When planning and preparing for labor, one of the important aspect is learning labor comfort techniques you can utilize and may find helpful! Regardless of the way you are choosing to deliver!
Even if choosing to get an epidural, you can’t get one immediately when labor starts. You will need some tools to use until you get to the hospital and get one. OR if you have a scheduled c-section, You may go into labor before the scheduled date and will need some tools to use until they can get you back to the OR to baby’s birth
Below are My Top 3 Labor Comfort Measures!
1. Counter Pressure
2. TENS
3. Hydrotherapy
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Labor Comfort Measures
Gate Control Theory
There are different pain theories that can explain why labor comfort measure work to help provide relief during labor but the most talked about is the Gate Control Theory
Our brain can only process so much stimulation at once. It is like there is a gate that will close off once it has reached its maximum stimulation level. This is why labor comfort measures work!
There are different neural pathways in our body that transmit different signals. The pathway that transmits pain is a slower pathway than many others. (This is a benefit so you do not feel the full effects of the pain right away for survival purposes).
This becomes beneficial during labor because the pain from the contractions will travel slower than more pleasurable sensations from the labor comfort measures.
This will lead to more pleasurable sensations traveling to the brain quicker and closing off the “gate” before the pain stimulus can reach it! Leading to less pain with contractions.
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My Top 3 Labor Comfort Measures:
1. Counter Pressure
Counter Pressure is one of my favorite techniques and easiest to implement during labor! These feel great during pregnancy, but LIFE CHANGING during labor.
Counter Pressure is relieving pain and discomfort from contraction but decreasing the tension on the uterine and pelvic ligaments that are pulling and causing pain during the contraction AND this is decreasing pain based on the Gate Control Theory because the pressure provides a more pleasurable sensation!
There are three different types of Counter Pressure and we cover them all in depth in our Childbirth Education Class:
1. Sacral Press: This is the easiest to perform physically. This is putting downward pressure on the sacrum of the pelvic, the triangle bone in the back of the pelvis.
2. Double Hip Squeeze: See video below
3. Pelvic Press: Inward pressure on the hip bones.
2. TENS
TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulator. This works for labor comfort in 2 ways.
1. It promotes nerve stimulation for the release of natural painkillers. Studies have shown that this method can be as effective as IV Pain relief during labor!
Some recommend starting its use earlier so the body can build up the natural painkillers to provide relief as labor intensifies.
2. It also distracts from the discomfort because the TENS provides a gentle buzzing sensation that increases when you increase the intensity. This is what helped me the most with the TENS!
3. Hydrotherapy
This is using water to provide pain relief, particularly warm water.
Water is a way that many use to provide pain relief, even outside of labor and pregnancy. Many even refer to the water as the Midwives Epidural, because it can provide a lot of relief for those going unmedicated.
Some of the reason the water provides relief are:
- Warmth is a way to soothe tight and tense muscles
- The shower/tub is a natural place many of us relax! This works like a conditioned relaxation response in our body.
- In the tub: It takes away some of the pull on ligaments causing pain by decreasing the gravitational pull!
There are two ways to provide hydrotherapy:
- Shower
- Tub
*Words of affirmation
If you like having someone encourage you with words and being told how amazing you are, Words of affirmation in labor will be so useful for you!
I personally love Words of affirmation, especially during labor. I need encouragement during this very vulnerable time that I will doubt my body and myself during contractions.
Conclusion
There are so many types of labor comfort measures, and different techniques work better for different people! Learning all the different way we can have some sort of relief during labor can help you have multiple different options to rotate between during labor.
We cover labor comfort techniques more in depth in our Childbirth Education Course!