615 Doula Co. // supporting Nashville's growing families //
  • Home
  • Meet Nicki
  • Doula Support
  • Blog
  • Let's Connect

Managing Pain During Birth

9/26/2020

6 Comments

 
Picture
The fear of pain is the most common concern for pregnant people, especially if it is their first birth and they are unsure of what to expect. “How bad is the pain?” or “I don’t know if I will be able to go unmedicated, but I would like to...”, are both common thoughts that I hear from expecting clients who are interested in an unmedicated birth or know that they will experience some labor before an epidural.


First things first, it all starts with knowledge. Let’s talk about the sensation or pain you might experience in labor. It helps to memorize this acronym:
Picture
P: It is not like a charley horse or breaking a bone. It is purposeful. The contraction is doing something very purposeful and productive by opening the cervix, and the uterus muscle is spinning the baby into position, pushing the baby down and out. It is bringing you your baby!
A: The sensation is anticipated. Contractions or waves are patterned and they continue to build, so it is not like a scary surprise, but you can sense it building.
I: The pain is intermittent, not constant. Unless there is something else going on, you do not feel the sensation of pain in between contractions. These moments in between are nice breaks where you can rest, change positions, communicate, etc. 

N: The discomfort of labor is normal. The discomfort felt during labor is not cause for alarm, unlike an emergency situation where you break a bone, rupture an appendix, etc.  We can normalize the feeling of contractions in labor. 

Once you have some knowledge around birth, your perception can begin to shift. Many like to re-frame the word “pain” or “contractions”, and prefer to use a word like “waves” or “surges”. I personally call them contractions, but feel that “waves” is a great descriptor because you can feel the contraction building up, peaking, and then falling... like a wave. It then washes away until the next one rolls in. Your only job is to ride the wave, not fight it. I also like to describe it as pure power. It is the kind of power you don’t have to will into existence, instead you have to let it be. It is pretty awe inspiring, and really opens your eyes to what your body can do.

The Evidence on Doulas
Laboring women report lower pain levels and lower anxiety levels when they are supported by a doula. There is also a decrease in requests for pain medication, and labors are on average shorter with the support of a doula.

Pain is a physical reaction. Suffering is an emotional reaction, and can be better understood by education and learning what to expect. Here is a great, short clip from Doula and Childbirth Educator, Penny Simkin, on pain versus suffering.

Whether you decide on a medicated or unmedicated birth, it’s important to understand the choices and effects of BOTH options. Below, I have included some popular medications to ease the pain during labor and birth:
  • Epidural (see previous post breaking down the pros and cons of epidurals here)
  • Nitrous Oxide or “laughing gas” - doesn’t pass the barrier to the baby, dissipates quickly, often described as anxiety relieving or calming and sort of a distraction from painful sensations
  • IV or inject-able medications - narcotics that do reach the baby, can cause reactions common in opioids like nausea, itching, or drowsiness, least safe for baby of the medicated routes, but for some that cannot have an epidural this can be helpful
The 615 Doula Co Approach
As a doula, here are some strategies that I use to reduce pain during labor:
  • Knowledge - demystify the birth process and develop an understanding of what your body is doing
  • Perception - affirmations are a favorite (see previous post on affirmations here)
  • Encouragement and assurance of what is normal and acknowledging progress
  • Breathing - 
    • Slowing your breath to bring a calming response
    • Lengthening your breath to provide your body and baby with the oxygen it needs to power forward
    • Syncing your breath with contractions
    • Panting or using short, shallow breaths when baby is crowning to reduce tearing 
  • Water -
    • The shower is a great place for early labor or even transition. Bathrooms often offer a more private space where lights can be dimmed and the environment more controlled. Some birth places have additional sprayers that can be nice for targeting certain areas of the body like lower back or abdomen. The birth ball and stools can provide other opportunities for positioning whether it is a restful sit, bouncing, on hands and knees, or using it to prop one leg up.  
    • The bathtub can help to soothe your body and many mamas comment that the floating feeling is helpful. In the tub you can float on your stomach or back, squat, kneel, or get on hands and knees.  Some of the birthing tools can also go into the bathtub, such as knee pads or towels to soften the edge as you lean over.  
  • Massage - The lower back is a common request, but your neck, hands, or legs can also feel nice. This is another great way to feel the presence and support of your partner.  
  • Counter Pressure - Oh the glorious hip squeeze! This perfect spot really varies by woman and by labor.  Some love the squeeze on the sides, others directly on the sacrum and some even like it on the sides of the lower abdomen as contractions come. We try a few to see which works best for what you are experiencing.  
  • Acupressure - There are two main points, one in the hand and one on the leg. There are other lesser known points such as on the bottom of the foot and at the sacrum on your lower back.  
  • Heat - Heating pad or warm, moist towels.  I actually tote in a sterilized crockpot, which feels a little nutty, but hey, my clients rave (and laugh) about it.    
  • Position changes - Most positions last about a half hour and then it is usually a good idea to switch to another one to make sure that the body is staying mobile, you are staying comfortable, and the time flows more quickly. The possibilities for positions are endless from standing and swaying to hands and knees or squatting on a labor bar with a rebozo.  
  • Movement Techniques - During labor I am attuned and collecting data in my mind about where your baby is in the process and how you are responding to each stage and position. If you are coping well, then I follow your flow and support you. If you are struggling to find your rhythm or cope, then I step in with some suggestions. I often assist you in performing some balancing exercises like sifting with a rebozo while you are on hands and knees. I might support you in bouncing on an exercise ball with hip swirls, doing what Spinning Babies calls “shake the apples”, or to simply rest smartly.


Sources // Evidence Based Birth, National Library of Medicine

6 Comments
Clayton Lee link
10/18/2022 09:13:15 pm

Indicate beat water late. Support see maintain about fund. Politics possible score billion.

Reply
Jerry Weeks link
11/12/2022 03:50:56 pm

Certain whole store west risk score. This career happy by save natural campaign. That can window last start.

Reply
Martha Stewart
1/16/2023 12:03:40 pm

Good day to everyone reading this! I am Martha Stewart from Blue Ridge, Georgia, and I want to write a testimony on this website about how I was helped through infertility with spell casting. My journey was not an easy one being unable to get pregnant until I came across this email odungaspelltemple@gmail.com about how it has saved most marriages from the brink of divorce due to infertility. My husband and I do engage in outdoor activities by the countryside and seeing other families enjoy and have fun with their kids wasn't an easy task for me and I felt lost. We did have therapy sections having to cope with endometriosis stage 4. Almost giving up hope as a woman of 54 years, I decided to give it a try and see if it can be good to be true and alas it is a wonderful experience. I am a mother of twins today, a boy and a girl and I write this with a bundle of joy in my heart. I believe there are many women looking for opportunities on how to get fertile with most infertility blogs but I came to see that only Dr. Odunga can solve any problem with his fast and reliable work.
Contact Email:
 odungaspelltemple@gmail.com
OR whats-app message +2348167159012 to successfully conceive too.
(Copied Link)
https://at.tumblr.com/stephaniesally/my-miscarriage-story/4ypwav7q4szh

Reply
Liliana Jose
2/8/2023 03:51:15 am

Advice to save your marriage and get your Ex Boyfriend/girlfriend back ,contact drtrustspelltemple@gmail.com or WhatsApp +14242983869 for Urgent effective love Spell to get ex lover back or save you marriage fast and his result is 100% guaranteed.

I want to give thanks to Dr Trust for bringing back my ex husband. No one could have ever made me believe that the article I’m about to write would actually one day be written. I was the world’s biggest skeptic. I never believed in magic spells or anything like this, but I was told by a reliable source (a very close co-worker) that Trust is a very dedicated, gifted, and talented person, It was one of the best things I have ever done. My love life was in shambles, I had been through two divorces and was on the brink of a third. I just couldn't face another divorce, and I wanted to try harder to make our relationship work, but my husband didn’t seem to care. and he broke up with me again. I was confused and do not know what to do again, rather them to get in contact with Dr Trust. He did a love spell that made my husband come back to me. We are now very much happy with ourselves. Dr Trust makes him realize how much we love and need each other. This man is for REAL and for good, he can also help you to fix your broken relationship. I had my husband back! It was like a miracle! He suddenly wanted to go to marriage counseling, and we’re doing very, very well, in our love life. Contact

Email: drtrustspelltemple@gmail.com

WhatsApp: +14242983869

Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/trustspelltemple

Reply
Laura Medina
3/12/2023 08:10:02 am

The journey of infertility has never left anyone with happiness especially when the journey lasted for so long with several solutions that never just worked out successfully. I feared my 8 years of infertility without a year or period of miscarriage for once in my life. A time came when my husband started to get tired of my infertility problem without a solution after a lot of medical processes to have a fertility success that didn't just work out and left me with no hopes of keeping my marriage alive as my husband refused us from adopting. All he wanted was a child or children with his DNA. Life became so difficult for me until I found out about this rare magical spell caster on a very special blog. ''Lord Erhun'' was a spell caster I have never heard of before. but what I read about him was so convincing and basically true. I had to contact Lord Erhun Via email; [meetlorderhun@gmail.com] for him to help me conceive with a pregnancy spell. Everything happened so fast after casting the spell I was pregnant within 2weeks and in months it was confirmed to be a set of twins. Today I am a mother, all thanks to Lord Erhun. Spell is real, Lord Erhun is true and powerful..

Reply
Debbie Arnold
3/22/2023 08:35:38 am

I am out here to speed this good news to the entire world on how I got help from Dr Kachi a great lottery spell caster that will help you cast a lottery spell and give you the rightful numbers to win the lottery, I didn't believe lottery spell at first but as life got harder i decided to give a try, I spend so much money on tickets just to make sure I win. until the day I met Dr KACHI online, which so many people have talked good about, that he is very great when it comes to casting lottery spell, he told me the necessary things to do and behold it was like a magic, i won $20 Million Dollars Florida Powerball Double Play with the numbers Dr Kachi gave to me. his a really trustful person worthy and reliable, i am sharing this to you who have been finding it so hard to win the lottery, Thanks you Dr. Kachi who helped me contact email drkachispellcast@gmail.com OR Text Number and Call: +1 (209) 893-8075 Visit his Website:: https://drkachispellcast0.wixsite.com/my-site

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Meet Nicki

    Hi, I'm Nicki! I am a Nashville based Doula and founder of 615 Doula Co! My favorite part of working as a Doula is supporting families through the life transitions of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum life.

    Explore Blog

    All
    Birth Options
    Birth Tips

HOME
MEET NICKI
DOULA SUPPORT
BLOG
CONTACT
Copyright 2019 - 615 Doula Co.

Website by samanthagagnon.com
  • Home
  • Meet Nicki
  • Doula Support
  • Blog
  • Let's Connect