Yes, it is possible but not usual. The majority of women do experience strong sensations during childbirth. It is often the interpretation of these sensations which differ immensely – some women feel pain, others feel pressure, others feel heat, and others feel tightening.
There are many ways to help reduce pain in labour. The 2 most important ways are to completely relax your body and to reduce any fear or anxiety. These emotions have been shown to increase the tension in a woman’s body which will lead to an increase in pain.
A lot of the research around the degree of pain in childbirth has shown a considerable link between the belief that childbirth is a normal natural experience (lower pain reported) and the belief that birth will be extremely painful (unsurprisingly more pain was experienced).
So by learning how to relax deeply at will, how to breathe really effectively, how to reduce fear and how to change your beliefs around birth, it will help you to have a birth that is instinctive, manageable and in some cases even pain-free.
It is important to remember that nothing worth having in life is completely pain-free:
relationships, achievements, being a parent, overcoming challenges – these are not pain-free.
Pain is an integral and important part of life – it can focus the mind, teach you things, make you a stronger person, help you to be more respectful of yourself and others, and increase your sense of self.
When it comes to childbirth, your body will experience a whole range of sensations, from pleasure to pain. However, what is more important is understanding how to work with your body and how your thoughts can impact the mechanics of birth.
So, my message to you would be to focus on what you can do to help your body rather than focus on how to achieve a pain-free birth.
