From the moment I fell pregnant, I’ve been scared to go through labour. Mostly because of the way it’s been depicted through mainstream media (can anybody find me a labouring lady on screen who isn’t screaming/experiencing horrific pain please?) Plus I think listening to your girlfriends talk about their own experiences without any of the bullsh*t is enough to haunt any woman who’s never given birth before.
Actually, after listening to some stories, I must admit I even considered hunting down places to buy and order epidurals online. That way when the time actually came to give birth, I could get to the hospital all prepared and tell the doctor – “I’m all over it Doc. I packed my epidural…” but then I though that would be a little too crazy.
Even for a hormonal pregnant woman.
Anyway, most of my feelings of helplessness and fear seemed to occur during the first and second trimesters. It was around the time that my boobs decided to embark on a mega growing journey of their own and I started crying for no real reason at all.
It was a really scary moment in my life.
But now that I’m in my third trimester, I’ve come to realise that I’ve got this or at least my baby does because it’s currently in total control of my body and there really isn’t anything I can do about it. Except stop fearing its birth and start getting excited about it.
So call me crazy, but (now) I can’t wait to go through labour.
And this is why:
1. Our bodies were made for birthing babies.
The female body is incredible and can do many magical things; like run marathons, complain about the lack of housework that their husband does and meet deadlines while simultaneously watching The Bachelorette at the same time. But most importantly, if a lady chooses to, it can also carry life and birth a human person. Now how can the thought of that be scarier than exciting?
2. Pain is temporary.
There’s no doubt that labour will be painful. In fact, I’m sure it will push me to a pain threshold limit I probably never imagined I would meet. But like anything, pain is temporary. Or at least that’s what I’m going to be telling myself/yelling at my husband during those torturous beautiful birthing hours. Plus, isn’t it true, if you tell yourself something will be painful, you’ll start to believe it? There will also be pain relief on hand if I need it. And there are good stories out there too (very few, but there are); because some women actually experience very little pain at all. Which is why in the weeks leading up to the birth, I’m going to focus on those stories instead. #Cmoooonmiracle.
3. My vajay will never look the same – but I’m okay with that.
I can’t expect to push a human person out of my special lady parts and imagine those special lady parts to ever look the same. Just the same way I now can’t imagine my new mega boobs ever looking the way they looked before (gosh, I still miss them though!) Your body changes so much during pregnancy. Pushing a human out of your body will undoubtedly stretch/change your lady parts – but word on the street is that everything goes back to normal after a few months. So again, let’s focus on the positive.
4. I’m ignoring traumatic birth stories.
I’m ignoring traumatic delivery stories and refraining from looking any of them up. End of story. Why put your mind through that torture? Plus if I don’t, I definitely won’t be excited to go through labour.
When labour’s over, pregnancy will be over and that will be the BEST THING EVER.
Labour is the natural ending to what in my experience can be described, as some of the most physically and emotionally testing months of mine (and I’m sure, my husband’s) life. I’m excited for labour because I’ll finally meet my baby. I’m also excited because once it’s done and dusted my pregnancy will be over. Right now, that feels like it might just be the most magical and delicious feeling of all.
Were you nervous or excited about labour?