In the process of selling nursing bras and breast shells to my
customers, I had discussions on birthing choices and occasion to
describe my own unmedicated birthing "labor" as the hardest work I had
ever done.  For days afterwards my back and arms ached as if I had been
digging ditches.

Pushing elicited groans and animal like gutteral sounds.  Between two
contractions I actually asked my husband who was making that noise in
the room.  I did not know that it was I.

But compared to menstrual cramps I had had from age 10-1/2 until my
first child delivered at my age of 27, childbirth was easy in
comparison.  Later, having an unmedicated D&C while holding my husband's
hand, I dug my nails into his palm.  It was far worse than childbirth.
The OB/GYN just said "Oh, those endorphins" when I shared that opinion
with him.

Also, I had no nipple pain, chafing or cracking when BF.  I hadn't been
a daily bra wearer until my breast size, originally -32A crept up to
36DD to make milk.

In 5 of the 8 years prior to my pregnancy I was a flight purser and
didn't carry a washcloth to Europe as it would not dry.  (European
hotels did not supply washcloths in those days.)  So I packed just the
head of a body brush as the bristles would dry overnight and it could be
repacked.

I kept on wet body brushing for many years, including including breast
and nipples each day.  Though a rough towel is no longer recommended on
nipples, I do believe that breast/nipple brushing is what allowed me to
have no nipple pain, unless, of course, my daughter was latched
incorrectly, which I would then correct.

Women wearing bras all the time in our society do not have any normal
day to day friction on their breasts and nipples, as they would in
cultures with looser clothing or no tops at all.

Also, the "afterbirth" (don't know the medical terms) contractions with
baby #2 were much worse than actual labor and I curled my toes for about
ten days each time she began to BF.  I wonder how many women quit BF due
to this pain issue.

Judy Ritchie

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