I just read Melissa's post and it brought a couple of things to mind.
First, I remember when she posted to this list that she was going to be
induced and I thought to myself, "I hope she's ready for this" or something
to that effect, as though someone could be ready for how difficult that
usually is.  My own experience in this is first as a mother who birthed 5
babies, with pain med for two of them.  One was my first and...well it was a
long drawn out, pit augmented affair.  The other was my third child, who was
stillborn and we knew it before real labor began.  Both times I held out as
long as I could, then gave in to that "little something" in the IV.  I
learned something from both experiences.  I also draw on my experience as a
labor and delivery nurse who has seen 10 years worth of laboring women in
all sorts of mental and emotional places.  What I finally concluded, after
putting it into practice with my last child was that everyone needs someone
with them during labor, whether a doula or a husband, who knows what the
woman wants out of the experience and is able to be there and help her get
past that point of losing control and giving in to pain medicine, because
most of us do reach that point.  I think it's not a matter of staying in
control so much as it is having someone to help you when you lose control.
I considered that part of my job as a labor nurse, and I will never forget
my friend who talked me through my posterior presentation last labor by
invoking visions of my beautiful child who was almost here and would soon be
in my arms nursing!  I think my husband was probably as grateful for her
presence as I was!

When I think about the moms I help with nursing now, and the problems I help
them navigate, some make it and some give up, I get a new appreciation of my
own success breastfeeding my first child, who came after a long, difficult
labor, an episiotomy "from here to yonder" as one nurse put it, and off the
breast for phototherapy for 2 days after I went home without her.  I had to
wean her off the bottle when I got her home and the only things I attribute
my success to those 24 years ago was my own determination (it didn't occur
to me to fail!) and the help and encouragement of La Leche League.  Talk
about "A League of Their Own"!
 Incidentally, I just reread my first sentence and this daughter's name
is...Melissa!

Marsha, who is reminiscing about and appreciating her life-giving (and
life-changing) experiences today!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marsha Glass RN, BSN, IBCLC
Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future generations
as all other earthly causes combined.
John S. C. Abbot
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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