How Do You Deal With Pain?

I had a twinge this morning that made me think labour might be on its way. It felt horrible and was a reminder of just how painful contractions are, well how painful they are for some people.

Everyone seems to deal with pain differently, you only have to watch one episode of One Born to see that some women lie there without moving or making a sound whilst other women are rolling round in agony and screaming at the top of their voices.

Last time I was one of those screaming women, not quite as bad but then that was probably because I’d had an epi-dural before I got to that stage.

I am a lot more prepared this time, firstly because I have a better idea of what it feels like and secondly because I have read books and listened to natal hypnotherapy CDs for the last few months. I don’t actually feel scared and the fact I am planning a home birth has completely reduced the anxiety that was taking over my mind a few months ago. Knowing that I will be in my own surroundings with a birthing pool makes me feel like I will be able to handle it a million times better than I did with Cherry.

I do even feel ready. If it happened now then I would crack on with it BUT the fact remains that I am terrible with pain.

I am a total wimp and I basically deal with it by crying. In fact last week when I had a migraine, I spent about half an hour sobbing. It’s a bit pathetic that I can’t even cope with a headache without crying but that’s just how my body reacts. The thing is it does help, it makes me feel better and I was talking to Mr C earlier who said that even if I cry throughout the whole thing then it doesn’t really matter, apart from the fact that it’s probably a bit of a waste of energy and that obviously it would be better if I was more in control.

He said that if it was him he would want to increase his pain threshold as much as possible beforehand by causing himself pain, don’t think I will be taking that advice too seriously though!

I am really hoping that I prove myself wrong and get through it without bawling my eyes out but in reality it’s highly unlikely.

I will visualise, I will remember that my body is designed to do it and I will breathe, focus and remain active but none of that is going to change the fact that it’s going to bloody hurt!

How do you deal with pain?