Can having a good ATTITUDE about labor lessen the PAIN? - Page 3

[Katie Bugs Mama]

I had backlabor for the better part of 20 hours before pushing for 3 more. It hurt. It hurt like all bloody hell. I had a great attitude, if I do say so myself, but that didn't make the pain disappear. However, my attitude did make me able to cope with the pain. I got through it without any interventions because I knew that I would.

[Veritaserum]

I think attitude factors in. If I expect something to be horrible, then it usually is. If I expect something to be manageable or enjoyable or whatever, then that's what I'm more likely to experience. I don't think I could experience something positively if my attitude and expectation were that my experience would be negative.

Anyway, I've used hypnosis for my last three births and I think I've been able to give birth without pain because:

1. I learned how to very deeply relax, instantly.
2. I released fears (did NOT push them aside).
3. I re-framed my beliefs about birth from negative/scary/painful to positive/joyful/comfortable.

I've found Hypnobabies to be very effective. I have no desire to "be ok with the pain" since pain isn't something I want to experience. I know that I can handle whatever I ultimately experience, but my preference is for reducing or (ideally) eliminating pain all together.

[zinemama]

I think that if you have a "bad" attitude, that may accentuate the pain.

However, I honestly don't think having a "good" attitude makes the pain any less. It is what it is. Which is different for everyone.

[weliveintheforest]

I think it makes a difference how you think about it. With my second baby I thought of the contractions as hard work rather than just pain, and it helped. It still hurt but I wasn't htinking of it as something that could be escaped, just something that had to be done and would eventually end.

[Celticqueen]

Originally Posted by Katie Bugs Mama

I had backlabor for the better part of 20 hours before pushing for 3 more. It hurt. It hurt like all bloody hell. I had a great attitude, if I do say so myself, but that didn't make the pain disappear. However, my attitude did make me able to cope with the pain. I got through it without any interventions because I knew that I would.

For me, coping with pain lessens the actual feeling of the pain. At least in my experiences with it. In labor though, I really can't say this because I never coped with the pain. I didn't even try

Better change that this time around...

-Caitrin