Many pregnant women, especially first-time mothers, worry about how they will cope with labour pain during childbirth. Taking part in a Birth preparation course gives them a great deal of security. It's also good to know that your own body will help you - because it produces its own painkillers during labour: endorphins. These endogenous hormones have a pain-relieving effect by hindering or blocking the transmission of pain stimuli to the brain. However, this does not only apply to childbirth. By producing and releasing endorphins, the body is also able to cope better with other acute exceptional situations (such as accident-related injuries). In addition, these hormones can put people in a state similar to intoxication, full of feelings of happiness, which is why they are also known as "happiness hormones".
There is also a whole range of other ways to reduce pain during labour. Most of them are used in the opening phase, while the cervix is being dilated. In addition to conventional medical treatments that can relieve or greatly reduce labour pain, there are also so-called alternative remedies. Breathing techniques, aromatherapy, massages and other techniques can help the woman in labour to relax and thus alleviate the pain and reduce anxiety. You can read more about how fear and tension affect the birth process in my general articles on labour pain and the tasks of labour pains.
The biggest difference to those conventional medical procedures that are supposed to eliminate labour pain is that the "gentle" methods do not completely eliminate the pain, but alleviate it and thus make it bearable. Many women giving birth feel that this is sufficient, but ultimately this remains a question of the individual experience of pain. What is good for a woman during labour and what she needs varies greatly. For example, one woman may find a massage from her partner helpful, while another may not want to be touched at all during labour pain, preferring instead to lie in warm water. Each woman will find out for herself in the situation and can always rely on the support of the midwife.
You should also know that the exact mode of action of alternative remedies such as homeopathy, acupuncture or aromatherapy is not (yet) scientifically proven. This is therefore mainly the empirical knowledge of us midwives and obstetricians, which is, however, repeatedly supported and confirmed by the experiences of women giving birth.
I would now like to introduce you to some of these gentle methods.
Breathing
In the Birth preparation course for example, you will learn certain breathing techniques that will help you to cope better with the contractions. This also includes "breathing through the contractions". There is a suitable breathing technique for the different stages of labour. It also counteracts the reflex of involuntarily breathing shallowly or haltingly or even holding your breath when in pain. However, this would be very counterproductive during labour. On the other hand, deep conscious breaths "into the pain", for example, not only have a calming and relaxing effect, but also provide your baby with a good supply of oxygen. The pain-relieving effect of breathing techniques has also been scientifically proven. This effect is particularly effective in combination with exercise.
Movement
If the woman giving birth is able to move and change her body position frequently, this will make labour easier for her. Movement not only speeds up labour, but also activates and promotes pain-inhibiting processes in the body. For example, the woman can walk around, stand, dance or sit on a large exercise ball and let her pelvis circle or bounce up and down on the ball. The woman giving birth can also change to a quadrupedal position, squat, kneel or hold on to a cloth hanging from the ceiling or pull herself up. In upright positions, gravity also promotes the birth process. This means that the baby can slide more easily into the mother's pelvis. This causes pressure on the cervix, which opens more quickly.
Staying in the same position for a long time, on the other hand, often leads to the woman adopting a protective posture against the pain. This in turn can lead to a cramped posture and increased pain. Once again, the decisive factor here is which positions and movements the woman giving birth finds comfortable and what is good for her.
It is important that you practise the different positions beforehand. Preferably together with your partner, who will support you during the birth. In the Online birth preparation course you will familiarise yourself with the different birth positions and their effect on the stages of labour. You should practise them regularly, from the 36th week of pregnancy at the latest.
Heat
During the opening phase, many women find a heating pad, a hot water bottle, a warm bath or the warm, familiar hands of their partner very pleasant and relaxing. This makes the labour less painful. The warmth also causes the blood vessels to dilate, which promotes blood circulation. Heat also loosens and relaxes the muscles. This allows the uterine muscles, whose contractions you perceive as contractions, to work better. Taken together, heat therefore supports the progress of labour.
Massage
People involuntarily tense up when they feel pain. However, this tension leads to the pain being perceived even more intensely. An unfortunate spiral quickly develops, which can also be broken with massage techniques. In most cases, the massage Birth support the woman. This is not only good for her, but also regularly gives the partner the feeling of being able to actively support the woman giving birth. If you can imagine this too, then don't worry: your companion doesn't need to have any training in Shiatsu pressure massage or reflexology to massage during labour. Simply using your hands with the desired strong or gentle pressure or circling or rolling a hedgehog massage ball or tennis ball in the lower back area will help. Also in the Birth preparation course you will learn massage techniques that you can try out beforehand. Your birth companion can also use aromatherapy massage oils for a soothing addition to the massage. To do this, a few drops of an essential oil are added to a base oil. Scents can also have a positive effect on the body and mind.
Aromatherapy
The scents of essential oils are not only used in obstetrics to alleviate discomfort and pain or to increase general well-being. Their effect on the brain has been well researched. The principle is based on the fact that the olfactory mucosa in the nose absorbs the scent molecules and these then travel from there to a certain part of the brain. Here, the odour molecules cause the release of chemical messengers such as pain-relieving endorphins. Aromatherapy can also help against nausea, tension and cramps. For example, the scent of lavender or jasmine is said to relieve pain, while the scent of sandalwood, rose or citrus has a relaxing effect. There are also ready-made fragrance blends that are specially formulated for the birth. The woman giving birth can add the fragrances to massage oil or bath water, vaporise them in a fragrance lamp or inhale them directly from a smelling bottle.
If you would like to work with fragrances, be sure to seek professional advice from your midwife or pharmacy beforehand, as the desired effect of essential oils can be reversed if the concentration is too high.
Homeopathy
The basic idea of homeopathy follows a holistic understanding of body, mind and soul and is based on the principle of healing like with like. This means that the substance used to treat a complaint is the one that is likely to cause this complaint or illness in healthy people. This basic substance is extremely diluted in a special process, whereby it is ultimately used in low concentrations in the form of globules, drops or creams. The more diluted the substance is, the stronger its effect is said to be. Exactly how this works is still largely unknown - but that homeopathy can be effective is empirical knowledge.
There is a huge range of homeopathic remedies that can be used during pregnancy and also during labour to provide support in various ways. For example, women's root is used to relieve pain and improve labour activity, while cow's bane is used to soften the cervix and stabilise the woman's mood. Seek advice from a homeopathically trained midwife or a specialist in this field.
Acupuncture
The origins of this method lie in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It is based on the assumption that the body is criss-crossed by energy channels (meridians) at defined points, through which vital energy (known as chi) flows. These meridians also influence the function of the organs. If this energy flow is impaired or disturbed, this can lead to complaints or illnesses. To release these energy blockages, balance the energy flow and strengthen the body's self-healing powers, fine acupuncture needles are inserted approximately three millimetres under the skin at specific points.
In addition to pain relief, acupuncture during labour is primarily intended to ensure that the cervix opens more quickly. Accordingly, the application can shorten the birth and fewer labour-promoting drugs are required.
Acupuncture should only ever be performed by someone who has mastered the technique and has sufficient experience with it. This is the case with many midwives. However, using it during labour can restrict the mother's freedom of movement. This is why acupuncture is rarely used directly in the delivery room. However, pregnant women can start acupuncture treatments from the 36th week onwards in order to favour the upcoming birth process. However, its effectiveness has not been scientifically confirmed.
BirthTENS
The abbreviation TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. This involves stimulation current on the skin, which relieves labour pain "at the touch of a button", so to speak. Weak current pulses at certain points on the body ensure that the transmission of pain impulses to the brain is impeded. The "tingling current" also promotes blood circulation and the release of the body's own pain-inhibiting endorphins.
This method can be used successfully in obstetrics and other areas. It works as follows: Four electrodes are attached to the back of the woman giving birth - in such a way that the nerve attachments of the uterus and vagina, among others, can receive impulses. The electrodes are connected by cable to a so-called TENS unit. This handy "box" that can be worn around the neck resembles a simple remote control. When a labour pains approaches, the woman giving birth can press a button on the device to adjust the strength of the current pulses so that the intensity of the pain is reduced.
Ideally, the electrodes should be attached at the start of labour. However, you can still move freely. The current itself does not cause any pain on your skin, you will only feel it as a gentle tingling sensation.
In Germany, the TENS method for pain relief during labour is not used as frequently. In the UK, however, it has been practised very successfully for a long time. It is free of side effects and can be interrupted or terminated at any time if desired.
If you would like to try out stimulation current therapy, you have the option of booking a Obstetric TENS unit or borrow it for a fee. You can also ask at your maternity clinic whether they have equipment available. Use is then free of charge, only the electrodes have to be paid for. If you only start the treatment once you are in the clinic, the effect is no longer as certain. After all, you will be spending the latency phase at home.
I would therefore recommend that you buy this device so that you can start pain therapy at an early stage. Here is my product tip for you: https://amzn.to/3MZbgJP
