to do with all other forms of pain - tense against it, etc.). And I'll have ways of coping (warm water, relaxation techniques, massage, whatever). You can do it mama! It's hard but it's copeable.

[Stayathomemommy]

i never let myself think of labor as pain, first of all. its HARD work. and like pp said it doesnt just hit you over the head like a cramp in the middle of the night of a burn. its gradual and you learn to deal with them when they are easier so when its gets to active labor you know how to get yourself in the zone fast.

dont worry you will be fine.

[sdmoose]

[QUOTE=Stephanie L.]

" Labor was NOTHING like that. Either time. "Labor Land" was a place far away, and was unlike anything else ever before. Sure it was painful, but that was nothing. Kind of irrelevant. Funny how difficult it is to explain. But what was painful seemed to not matter. The need to get into a inward place to focus, concentrate, and meditate was prevalant. "

Wow--Stephanie really explained it well! I wasn't sure how to explain what it felt like to be in that active labor state...but it was a different space. I hardly spoke and was aware of only brief moments. I went on automatic in terms of doing different positions to help with labor. I wasn't even aware I was doing them! I'm guessing if you practice now with relaxation techniques and different positions and maybe do some visualization of making it through each contraction you will do fabulous. It's true...labor land is amazing! Have confidence and you will do great!!! It helps to also have a fabulous partner who is supportive and with whom you have worked through a plan together and who knows what might work for you with relaxation techniques (for example I told my husband that heat and massage would probably work really well for me. We practiced massage in the weeks before labor and using different pressure points). He was an absolutely perfect support person!!!

[kate.first.babe]

I haven't thought about labor so much, but whenever I am laying around doing nothing at all, I kind of berate myself - reminding myself never again will I have this free time. (my first baby, oviously).

[2+twins]

Originally Posted by kate.first.babe

but whenever I am laying around doing nothing at all, I kind of berate myself - reminding myself never again will I have this free time. (my first baby, oviously).

There is NOTHING more true than this! Enjoy these final moments.

[Eli's_mommy]

Thanks for all of the support guys

I've actually read through birthing from within about 3 times now and I really liked the ice thing. I did it where I focused on it and then I did it where I tried different kinds of meditation, and the difference was amazing!! After I got all excited about it, I had heard mixed feelings from different sources. I've heard some people say that holding the ice in their hand was painful and awful and nothing like labor, and then I heard people say it did absolutely nothing for them and labor is unlike any pain you could create with ice! I know that the idea was to notice the difference it made on where you placed your focus, but the mixed feelings really threw me off. I am really feeling confident about giving birth lately...I just hate it when random pain takes me by surprise!! I think once I get into the swing of it I'll be ok. I know from past experiences that when something hurts, my whole body tenses up. I just wish it was easier to compare labor to something for a first time mom!! I have heard that it's kind of like period cramps, but not really. I personally am not betting on that one...I have really bad period cramps but I'm sure this will be worse. I think just the fact that I'm expecting it to hurt really bad but I feel I'm ready for it will help me make it through. That way if it hurts less, it'll be a pleasant surprise

I know I'm probably kidding myself, but you guys can just humor me for now

[Enudely]

This is my first baby, but I had open heart surgery two years ago, so I certainly know what pain feels like. I'm not worried at all because I feel like this will be good pain, pain that is there for a real reason, the most natural pain there is, in fact. I think I'm just going to be able to relax and accept it, not fight it. How bad can it really be? This is how every single human has come into the world. I'll have the tub and massage and all that too. I just know I can do it. Maybe I'm overly confident, but to me it feels like the most natural thing in the world to do, and nature doesn't generally "mess up" or have things that just don't work. I know it's going to be really intense and very difficult, but I'm looking forward to it!