Can contraction pain be reduced? Breathing during childbirth. Favorites. How to relieve pain during contractions - simple but effective ways! Video about non-drug methods of pain relief in childbirth

For the day of childbirth, every woman prepares in advance. She not only stores things for the hospital, but also overcomes psychological fears. Everyone knows that contractions - "pleasure" is not pleasant, but they are different for each woman in labor. A woman can also help herself and do everything possible to ensure that the last hours before meeting with the baby pass joyfully.

Why cramping pain is tolerated differently

According to scientists, the human body can endure pain in 45 del (pain units), but during contractions a woman has all 57 of them. Such pain is experienced by a person who has 20 bones broken at the same time, many say, but this theory is not scientifically justified. Since childbirth is considered a natural process, the conclusion suggests itself that the level of pain during labor and childbirth is directly related to the preparation of the body for this process. Women who have been on courses for new mothers during pregnancy, doing fitness or doing gymnastics to train the muscles of the pelvic floor, are more likely to have an easy birth.
If during pregnancy a woman did physical preparation for childbirth, then she is more likely to have a mild course

Every woman, or even a girl, must have heard from some woman that giving birth is painful. As a result, even at a young age, female representatives develop a stereotype about "sinister" childbirth. A girl who is preparing to give birth for the first time feels a sense of fear of childbirth, which prevents the body from relaxing and enjoying its position. If the expectant mother seeks to receive positive emotions, then the forces during contractions will be directed to relaxation, and not to the expectation of severe pain.

The pain threshold of a woman is also important. This is the level of irritation with a feeling of pain that the nervous system of the expectant mother experiences. With a feeling of pain from a slight impact, a low pain threshold is noted, with painful sensations from a strong impact, it is called high. According to the pain threshold, one can judge the personality of a woman.

According to the results of the study, it became clear that people with a low pain threshold are more prone to suicide.

It turns out that the more melancholic nature a woman has, the lower her pain threshold. Conversely, the higher the pain threshold, the stronger the woman by nature. This usually refers to confident women with leadership qualities. Scientists have found that the threshold of pain sensitivity can vary depending on the relaxation (increase) or tension (decrease) of a woman. So, the expectant mother, experiencing fear of the upcoming birth, involuntarily strains the nerve endings. The fact is that the organs of a woman experiencing a state of stress receive less oxygen and send disturbing urges to the brain with a feeling of pain. Accordingly, a woman's pain threshold is reduced. Therefore, doctors recommend expectant mothers to tune in positively in advance.

Not all women know that excessive pain cannot be tolerated for several reasons:

• brain cells and its nerve endings are destroyed;
• blood vessels and the heart suffer - being in a state of overstrain, they may simply not withstand;
• the psycho-emotional state changes;
• pain shock or even coma may occur.

In general, I have a high pain threshold - so I thought until recently. The first thing I experienced before the contractions was painful "training", after which I wanted to skip to the hospital. This happened to me at the next training bout (or rather, my husband could not stand it). He took me to the maternity hospital, and they told me to go to pathology, since I was not in labor. I was in pathology for only a few hours, and the contractions kept growing. Compared to previous births, this was a real test. The thought that everything was just beginning made me eat chocolate in large quantities. And then it dawned on me that I was doing everything wrong. And I decided not to panic. I relaxed and even fell asleep, and when I woke up late at night, I found that the contractions were growing. I went to the post to the nurse, the doctor came and examined me. Imagine my surprise when she stated the opening of the cervix at 7 cm. But then I made a mistake again - at first I was delighted, and then began to panic because I was about to meet the baby. I pulled myself together again late - when the doctor said an hour later that the cervix had almost not opened. I immediately realized that this was due to extra nerves, and relaxed. Here the process did not take long - the bubble burst, and I experienced real relief. After 15 minutes, my daughter was lying next to me and tried to examine me.

Psychological preparation for childbirth and its significance

Psychological preparation of a pregnant woman is of primary importance during all childbirth. If a woman understands that by relaxing she helps the baby, then the whole process of delivery turns out to be aimed not at destruction, but at creation. And this means that it is painless. This is largely due to the fact that a woman understands the situation and helps the baby and her body, relaxing at every contraction. She imagines that in a few minutes she will be able to hug her baby, and this gives her strength. A woman needs to focus on the fact that the child is small and it is much more difficult for him to be born than for his mother to endure pain. This attitude of a pregnant woman helps to facilitate the process of delivery and reduce pain.

How to relieve pain during labor and childbirth

A woman can take many ways to alleviate her condition. These are both medical and safer options.

Medical painkillers

A popular medical pain relief procedure is epidural anesthesia. When it is carried out in the lumbar region, a thin catheter is installed, through which an anesthetic is supplied. When the catheter is inserted, the woman sits, leaning forward, or lying on her side. Through the catheter, the anesthesiologist delivers medicine into the intervertebral space, and the pain in the lower body goes away. At the same time, a woman can move and feel touch, which allows her to be active and participate in attempts. When its action stops, the medicine can be given again. This anesthesia is used for cervical dilatation of at least 4-5 cm and painful contractions. Due to the early use of painkillers, labor can slow down. The most commonly used local anesthetics for epidural anesthesia are:

• Lidocaine (the price of an ampoule is about 50 rubles);
• Ropivacaine (the price of an ampoule is about 200 rubles);
• Bupivacaine (the price of an ampoule is 300–400 rubles).

To enhance them, the following opiates are sometimes added to the anesthesia solution:

• fentanyl;
• Morphine;
• Buprenorphine.

When conducting epidural anesthesia, allergic manifestations are not excluded. In addition to it, during contractions or childbirth, the following are used:

• potent (for example, Promedol) drugs - drugs that are administered intravenously or intramuscularly. They eliminate pain, but cause lethargy and drowsiness. Because of them, a woman cannot participate in the process of delivery and adequately perceive what is happening. In addition, these drugs cross the placenta and can cause breathing and sucking problems in the baby;
• local anesthesia with the use of an anesthetic (for example, Lignocaine) at the site of the surgical intervention;
• general anesthesia drugs, which are administered by inhalation or intravenously for major operations (for example, caesarean section, uterine cleansing, or removal of the placenta after the baby is born). In this case, epidural anesthesia may be used.

Photo gallery of medicines used for pain relief during childbirth

Sometimes, to enhance the effect of epidural anesthesia, Morphine is prescribed. Buprenorphine is a drug that allows you to enhance the effect of epidural anesthesia.
Promedol is a medicine sometimes used by an anesthesiologist to relieve a woman's condition during childbirth. Lidocaine, together with other anesthetics, is used for epidural anesthesia.

Proper breathing

Proper breathing during contractions helps painless childbirth. Thanks to him, you can relax and calm down. A woman monitors the correctness of breathing, being distracted from contractions and painful sensations. There are several ways to breathe during contractions and childbirth:

• Take a deep breath in through your nose for a count of four. Then - exhale through your mouth, counting to 6 and turning your lips into a pipe;
• “meet” intensified contractions with shallow breathing, like a dog’s;
• push on the exhale, after a deep breath. Thanks to this, the diaphragm will put pressure on the uterus, the air will flow down, and your whole body will "hurry" the baby to the exit.

Breathing techniques are taught in courses for young mothers, which are held in antenatal clinics.

shower application

Everyone knows that warm water relieves muscle spasms and relieves pain. Many use a special pool for fights, in which they spend all the time of fights. However, such pools are rare for an ordinary maternity hospital. Usually, showers are provided in the wards of many such institutions. You can spend time in them under a warm stream of water until the water breaks. It is recommended to direct the stream of water on the sides in the abdomen and on the lower back. The water temperature should be approximately 37-38 degrees.
A special pool is a rarity in the maternity hospital, so a pregnant woman, at best, has to be content with a warm shower until the water breaks.

Physical exercise and massage

It is better to start exercising not from the moment of contractions, but from the beginning of pregnancy. Then you will see the effect of them yourself: the elasticity of the tissues will increase, the muscles will strengthen. During the day, a pregnant woman should be active - walking, moving around the house, going to the store, etc. Such a load will definitely support the shape of the expectant mother and make several muscle groups work at once. A good option for gymnastics is fitball exercises, during which you can learn postures that help during contractions. Here is some of them:

1. Sit on the ball with your legs wide apart. Rock your pelvis from side to side. Swing slowly - the way you like.
2. Take a knee-elbow position, put your bent arms on the ball. Lean on it with bent elbows.
3. Get on your knees, grasp the fitball with both hands. Put your chest and head on it. In this comfortable position, shake your pelvis to the right and left.
4. Place the ball higher - on a table, nightstand or bed. Lean on the ball with your forehead and palms. Bend your arms at the elbows.
5. This pose is suitable if you have a partner next to you. Sit on an exercise ball with your legs wide apart. Lean your hands on something in front of you - a chair, a chair, a window sill. At this time, the partner should support you from behind. If during the fight he massages your tailbone with his hands, then the pain will become weaker.
6. Get on your knees, put the front of your body on the ball. During the fight, ask your partner to stroke your sacrum area.

The expectant mother can practice the poses shown in the picture below. They will help to alleviate the condition of a woman during labor.
A good option for a pregnant woman is exercise with a fitball, practicing different positions during contractions.

Additionally, you can do specialized gymnastics:

• Pilates;
• yoga;
• exercises in the pool;
• gymnastics.

At home, you can conduct physical exercises for expectant mothers. They need to be performed once a day until the onset of childbirth. Exercise during pregnancy can help ease contractions

From touch during its conduct, impulses reach the cerebral cortex, causing a response that competes with painful uterine contractions. The massage process relaxes and has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, increasing the threshold of pain sensitivity. With the help of massage, the muscles relax a little and the appearance of cramps is excluded. Thanks to him, the production of endorphins (hormones of joy) is accelerated, the release of cortisol, the stress hormone, decreases. Massage is performed in the following ways:

Prohibited Measures to Facilitate Contractions

Many women hear from their friends and relatives that during contractions you can behave the way you want. However, according to experts, a woman in labor should not scream. In this process, the air leaves the body, and the forces noticeably weaken. As a result, the baby does not receive the right amount of oxygen, which is so needed during childbirth. During contractions, the baby experiences oxygen starvation without it, since the vessels that enrich the child's body with oxygen and nutrients compress the uterine muscles. Therefore, every “drop” of air is very important for a baby during labor and childbirth. Turning to screaming during childbirth, the woman herself complicates the process and prevents the baby from being born sooner.

Also, a woman who is about to meet her baby will not be able to lie on her back. Because of this position, the uterus of a pregnant woman compresses large vessels - the lower vein and the aorta. Therefore, the blood does not circulate well to the heart, brain, uterus and baby. Due to the lying position, he may experience hypoxia, and in a woman - venous blood stagnation in the uterus and internal organs.

Many women want to sit during contractions - it seems to them that in this way they make their situation easier. Of course, you can sit, but until the head of the crumbs begins to sink into the pelvis. If at this time the expectant mother will sit, then the baby will not be able to move towards the exit through the birth canal. This can lead to serious consequences - hypoxia, delayed labor, etc.

When a woman begins to push, she really wants to “squeeze” the child out of herself - the woman in labor understands that it will be easier this way. However, you should not push without the permission of a doctor - this can lead to injuries to the child.

Video: specialist on pain during contractions and how to alleviate the condition

Childbirth is the crown of a long and difficult journey to meeting your baby. You will no longer suffer from insomnia when the stomach prevents you from taking a normal position. Your organs will finally return to their places, and the limbs will say goodbye to swelling. Yes, you will have a difficult time in the form of sleepless nights, numerous diapers and tummy pains. However, your baby will be with you - believe me, he compensates for everything with one of his toothless smiles.

But between these two time intervals there is childbirth. Childbirth, which must be endured and endured. This is indeed a very painful and difficult process. But, nevertheless, all this is natural and inherent in a woman by nature. Thousands, millions and billions of women gave birth before you and became happy mothers. You can do it too, trust me.

Contractions are the most painful and difficult period. At this point, the cervix opens by periodic contractions. She is preparing to give birth to your baby. Pain during contractions is similar to menstrual pain, but thousands of times stronger. In this article, we will tell you how to go through this difficult path as painlessly as possible.

calmness

Sometimes, for emotional stability, women in labor are allowed to be with their loved ones during labor and even childbirth. The husband is the most common partner in pair births. He knows the right words that will support his beloved. The mere presence of a native man nearby already makes the woman in labor calmer.

Traffic

During contractions, many women are helped by various types of movements. They do not know any rules, the movement occurs as if instinctively. Here are some ways to ease the pain of contractions.

1. During contractions, you need to walk to calm the pain. Walk along the delivery room, along the corridor, to the toilet. In this case, you need to slightly wag your hips. This allows the baby to dilate the cervix with its head and open its way.
2. Fitball movements help a lot. Jump on a big ball during fights with legs wide apart and you will notice that it really becomes easier for you.
3. Some women survive another contraction in a bent position. That is, with your front hands you need to lean on a chair, on the headboard, on your husband.
4. Most women in labor endure contractions in the knee-elbow position. They claim that this position allows them to experience opening less painfully. In this case, you need to wiggle a little.
5. Some maternity wards have a special rope. The woman grabs him with her hands and seems to hang on him. It also contributes to pain relief.

In any case, try any movement and swinging of the body. Your body will tell you how to ease the pain.

There are several ways to ease this pain.

1. Massage. This is one of the most effective ways to slightly relax the muscles and relieve pain a little. If you give birth with a partner, he needs to rub your lower back and sacrum during the fight. However, this only helps those whose fetus is attached to the back of the uterus. Everyone, without exception, helps massage the neck - rub it to relieve pain. It is very good to relax the muscles by massaging the anterior protruding pelvic bones. If a man is not around, ask a midwife for a massage or do it yourself.
2. Breath. Most women out of momentum hold their breath during a contraction in order to survive the pain. It is not right. A sufficient amount of oxygen helps relieve pain. Breathing should be correct - inhale air through the nose, and exhale through the mouth. In addition, proper and sufficient breathing protects the baby from hypoxia - remember, it is also not easy for him at this moment.
3. Water. If a woman is in water during childbirth, the pain from contractions is much easier to bear. Some modern maternity hospitals already have special baths to help women get through this difficult period. If there is no such bath, you can take a shower and send a stream of warm water to the lower back.
4. Relaxation. The period between contractions should be used as productively as possible. After the next contraction, try to relax, rest, perhaps take a nap. Before the next fight, you have a few minutes, and in attempts you will need a lot of strength.

These simple but time-honored techniques will help you slightly reduce unbearable pain.

As one well-known obstetrician-gynecologist says, closer to the attempts, almost all women in labor require a caesarean section, so severe pain torments them. However, after the baby's head has entered the birth canal, a strip operation is out of the question. Sometimes, with unbearable pain, a woman comes to the aid of medical painkillers.

Most obstetricians say that often only the thought of her child can bring a woman back to reality during contractions. Therefore, doctors often remind women in labor what they are here for, then the pain becomes less acute. Think about your baby, imagine a long-awaited meeting. With each attempt, with each contraction, there is less and less time left before meeting him.

Another tip in order to speed up the process of childbirth. No matter how strange it may sound - smile. The uterus is a huge muscle that moves involuntarily, we cannot control it. However, the lips and facial muscles are somehow connected with it. Smiling during contractions helps your cervix to open up more. Plus, today is sure to be the happiest day of your life - isn't that great?

Video: how to relieve pain during contractions

Women often look for ways to ease the pain of contractions when they are carrying their first child, because they are very afraid of childbirth. The woman in labor is not in danger of pain, and her presence is an important factor for the normal birth of the baby. The female body in the process of expelling the fetus produces a large amount of hormones that significantly reduce sensitivity.

is the muscular effort by which the reproductive organs help the fetus to pass through the birth canal. This process is quite long and is divided into several periods. A woman who is expecting a baby during pregnancy needs to learn to feel her body in order to determine what happens to her at each stage of labor. Then she can relax, and the pain will please her.

No need to look for ways to reduce pain during contractions. It helps to understand that all processes are running normally. It is much more terrible when the pain suddenly subsides, and the child freezes before it is born. This means that the body has not coped with its task, and the fetus is threatened with death on the threshold of birth.

Why does pain appear

For the birth of a child, the endocrine system begins to produce special hormones. These are active substances that start the process of childbirth. They make the muscles of the cervix and the birth canal relax, through which the baby must pass. The muscle cells of the uterus from the appearance of special hormones in them begin to actively contract.

The mechanism of fetal expulsion is complex. A wave of excitation spreads along the bottom of the uterus, and in response to it, the rest of the body begins to contract. These alternate movements resemble a swinging swing. The more the bottom compresses, the more actively the top will react. Such expelling forces are called contractions. They are formed as a result of the conversion of the energy of biochemical substances into the mechanical activity of the muscles.

Prostaglandins start labor. They give way to oxytocin, and under its influence, the muscle cells of the uterus begin to contract more and more rhythmically and the intervals between contractions are reduced. Muscle work is accompanied by pain.

The contraction of the uterus is painful because its fibers at the time of expulsion of the fetus tend not only to contract. They are actively twisted around their axis and intertwined with each other, increasing the force of compression. Like any muscle effort, rhythmic contractions of muscle cells are accompanied by pain. The weaker the muscles, the more painful it will be for the woman during their contractions. This rule applies to all muscle tissue that a person has.

If a woman in labor understands what is happening in her body and suppresses her fear with thoughts that everything will end soon, her positive mood will begin to release hormones of happiness. Endorphins increase the release of oxytocin, and the process of childbirth is active. At a time when a woman feels sorry for herself, is afraid of pain, she has a stressful situation. Depressed mood leads to an increase in the level of adrenaline in the blood. This stress hormone suppresses the production of oxytocin, and the process of childbirth will be delayed indefinitely.

The intensity of the compression force and pain sensations depends on many factors. The meaning is:

• woman's age;
• features of the work of the organs of internal secretion;
• genetics;
• pain threshold.

Each woman is an individual organism, and the sacrament of birth for everyone follows a personal scenario. A low pain threshold requires special training and the possibility of mandatory anesthesia. High - allows you to feel the pain as insignificant. The doctor will always be able to alleviate the patient's condition with strong sensations, with the help of painkillers, if necessary.

What do doctors do to make childbirth easier?

A woman who has not undergone psychological training, because of her false fears in anticipation of inhuman pain, can lead to labor failure, which will increase the time of birth of the baby. Normal labor activity lasts from 8 to 10 hours. Some women can give birth up to 24 hours or more. Medical intervention in the natural process occurs as a specialized assistance during childbirth. The obstetrician, with weak labor, begins to take urgent action if he sees that the child may die.

In a normally ongoing process, the doctor does not interfere in the mystery of nature, but observes the course of events, and the woman's pain sensations help him in this. An obstetrician can, with the help of the introduction of oxytocin, speed up the process of giving birth to a baby up to 1-3 hours, but they prefer to do this in emergency cases. The introduction of the hormone leads to severe pain. The reason for this is that oxytocin actively accumulates in cells, and from an overabundance they are strongly compressed and twisted. Then it is required to introduce some kind of antispasmodic or analgesic agent in order to partially reduce the pain. Complete pain relief is not possible because the absence of pain will make it difficult for the doctor to determine what is happening to the woman.

Stimulation of labor is rarely used, because a healthy woman who carried the baby to the end of the term can give birth to him on her own. Cesarean section is carried out only according to indications. Fear of pain should not be the main reason for having a baby through surgery.

In order for the muscles to expel the fetus faster, doctors suggest increasing physical activity before childbirth. Then other muscles located in the pelvic cavity join the muscle cells of the uterus, and labor activity accelerates. To achieve this effect, obstetricians suggest using:

• fitball;
• squat;
• walking along the corridor;
• rhythmic breathing;
• tension and relaxation of the abdominal muscles.

Some women prefer distraction treatments. Massage or water distracts from the pain that contractions bring. Some hospitals use aromatherapy. Rose oil is believed to reduce the pain of childbirth.

What can a woman do to help

How painful childbirth will be depends largely on the woman herself. In a properly configured expectant mother, childbirth proceeds according to a successful scenario if her endocrine system functions normally. A woman in labor who has weak muscles will experience more pain during contractions than one who led an active lifestyle until the end of pregnancy. The expectant mother with the help of physical exercises will easily cope with the problem of how to relieve pain during contractions, and prepare her body for the birth of a healthy baby.

Women giving birth for the first time should not consider themselves as martyrs. This is the wrong position. They need to remember that the muscles of the uterus, going through the process of childbirth for the first time, may respond more slowly to the effects of hormones. From this, generic activity will go at different speeds. It can speed up and slow down for a while. This is a special process that must end at the moment when the time comes.

To reduce pain, muscles and the psyche need to be trained in advance.

A woman can work on this while she is carrying a baby. It is required to learn to listen to your body, and understand what is happening inside it. Yoga and meditation help to get this skill. The ability to feel all the changes in the body, relax and strain in time during childbirth helps to give birth to a healthy baby, even in the most difficult situations.

The birth of large children is much easier if a woman can feel the rhythm of contractions and inform the doctor about them in time. This skill is very important if the fetus suddenly gets stuck in the birth canal.

In situations where the child's shoulder diameter is larger than the diameter of the head, pain helps the woman to help the obstetric and medical team to push him out. There are special techniques to help you do this without placing forceps on the child's head. To do this, you just need to inform the doctor about the start and end of contractions, and he will do the rest on his own.

Oriental techniques claim that the sound “om” made during a fight significantly reduces pain. Many women who cry during childbirth reduce their suffering with loud screams.

A woman does not need to be afraid of pain. Her body has mechanisms to make it bearable. The main thing in childbirth is that the baby is safely expelled by the uterus. He must pass the birth canal, and the muscles of the reproductive organs will push him safely out. Pain in this case only indicates that the process is going well.

Every pregnant woman, as day X approaches, begins to worry more and more whether everything will go smoothly. The main worrying expectant mothers circumstance is pain during labor. This is especially distressing for primiparous girls, who, during appointments at the antenatal clinic, managed to hear enough stories about the incredibly difficult and painful childbirth of some acquaintances. In fact, today there are many ways to relieve pain during labor and childbirth. Even when independent attempts to do this will not be effective in a particular situation, specialists will definitely come to the rescue.

Beginning the process

Before easing contractions, at the initial stage it is necessary to take the correct posture. The woman in labor should feel the floor well with the entire surface of the feet and concentrate on the uterus and abdomen. This is necessary to provide the main organ of the whole process with a large amount of free space in the body. To relieve tension from the muscles of the entire pelvis, a woman should completely relax her legs and, if possible, push her knees as far as possible.

This posture will cause arching of the spine and relieve tension. Additionally, it is recommended that you place your hands on your hips or in front of standing objects, such as the headboard. The most important thing in this process is to find a position in which the woman in labor will be able to completely relax the muscles, while remaining in vertical space.

How to relieve the pain of contractions when it does not help to relax? Of course, involve a partner in the process. He must support the woman in labor in the right position. To do this, a woman can hang on his neck or shoulders with an arched back and spread her knees. It will be good if at the same time the partner massages the sacrum of the woman in labor.

Next stage

When labor activity enters the active phase, the question of how to relieve pain during contractions becomes the most relevant. During this period, it becomes difficult to stay upright, it is more uncomfortable, so you should kneel down. It is important at this time to leave the knees apart, otherwise the woman herself can choose a comfortable position: lean her back against a flat vertical surface or tilt her head forward.

At this time, it is important to provide the body with the opportunity to rest without lying down on the bed. To relax your back, it is recommended to get on all fours and bend the spine under the natural weight of the abdomen.

How to ease the contractions at this stage during partner childbirth? The following position will help: the woman in labor and her husband sit on the floor, pressing their backs against each other, while their legs are spread apart. The man at this moment should lightly press on the partner's sacrum with his weight.

Final phase

How to relieve contractions during uterine dilatation? In this phase, it is necessary to find a position in which the tension is removed from the legs, and not from the back. Typically, women in labor squat down with their backs against a wall, bed, or partner. In this case, the legs should be widely spaced and put forward with the feet forward.

At first glance, this situation will only create additional discomfort, but during childbirth, the body perceives everything that happens to it differently. In addition, experts advise at this stage to maintain a vertical position in order to stimulate labor activity in a natural way. The correct morale of a woman is very important at this time, and it will be good if she meets each contraction with a deep breath, and ends with a deep exhalation.

Proper breathing

In our country, most women still give birth without the help of a partner, so the topic of how to breathe during contractions remains relevant in order to relieve pain and the whole process as a whole. The fact is that for proper breathing, outside help is absolutely not needed, and it helps a lot to get the desired relaxation, pain relief and stimulation of labor.

This works primarily because the woman in labor is fully concentrated on breathing and diverts her attention from tense muscles. This contributes to a wider opening of the cervix, the general calming of the woman in labor and providing her body and the baby's body with enough oxygen for normal life.

In order to know how to ease contractions during childbirth with breathing, and not to forget about it at the most crucial moment, you should start training in the second trimester of pregnancy. In the process of intensifying labor activity, it is important not to pinch and not try to suppress the pain by force, since the birth of a baby is a natural process. Interfering with him, the woman in labor will aggravate the situation, prolonging her own suffering, which will negatively affect the condition of the baby.

Different techniques to explain how to breathe during labor and relieve pain can help at different stages of labor if you alternate them correctly. Initially, at the first sign of uterine activity, deep breaths should be taken, and the latter should last longer. Inhalation must be done slowly through the nose, and exhalation through the lips extended into a tube.

As contractions increase in frequency, breathing should become more frequent and shallow. At this time, both inhalations and exhalations are made through the mouth, as if in a dog-like manner. With the onset of attempts, breathing again becomes deep and measured. Each exhalation is done along with a contraction, pressing the diaphragm against the uterus and directing all efforts to the perineum. Inhalation is done through the nose, and exhalation through the mouth. When the head is born, shallow breathing will help to delay labor for a while, which must be alternated with calm.

Obstetricians themselves suggest how to ease contractions, but it is better to prepare for this process in advance, because at the time of childbirth a woman is lost and does not always perceive the information said quickly and correctly. It is very important during pregnancy during training to give the process no more than 10 minutes a day, first in a calm state, and then switch to breathing during active actions.

Breathing techniques

Today, there are three main techniques that allow you to prepare for childbirth even at the stages of bearing a baby, these are:

• abdominal;
• complete;
• economical breathing.

Starting position in all cases standing. With abdominal breathing, you should put your palm on your stomach in its upper part, exhale and completely relax it. At the same time, you need to follow the movement of the hand: on exhalation, it should approach the body, and on inhalation, go forward.

Full breathing begins with a deep exhalation and then inhalation. You need to do everything slowly, trying to feel the movement of air into the lungs and how it fills them.

The last technique is related to comparing the duration of inhalations and exhalations. It is necessary to train the efficiency of oxygen consumption in such a way that the exhalation exceeds the inhalation time twice. Time can be recorded on a stopwatch or by counting the pulse.

Relaxation Options

In order to know how to facilitate childbirth and contractions, it is necessary to prepare not only physically, but also mentally. The fact is that relaxed muscles stretch better, which means they create less uncomfortable sensations. To provide the body with complete relaxation at the most crucial moment, you need to learn how to relax. This condition helps to additional release of hormones of happiness in the body, which also help reduce pain, increase stamina and keep a clear mind of the woman in labor at all stages.

Relaxation does not mean that you need to completely step back from the process, relaxation simply helps to concentrate efforts on the uterus and use the muscles only at the right time for this. Constant tension, even between contractions, consumes a lot of energy, as a result of which it may not be enough when attempts occur. Also, a frowning face subconsciously provokes the body to a constant tone, therefore, in order to relax and release the birth canal, you need to remain as calm as possible and positively set yourself up for a future meeting with the baby. It is this state and periodic forced stress that contributes to a better physiological process.

How to ease childbirth and contractions yet? Pleasant memories that should be visualized in your head will help to relax and be distracted. At this time, you can sway in different directions, as if on the waves, or turn on pleasant music. The sounds of nature are also suitable: the singing of birds, the sound of the surf, the main thing is that they evoke pleasant emotions. Of course, you should take care of the music in advance and bring a playback device with you.

It helps a lot at this time to visualize your own pain, which can be imagined as a cloud or a balloon that gradually leaves your body.

special ball

Today, in almost every maternity hospital in the prenatal room there is a fitball. How to ease contractions with it? This large gymnastics ball is very helpful in relaxing the body through specific exercises. If it is not available in the hospital, you should arrange in advance with the staff and bring your own during childbirth. It is important to remember that you can use the fitball only at the initial stages of the birth process.

So, with the help of a fitness ball, you can provide sensation relief on your own or in a pair with a partner. In paired births, the partner should support the woman in labor during the exercises and in parallel massage her coccyx and lower back area.

Besides:

1. A woman can sit on the ball with her legs wide apart and sway slightly, performing circular movements with her pelvis.
2. You can get on all fours, resting your chest and elbows on the ball. At the same time, the back bends well and relaxes. You can also swing your hips in this position.
3. Fitball can be put on the bed and lean on it in the same way, only standing on your feet.

In order for the woman in labor to feel comfortable when performing such exercises, the ball must correspond to the size of her height. While sitting on it, the knees should be slightly lower than the pelvis.

Comfort to the rescue

Warm showers and relaxing massages are a pleasure for everyone in any position, so why not use these techniques in order to reduce the pain of the expectant mother during the birth of a new family member? It is only important not to turn on too hot water and not to make a strong pressure, the sensations should be comfortable.

How to relieve contractions before childbirth with massage? To do this, during intense muscle tension:

• stroke the belly in circular motions;
• knead the lower back with the back of the fists;
• massage the side surfaces of the body;
• knead the sides of the abdomen with protruding femurs.

If you have a partner in the massage, you must use it. A man should, with a noticeable pressure with the back of the phalanges of his fingers, massage the area of ​​​​the sacrum of the woman in labor in a circular motion from the coccyx to the lower back. At the initial stage of childbirth, you can knead the woman's neck area, protruding thigh bones and the sides of the abdomen. Acupressure massage of the hands is very conducive to relief. To do this, in a circular motion, it is necessary to knead the point on the back of the hand, located between the index and thumb. This is done alternately on each hand.

aromatherapy

Even during the bearing of the fetus, many women learn about the negative effect of the usual herbs on the body of pregnant women. They manifest themselves in provoking labor, so most people have to give up their favorite herbal teas and cosmetics with the addition of aromatic oils. Interestingly, at the stage of childbirth, all this is already becoming useful and everyone can use this technique.

How to ease childbirth and contractions? There are different tips, options using herbs are effective. It all depends on the choice of plant. For example, the aroma of jasmine oil will enhance labor activity, and the smell of lavender, lemon or bergamot will calm and balance a woman in labor who is in a tense state.

In addition to the sedative effect, oils can have an antiseptic and tonic effect. When choosing this method, it is important to make sure that during pregnancy the body does not have a negative reaction to these aromas, since the change in hormonal levels affects the perception of many previously familiar things.

So, it is necessary to put a few drops of oil into the aroma lamp a few weeks before the birth and observe your own condition. If there is no deterioration in well-being, then this technique can be applied in the future.

Preparing for childbirth must begin in advance. Since the body will need a lot of energy to expel the fetus, sleep should be normalized a week before. For this, you can add a couple of drops of lavender oil and a little milk to your evening bath.

Just before childbirth, the activity of the body, on the contrary, must be stimulated by doing massages with jasmine oil. It should be added in a minimal amount to the usual remedy.

During the process itself, you can use the aroma of jasmine and lavender, which will reduce pain and enhance labor activity. For this, an aroma lamp will need to be brought from home.

Oriental technologies

How to ease contractions during childbirth using modern methods? For this, acupuncture technology is used in many countries. It helps to stimulate certain points on the body, which leads to a reduction in pain. Unfortunately, in our country there are practically no such specialists in clinics, and the feeling of a lot of needles in your body at such a crucial moment does not really help to relax and concentrate on the process.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is also a physiotherapeutic method. Anesthesia is carried out using a special device that fixes two pairs of electrodes on the back of a woman. The degree of their impact, the woman in labor can regulate herself according to her feelings. A pair of electrodes is attached in the sacrum, and the other - in the lumbar region.

medical approach

There are also situations when a woman in labor does not help to cope with unpleasant and distracting pain, none of the above methods. How to behave during contractions to relieve pain under such circumstances? It is very important to focus on the fact that childbirth is a physiological process of all mammals, and the feeling of weightlessness after the end of the whole process instantly overshadows all previous suffering. Moreover, a meeting with a baby will give a woman such vivid emotions that no one else in the world is able to give.

If a woman in labor could not independently prepare for childbirth in advance or all her efforts were in vain, specialists will definitely come to the rescue. In modern obstetrics, only those drugs that meet all world requirements are used. They are completely safe for both the expectant mother and her baby. Medical devices are required to keep the woman conscious all the time of their exposure so that the medical staff can freely communicate with her. And, of course, none of the drugs should adversely affect the course of the physiological process of fetal expulsion.

Today, labor pain relievers can be administered to the body through:

• injections;
• droppers;
• inhalations.

All of them can be antispasmodic, narcotic and other range of effects, depending on the frequency of pain attacks and their strength.