Labor Pain Symptoms

Labor Pain Symptoms - How Painful is Labor?

 

Just as every pregnancy is different, every labor is different, too. In addition, each person has a different and subjective view of how pain is interpreted. For some people, labor might be no more painful than a typical monthly period whereas for others, it would rank somewhere above dental surgery with no anesthesia. There are many factors that contribute to how painful a labor is considered to be and whether or not labor pain symptoms are tolerable without anesthesia of some kind.

Relative Restfulness Of The Mother

Almost any task is easier if you are well rested to begin with and bringing a child into the world is no exception. Almost no woman goes into labor perfectly well rested due to the increasing frequency of Braxton Hicks contractions and getting up to go to the bathroom at least once in the night. However, going into labor mid-morning after a decent night’s rest is usually considered to be much easier than going into labor at midnight after a shopping marathon or exhausting family holiday celebration.

Pain Tolerance

For some people, pain tolerance is just part of their make-up. If you are someone who runs to the medicine cabinet at the first hint of a headache, then you probably have a low pain tolerance. However, that is not to say that an unmedicated labor is impossible for someone with a low pain tolerance. There are many other factors that go into the perception of how painful labor is.

What Are You Scared Of?

Fear brings tension with it, and tension is the enemy of an effective labor. For the body to prepare to deliver the baby, the cervix has to relax. If you are scared stiff, you will be continually working against your own bodily processes. Learning as much as you can about the labor process can help you take the fear out of the experience. In addition, it can be worthwhile for you to spend time learning relaxation techniques. When you feel your jaw begin to clench up during the laboring process, you can employ the learned techniques to help you relax throughout contractions. Any experienced mother will tell you that relaxation is the key to an unmedicated labor.

The size of the baby relative to the birth canal and a few other physical factors, including the position of the baby, can affect how painful your particular labor is as well as your labor pain symptoms. Much of the perception of pain is affected by how painful the mother expects the experience to be and how tense or relaxed she is during the process.

Laboraide's mission is to give you the best tool to reduce pain during labour. That tool is found right here at the Laboraide Shop.

Photo credit: Nina Matthews Photography / Foter.com / CC BY 

Labour Pain Relief

The body is an amazing thing, even beyond the fact that it is the physical aspect of life, but that it is resilient through pain and trauma, as well as wired in such a way that an action in one area can create a response in an entirely different place.  Added to this is the fact that women are able to gestate the formation of life and bring that life to fruition after the arduous task of labour.  The miracle, then, is not just the emergence of a child, but also the body that can do so.

Natural childbirth is becoming more popular, as people shy away from immediately subjecting their child to the petri dish of diseases in hospitals, or if they want the birth of their offspring to be private and personal, rather than public and coldly clinical.  Some mothers who have gone down either path attest to the fact that natural birth not only changed the experience for them, but seems to show itself in a more positive personality in their child.  Natural childbirth, though, does come with the same pains of labour, although methods that do not include drugs and chemicals may still be utilized to help the mother see her way through the ordeal.

The most common form of pain management for natural birthing is the use of a breathing technique which can incorporate visualizations to shift the focus away from the pain.  Breathing exercises were originally thought to distract the mother from the pain by giving her another task to keep occupied with, and the breath count is linked to the times of contraction in order to synchronize the physiological processes and make labour less physically taxing, providing much labour pain relief.  However, respiration and the acuteness of pain are linked, as controlled respiration can mimic the effects of exercise and release natural pain relieving endorphins through the body.  This moves breathing beyond a mental form of pain relief and provides true physical benefit as well.

Other natural pain management is based on the way that nerve receptors connect within the body.  In much the same way that acupuncture or reflexology can elicit a response in one part of the body by activating or relaxing muscles in another, these forms of natural pain relief rely on similar principles.  The main nerves and blood vessels are affected by tension in the jaw and facial area, since they run on either side of the neck.  The ability to keep the jaw relaxed during labour will change the way pain is received from the nerves that link to the abdominal area.  In the same way that breathing is more than focus and is an actual physiological reaction, the easing of jaw tension provides another proven method of labour pain relief 

You can find our products for Natural pain relief during labour at our Laboraide shop.

http://www.laboraide.com 

Photo credit: jerhoyet / Foter.com / CC BY-SA 

How To Reduce Labor Pains

The idea of giving birth can be daunting and scary, especially for new mothers. The fear of going through pain can be overwhelming and make pregnancy much less enjoyable. Even though pain medications can dramatically reduce labor pains, you more than likely will still feel a good amount no matter how much medication you are put under. For all expecting mothers, it is important to confront any fears, share them with people you trust, and enact a plan to help you manage the pain you’ll feel while giving birth. Below are some simple strategies of how to reduce laborpains and overcome the mental aspects of childbirth that can make the pain even worse if not addressed.

First, what kinds of pain and sensations should you expect? Labor is a painful process for multiple reasons, as many areas of the body will experience more pressure, stretching and aching than you’ve likely ever felt before. The cervix, which is particularly sensitive to pressure and stretching, is the source of some of the greatest pain, as the vagina will feel like it is being stretched beyond its limits. You will also likely feel intense pressure against your bladder and your rectum as the baby makes its way out of the body. This can be eased by emptying your bladder frequently during labor. Contractions will feel like intense cramping, and women typically experience pain in different areas during these, including the back, hips and abdomen. For women who give birth without the use of an epidural, changing positions during labor can help reduce pain felt from contractions. Other effective tips on how to reduce labor pains are listed below.

Make Noises

During labor, you’re going to want to breathe deeply to help relax and ease the strain on your lower body. One way to do this is to make noises in a low voice, engaging the diaphragm and helping you breathe more effectively. If you can manage it, stay away from high-pitched noises and screams that will only inhibit the flow of oxygen throughout your body. On top of helping you breathe more freely, many women find that making sounds helps take their mind off of the pain and gives them something else to focus on. If you’d like, you can even memorize a text, poem or monologue before going into labor, the reciting of which will help you engage your brain and voice during childbirth, taking focus away from the pain and placing it somewhere else.

Use Heat To Soothe Pain

Applying warm compresses to areas that are under stress can help soothe pain and create a greater sense of comfort during labor. In the first stages of labor, relaxing in a warm bath or shower (if available) can relax the body and mind for the difficult process that lies ahead. Likewise, continuing to apply heat during the more painful stages can result in increased comfort and tranquility. Some women enjoy a heated compress at the back of the neck, near the abdomen, or against the lower back and it can be a very effective way to dull some of the pain.

Have A Support Team

For couples, there is often a lot that can be done during pregnancy to prepare for the big delivery. That includes taking birthing classes and reading up on how a partner can act as a support coach during labor. Research has shown that women who are motivated by someone who they trust and who is prepared to guide them through the birthing process are more likely to have efficient and less painful births. Many women also opt to hire a “doula” or trained birthing assistant whose main goal is to provide you with emotional (and sometimes physical) support while you give birth. Typically, doulas interact with expecting mothers during pregnancy so that a level of trust is established going into the actual birth. Many have found the support and guidance of a doula to be an invaluable resource in helping them effectively manage labor pain.

Visualization

Many women also rely on visualization techniques to employ a “mind over matter” approach to childbirth. There are several distinct advantages to this type of strategy, one of which is that pregnant women can improve and work at visualizing well before they are giving birth. Like meditation, this method can be a great way to take your mind elsewhere during moments of pain and relax your muscles and breath. By keeping a strong mind, childbirth becomes a less intimidating and overwhelming experience. Many women are able to include their child in these visualizations, transforming their labor into a journey, instead of a struggle. While this technique may not be right for everyone, it is certainly worth it to practice mental exercises that can calm your mind and relax your body before going into labor.

Looking for a natural way to reduce labor pain? Look no further, enter the Laboraide Shop.

http://www.laboraide.com

Photo credit: avhell / Foter.com / CC BY-SA

Home Birth

Home Birth - Healthy Environment, Healthy Baby

The decision a woman makes on where she wants to have her baby is both a very important and personal one. Environment is a huge factor in how quickly the delivery will last and how much pain will actually be experienced or felt. In other cases, a woman is unable to choose between home birth and hospital or clinical center births due to medical costs being too expensive. For several years, women have been able to rely on home birth as a safe and trusty delivery process. However, many considerations and preparations should be established well before a woman starts going into labor.

Safety factors

A lot of the time, women will worry about what chemicals or bacteria their babies can potentially be exposed to in a hospital setting. Harmful germs or diseases can be present despite a clinic or birthing center being efficiently cleaned and prepared based solely on the fact of how many people are contagious in the same facility. In addition, certain medications, shots and other various items given to the mother during birth could actually cause labor to take longer than it really should. Probably one of the biggest concerns to any pregnant woman is the epidural and how safe it is for her and the baby. An epidural is given once the cervix is dilated to at least four centimeters. The epidural can only be given early on, causing a woman to miss her chance to receive the shot. With no assistance of artificial pain relief, there are natural ways that a woman can get through a tough labor.

Comfort factors

Another big reason for women to choose home birth is the fact they will be in a comfortable surrounding, free from hospital distractions. The hustle and bustle of a busy medical center can cause more stress and anxiety on a woman who is going through very painful contractions. Having the baby in a family room, surrounded by as many relatives as desired can help ease labor tension greatly. Hospital or birthing center rooms tend to restrict the number of people allowed in the room at the time of birth. Having said that, a woman will not be without medical assistance because she is usually accompanied by a midwife or physician of some sort in order make sure that the baby is safely delivered. 

Using simple and natural help, home birth is proven to be a great option for women across the globe.

There are also other Natural ways for labor pain relief. Check out the Laboraide Shop for more info.

Photo credit: Jason Lander / Foter.com / CC BY