It is okay not to like it...

Birth is not pain-free for most women.

I know this is not a secret, but it seems to be a thing in the natural birth community to sugar coat the physical sensations of birth. There are many, many benefits to giving birth naturally and even ecstatically (Thank you Sarah Buckley!), but in trying to encourage women to give birth naturally we are working too hard. We even border on lying. It is okay not to enjoy all the sensations of birth. It is okay not to like it.

I have only had one woman transfer for pain relief and she did so after a very long labor. It is my belief that women who are able to have an unhindered birth (privacy, freedom of movement, and unobtrusive support) will be able to cope with the normal pain of labor quite well and that belief has been born out in experience. I haven't found it to be necessary for women to have a whole bunch of rules or methods to give birth successfully either...relaxation is definitely key, but not much else.

There is nothing I would love more than for women to not feel guilty for not enjoying all the aspects of physical challenges that motherhood brings. I think we would all be a lot better off if we felt that we could say "labor hurts...but it is worth it" or "breastfeeding stinks sometimes, but I am glad I did it and wouldn't have it any other way". I also think that if we want to truly support each other we should do a better job of letting our friends or clients complain a little. It is okay and healthy.

The best part (in my humble opinion) is that we can whine a little, then go on to do a very amazing thing with our bodies. Women are awesome like that.