I still remember the moment after my second son was born that the hospital midwife on duty thanked me for being able to witness a drug free natural birth. She said they don't see them too often in the hospital and to that I was shocked!
Just like with my first son I had labored at home as long as possible and then gone to the hospital with my private midwife to support me with every intention of having an unmedicated natural birth.
I had done my research and was confident in the benefits of doing this and knew that it would be worth it. I knew that the benefits of a drug free birth included:
- Freedom to move - When you are hooked up to an IV or have had an epidural you can't freely move around the room. Movement has been shown to help relieve pain in laboring women as they are able to change positions to get relief and movement also helps to speed up labor too.
- Avoid the cascade of intervention - One medical intervention often leads to the next with epidurals often slowing labor. If this happens then doctors will want to give pitocin (synthetic oxytocin) to move things along. Because Pitocin has the potential to create intense and frequent contractions that don’t allow mum or baby rest, it can reduce the oxygen supply to baby, therefore causing distress. If this occurs then your doctor will usually want to perform a c section delivery.
- Epidurals interfere with endorphins, natures pain killers. In natural childbirth oxytocin signals the uterus to begin contracting and signals the brain to send endorphins but epidurals interfere with this normal flow of labor hormones and can slow labor significantly.
- Safer for baby - During pregnancy your placenta helps to eliminate medications and toxins on behalf of your baby but once your baby is born their newborn liver will need to do it alone. After a medicated birth babies are often less alert which can make it tricky to establish breastfeeding.
Most of us spend our pregnancy trying to avoid medications and toxins yet during birth we are offered so many drugs. Whilst medical interventions can and does save lives when necessary, the majority of births can unfold naturally without the need for medical intervention.
So how do you deal with the pain then if you choose to opt for a drug free labor?
There are many things that can help you to manage labor pains including:
Water - Water immersion in labor offers benefits including pain relief, relaxation and comfort. According to research water immersion during labor reduces the need for epidural pain relief and increases the chances of a natural birth. Showers are also great during labor as you can remain upright and direct the shower head at your lower back if you have back pain.
Calm Birth/Hypnobirth - Learning how to relax is so important in labour, otherwise if you are stressed and tense then your body will release stress hormones that can interfere with the natural progression of labor. Calm birth and Hypnobirth classes can teach you how to relax and remain calm even during the most intense contractions.
Doula/Independant Midwife - According to many studies, women who use doulas or independent midwives that offer continuity of care have fewer requests for epidurals, fewer c-sections and are less likely to require forceps or vacuum births. This is because you can develop a close bond with these care providers during your pregnancy so that when it comes time to give birth you feel calm and confident in the care of your support person.
Changing Position - Being comfortable in labor helps to relieve pain. Throughout your labor changing positions from laying on your side, kneeling, hopping in the bath or standing in the shower can all help to relive pain and discomfort. The worst position for pain during labour (and the most dysfunctional) is lying flat on your back in bed, next is semi-reclining.
Massage - Some studies have been done on pain relief and massage which have found that massage can help to reduce anxiety and pain during labor. Massage can be performed by your partner or a doula and helps to stimulate the production of endorphins which are natural pain killers and mood enhancers.
Heat Pack - A heat pack can help to relieve lower back pain as well as uterine cramps. Use a wheat pack or a gel pack to provide warmth and ease pain. They are especially useful in early labor and can also be used post birth to help ease after birth pains whilst your uterus contracts back down to it's pre pregnancy size.
TENS Machine - A TENS machine works by attaching two strips of electrodes on your lower back which are connected to a hand-held battery powered unit which allows you to control the strength of the electrical impulses. It works by sending a pulsing signal to the brain where they compete with pain impulses from the uterus, helping to block the pain. Some women find TENS to be no help at all, and some swear by them. Give it a go and see for yourself I say!
So there you have it, my top recommendations for natural pain relief during labor! With my first son I relied heavily on water, particularly the birthing pool whereas second time around I relied more son on the Tens machine and then the shower. Every woman is different and every labor different so try different things, be open minded and find what works for you.
If you would like to learn how you can care for your self after birth then make sure you grab my free 'Post Partum Healing Toolkit' Here!