10 Ways to Manage Labor

When I was still pregnant, my prenatal teacher handed me a piece of ice and told me that being able to manage with the stinging pain of the cold would help me learn how to manage my labor pains.

Was she ever wrong!

Let me tell you – labor is not at all like a piece of melting ice or snow in the palm of your hand. Labor pains, for most part, are a whole new level of pain. What you thought was a 10 out of 10 on the pain scale is nothing, labor pain is more like a 20 out of 10! But here’s the good news: the pain is manageable, even without an epidermal, laughing gas, or any of the assortment of drugs that are available for pregnant women. Here are the 10 things that I found most effective in managing the labor pains I experienced.

1. Physically prepare your body beforehand. You know how your midwife or physician told you how to practice those kegel exercises before the birth of your baby? Keeping these muscles strong prior to the birth will both help you push the baby out and to heal faster after the birthing process.
2. Mentally prepare yourself for the pain. Most of us women have not been crippled by pain before, so we are unsure just how “bad” labor really is going to be. Don’t bother trying to trick yourself into thinking that it won’t be “that bad”. It will be pretty painful, so it is important to develop some pain management techniques beforehand.
3. Hot water works wonders. Many women decide to give birth in a “birthing tub” situation (and contrary to what you may think, this is not dangerous to the baby whatsoever). The warm water in a bath helps “distract” our body and mind from the pain by stimulating our senses through the heat of the water. Water is also incredibly calming and the heat will help soothe our tense or sore muscles.
4. Visualization. Some women like focusing on pleasant things, such as being on an island in the middle of the Caribbean with a margarita. Others will focus their visualization on their body. Actually “seeing” your body physically open up to allow your baby to pass through can go a long way in making both labor and the delivery of your baby easier on you.
5. Massage and Counter Pressure. Having your partner massage and use counter pressure techniques will help distract you from the pain of labor. You can find information on this in the library, or on the Internet, or you can take a prenatal class and they will gladly coach both you and your partner on how to do this properly.
6. Hypnosis. When mothers hear about being “hypnotized” while in labor, they think of being put into some uncomfortable and ridiculous positions, or being coerced into embarrassing themselves in front of a crowd of people. Hypnosis has nothing to do with being made into some sort of spectacle for people to watch; hypnosis in this, case will help you stay focused and disassociate yourself from the pain you are feeling.
7. Change Positions. Changing up positions, even if you are right in the middle of trying to push out the baby, will help ease the pain.
8. Breathe! Breathing is extremely important in not only managing the pain, but also keeping you and your body oxygenated.
9. Go for a Walk. Even in the later stages of labor when you are in the most pain, getting up and even going for a little stroll around the room will help distract yourself and open up your body to make the birth of your baby easier.
10. Medications. A lot of mothers plan to have a natural birth, but when the time comes they are not able to manage the pain. Do not feel guilty if you do need to take medications to help ease the pain. Be sure to do your research beforehand so that you are familiar with the different medications you can take and their effects on your baby, and know that if you do make the choice to medicate yourself that you are doing the best you can for both you and your newborn.

photo by Gurhan Yildirim