Though handling birth pain is mainly a mental game, there are still many things you can practically do in order to aid in the process of decreasing labour pain.

Movement

Movement is probably the most crucial aspect for labour progression and pain management. In early labour, it is good to lay down, rest, and prepare your body for what’s to come. Once you are in active labour, your body kicks into high gear to deliver your baby! Upright movement such as walking, climbing stairs, and swaying helps to shift the baby down further into the pelvis. There are stretch receptors in the pelvic floor and in the cervix. As the baby’s head pushes against these structures the receptors are activated and send a signal to the brain to release more oxytocin (the hormone that activates uterine contractions). The more oxytocin that releases, the harder the uterus contracts, thus pushing baby’s head further into the pelvis, activating the stretch receptors further. It’s a positive feedback loop that continues until baby is born. Movement will encourage full cervical dilation and effacement; both necessary before baby makes their exit.

The other component that movement has in labour is for pain management. Movement allows the body to stay relaxed during the contractions so tension does not occur. Where there is tension, there is pain. Swaying, stretching, and moving through the contractions helps minimize the pain by releasing endorphins that can help block pain signals and keep the body from tightening up. 

Beware of IV’s and continuous fetal monitoring:

Pray Out Loud

When the contractions become more intense you can begin praying out loud or saying affirmations. Speaking allows the jaw to relax during the waves of tension. There is something powerful that occurs when you speak out loud rather than keeping it in your head. Speaking out loud begins to tell your mind and your body a message. The more you say this message, the more your mind and body begin to believe it and the pain can diminish. Pick a few phrases that really work for you and begin chanting them over and over: 

Thank you Jesus for taking the pain.

Every contraction brings me closer to meeting my baby. 

It’s going to take as long as it needs to. 

Birth is beautiful.

Chanting, praying, and meditating allows you to accept that your uterus is contracting purposefully. Instead of fighting it like a muscle spasm, imagine it like a wave pushing your baby down. Praying can bring Jesus’ supernatural power into your birth. Jesus has the power to take away any last bit of pain and fear you may still have.

Play Music 

Music can take your mind to another place. Music is another way you can meditate on something other than what your body is experiencing. When you surround yourself with a pleasant stimulus, you can drown out other people’s conversations in the room, the sounds of your own footsteps pacing in the room, or even your own breathing or prayers. If there is music, you can feel free to sing along or speak affirmations to yourself out loud which have an immense positive effect on pain management.

Open and Relax The Jaw

Among the many years of Ina May’s midwifery practice, she noticed the shape of the birthing woman’s mouth has a direct link to the opening of her cervix (Gaskin, 2019. p.202). If a woman’s mouth is open, jaw is relaxed, then the cervix can also open and relax. Whereas if her jaw is clenched, then her cervix will also most likely be closed and will have resistance in opening. This technique is most effective by opening the mouth and relaxing the jaw to make low moaning sounds that vibrate the chest (Gaskin, 2019. p. 203). When there is resistance in labour, there is most often pain. When there is tension in the room, there is most often tension in the jaw. 

Learn how to encourage your uterus and cervix to do the things you  want it to do. With slow, deep, low groans you can say, “down” to encourage your uterus to bring your baby down. You can then begin to say, “open” to help your cervix open to full dilation or as you are beginning to push.

Water

After hours of walking, swaying, lunding, or whatever movements you are doing in order to decrease pain and tension, these movements may stop being as effective. At this point you can introduce a hot bath or shower. The warm water eases the tension of the pressure and helps to keep your body relaxed. Remember to stay more upright and you can have someone else in the bath or shower helping to pour water on your back (if you’re experiencing back labour) or doing hip squeezes. 

Partner Participation

The most helpful trick for decreasing pain in labour is to utilize our birth partner. And not just to have him to hold onto, but for him to YOU. He must be attentive, nurturing, caring, and calm. He can say words of affirmations when you become too tired. He can help guide you in the breath work of deep low groans. He can support your body weight as you lean into him. He can perform hip squeezes and bring you snacks and water. He can bring strength, and comfort at a time you feel most vulnerable. Your partner brings an energy into the room and he too, can have an effect on your cervical dilation and progression.

Have your partners read this so they can be prepared to be the support you need in labour!

You, your partner, and your baby are one in this event. Everything you do and think affects your partner. How your partner feels impacts how fast and easily your baby is born. If your partner is scared, worried, mistreated, or in pain, her body tenses up. Her cervix can close and resist what her body is trying to do. Much like a female animal in nature giving birth, when she feels danger from a predator, her body halts labour until she finds a safe place to continue with no interruptions (Gaskin, 2019. p. 198). A human female is no different when faced with adversity. If someone is in the room that is making your partner feel unsettled, or if she is scared of the upcoming events, your partner’s body may instinctually and involuntarily halt labour. Your presence, words, and affirmations, have the power to provide the most optimal environment for birth. If your partner feels comfortable and safe, she is able to birth her baby in the safest and healthiest way possible.

Telling your partner to relax is like ordering the cervix to open. In order to help the cervix relax and open, you obviously cannot give it a command. Instead, you must stimulate the release of hormones that open the cervix. These hormones are released by making a woman feel safe, loved, and happy – which simultaneously will help decrease pain in labour.

If a woman doesn’t look like a goddess during labor, then someone isn’t treating her right (Gaskin, n.d.)

Ina May says, “The energy that gets the baby in will be the energy that gets the baby out!” In other words, the intimacy and romance that occurred to conceive this baby stimulated high amounts of oxytocin release. It’s the same oxytocin that is used for uterine contractions to bring that baby out. So be romantic, be attentive, be loving, and be supportive. A mother never forgets how she is treated in labour. So be sure to make it a memory you’ll want to hear about for the years to come. When I was in labour with my second, my husband was so nurturing and attentive, he never took his eyes off me. I could feel that somehow, our souls were connected. I could feel that in some way, he was sharing my burden and carrying it with me. It’s not just about physically being there. It’s about being there in all the other ways too. Mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

References

Gaskin, I. M. (2019). Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth (p. 202). Bantam Books.

Gaskin, I. M. (2019). Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth (p. 203). Bantam Books.

Gaskin, I. M. (2019). Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth (p. 198). Bantam Books.

Quote by Ina May Gaskin 

What was your favourite trick for pain management in labour?