Let's be honest, for pregnant women, the chance of giving birth is quite terrifying. Even if you've never had a baby before, it probably doesn't shock you to hear that labor hurts - like really hurts. And you may question, can there be any ways to have easy labor?
It's your body's signal that the little angel inside of you is on the verge of coming out - and the exit procedure usually involves going through a hole of about the size of a lemon. Not only are you on full alert for detecting the signs of labor, but there are also the several stages of labor, and you've probably heard frightful stories about it too. Read on to learn the techniques to ease the pain of labor and make it easier when it arrives.
1. Stay Fit And Active
Pregnant women who are usually fit and healthy tend to have more uncomplicated labor. Try and go for a few steps away every day without having trouble breathing, or ask your obstetrician about local yoga or aquanatal classes within your area.
2. Take a Childbirth Class
Being familiar with the stages of pregnancy and practicing comfort steps before the grand moment will help you feel less anxious, which can cause more relaxed labor.
3. Snack Carefully
A light snack in the initial phases of labor while you're home will help keep your energy level. You burn up a lot during labor, so you must build up your stamina and fill your muscles completely. Snacking daily and drinking plenty of water can make a huge difference. But avoid fatty or indigestible food, because an overfilled stomach could make you feel nauseous and can induce vomiting during the further active stages of labor. Muscle contractions and breathing rapidly during labor can also make you lose fluids instantly.
4. Enlist Good Support
Your spouse will likely be right by your side throughout your entire labor, but you may need to line up extra help. Perhaps it would be better to consider hiring a doula. Doulas are birth companions who are experienced moms and give emotional and adequate support during pregnancy and labor. They may be excellent help, and benefits can include quicker labor and less painkillers.
5. Distract Yourself
For new moms, active labor takes an average of 12 to 14 hours. So when contractions start, you'll feel them first in your lower back or as lower-abdominal pains, so try to keep calm. Divert yourself in other activities like you can take a walk, a shower, or bake some cookies. Anything that relaxes you will further ease things along.
6. Get a Massage
Research study shows that laboring women who got massages from their spouses revealed undergoing less pain and anxiety during childbirth than those women who were not massaged. When you stimulate a region that's in distress, whether with pressure or heat, you lessen the pain signals sent to the brain. So, let your partner know what feels excellent. You probably would want a shoulder or neck massage in labor's first few hours, like, the strong pressure on your lower back throughout the intense shift stage. Along the same lines, there may be times when you don't want to be touched at all.
7. Don't Lie Down
The UFO position - which stands for Upright, Forward, and Over - is an excellent position for labor. Keeping a UFO position during labor lets gravity work to your benefit. The baby's head puts weight on your cervix, which will help it expand. And trying different positions (like standing, kneeling, or squatting) can reduce discomfort and can make labor quicker and easier.
8. Listen To Your Body
Labor can take a little while for some ladies, so don't think that you have to hop out of bed at 3 am to make sure you're standing and moving. Next thing you know, you're exhausted. Some pregnant women even tend to try 'breathing' their baby out. Go with your body. If everyone is all over-excited, urging you to hold your breath and push, you'll only go red in the face and get tired. Push when you're ready and save your strength in between.
9. Know Your Stuff
If you read lots of materials regarding pregnancy and have loads of erudition on hand, you're very likely to be ready to make choices about your baby's concern and to be in control of your labor.
10. Breathe Right
Patterned breathing not only helps you focus during contractions but breathing slowly and deeply between the intense cramps also enables you to relax, helping to avoid tension in your muscles and letting your cervix to dilate. During labor, get on any relaxation tactics that comfort you in everyday life like meditating, imagining a favorite place, or listening to music.
