How to ease contractions during childbirth?

Waiting for a baby becomes one of the brightest and most tranquil periods in life for an expectant mother. But when the day of birth approaches, many women feel fear of the upcoming pain. These sensations make you panic and nervous, which is absolutely not allowed for pregnant women. That is why you should prepare for the upcoming birth in advance, because proper preparation will help to significantly facilitate it.

Start of the process

Before easing contractions, you must first take the correct position.
The woman in labor should feel the floor well with the entire surface of her feet and concentrate on the uterus and abdomen. This is necessary to provide the main organ of the entire 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 apart as possible. This pose will cause the spine to arch and relieve tension. Additionally, it is recommended to place your hands on your hips or on objects in front, such as the headboard of the bed. The most important thing in this process is to find a position in which the woman in labor will be able to completely relax her muscles while remaining in vertical space.

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

Next stage

When labor enters the active phase, the question of how to relieve pain during contractions becomes most pressing. During this period, it becomes difficult to remain in an upright position, it causes discomfort to a greater extent, so you should kneel down. It is important to leave your knees apart at this time; otherwise, the woman can choose a comfortable position herself: 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 on the bed. To relax your back, it is recommended to get on all fours and arch your spine under the natural weight of your abdomen.

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

Final phase

How to ease contractions during uterine dilatation?
In this phase, it is necessary to find a position in which the tension is relieved from the legs, and not from the back. Typically, women in labor squat, leaning their backs on a wall, bed or partner. The legs should be spread wide apart and the feet pushed forward. At first glance, this position will only create additional discomfort, but during childbirth the body perceives everything that happens to it differently. In addition, experts advise maintaining an upright position at this stage in order to stimulate labor naturally. The correct moral attitude 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 exhale.

Correct breathing

In our country, the majority of 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 you do not need outside help at all, and it helps a lot to get the desired relaxation, pain relief and stimulation of labor.

This works primarily because the woman in labor completely concentrates on breathing and diverts her attention from tense muscles. This contributes to a wider opening of the cervix, general calming of the woman in labor and providing her body and the baby’s body with a sufficient amount of oxygen for normal functioning.

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

Various techniques that explain how to breathe during contractions and relieve pain will help at different stages of labor, if you alternate them correctly. Initially, at the first signs of uterine activity, deep inhalations and exhalations should be carried out, and the latter should last longer. Inhalation must be done slowly through the nose, and exhale through lips extended into a tube.

When contractions become more frequent, breathing should become more frequent and shallow. At this time, both inhalations and exhalations are done through the mouth, as if like a dog. When pushing begins, breathing becomes deep and measured again. Each exhalation is done along with the contraction, pressing the diaphragm on the uterus and directing all efforts to the perineum. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. When the head appears, shallow breathing, which must be alternated with calm breathing, will help to delay labor for a short time.

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

What are contractions and why are they needed?

Labor contractions are rhythmic contractions of the uterus. During contractions, the cervix opens so that the baby can pass through the birth canal and meet the mother. To push the baby through the neck, it stretches to at least 10 cm. This process is not quick and requires a lot of strength, patience and the right attitude from the mother.

During a contraction, a woman feels pain in the lower abdomen

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.

The starting position in all cases is standing. When doing abdominal breathing, you should place your palm on your stomach in the upper part, exhale and completely relax it. In this case, you need to watch the movement of your hand: as you exhale, it should move closer to the body, and as you inhale, it should move forward.

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

The last technique involves comparing the duration of inhalations and exhalations. It is necessary to train the efficiency of oxygen consumption so that exhalation exceeds the inhalation time twice as long. Time can be measured using a stopwatch or by counting your pulse.

What to do during contractions?

It has been noticed that the more scared a pregnant woman is, the less she knows about what is happening to her and what is ahead of her, the more difficult, longer and more painful her birth is. Even in the very recent past, the phrase “preparing for childbirth” seemed complete nonsense in Russia. Fortunately, over the last decade there have been qualitative changes in this area - many courses and schools have been opened to prepare for childbirth, where not only expectant mothers, but also expectant fathers are preparing for this important event. Enough books have been published. And most importantly, the psychology has changed. Now, if not all, then most women understand that they need to prepare for childbirth, like for any difficult and important work. And the main goal of such preparation is to get rid of fear and pain.

What do experts usually recommend to make contractions as easy and painless as possible? As already mentioned, you will not be able to control the frequency and strength of contractions; this does not depend on you. But you can completely help yourself and your child survive these contractions.

At first, when contractions have just begun, it is better not to lie down, but to move: this will speed up the process of opening of the uterine pharynx, and therefore shorten the time of labor.
Concentrate calmly and try to find the body position in which you are most comfortable. Feel free to get down on all fours, lie on a big beach ball, or even... dance. Believe me, no one would even think of judging you for extravagance. Circular and rocking movements of the pelvis help relieve tension and reduce pain.
If possible, try to sleep between contractions, or at least “pretend to be asleep” (this will help your body relax).
You can lie down for ten minutes in a bath with warm water - of course, if you are not alone in the apartment and they can help you if necessary.
Lightly stroking the skin of the lower abdomen with your fingertips eases contractions at the beginning of the journey. As the contraction begins, you need to inhale and direct the movement of your arms from the midline to the sides; as you exhale, your arms move in the opposite direction.
When contractions intensify, strong and frequent pressure with your thumbs on points in the area of the anterior superior iliac spines (these are the most protruding parts of the pelvis) helps relieve pain. Place your hands comfortably with your palms along your hips.
Massage of the sacral area of the spine is very useful. It is effective not only at the beginning of contractions, but also throughout the entire time that expelling forces are operating in your body.
As contractions intensify, proper breathing becomes increasingly important.

But the most important thing is to tune in, listen to your own feelings and... remember about the child. You both have difficult work ahead of you, but the result will be a meeting!

1 You can read in detail about the symptoms of the onset of labor in the article How labor begins. 2 We also recommend reading the article How to understand that it’s time to go to the maternity hospital: 5 signs.

Relaxation options

In order to know how to ease childbirth and contractions, you need to prepare not only physically, but also mentally. The fact is that relaxed muscles stretch better, which means they create less discomfort. To ensure complete relaxation for the body at the most crucial moment, you need to learn how to relax. This condition helps to additionally release happiness hormones in the body, which also help reduce pain, increase endurance and maintain a clear mind for the woman in labor at all stages.

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

How can I make labor and labor easier? Pleasant memories that you should visualize in your head will help you relax and unwind. 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: birdsong, 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, almost every maternity hospital has a fitball in the prenatal room.
How to ease contractions with its help? This large gymnastics ball is very helpful in relaxing the body through special exercises. If it is not available at the hospital, you should arrange it in advance with the staff and bring your own during labor. It is important to remember that you can use a fitball only at the initial stages of the birth process. So, with the help of a fitness ball, you can provide relief from sensations on your own or with a partner. During paired births, the partner must support the woman in labor during exercises and at the same time massage her tailbone and lower back area.

Besides:

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

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

Comfort to the rescue

A warm shower and a relaxing massage bring pleasure to everyone and in any position, so why not use these techniques to reduce pain for 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 the pressure too strong; the sensation should be comfortable.

How to ease contractions before childbirth with massage? To do this, it is necessary during intense muscle tension:

stroke the stomach in a circular motion;
knead your lower back with the back of your fists;
massage the side surfaces of the body;
knead the sides of the abdomen with protruding thigh bones.

If you have a partner in the massage, you need to involve him. A man should, with tangible pressure from 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 tailbone to the lower back. At the initial stage of labor, you can knead the woman's neck, protruding hip bones and sides of the abdomen. Acupressure massage of the hands is very helpful. To do this, use a circular motion to knead the point on the back of the hand, located between the index and thumb. This is done alternately on each hand.

Medication methods to facilitate childbirth

There are also medicinal methods that make childbirth easier. However, they are selected by doctors in case of emergency. You absolutely cannot use them on your own, just as you should not insist on them if your health is fine. Medication methods can affect the health of the baby or expectant mother.

These methods include: acupuncture, tranquilizers or anesthesia, general anesthesia, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, epidural anesthesia. Any of these methods requires consultation with a doctor. If any of the options is necessary, the doctor himself will advise you to use it.

Aromatherapy

Even during pregnancy, many women learn about the negative effects of common 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 already becomes useful and everyone can use this technique. How to make labor and labor easier? 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, 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 calming 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 develop a negative reaction to these aromas, since changes in hormonal levels affect the perception of many previously familiar things.

So, a few weeks before giving birth, you need to drop a few drops of oil into an aroma lamp and observe your own condition. If no deterioration in well-being is observed, then this technique can be used in the future.

It is necessary to start preparing for childbirth in advance. Since the body will need a lot of energy to expel the fetus, you should normalize your sleep a week before. To do this, you can add a couple of drops of lavender oil and a little milk to your evening bath.

Just before childbirth, the body’s activity, on the contrary, needs to be stimulated by doing massages with jasmine oil. It should be added in a minimal amount to the usual product.

During the process itself, you can use the aroma of jasmine and lavender, which will reduce pain and enhance labor. To do this, you will need to bring the aroma lamp from home.

How to recognize real contractions

First, a woman experiences nagging pain in the lower abdomen, as during menstruation. Some people feel pain in the lower back. Others experience a feeling of fullness in the intestines - thereby the woman cleanses the stomach before childbirth.

Contractions gradually intensify, and the time between them decreases . Based on this main sign, the pregnant woman understands that real contractions have begun.

In primiparous women, they last from 6 to 12 hours. Multiparous women have the same signs of labor, but contractions take less time, and women who have given birth not for the first time tolerate the second birth more easily.

Before real contractions, the pregnant woman’s body arranges a rehearsal with false contractions. They can appear from about the 25th week of pregnancy, painful - several weeks, and in multiparous women - several days before birth. This is a kind of signal that labor is approaching. Many mothers get scared when their stomach starts to tighten prematurely. But there is no reason to panic, you just need to distinguish a false alarm from a combat one. False contractions are less painful; there is a long, unclear interval of time between them. As a rule, they go away after changing body position. Whereas in true ones, spasms always intensify, and the interval between them always decreases.

When a woman realizes that she is having real contractions, it is recommended to note the time to track the interval between them . At the first stage, contractions are short and come with a break of 15–20 minutes. This is the easiest stage. But gradually the contractions become longer, and the interval between them becomes shorter. By the beginning of pushing, the attacks reach their peak - spasms last up to 5 minutes, and the rest between them lasts only up to one minute.

At the stage of uterine dilation, the approximate time until delivery is 8–12 hours. If contractions continue for 15 hours or more, this is already a deviation that requires an urgent solution - medicinal or surgical (the decision is up to the obstetrician).

Personal experience: what to do if the first contractions begin

Calm down and tune in to the fact that you must help your baby come into the world.
When a contraction begins, breathe deeply, or you can sing or hum it (personal positive experience), take a comfortable position: on all fours or lying on your side - the body itself will tell you.
Nature has taken care of everything, you just need to listen to your body and not squeeze during a fight, but, on the contrary, imagine yourself as a flower that opens, blossoms for a new life.
If you accept the contraction, feel it and withdraw into yourself, it becomes much easier, and the pain is not felt so acutely.
The break between contractions is still long, and during this time you need to collect everything you need for the maternity hospital (if you haven’t already) and take a shower.
And try to gain strength.

Eastern technologies

How to ease contractions during childbirth using modern methods?
For this purpose, acupuncture technology is used in many countries. It helps 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 many needles in your body at such a crucial moment does not really help you relax and concentrate on the process. Transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation is also a physiotherapeutic method. Anesthesia is carried out using a special device that attaches two pairs of electrodes to the woman’s back. The woman in labor can regulate the degree of their impact according to her own feelings. A pair of electrodes is attached in the sacral area, and the other in the lumbar area.

Woman pushing

In the first stage of labor, when contractions are aimed at opening the cervix, a woman can only ease her well-being by taking comfortable positions and using the correct breathing technique during childbirth. Contractions are completely independent of the mother in labor, as is the course of labor during this period. But with the onset of pushing, the mother turns from a passive participant in the birth process into a rather active one.

Feeling the effort during childbirth is extremely important, so anesthesia is not used to relieve pain during labor. However, women in labor note that with the onset of pushing, the pain of contractions is not felt so strongly: all consciousness switches to effective straining.

As it passes through the birth canal, the baby’s body will put pressure on the organs surrounding it. With the simultaneous straining of the woman in labor, this leads to the fact that the bladder and intestines can involuntarily empty themselves during pushing. As a rule, a woman does not pay much attention to this during childbirth, but is often worried about possible “embarrassments” before childbirth. There is absolutely no need to worry about this: firstly, such phenomena are completely physiological, normal and familiar to medical staff, and secondly, all unwanted discharge from the mother’s body is immediately removed by the midwife, so their contact with the child is excluded.

The only correct thing to do during the period of pushing is to concentrate on your own feelings and the instructions of the doctor delivering the baby. Much will depend on you now. The better and more correctly you push, the easier it is for the baby to be born. However, it should be understood that the rapid birth of a child is a great stress for him, so from time to time the doctor may call off the straining.

Always remember that the baby is trying no less than you when pushing. In addition, he is now experiencing a lack of oxygen, so he should obey the doctor unquestioningly! It is necessary to restrain efforts if strong straining may be unsafe, and to push as hard as possible if the doctor has given such a command.

Medical approach

There are also situations when none of the methods listed above helps a woman in labor cope with unpleasant and distracting pain. How to behave during contractions to relieve pain under such circumstances? It is very important to concentrate on the fact that childbirth is a physiological process for all mammals, and the feeling of weightlessness after the end of the entire process instantly overshadows all previous suffering. Moreover, meeting a baby will give a woman such vivid emotions that no one else in the world can give.

If a woman in labor was unable to independently prepare for childbirth in advance or all her efforts remained in vain, specialists will definitely come to the rescue. In modern obstetrics, only those drugs are used that meet all international requirements. They are completely safe for both the expectant mother and her baby. Medical devices are required to keep the woman conscious throughout the entire duration of its effect, so that medical staff can freely communicate with her. And, of course, none of the drugs should negatively affect the physiological process of expulsion of the fetus.

Today, painkillers for women in labor can be introduced into the body through:

injections;
IVs;
inhalations.

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

How to distinguish true contractions from false ones

It is worth keeping in mind that after the 20th week of pregnancy, some (not all) women experience so-called false contractions

, or
Braxton-Hicks contractions
, and 2-3 weeks before giving birth, women begin to feel precursor contractions. Neither one nor the other, unlike true contractions, lead to dilatation of the cervix. A pulling sensation occurs in the lower abdomen or lower back, the uterus seems to turn to stone - if you put your hand on your stomach, you can clearly feel it. The same thing, in fact, happens during labor pains, which is why Braxton Hicks and harbingers often confuse women giving birth for the first time. How can you tell if labor is really starting and it’s time to go to the hospital, or if these are just false contractions?

Braxton Hicks contractions, unlike true labor contractions, are rare and irregular. Contractions last up to a minute and can be repeated after 4-5 hours.
False contractions are painless. Walking or a warm bath most often helps to completely relieve the discomfort.

The role of false contractions has not yet been fully clarified. Their appearance is associated with increased excitability of the uterus; it is believed that shortly before childbirth, precursor contractions contribute to the softening and shortening of the cervix.