How to Practice Relaxation for Birth

Labor works through a mind-body connection. It’s somewhat of a mind game, so you want to make sure to get your head in the game so to speak. Most of us have busy lives and we don’t take much time to slow down, breathe slowly, and take in one moment at a time. Most of us are focused on the next thing we have on the agenda. In labor, we have to focus on getting through one moment at a time, one wave of contractions at a time.

When we are fearful of labor, tense up during the waves of contractions, or have any other negative feelings or emotions surrounding labor, this can cause a flight or fight response. The hormone of adrenaline causes our mind to tell our body that something is wrong, that we need to control the situation by shutting down the sensations and stop them. This can cause us to perceive the experience as more painful, and cause labor to stop or to become long and erratic.

We can’t stop labor and we don’t want to. We need oxytocin, “love hormone”, which helps us to stay calm and helps the body to produce contractions. We have to go through it, and it takes some work. Our body is doing the work and we can do the mental work to support that. We do this by embracing and normalizing the sensations, and by remaining as calm and relaxed as possible. We cannot control the pressure of the waves of contractions, but we can control our response to them.

Okay, so how do I DO that?

Practice. You can’t just wait for labor to happen and expect to just tell yourself to relax in that moment. You have to practice.

Belly breathing

Breathe in for about 4 counts (or whatever number feels comfortable) and slowly breathe out for a longer count. Don’t focus on the counting, just whatever feels right. When you start to notice your body relaxing with the breath, you know you’re doing it right! You can also practice slowly blowing out letter O’s, keeping your mouth open and relaxed.

Music

Put together a labor soundtrack and listen to it, practice breathing while imagining your labor and what it will be like when your baby is born.

Go on a walk everyday

Take your favorite music or any kind of hypnosis soundtrack, listen while you walk and practice breathing.

Progressive muscle relaxation

There are tons of guided hypnosis tracks and guided meditation relaxation audios out there. Find one that you like, or just walk yourself through the exercise. First, start at the top of your head. Practice releasing all of the muscles in your body, part by part. Let your eyes close, let your jaw completely fall and relax. Feel your shoulders become heavy, let your arms fall heavy to the ground palms facing upwards. Allow any fear, tension, and anxiety to flow down your arms, through your palms, and all the way out through your fingertips. Let everything go. Focus on your baby and allowing your body to open softly and let go. Follow this however it works for you through the rest of your body.

This app, Gentle Birth can be downloaded and offers hypnosis and daily affirmations. Also, Tracy Holloway has some free hypnobirthing tracks and resources which can be found here Hypnosis for Childbirth and also on Youtube.

Aromatherapy

Our sense of scent is very powerful for memory recall. Many people use essential oils in labor as well. If you practice relaxation with the scents prior to labor, it can help you get right back into that place of calm and peace.

Take warm baths

Incorporate music, favorite scents, or epsom salts.

Get a massage

A prenatal massage sounds amazing doesn’t it? Of course you could ask a friend or a partner to help you out as well.

Affirmations

There are so many that can be found online, look them up! You can write one a day on your bathroom mirror with a dry erase marker, put them up around your house, insert them into your calendar, or just read them and think about them. This is my favorite one, “The contractions can not be stronger than me, because they are me.”

Talk to your Baby

Rub your belly, talk to your baby, and imagine how every single wave will bring you closer to meeting them!

Birth stories

Listening to or watching beautiful and positive birth stories will remind you that people all over the world are birthing with you and have been birthing for all of time. You can do this too!

Combine any or all of these techniques to create your own ritual that you find relaxing and that brings you a sense of calm and peace.

Wishing you a peaceful and healthy birth,

-Stephanie