The Pain of Pregnancy. One Man's Thoughts
Watching Hallie in pain was the most heart aching moment of my life. I could not take that pain away, only support her in whatever way possible. Afterward, Hallie said that she can't understand why no one explained the pain accurately. She summarized it as this, "It is like the worst menstrual cramp I have ever had.... times 500." Now I don't know what a menstrual cramp feels like so I can't really offer any meaningful words about the her pain. I can however, offer any man who loves his wife, and is going to have a baby together, some advice:
1. You will cry when you look into her eyes and have an idea of the pain she feels.
2. You will try absolutely anything and everything to help... but it won't really work the way you'd hoped.
3. Your presence is so important and valued.
4. You will be exhausted. Don't use caffeine to help you through this though. It will only put you on edge and possibly make you imagine you have super powers. I had half a can of Dr. Pepper and thought I suddenly had the power to take her pain away. WRONG! I only had the power to continue to spin my wheels in an ever increasing belief that I would find the one secret that would alleviate the pain of my sweet babe. The one things that had eluded all of humankind since mammals began giving birth. It doesn't exist. Birth is painful.
5. Do some upper body workout prior to the labor because the one thing that does help immensely, and was also not talked up enough in any book or class, is pressing the woman's hips together during contractions. This helped more than anything I could have done (except of course for an epidural or other pain medication).
1. You will cry when you look into her eyes and have an idea of the pain she feels.
2. You will try absolutely anything and everything to help... but it won't really work the way you'd hoped.
3. Your presence is so important and valued.
4. You will be exhausted. Don't use caffeine to help you through this though. It will only put you on edge and possibly make you imagine you have super powers. I had half a can of Dr. Pepper and thought I suddenly had the power to take her pain away. WRONG! I only had the power to continue to spin my wheels in an ever increasing belief that I would find the one secret that would alleviate the pain of my sweet babe. The one things that had eluded all of humankind since mammals began giving birth. It doesn't exist. Birth is painful.
5. Do some upper body workout prior to the labor because the one thing that does help immensely, and was also not talked up enough in any book or class, is pressing the woman's hips together during contractions. This helped more than anything I could have done (except of course for an epidural or other pain medication).
Comments
Anyway, congrats, and I'm already jealous of the little bugger cause I wish you guys were my parents...
Congrats!
He is so cute and he looks like you!
I don't want to leave a long comment but I do want to say what you wrote is really sweet.I hope when I'm older and start a family that I'll have a husband that sweet and REALIZES that having a baby is painful =D I wouldn't know but I ask my mom and sister a lot of questions.I find what the body goes through during pregnancy interesting and a beautiful thing.Thats why I want to be an OBGYN!
I hope you catch up on some sleep!!!