Last night at our second prenatal class, we covered the first stage of labour. The instructor taught us a few positions we could assume and some breathing patterns we could use to help us make it through the contractions. I can’t say I look forward to the pain.
Something that struck me though was her explanation of how birth pain is purposeful pain. In the process of pain, endorphin is released that actually helps the woman feel less pain. And did you know that during the contractions, a woman’s body releases a chemical that calms the baby? This allows baby to be born wide-eyed, calm and open to taking in the world in his/her first hours. So although what I will be feeling is pain, lots of other stuff will be happening in my body for both mine and the baby’s good.
I find it interesting that somehow, knowing that pain serves a greater purpose gives me courage to enter into that unpleasant experience. That somehow, it makes it more worth it.
On a side note, baby is amazingly squirmy these days. Or maybe I just feel the squirming more. =) This morning, it felt like baby was practicing tai bo against my internal organs. I found myself praying that God would help baby turn around. T encouraged me with this beatitude: Blessed are they who feel pummeled from the inside, for theirs will be a beautiful child. It helped to remember that I am blessed.
Oh, and I passed the glucose screening test. Yay for no gestational diabetes. =)