Lets talk about pain relief in labor.
This is a discussion that will not fit into one post, so we will talk about it in stages. Today we are gonna talk about your mind and pain. There is a difference between pain and suffering. Contractions are on average 60 seconds long and with the intense “this is a dumb idea” part lasting about 3-5 seconds. So let’s do the math together.
Lets say you have 1 contraction every 5 minutes, that’s 12 contractions in 1 hour. So every 5 minutes you have 3-5 seconds of “this is a dumb idea”. 5 (secs) times 12 (times an hr) = 60 SECONDS!! Yes, that’s right! 60 secs of “this is a dumb idea” every hour. So, that becomes more doable in the mind. What can help you with that 60 seconds? Firstly education. Take a really good CBE class (and yes, I have one online! :). Find a care provider who will see and hear you so you have less stress. And then look into pain relief options – water for labor and birth, a TENS unit, massage, essential oils, encouraging words, hypnosis, counter pressure, dancing to music, Nitrous Oxide or an epidural.
And, if you have gone from pain to suffering – do not hesitate to use your code word and get yourself that epidural!!!
From our online Child Birth Education Course taught by Elizabeth Bachner // @bigbirthjunkie herself!
Check it out at GraceFull.com/cbe-landing
Photo // IG @janawoodhousebirthandbabies