All-natural pain managament

There’s more than one way to birth a baby. If you plan to turn down the drugs and needles on delivery day, consider these alternatives for easing labor pains.

There was a time when baby called the shots on exactly when and how he would enter this world. And while that’s still the case in many ways, at least today’s moms have more options when it comes to dealing with the pain! Whether epidurals give you the creeps or you’re just looking for a more natural route, consider these alternatives—alone or in conjunction—and develop a birth plan that incorporates your doctor’s recommendations and your own intuition.

Lamaze: Getting back to basics

According to nonprofit organization Childbirth Connection, maternity care in the United States often “overuses high-tech procedures while under using high-touch, noninvasive measures.” In contrast, the folks at Lamaze International teach natural birthing techniques based on six healthy practices:

• Let labor begin on its own. No Pitocin here! Stick to the old standbys—long walks, spicy food and sexy encounters—or simply wait for baby to make his move.
• Walk, move around and change positions throughout labor. The movement will promote healthy circulation and deeper breathing while potentially advancing labor. Certain prenatal yoga moves can also help you relax while you’re waiting for baby’s arrival.
• Bring a loved one, friend or doula to support you. Depend on others to help you through this major event. You may not want a crowd, but a few staunch supporters will be helpful to have on hand when you need them.
• Avoid interventions that are not medically necessary. Hold the tubes and needles, please. Constant fetal monitoring, IV application and other interventions may not be necessary if your labor is progressing healthily.
• Choose the most comfortable position in which to give birth and follow your body’s urges to push. If you’re not tied to a hospital bed by an infant monitor, IV or epidural, you may find that standing or squatting will put gravity on your side and help with baby’s downward progress.
• Keep your baby with you in the hospital and at home. While there’s nothing wrong with utilizing the hospital nursery, many moms have found that “rooming-in” has many advantages. Postpartum depression is less likely to strike, baby is apt to be happier and healthier when he’s enjoying skin-to-skin contact with you, and breastfeeding comes more naturally for you both when you keep close quarters.
  

Massage

A husband likes to feel useful in the delivery room, so a soothing massage can be therapeutic for you both! Doulas and midwives can also provide great muscle-relaxing massages; have your care provider press the heels of her palms into your hip socket areas to relieve some of the pain and pressure as baby descends. Don’t forget to pack your hospital bag with massage oil and clean tennis balls for accelerated rubdowns. Two tennis balls stuffed in a sock make a great massage tool for applying firm pressure to your lower back.

Music

Here’s a fun project for the dad-to-be: Make an MP3 mix of soothing tunes for delivery day. The right music simulates a restful breathing rhythm to produce a calming effect, lessening pain perception and
giving mom something to focus on during contractions. (This works especially well when paired with patterned breathing.) Picking peaceful, soothing music is the key, so no matter what your partner says, the Metallica introduction can wait.

Water birth

A popular alternative to pain medication, water birth takes place in a warm tub of water (100° F or lower), where the mother labors and delivers. Naysayers worry about unnecessary risks for the baby, but midwife Cara Muhlhahn, author of Labor of Love: A Midwife’s Memoir, notes, “The baby never breathes under the water; in fact, the breathing reflex is initiated in part by a drastic change in temperature and air pressure, neither of which occurs under the water. Typically, the baby’s body naturally floats upward once out, often guided by the birth attendant’s hands.” Birthing tubs are becoming more common—find out if they’re available at your delivery location.

Hypnotherapy

If she’s been through pre-conditioning, a laboring woman can perform self-hypnosis to escape pain and fear while still maintaining awareness of what is taking place. Muhlhahn says, “Hypnotherapy is a wonderful tool for a woman in labor. I think it’s especially useful to a woman who has been through labor before and understands its demands.” This gentle practice can help you to relax your body and replace stress hormones with happy endorphins. Believe it or not, moms who have hypno-birthed successfully make delivery sound almost pleasurable!

Breathing techniques

Moaning or exhaling through each 40- to 60-second contraction helps many women get through the pain while maintaining focus, allowing each contraction to be more constructive. Patterned breathing is especially helpful for dealing with pain and fear in a more relaxed, controlled state of mind, and baby will benefit from the extra oxygen. You may find that short, shallow breaths are best for intense pain while long, deep breaths calm you between contractions. Ask your partner or doula to moan and breathe with you to help you feel centered and a little less alone in the process.