Ladies, it's official: childbirth doesn't hurt. At all! In fact, it's wonderful. I know this because Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen said so.
Recalling her eight-hour labour, which took place two months ago in the bath at her home, with her mother and husband present, she said it 'didn't hurt in the slightest'.
And that, after lots of preparation and yoga, she 'managed to have a very tranquil birth'.
The next time I need a relaxing beach holiday, remind me to go into labour, won't you? It sounds idyllic.
Sadly, though I do know women who have had almost pain-free experiences of labour, for most mothers childbirth is about as far from the one Gisele described as you can imagine.
As far as I'm concerned, labour was one of the least tranquil, most excruciating things I've ever experienced. And yes, I did try the yoga.
My first time lasted 35 hours, and I was in terrible pain throughout. But I was determined not to have any pain relief.
Why? Because pain relief, I'd been told by midwives and do-gooding mothers in Tesco, was for wimps. When I did finally cave in and ask for something to dull the agony, my midwife, who appeared to have been trained by the Royal Marines, urged me to: 'Keep going! You can do this by yourself! You are strong!'
I felt like I'd let the Sisterhood down just for asking. It took the kind words of a male doctor to say 'please have an epidural. It's not a sign of weakness and will help you, and your baby' to change my mind.
And the moment the anaesthetic took effect and my whole body relaxed, I wished I'd done it hours earlier - and felt angry that I'd been encouraged not to.
I'd become convinced that if I caved, I would have lost the competition - and taken the 'soft option'.
The fact is that, whether we like to admit it or not, motherhood makes most women very competitive.
If it's not how old your baby was when he or she first talked, it's how pretty they are, or when they first walked or lost their first tooth. The list is endless.
And the pressures on mums are getting greater every year.
Ladies, it's official: childbirth doesn't hurt. At all! In fact, it's wonderful. I know this because Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen said so.
Recalling her eight-hour labour, which took place two months ago in the bath at her home, with her mother and husband present, she said it 'didn't hurt in the slightest'.
And that, after lots of preparation and yoga, she 'managed to have a very tranquil birth'.
The next time I need a relaxing beach holiday, remind me to go into labour, won't you? It sounds idyllic.
Sadly, though I do know women who have had almost pain-free experiences of labour, for most mothers childbirth is about as far from the one Gisele described as you can imagine.
As far as I'm concerned, labour was one of the least tranquil, most excruciating things I've ever experienced. And yes, I did try the yoga.
My first time lasted 35 hours, and I was in terrible pain throughout. But I was determined not to have any pain relief.
Why? Because pain relief, I'd been told by midwives and do-gooding mothers in Tesco, was for wimps. When I did finally cave in and ask for something to dull the agony, my midwife, who appeared to have been trained by the Royal Marines, urged me to: 'Keep going! You can do this by yourself! You are strong!'
I felt like I'd let the Sisterhood down just for asking. It took the kind words of a male doctor to say 'please have an epidural. It's not a sign of weakness and will help you, and your baby' to change my mind.
And the moment the anaesthetic took effect and my whole body relaxed, I wished I'd done it hours earlier - and felt angry that I'd been encouraged not to.
I'd become convinced that if I caved, I would have lost the competition - and taken the 'soft option'.
The fact is that, whether we like to admit it or not, motherhood makes most women very competitive.
If it's not how old your baby was when he or she first talked, it's how pretty they are, or when they first walked or lost their first tooth. The list is endless.
And the pressures on mums are getting greater every year.
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