Alternative Pain Relief During a Natural Labor & Delivery
Answered by Summer Fogarty, LMT for ParentsConnect
What kind of alternative pain relief options do I have if I have a natural birth?
Labor is a new feeling. It is less scary when you have someone there with you to rub on you and help you relax. Fear of labor creates pain. A massage therapist or doula can help change the atmosphere of the room and the energy of the labor.
Labor massage helps with labor pain, especially when-during a contraction-a massage therapist or doula spreads the sacrum open to make the contraction bearable. When I do labor massage, I use my thumbs to spread the sacroiliac joints laterally in the lower back lumbar region. This is possible because the hormone relaxin makes the joints looser during the pregnancy; thus, the sacrum joint is relaxed and spreads to make room for the baby. This is one reason why you don't want to stretch out too much toward your due date while doing exercises or yoga.
In my experience, the best time to get a massage is during active labor (from about 4 centimeters to 7 centimeters), when things start to get hairy.
I also help a laboring mother deal with pain perception by breathing deeply with her and reminding her to breathe during contractions. Breathing exercises can help and are part of hypnobirthing, the Lamaze method and the Bradley method.
Look for a class to learn about these childbirth methods, or read more about natural childbirth preparation at calmbirth.com.
Did you or do you plan to have a natural birth? Let us know below!
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