Stop seeing birth as a Medical Crisis: Pain Relief Philosophy VS Work With Pain Philosophy

When you see footage or photos of athletes exerting themselves they're often sweating, red faced, clearly putting in a lot of physical effort.

What do you think?

We tend to be impressed. We think how strong they look. How much power they have.

But when we see women giving birth we don't tend to think the same things at all.

We pity them. We recoil. We think poor them having to endure birth.

This is a tragedy! Birthing women are strong, powerful and giving birth is an incredible experience.

Why is this? 

Well it's all to do with our philosophy around pain itself.

A lot of pain stems from illness, damage or trauma from injury or accidents. The pain of childbirth is grouped into the same philosophy.

But the pain of childbirth is not the same. It's not an illness or an injury.

Birth is an example of Physiological Functional Pain as your body is doing exactly what it is designed to do, but at its limits and at intense levels.

Hospitals are experts in pain management, working to block pain from illness or damage.

BUT for a more comfortable and efficient birth you actually need to work with the pain. 

Most midwives will work with a Pain Relief Philosophy so when you reach your wall, your limit, they are likely to offer you drug-based pain relief and even if you had set your intention to avoid that, you're more likely to take it.

Whilst pain relief may bring some relief it won't change your mindset. Only you can do that. If you continue to panic and fear birth then your progress will stall or stop. You still need to use mindset techniques alongside pain relief to have an efficient birth.

We must not see birth as a Medical Crisis - it is a physiological process and it will challenge you physically and mentally but you must try to avoid having a crisis of confidence as it gets difficult.

So do prepare physically and mentally for the marathon just as an athlete would.

If you like the way I see birth then I'd love to support you further. Get in touch to find out your options.

Rose

Pain Relief for birth - why mindset is key