Labor and birth can be an intense and painful experience. However, pain does not have to equal suffering. There are many things you can do to help relieve some of the physical, emotional, and mental pain of labor and birth. In today’s post, we will discuss a few holistic approaches to comfort techniques in labor.
Movement
- Walking Many women prefer to take a short walk early in their labor to help get things moving. Curb working as an excellent way to do this, but don’t wear yourself out early on! Try taking a short, five to ten minute walk to help conserve your energy while still helping things to move along.
- Position changes Changing positions in labor can help your baby to move down and out. Your body knows what it needs, and will usually guide you by itself. Swaying, slow dancing, walking, rocking, leaning on a wall, forward leaning, kneeling, laying on your side, sitting upright, kneeling on all fours, and swaying on all fours are a few great ways to help the baby move down and keep you more comfortable.
- Continuous movement Continually changing positions, walking, and swaying are all great ways to be proactive throughout your labor. Simple position changes can keep you interested in the different sensations that each position brings. Moving through positions can be comforting as you work through the intensity of each contraction.
Mental
- Clear your mind Write out a list of all the last-minute things you would like to be done before baby comes. Share this list with your partner a week or so before your due date. This will allow you to clear your mind of distractions and focus solely on the task at hand. This will also allow others to be a help to you as they fulfill the things you’ve written on your list.
- Music Make a playlist of your favorite songs or sounds for when labor comes. Having something playing in the background will set the tone in your birthing room. Music, ocean waves, or calming blessings are all excellent choices. Listen to your playlist through your earbuds or play it out loud to help you center yourself and focus.
- Meditate Some women listen to scriptures, Hypnobirthing tracks, or hang messages of encouragement around their birthing area. Meditating on any of these things can help keep you calm and centered.
- Aromatherapy Many women prefer to have their favorite scents diffused. There are also oils that can be diffused to help calm your body during labor. If the diffuser is too much, having a rag with oils on it near for you to smell whenever you want is also a great option.
- Breathing Breathing is one of the most important parts of laboring. Having a support person there to quietly and calmly breathe with you or remind you of how to breathe can help you stay focused. Nice, slow, deep breaths during contractions can help keep your body in a relaxed state. Having a support person there to breathe with you can be one of the most powerful comfort techniques out there.
Physical
- Rest In the early phase of labor, try to lay down and rest. This is sometimes easier said than done; you’ve been waiting nine months for this moment. Have some warm tea, take a bath, lie down, use the bathroom. However “resting” looks for you, whether that be sleeping or taking a moment for yourself, do it. You’ll be glad you rested later in labor when your body it tired.
- Counterpressure Your midwife, partner, Doula, nurse, or whoever you’re most comfortable with can provide counterpressure to your lower back, hips, and buttocks. Using the heels of their hands, palms, fingers, or thumbs, firmly press/squeeze the hips together. This provides relief as the baby begins to descend. If it doesn’t work at first, try different areas and techniques to find what works best.
- Combs Squeezing a simple hair comb through a contraction can provide both distraction and hit pressure points in your hands. This can provide some relief throughout your contraction.
- Heat Using a heating pad or warm rice sock on the lower back can help to relax and relieve discomfort around the sacrum and S. I. joints. You can slide the sock or heating pad into your pants or have a partner hold it on you as you move around.
- Massage and touch You may go into labor thinking you want to be snuggled, cuddled, or held, and then find that once you are in labor, you don’t want to be touched at all. That’s OK! When you are able, try and communicate your needs to your partner so they can fulfill them. Whether you want lots of pressure or only a little, you want to be touched in a different area, or you only want a hand to hold, try and let your support person know what you need. Anyway you want these comfort techniques are completely up to you.
- Water Water is natures epidural. Standing in the shower, kneeling, leaning, and sitting in a tub or birthing pool can help lift some of the pain and pressure off of your body. Some women are able to labor solely in the water, while others can only use it when nothing else seems to work. Either way, it can be a beautiful help when it comes to pain.
- Hydration Drinking water between contractions is key. Hydration helps prevent exhaustion and reduces the need for IV fluids. If water does not sound good to you, try an electrolyte drink to give you a little boost of energy. Coconut water is a great option!
- Hire a Doula Having a doula present at your birth can make you feel more safe and supported. A doula is trained specifically in comfort techniques and will be able to show your partner how to better assist you, as well as bring their own hands-on techniques to the table. A doula can be a wonderful addition to your birthing team as they provide coaching, physical support, informational support, and emotional support. A doula is able to also support your partner as they watch you go through the pain of labor and birth.
Environment
We have already discussed, music, aromatherapy, clearing your mind, and resting. All of these can also play into the type of environment you want.
- Lighting Keeping the lights low in the birthing room is a great way to help set the mood. For a homebirth, light some candles and dim the lights. For a hospital or Birth Center birth, bring a few sets of string lights, as well as a few battery powered candles. Ask for the lights to be dimmed as much as possible to help make the room the way you would like it.
- Encouragement Share with your partner and birth team ahead of time what kind of encouragement you would like to receive during labor. Whether it be having your back rubbed or having words of comfort whispered into your ear, your partner will be able to better fulfill your needs if they know what they are ahead of time.
- Praise Share with your birth team whether or not you would like to hear words of encouragement as you birth your baby. Some women prefer for praise and words of admiration to be uttered as their baby enters the world, while others appreciate silence during the birthing process.
No matter how you choose to birth your baby, preparing your body for the intensity of labor is essential. Keep these comfort techniques and necessities in mind as you write a birth plan, pack your labor bags, and prepare your body and partner for labor and birth.
Feel free to ask any questions over on my Instagram. Or leave a comment down below to share what helped you during your labor and birth!
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