Labor may be the hardest work that your body ever does in any one period of time. The force of labor comes from the strength of your uterus (a large, strong muscle) and it’s ability to move your baby down through the birth canal and out of your body. But the uterine muscle is not the only factor. Another important factor is your ability to work with your body during labor and not struggle against what your body is doing. This involves focusing on relaxation, positioning your body upright when possible to allow the baby to move down towards birth, and movement which we will talk about in another article (movement in labor).
So how will you stay relaxed, what are some ways to achieve comfort while in labor? That is a very good question! You probably know that there are medications which can help with discomfort during labor and those are discussed in another article (medications used for pain in labor), but there are also many ways to naturally reduce the pain of labor and they are listed below with brief explanations. Many of these tools are most helpful if they have been practiced during the last few months of your pregnancy.
- Massage: as the baby moves down towards birth many women experience lower back pain and deep massage around the tailbone will often help. This can be practiced by a partner rubbing in this area and learning the places that bring you relief during the last couple of months of your pregnancy. Light massage, also called effleurage, can also be very helpful. Using only the tips of the fingers, your partner lightly runs their fingers up and down your arms, legs or belly. You won’t know if you like this type of massage unless you have tried it, and every woman is different.
- Movement: your ability to move freely during labor helps you feel more in control, assists the baby in moving down into the pelvis, and also provides relief. Types of movement are discussed in another article (movement in labor).
- Hydrotherapy: this is the use of water to relieve discomfort and it is very effective. Some birth facilities have tubs for you to labor in, many are even jetted and work extremely well during active labor, this stage is discussed in a separate article (how labor progresses). If your birth facility does not have tubs, most of them have showers and these can be very effective as well. A more detailed description of hydrotherapy is discussed in a separate article on the use of this tool.
- Essential oils: pure essential oils are used in labor to calm and also to energize while others are used to manage nausea. See article entitled “Essential Oils in Labor”
- Meditation and focus: are often taught in childbirth classes. The mind is a very powerful tool to use during labor and the use of focal points and meditation that has been practiced regularly prior to labor has been shown to decrease pain. Your attitudes about labor and birth as well as your belief that you are able to accomplish the work of labor can affect the progress of labor and your comfort level.
- Music: this tool is often helpful in labor. The secret is to choose music ahead of time that distracts you, energizes, or relaxes you, and have it organized into playlists. Bring it with you, practice using it, and have your earbuds with you.
- Continuous presence of people who love and support you: there is great value in the presence of people who are important to you and will be supportive while you are laboring. For some women that is several people, and for others they only want their partner with them. Give some thought to this during the last trimester of your pregnancy, you will be glad that you did.
- Pillows and lighting: having your environment feel “like home” is an important factor in your ability to relax. Bring the pillows that you really like, birth facilities may not have more than one per room. You should also have some control of the room you are laboring in, if you want the TV off, the lights turned down or less disruption, ask you nurses. Of course there are times when more lighting is needed but for the most part your nurses want to help you become comfortable in the room.
- Breathing patterns: the breathing patterns that have been found to help women during labor are taught in childbirth classes and will be most helpful if practiced often during the last months of the pregnancy.
