Breathing and Relaxation
Everyone has a different pain tolerance and reacts to pain in a very personal way. Women should think about their goals for pain control and discuss them with their OB provider during pregnancy in order to be prepared for labor and delivery. When you experience pain you tense up. The more you tense up, the more fear you experience. This makes you experience more pain, which makes you more tense and more afraid. Hormones are released that can actually make labor longer and more painful. You can block the brain’s sense of pain by matching the pain with something else or by crowding the nerve gates. A positive attitude, realistic expectations, breathing, a calm environment, positioning, touch and massage, imagination and perception, and aromatherapy are all non-pharmacological interventions that can lessen your pain and ease your labor. These interventions also prove helpful for women who are planning on an epidural, since contractions and pain occur before an epidural is possible. My most important tip for pain management is to have a positive attitude. Have realistic expectations and be prepared for labor and delivery to hurt a lot. If this is your first baby, take a prenatal class so that you’re well-informed by reliable sources and know what your pain control options are. One of the things I say most commonly on labor and delivery is take slow, deep breaths. Holding your breath and hyperventilating affect the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in your blood and will eventually start to affect how well your organs can function, including your uterus. The key is to take rhythmic, deep breaths and coordinate breathing with contractions. Along with breathing, vocalizing can be helpful and empowering. Muscle relaxation is both a mental exercise and a physical experience. Imagine each muscle from your head to your toes relaxing. Use progressive muscle relaxation exercises at night before going to bed. Create a relaxing environment. Choose a trained companion to be with you during labor. There are many different positions that are possible in the hospital during labor. Walking can be very useful during the first stage of labor. Upright positions, like walking and dancing, use gravity to increase the work of contractions. This position, the labor dance, can be very relaxing and lets your labor support partner reach your back for soothing pressure or massage. The lift is another upright technique that can help move a baby into a preferred position for labor and delivery. Leaning positions help to relieve pressure on the pelvic floor and create more space and freedom for your baby to change positions in your pelvis. Sitting positions allow you to rest and conserve energy while laboring. Rocking chairs can be relaxing and soothing during labor. Side-lying positions can help if you’re having trouble relaxing. Squatting can be done during the second stage of labor or when it’s time to push. Hands and knees can be helpful if you have back pain or want your support person to rub your lower back. A warm bath is comforting and can actually increase your pain threshold or ability to cope with pain. You can also try a shower and let water spray directly on the area that feels especially sore, like your lower back, for example. It is helpful to use this as guided imagery. Touch and massage is helpful because it communicates reassurance and counteracts something painful with something relaxing. Counter-pressure helps to offset intensity from contractions and eases ligament, muscle, and joint pain. During a contraction, apply steady, gradual pressure to the sacrum, or the bony area below the small of the back and above the buttocks. With the woman sitting in bed with her legs bent up at the knee, push on her knees and aim to push her thighs back into her hips during contractions. This is especially helpful for women who are having a lot of back pain during labor. Distracting your mind will help to keep you in a positive and calm state that helps you to manage your pain. Mental distraction can come in many forms. Affirmation involves focusing on words that affirm your experience and strength. Another example of imagination and perception is listening to stories. The rainbow technique helps you to visualize and vividly experience all the colors of the rainbow. You may also try guided imagery. Pre-determine some of your favorite places you’ve ever been to or a place that you want to go to. Certain scents such as lavender, rose, and frankincense have been used during labor to reduce anxiety, fear, pain, and even nausea. Knowing your options for pain control will help you have the best experience possible during labor and delivery. If you have more questions about it, talk with your OB provider. And if you have more questions in the future for me, feel free to ask them on our Facebook page at IntermountainMoms or on our Instagram, @IntermounainMoms, and recommend us to your friends and family too.
11 июн 2017
