With that said, I wanted to post a message I ran across, by one of the Swedish Physicians', on pain management in childbirth. My hope is that women would remember how beautiful and valuable they are as a mother both during and beyond the birth experience, yet, also remember, that we each come to labor with expectations that are real. As a Doula, I would urge you to express and sift through where your expectations are coming from with a support person you trust and try to remember to have grace for yourself when things don't go as you hoped.
"Remember, birth is not a contest in how much pain you can tolerate. You have not failed if you decide to ask for help or if you end up using a technique that you had not planned on using. Your ability to endure the pain of childbirth has nothing to do with your worth as a mother. By preparing and educating yourself, you can be ready to decide what pain management works best for you." - Erin M. Hurley Waters M.D.
Please note, I am not advocating for medicated birthing over unmedicated but I do want women to remember there is a time and place for both and their choice does not reflect their worth as a woman or mother. There are women that will be disappointed that they couldn't receive pain meds when they expected, those disappointed because they feel they gave up and those who didn't anticipate needing medical intervention. My desire is that all mothers would feel supported, loved and cared for no matter what the situation or decision she makes.
http://www.swedish.org/about/blog/april-2014/managing-pain-during-childbirth-labor