English #6

Women know traditionally that giving birth hurts. There is the whole discussion about what is better, natural, or pain meds at birth. Well, we are not covering that, but I gave birth naturally 3 times. Here’s what we are covering, the effects of those natural births. The cost to the mother to bring those little lives into the world is not widely known.

Yes, there is pain. The pain is bad that you black out most of what happens. And yet, in my humble opinion, each child is worth it. Each precious life that means so much to mothers is worth the 3 to 15 hours of pain. That is why that at every birth I have sworn that the next one would be on pain killers, even as afraid as I am of needles, if I ever go through that again I want an epidural.

What they are not going to tell you is that giving birth to what seems a tiny angel you are going to be torn open. Imagine just ripping your skin open, not once but three times. That is what giving birth to my son did to me. The girls were a lot smaller, and so did not need more room than the episiotomy gave them. Which is where they cut a line between the birth canal, and the anus. But once again, that is temporary. It will heal.

Then you have your baby in your arms. You count all fingers and toes, and marvel at how complete the baby is. You probably love that baby before labor and delivery,  but when you hold that baby for the first time, your heart stops beating. It feels better than all the times you first held hands with your boyfriends, better than all the tender, fumbling first kisses that you get from those boyfriends. You swear that nothing will ever hurt them. Anyway, this too is an effect of the delivery.

Next, some women suffer loss of calcium during pregnancy, no matter what prenatal vitamins are given to them. Your hair loses its shine. Your nails split to the quick so easily that you wear Band-Aids on your fingers all most all of the time. You lose your teeth, as weak as they get, they just break off, and crumble until all that is left is the roots under your gum line. Every pregnancy I have had has taken at least 4 teeth.

Now here is a fun fact. Did you know that the baby can push so hard against your hips that he can dislocate them from the inside? Oh, you can walk on a dislocated hip. It hurts like the dickens, but if you do not know what it feels like, and do not know why, you will walk on it. I asked my boyfriend at the time to rub my hip to ease of the pain. At the first rub, it popped straight in. I was amazed and relieved. I thought that was the end. Think again.

Ever since then, my hip has been weak, and hurts badly. Recently I was persuaded to go to the doctor with this pain. After several tests, including big stinking needles being stuck into my hip, the doctor decided that the pain in my hip is bursitis. As is usual when I get a new diagnosis for something, I researched it. Bursitis is when the pad of liquid on your hip swells. This impedes movement, and causes severe pain. Another huge shot, this time with cortisone, eased off the pain after two weeks of feeling both the shot and the pain from the bursitis. And it appears that it will swell back up periodically. It was caused by my hip being dislocated (Steady Healing, 2010).

 Next, the bone between my hips was stressed by the birth of my son. I believe it is the sacroiliac joint. I have to have another shot into my pelvis. And have a new physical therapy to loosen the joint. As much as I dislike needles, I am actually looking forward to this one. Relief from pain is a huge carrot in front of the donkey. And it is a big needle (AidMyBursa.com., 2007).

To summarize, having the baby is the cause. Enduring what happens from the pregnancy is the effect. Truthfully, if I had known what would happen then, and could have done something about it, I am not sure that I would have chosen to go through the pain. But then again, my eldest is a rape baby, and I chose not only to have her, but to raise her. Later I had to give her up for adoption, because I could not handle her epilepsy or strokes. I was a young 18. But back to subject, now, I know that I would go through it again. I just cannot imagine a world without Kaitlen, my oldest, Joey, my middle, and Miranda, my youngest. They are wonderful children, and the light, and hope of my life.

Refrences

AidMyBursa.com. (2007, March 5). Doctors Call Bursitis Treatments . Retrieved June 6, 2010, from Home Therapy: http://www.aidmybursa.com/?REF=YBursa&OVRAW=bursitis&OVKEY=bursitis&OVMTC=standard&OVADID=31784777521&OVKWID=267716100521&OVCAMPGID=6203897021&OVADGRPID=13232140409&OVNDID=ND2

Steady Healing. (2010, February 6). Steady Healing. Retrieved June 6, 2010, from Treatment For Sacroiliac Pain: http://steadyhealing.com/health/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/pain-treatment-for-arthritis?k=treatment+for+sacroiliac+pain&Cs=N1