Effective Techniques For Childbirth
When celebrities are asked about the best day of their life, many say that the birth of their children ranks way up the list, higher than any other accolades or awards that they may have earned. And yet the actual anticipation of the experience of giving birth, the thought of labour and childbirth is often filled with tension and anxiety. Even people who have had a relatively straightforward birth experience are still apprehensive about the prospect of giving birth again. Some people opt for an elective caesarian, others prefer to do it the natural way.
There are many techniques available to help with the process of giving birth, that de-stress the mind and allow the body to do what is a perfectly natural function and one that it has been preparing for during the previous nine months.
- Hypnotherapy can help to manage stress and learn to breathe comfortably whilst relaxing the body. It is a powerful way to manage anxiety and tension concerning giving birth. Learning to manage anxiety allows the body to do what comes naturally. Fear and panic cause the body to tense and become stressed.
- There are self hypnosis techniques that can be learned to manage the giving birth process. These enable the birth mother to go into a comfortable and relaxed trance when contractions first start. She can hear everything that is being said, done and asked of her, but is able to stay completely relaxed at the same time. Pain usually occurs when the body tenses in anticipation. Being relaxed helps to manage stress and be able to be more positive about the whole experience of giving birth.
- Self hypnosis techniques: imagine a relaxing place, a beautiful beach, a garden. It may be a familiar place or one that has a special relevance, like the honeymoon beach. Utilise the senses, smells and perfumes of blossom, sensations like warmth on the skin or a cool breeze, the lapping of water around the feet. But, at the same time any instructions from the hospital staff can be heard and responded to.
- Pain scaling. Ask any person in pain to increase the level and turn the dial up and they can usually manage to do that quite readily. By establishing a pain dial it is possible to practise turning the dial down a little too. As the birth mother practises this and realises that she can exercise some control over her pain levels this knowledge helps her to manage anxiety and become more confident about the whole experience of giving birth.
- Practical things can be planned in advance. Many people have a case packed and ready to go weeks in advance. Usually the freezer is stocked with meals. It is helpful to have had a discussion with the husband or partner. They usually want to be included in the birth, but it is helpful to agree in advance that if things change and they need a break from proceedings then it is okay to do so. If the birth mother finds that she does not like something that was agreed in advance, like her back being rubbed, or her head being stroked, then maybe a pre-agreed word or phrase can be used to signal that discomfort, without the birth partner becoming offended or upset.
A little forward planning and discussion can result in being confident and able to manage anxiety and apprehension about the whole experience of giving birth. This can result in it being a fulfilling and joyous occasion, and for many people, the best day of their lives
