If you have decided on natural birth, a home birth, a hospital birth, a medicated birth or a birth center birth, every mom-to-be needs to have essential tools to keep herself relaxed while in labor and during delivery. It’s important to get familiar with the natural pain relief choices to keep yourself as comfortable as possible. So, here are the 20 natural pain relief options to help ease labor pain.
Massage
Touch is very important to the mind and body. It releases the love hormone, which is called the oxytocin, it helps relieve stress and anxiety for the mom in pain during labor.
Aromatherapy
Essentials oil has been used for centuries. Some have proven it to be useful in helping a laboring woman relax, release stress, improve circulation, act as uterine tonic and more.
Hydrotherapy
This is the process of using water for psychological or physical benefits. It’s something that expectant moms enjoy once they start to labor.
Hot and cold compresses
Both hot and cold packs are beneficial in reducing pain and increasing comfort while in labor and delivery.
Music
Music is an effective tool for pain management. It diverts the attention of the mom-to-be from the pain and creates a more relaxing and unforgettable experience.
Counter pressure
This is a natural pain relief option that laboring women enjoy because it eases back labor and other areas that are experiencing discomfort.
Focused breathing
If you’re attending a childbirth class hopefully your teacher can instruct you the right patters of breathing during labor. It helps in focusing and working every contraction you feel.
Reflexology or acupressure
Acupressure is also on the list of 20 natural pain relief options to help ease labor pain that effectively helps alleviate pain and improve contractions among other things.
Focal point
An excellent surviving technique during labor is to have and detect focal point and you don’t have to practice utilizing them.
Visualization
This is the opposite of using a focal point, the visual images. It’s an effective laboring management technique.
Vocalization
When we are in pain or discomfort during labor, it’s okay to use our voices to help ease the hurt.
Position changes
There are many benefits to changing positions throughout labor. Different positions can aid the progress of labor and reduce pain sensations by increasing the pelvic opening.
Eat and drink
For many years, women aren’t allowed to eat or drink fluids during childbirth. Some hospitals are still doing this today. But a study shows that most healthy pregnant women would benefit from a light food during delivery.
Birth doula
Pregnant mother doesn’t only need the information to improve the birthing experience, but also physical and emotional support for a safer and more comfortable delivery.
Hypnotherapy
Though this may be awkward, hypnotherapy can be an ideal tool during delivery. With little practice during the pregnancy period, mom-to-be can know the process becoming free of fear and deeply comfortable so the uterine muscles can apply minimal pain.
Dimmed lights
Most women give birth in the middle of the night and it’s no accident since our melatonin levels increase at night and allow the bodies to loosen up and start laboring.
TENS unit
TENS or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation treatment has been here for many years and it’s a tool that pregnant women are using while in delivery as a natural pain relief options to help ease labor pain.
Use the restroom
Using the washroom and draining your bladder not only help feel pregnant women more relaxed but also assure that their bladder isn’t holding their baby’s head from pushing on your cervix and assisting you to expand.
Birth ball
This is an exercise ball. The birth ball eases and improves your lower back when sitting down on it. Also, your pelvis is symmetrical and better supported which gives more comfort during childbirth.
Move or walk
The more you move or walk around and straight while in labor, the more that you’re helping your baby to arrive in the birth canal and make yourself as more comfortable as possible during the process. So, you need to get out of bed and move or walk.
Read also:
- Bikini Wax During Pregnancy: is it Safe?
- Average Labor Time for a Pregnant Woman
- 10 Most Helpful Essential Oils for Labor and Delivery