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[one4theroad]

I am SO tired of people acting like I have no idea that childbirth is going to hurt.
Especially when I mention my SPD pain.  Some days, I can barely fucking walk.  My MIL was like, "oh just wait until you're in labor."  That's real helpful, thanks.  So if I break my leg while I'm pregnant, I shouldn't say anything about the pain because the labor

Comments

[one4theroad]

Yeah, I know some women who intend to have natural births cave and ask for the drugs, and usually if they get talked out of it they're glad they never got them. Honestly, I don't think I'll get to that point. I mean, I know I say that now, having never done it before, so take it with a grain of salt... but I'm one of those people who HATES to admit when I was wrong, and I would be so ashamed to cave and get drugs that I think the embarrassment itself would be enough to keep me from asking for them in the first place! Perhaps that's not the "right" reason to go drug-free, but if it gets me there, that's fine with me. I'm just stubborn enough for it to work

[one4theroad]

That's interesting, since that's pretty much my basis for comparison when I think of pain. The tattoo that I had done on my lower leg was the most painful of the 3 I've gotten, and I think it was probably the most painful thing I've ever gone through. Granted, I've never broken a bone or had surgery or anything, so maybe I don't have much to compare it to, but tattoo pain is entirely voluntary (as is much of labor pain in today's hospital setting) so I think it takes a special kind of resolve to stick through it

[zandperl]

Elective c-sections creep me out too. They're major surgery!

However, I'm uncomfortable with what I perceive as your categorical dismissal of people who are "unable to handle pain." I can see where you're coming from when it comes to childbirth, that the pain is temporary and there are strong reasons to not medicate, but my perspective is that I have a chronic pain condition and I am reading your words to say "everyone who can't handle pain is a wimp." Should I ever choose to go through childbirth sure I'd consider doing it natural, but that's because I know the pain is going to come to an end. When it comes to pain conditions, the pain just goes on and on and on with no end in sight, and no reason to suffer it.

Every time I have a flare-up of my condition I weigh my ability to function without drugs against my ability to function with drugs, and I make a decision based upon what leaves me most able to function. Does it make me a bad person that I choose to take painkillers so I don't briefly black out while putting

[one4theroad]

Oh yes, that's absolutely different