Relief of Labor Pain

breathing.

Relieving labor pain is one of the most important issues that concern expectant mothers. This is natural, because childbirth is a very important and exciting moment in the life of every woman. However, there are many methods that can help relieve pain during labor, and one of the most effective of them is proper breathing.

At the beginning of labor, when contractions are not yet very strong, special breathing is not required. However, as contractions intensify, a woman needs to learn to breathe correctly to relieve pain. One of the most effective methods is slow deep breathing. During a contraction, a woman should inhale through her nose on a count of 1-2-3-4, and then exhale through her mouth on a count of 1-2-3-4-5-6, with the exhalation being longer than the inhalation. This breathing allows the baby to receive more oxygen, and the mother to relax and take her mind off the pain.

One of the common mistakes that women make during childbirth is holding back the pain. This not only interferes with the natural course of labor, but also prolongs its course. To avoid this, a woman should imagine her body as an opening flower, and help the birth process, rather than clamping down.

During the active phase of labor, when contractions become more intense, a woman can try positions with support on her hands and bending forward, position on all fours, standing with emphasis on the couch or the back of a chair, and rocking in time with her breathing.

When switching to rapid breathing at the peak of a contraction, a woman should use breathing with the upper part of her lungs like a dog, with her mouth open: hee-ha-hee-ha (for each syllable, both inhale and exhale, that is, the inhalation is practically inaudible).

Although pain-relieving medications can help relieve labor pain, their use may have adverse effects on the baby. Therefore, having learned proper breathing, the expectant mother can try to avoid their use or at least reduce the time of their use to a minimum.

In conclusion, proper breathing is one of the most effective ways to relieve labor pain. A woman must learn to breathe correctly and remember that her body knows how to give birth. It is important not to clamp down, but to help the birth process, use different positions and switch to rapid breathing at the peak of contraction. Also, if a woman arrives at the maternity hospital during labor, she should entrust the registration procedure to her husband or mother so that the nurse’s questions do not interfere with her focusing on breathing. It is important to remember that each woman is unique and can choose the method of labor pain relief that is most suitable for her.