When I am asked about labour relaxation techniques and what works best, the answer is that it depends completely upon how you process different sensory information. There are literally dozens of relaxation techniques and it is impossible to integrate all of them into your birth plan. What I usually recommend is that before labour starts, you spend some time experimenting with different techniques. You are bound to find a few labour relaxation techniques that you are comfortable with and which will help you become much more focused during all stages of labour. Lets take a look at how you could use each of your senses to help you relax:
Sight
What you see can have a tremendous impact on your emotions. That’s why so many people have little pictures of their family and their favorite vacation spots in their work environment. Those little pictures stir up all kinds of positive emotions. Some people also use visual images for motivation such as in the gym or on the bathroom mirror. If you were given a choice, think about what your preferred environment would be for labour or giving birth. Would you prefer the drab grey walls in a sterile hospital environment? Does staring at medical equipment bring about images of a self-empowered birth? For most of us, the answer is probably not. Now imagine an environment where you are surrounded by things that are familiar to you, maybe some pictures of family, a tropical island, maybe your favorite couch or chair (if you are having a home birth). Maybe it’s the view of nearby mountains that you find relaxing. These are the types of images and objects that you should try to surround yourself with. The subconscious relaxation effect can not be overstated and your labour and birth will feel more serene and peaceful when you are surrounded with positive images!
Hearing
Music is a very commonly used form of labour relaxation. Many of the mothers I have worked with have used music for both home and hospital births. There is no perfect choice when it comes to music selection. I recommend selecting different music for different stages:
- Easy going, fun songs are great for early labour. A song from the past that makes you get up and dance and sway is great to open the hips and pelvis.
- As labour progresses and contractions become more intense, perhaps choosing white noise or having some mellow, instrumental or hypnotic music may help you focus during the late stages.
- Intimate music is great to connect with your partner if your labour stalls or slows down.
Basically you need to pick something that will help you to relax and focus. Its all about connecting with the music. Many of the mothers I have worked with actually forget what is playing and only notice that something has changed when an innocent nurse turns off the tunes! You should also consider having both an iPod available as well as a stand alone player. Quite frequently, when women are in active labour they become very touch sensitive and just the act of wearing headphones may become annoying. It is also a good idea to practice labour relaxation techniques while listening to your music.
Touch
There are a wide variety of touch options available and deciding which one works best for you is a personal choice that must be discovered through experimentation. If you have decided to use a doula, in all likelihood, she will have a wide variety of techniques available. Lets look briefly at some of the options:
- Effleurage – Is essentially a continual gliding motion that is applied in the same direction as venous blood flow. A heavier touch is used when moving your hands in the direction of blood flow and a lighter touch is used when moving in the opposite direction. Light touch massage, another similar option is helpful in maintaining a relaxed state and when done with a partner, it can help to release natural endorphins.
- Acupressure – In most cases acupressure is most effective when it is started early in labour and maintained. Quite often some experimentation is helpful to determine which pressure points are the most effective.
- Massage – If you have chosen to use a doula, she will likely have a variety of massage techniques available. Some of these might include massage with a foam roller, scalp massage, sacral counter pressure or hip squeeze. If you live in the Vancouver area you could also visit Bloom Family Wellness for a pregnancy massage.
- Hydrotherapy – It goes without saying that remaining hydrated is very important. Early in labour, drinking small amounts of water consistently and as you progress you may prefer to switch to ice chips. Hydrotherapy can also include the use of a bath or birth tub. Water provides a weightless effect which helps to decrease pain and tension.
Smell
Depending on your likes and dislikes, you should also consider the use of some aromatherapy. It is worth consulting with someone familiar to essential oils in addition to your midwife or doctor as there are definitely some oils you will want to avoid while pregnant (basil, cedar wood, juniper and rosemary to name a few). Some essential oils are ok to use during labour and others are ok to use depending upon what term you are in.
Taste
Carbohydrate loading is a common practice prior to active labour although not as much of a relaxation technique. I have included it here because it is important that you remember to eat as much healthy food as possible prior to active labour beginning . Since it difficult to pinpoint exactly when your labour will begin, I usually recommend that my clients begin increasing their intake of healthy, carbohydrate rich foods the due date approaches. Consider labour to be similar to any other athletic event that requires significant endurance. The more healthy calories to have eaten and stored before active labour begins, the better!
Additional information of labour relaxation techniques:
