Here are my top tips for managing labor pain:
- Discuss options with your care provider. Most providers now offer multiple forms of pain management during labor – epidurals, opioids such as pethidine, inhaled analgesia such as nitrous oxide and drug-free interventions such as self-hypnosis & relaxation, laboring in water, and acupuncture. Each of these options has its advantages, but come with some drawbacks or varying level of effectiveness. The pain management available to you during labor and birthing will depend on the comfort level of your provider and yourself. So do your research and discuss the advantages & disadvantages of each method long before you’ve packed your hospital bag.
- Go to a Childbirth Education class. Studies found that breathing techniques, relaxation, acupressure, and massage were the most effective medication-free methods to manage labor pain. Working with your Doula or a Childbirth Education provider to practice these, or other more suitable forms of pain relief will help you cope with labor pain better on the big day. Some hospitals provide childbirth education classes as well, but these tend to focus more on the medical procedures around the birth of your baby, and less on non-medical pain relief techniques.
- Mindfulness & Positive Birth Affirmations. Women’s bodies process beta-endorphin, the pain suppressing feel brain chemical, better than men. So in fact, women can tolerate more pain than the average man.
During pregnancy, and especially in the last few weeks before birth, the female body uses beta-endorphin more effectively. It’s Mother Nature’s way of giving us some natural pain relief during labor and those last weeks of pregnancy when you feel bloated and achy all over.
Practicing mindfulness during pregnancy and planning to use positive birth affirmations to boost the levels of endorphins in your system is an easy way to improve your ability to cope with labor pain.
Finding birth affirmations that resonate best with you, and reading them aloud each day as your due date draws closer will help make labor & birthing seem less scary. - Aromatherapy. It has been found that pleasant, relaxing smells can give the right amount of distraction during an intense contraction to reduce the feeling of pain. Essential oils (EO) are naturally-derived chemicals, so be sure to discuss their use during pregnancy & labor with your care providers. A basic Google search will show you that some essential oils such as fennel, clary sage, sage, marjoram, tarragon, caraway, cinnamon, mugwort, birch and wintergreen can be harmful during pregnancy. This is because they can cause complications like encouraging uterine contractions, or because the experts are just not sure about their effects on the pregnant mom or baby. Working with an EO expert, and check with your medical care provider, to find safe options for you to use during labor and birthing.
- Prepare your Pelvis. You found a supportive medical care provider, a doula you connect with, and plan to take childbirth Ed. But did you give a thought of how your pelvic floor strength and flexibility can affect baby’s positioning and labor progress? Or how Pelvic Floor control can help or hurt your progress in Labor & Birthing?
Your Pelvic Floor Therapist can answer these & any other questions, and teach you to engage your Pelvic Floor and strengthen it during Pregnancy & Postpartum for a smoother birth experience and better postpartum healing.
Bottom line. Preparing emotionally and physically during pregnancy for medical and non-medical pain relief will help you sail through labor easier. Working with an OB or midwife you trust, choosing a birth location that makes you feel safe, and preparing your mind & body for birthing can make all the difference!
Email us to schedule your complimentary consult to start a Pregnancy Wellness program to prepare your pelvis and mind for the wonderfully challenging process that Birth can be.
None of the information on this page is medical advice. Please contact your pregnancy care provider for any medical questions or concerns.
