Is Labour Painful?
The sensations felt during labour are often described as painful by many women. This pain however is physiological, and very different to other types you may experience in life which may not be as purposeful.
As your uterus contracts, it is working hard to soften, thin and draw the cervix upwards. These contractions can be very intense and feel different from anything you may have experienced before, but they can be manageable when you use techniques that distract the mind and help you to focus on your breath.
There are benefits to working with the body as it makes space for the baby to pass through, however I recognise that might not be for everyone. It’s useful to know that there are a wide variety of techniques you can use to help yourself during labour that range from breathing to an epidural.
If your intention is avoid the medical drugs that can change the physiological process then try out these 5 tips that can work wonders for you.
1 – Eliminate anxiety and fear in pregnancy. As your due window draws near, take time each day to relax and de-stress. When you are in a lovely para-sympathetic state, read or listen to positive words of affirmation that remind you just how strong you are, and how clever the human body is.
2 – Choose to give birth in a place that helps you to feel relaxed. For most people this is their own home. You can then surround yourself with comfortable items that make you feel safe. The sounds and smells are in your control, and you can enjoy preparing to welcome your baby into a space that you loving created. The abundance of oxytocin you feel will ensure that you gain a reward. This is a huge endorphin release that is the body’s own natural pain relief.
3 – Consider what makes you comfortable. One of the most important elements of birth preparation, is knowing what you can do to remain comfortable as much of the time as possible. If you imagine you had a sock on where the seam was in the wrong place, and was rubbing every time you stepped forward, you would be unable to focus – knowing you were getting a blister. When you are having a physiological labour, your intention is to get out of your ‘thinking brain’. This won’t be possible if you are uncomfortable. So try a wide range of positions in pregnancy to see if you can find the right ones to help you relax once each sensation has ended. It’s the time between contractions when deep rest is required in order to sustain your energy. So knowing what you like in advance is essential.
4 – Purchase a few gadgets that might support you if you think they would be helpful. A TeNS machine, a comb, stress balls etc:- These items can be useful if you are the type of person that likes to use physical distraction. Making sounds alongside can also offer relief to some women who know that they like to vocalise.
5 – Breathe – Always use deep breathing techniques to help you focus on the sensations. Relax your shoulders and soften your jaw as you scan down from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. The power of your breath can never be underestimated. There are several breathing techniques that I recommend which include
- Counting Breath – Count the length of your inhalations, and then try to lengthen your exhalations. For example in for 3 and out for 6.
- Let Go – As you inhale, think the word ‘Let’ and as you exhale, think the word ‘Go’.
- Golden Thread – As you relax and begin to breathe deeply, close the mouth on the inhalation, but as you exhale make a really tiny gap between your top lip and your bottom lip. Breathe out through the gap and imagine that fine stream of air taking all your thoughts as far away from you as possible.
- Dandelion – This is my favourite technique, and the reason my logo is a dandelion. As labour progresses, most women will struggle to breathe deeply, and will only be capable of a more shallow in-breath, and then will want to breathe out fully through their mouth. As you enter established labour, imagine a fluffy headed dandelion in your hand, and as you breathe towards it, visualise the power of your breath scattering the seeds far and wide.
Click the image to purchase a copy of my 60 minute relaxation track ‘Breathe’ to use during pregnancy and throughout labour and birth – you will gain immediate access
£8
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