When it comes to birth you have to relax. You have think relax. You have to do things that make you relax. You have to practise relaxing at home. This is so your hormones work properly. The midwife has no control over your hormones. They are in your body and how they are balanced can the difference between a labour that is progressing and a labour that is not. Nearly all women want a normal birth and all want a healthy baby. Why can’t you? What’s stopping you?
There are 3 hormones in the balance when it comes to labour. There is oxytocin that makes the contractions. There are the endorphins spurred on by the oxytocin, that are your own pain killers, your own morphine. And then there is adrenalin. This is the flight or fight hormone. The fear hormone, danger is near. All the blood pumps to the arms and legs and forgets the uterus. Your heart races. This is not a good thing. It kind of starves the baby of oxygen, it weakens the contractions and stops your own pain killers from working. So the trick is to keep adrenalin to a minimum. Stop fearing the contractions. It’s labour, you have to have contractions and they have to hurt – that’s what a good contraction is all about. Do things that make you relax – dim the lights, have soothing music playing, use some essential oils in a vaporiser. Move – you’re not meant to sit still or lie still when an amazing contraction comes along. Better still, move to its rhythm – rock your pelvis, roll your hips, walk, sit on a gym ball. Feel the warmth and lightness of a bath, feel water fall across your head or down your back in a shower. Moan with a contraction, be in the moment. Don’t worry you are doing the wrong thing or feeling the wrong thing – you are right where you are meant to be. Eyes closed and quiet between the contractions.
The more you are able to do this, the more you will keep your hormones working for you. And the more likely your labour will progress to a normal birth. Introduce medical pain relief and you ruin your hormone balance and it is harder to have a normal birth.
Breathe – relax –breathe. You CAN do it.