PAIN you can handle

Understand the purpose of labour pain and how you can successfully manage your own, writes Tina Otte

- Tina Otte

MOST PREGNANT WOMEN are so fearful of labour pain that they don’t even want to attempt natural birth. This fear is a huge impediment, both physically and mentally, to a positive birth experience.

We live in a culture that is afraid of pain and does not understand that there are many ways to manage discomfort, especially during labour. Many women do not know that they have built-in mechanisms that help them deal with the pain of labour. Their confidence is then further eroded by others telling them that labour pain is something to be avoided at all costs.

In many cultures, the pain of labour is seen as normal and valuable, but more often today, some women see labour pain as unnecessary and unwanted – not understanding that it has a very specific purpose. Describing the pain of labour is complicated, as it does not bear any similarity to anything you have felt before. Also pain perception in each person is unique.

Many factors will influence how you will experience labour pain, including your environment, your energy levels, your emotional state as well as the people around you and their attitude to pain. Pain may feel worse if you are very anxious.

WHY DOES LABOUR HURT?