5 things that could make labour pain worse

Are you doing everything right to ease your labour pain?

By: Debjani Arora | | Updated: November 2, 2015 6:54 pm

While it is a blessing to be a mother, labour can be a real pain. And for women who choose to be brave and go for a natural delivery without the help of pain relief, labour pains can be unbearable. However, there are times when some simple things done in a wrong way can make the pain worse.

Here are five such things that you should not do when in labour so as to ease the pain.

Lying on your back: This will make you work against the gravity and not with it. When the contractions are intense the uterus starts to contract and the baby is pushed downward. So lying on the back would mean more effort for the uterus and more pain for you. Also, it will put the entire weight of your baby and the uterus on your back making the pains worse. Your back is elevated when in labour to help you get going. If that position hurts you, take a break and lie on your sides for two minutes. But never be on your back throughout the labour. Here are nine practical tips to help you go through a natural delivery.

Fear of labour: Everyone told you that labour pains are horrible. Yes, they are. There is no way you will experience bliss when in pain, no matter what pain relief or hypnobirthing or any other techniques you try. But fear makes your body go tense, stiff and stressed. All this makes pain worse. Also, it secretes the stress hormone cortisol, which inhibits the production of oxytocin, the hormone that initiates labour. The result: long labour and unimaginable pain. Here are five ways to counter back pain during labour.

Shallow breathing: This automatically follows fear. Usually, when you are afraid, you breathe from your chest and not your belly. Consciously try belly breathing by taking a deep breath and holding for a second before breathing out. More the oxygen you take in, more relaxed your body is and more you are capable of fighting pain. Also, oxygen will help produce more oxytocin that will help move the labour along. Here are four breathing exercises every pregnant woman should do.

Dehydration: Lack of water or fluids in your body tires you out soon. Dehydration can also make it difficult for your uterus to contract and relax. While you might not be able to drink or sip anything, few sips of water or sucking ice chips can still do you good. The soothing effect will relax you and help you again little energy to continue with your labour. Here is why you need to drink water during your pregnancy.

Fetal position: Now, this is something you cannot do much about. Fetal position during labour is also one of the reasons for tremendous pain. Some babies tend to be in a posterior position during labour that is their spine lies against the mother’s spine. During a natural birth this position makes labour painful and takes a toll on the back. As a preventive measure talk to your doctor about fetal positioning and how it will affect your labour. If your baby is not aligned with your cervix weeks before your delivery, ask your doctor to help you with specific exercises and techniques to correct the position. If your pregnancy is without many complications, the fetal position can be corrected before the delivery.

Image source: Getty Images

Published : May 20, 2015 4:20 pm | Updated:November 2, 2015 6:54 pm

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