We learned a little bit of Lamaze breathing and they had us play a really fun game, I think you all should try. Grab a bowl fill it half way with water and then as much ice as possible. Now have a friend or your partner set their watch for 90 seconds (this is the average length of a contraction during the transition stage of labor) and then plunge your hand into the ice cold water while using the Lamaze he he he hu breathing method. Its really not that bad for the first 10 seconds after that you feel like your hand is going to fall off and all you want to do is pull it out. Although 90 seconds doesn't seem like a long time in normal life when you're in pain it feels more like 90 minutes.
It was a great experience to understand the pain associated with birth even though the pain in my hand will probably be a 10th of the pain I will experience in my uterus.
We are still planning on natural birth but I am definitely keeping the options available and on hand if this he he he hu doesn't work.
2 comments:
I tried the ice thing to prepare... I don't know that it helped. It just made my hand REALLY REALLY FREAKING COLD. Good luck, you are tough. Keeping an open mind is a good thing too though.
o... and I have a blog now (you can just click on me, and it'll take you there).
The thing that helped me most when the epidural wasn't doing it's job was the nurse had Anthony tell me when I reached the peak of each contraction so you know it's going away. After a little while you feel the build up and it's seriously on of the most painful things you've ever experienced (Let's not kid ourselves) but you can feel it relaxing and the second part of the contraction and time between contractions is cake.
If I don't have to be induced, I might try natural next time. The pitocin HURTS!
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