One topic no pregnant woman who is scheduled for normal childbirth can escape from is how to deal with labor pain. If it’s your first baby especially, you’ll probably be wondering how labor is going to feel like and if you’ll be able to manage the pain well enough.
While it’ll be a tad difficult to predict these things, rest assured that you’ll have choices. You’ll probably have to talk it over with your doctor to know your options and in this article, we aim to provide you with some idea of what to expect.
It’s different for everyone
There’ll be a lot going on during labor, from muscles contracting to the pressure on your body as your baby comes out of your birth canal. While there will be some pain, the extent of labor pain that one can expect is hard to predict, for it’s not the same for everyone. Even if you’ve been through it before, it might be different the next time around.
Keep in mind that while planning for pain management is a good thing, your choices may change when your labor starts, even if you’ve given birth before. Remember that anything can happen during one’s labor — complications may arise or it may not turn out the way your doctor or
you expected.
Some simple fact about labor pains
- Most of the time, it’s not the pain of each contraction on its own that women in labor find the hardest to deal with, but rather, it’s that the contractions keep coming and that as labor progresses, there is less and less time between contractions to catch one’s breath, so to speak.
- Medicines can relieve much of your pain but probably won’t relieve all of it.
- The extent of labor pain may be more than you anticipated. It’s not uncommon for women who have previously made up their minds to avoid medication to end up changing their minds at some point during labor.
Planning for a natural birth
Some women choose to give birth using no medication at all, relying instead on relaxation techniques and controlled breathing for pain. If you’d like to experience childbirth without pain medication, make your wishes known to your health care provider.
Preparation during pregnancy
If you’re planning for a natural birth, there are some preparations you can start to make during your pregnancy itself to help get you on the right track.
Moderate exercise
Regular and reasonable exercise (that your doctor says is alright) can help strengthen your muscles and prepare your body for the stress of labor. Exercise also can increase your endurance, which will come in handy if you have a long labor. The important thing to remember with any exercise is not to overdo it — and this is especially so if you’re pregnant. Talk to your doctor about what he or she considers to be a safe exercise plan for you.
Learn more about the hospital environment and customs
Find out everything you can about the hospital you have chosen to give birth in, especially it’s labor room, facilities, ward, etc. Ask for a maternity facility tour so that you can plan better with your midwife, doula, family, and friends. Familiarize yourself with the procedures and customs at your hospital and ask about flexibility. Such discussions are best to be had way before it’s time to give birth — Remember, the more you know, the fewer surprises there’ll be.
Attend childbirth classes
A childbirth class can turn out to be a great gift if you’re a pregnant mom. Here, you’ll learn different techniques for handling pain, from visualization to stretches designed to strengthen the muscles that support your uterus. Three acclaimed childbirth philosophies practiced in childbirth classes in Malaysia are the Lamaze technique, the Bradley method, and HypnoBirthing®.
The Lamaze technique: This is possibly the most widely used method of labor pain management worldwide. This method is akin to a childbirth education program which teaches that birth is a normal and natural process and that women should not fear it. By enrolling in a Lamaze class, you’ll learn ways to improve your perception of pain using relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, distraction, or massages by a supportive coach, so that you’ll be empowered to approach childbirth with confidence. You’ll also learn how to make informed decisions when it comes to pain medication if and when the need arises.
The Bradley method: Also known as the Husband-Coached Birth, this method also emphasizes a natural approach to birth with the active participation of the baby’s father as a birth coach. It pays a good deal of focus on the avoidance of medicines unless necessary, advocating instead relaxation and deep-breathing techniques as a method of coping with labor. It also encourages and educates on good nutrition and exercise during pregnancy. As with all good childbirth classes, possible complications or situations, like emergency cesarean sections are covered too.
HypnoBirthing®: Also known as the Mongan Method of child birthing, HypnoBirthing® is an empowering antenatal education program that teaches natural birthing techniques that are as old as time itself. These well-executed programs have been helping women the world over experience the most natural childbirth possible, using easily-learned self-hypnosis and breathing techniques. Through this program, a mom-to-be will rediscover her inborn instinct on how to relax her body to have a calm, safe, and natural birth. She will be taught how to achieve deep relaxation and to rid herself of the fear so that her body need not get tensed up in anticipation of pain. This in turn greatly reduces and often eliminates the need for painkillers or drugs.
More natural ways to manage labor pains
- A soothing, warm shower: Warm showers are known to soothe worn-out muscles and provide some pain relief too. Try sitting on a stool and direct a handheld showerhead onto your abdomen or back. Alternatively, you could try bathing in warm water for it’s just as relaxing too.
- Relief with cold or warm compresses: Place a warm pack on your lower abdomen, groin, lower back, or shoulders during labor. A cold pack can also be used to soothe painful areas.
- Move about if you can: Try walking, swaying or rocking your body as much as you can to distract from the pain — It has been proven to work for many moms!
- If music is your thing: Use it! Listening to your favourite song may help with managing labor pain, especially if it’s a tune that has always cheered you up before!
