Natural Methods of Pain Relief for Birth

Birth is a normal, healthy part of a woman’s life. Many alternative methods of pain relief are available that are safe and inexpensive. Whether a woman is actively seeking a natural, drug-free childbirth experience, or simply wishes to minimise the amount of medical interventions and their possible negative impact on her labour, she may want to try these methods during some or all of her labour. These skills, ideally, should be explore and learned before labour begins.

Breathing and Relaxation - These are perhaps the most familiar forms of alternative pain coping methods. Commonly referred to as “Lamaze Breathing”, which uses learned breathing patterns to aid the woman’s relaxation efforts, as she consciously releases any tension in her body, allowing her uterus to do its work without any added effort or waste of energy. The ability to quickly relax under stressful conditions such as labour is an acquired skill that improves with practice.

Hydrotherapy - Showers or baths in labour use water to provide comfort to a labouring woman. Numerous studies have shown that hydrotherapy, when used correctly during labour, is safe, reduces pain, enhances progress, and reduces the likelihood of tearing. A shower is beneficial almost anytime during labour. A bath (immersion in a deep birth pool or tub of clean, warm water) may speed labour along if it is used in active labour . This is also referred to as water birth, when the water is used extensively during labour and the birth.
Not all hospitals in South Africa will allow you to use hydrotheraphy, whether it is the use of a shower or a bath. Please discuss this with your caregiver and find out what the policies are of the hospital are regarding the use of water.
Sterile Water Block is a new technique for non-narcotic pain relief originally developed to relieve the pain from kidney stones. With slight modifications for labour, it uses four tiny (0.1ml) injections of sterile water under the skin around the sacrum or lower back. These sting initially then cause numbness in the area, which lasts up to 2 hours and can be repeated as often as needed. This technique is easy and safe and is very helpful for back labour. This method is not commonly used in South Africa and you will need to discuss this with your caregiver prior to your labour.

TENS - Transcutaneous Electronic Nerve Stimulation uses electrical current to numb areas of the body. These soothing pulses, which travel across the surface of the skin and along nerve fibres, prevent pain signals from reaching the brain. They also stimulate your body to produce higher levels of endorphins. This method is not usually used in hospitals in South Africa, as hospital staff are not familiar with this method.

Acupuncture - Ancient practice that involves the placement of needles in certain points in the body which, when stimulated, result in dramatic pain relief. Pregnant women usually receive several treatments in the last few months of pregnancy, which result in a smother, less painful birth. This method is also not commonly used in hospitals in South Africa and if you are planning a hospital birth, you will need to discuss this with your care giver prior to your labour.

Acupressure, Massage, Reflexology and Counterpressure - These are specific touch techniques that help relieve pressure or pain and enhance relaxation and endorphin release. Stimulating certain acupressure points in the body of a labouring woman may help speed labour progress. Try hand and/or foot massage, effleurage (light, circular stroking of the abdomen), the double-hip squeeze, or the knee press. Childbirth educators, midwives, nurses, and doulas may be familiar with these specialized techniques.

Hot and/or Cold Compresses - Applied to the lower back, these help relieve back labour. A ‘hot rice sock’ (a tube sock filled with uncooked rice and heated in a microwave for 2 minutes) placed under your belly, on your back, or over your shoulder feels wonderful! It can be reheated as often as necessary.

The Birth Ball - A physical therapy ball that labouring women use in a variety of positions. Sitting on the ball and rocking back and forth is comfortable and helps labour progress using gravity, while increasing endorphin release because the elasticity and the curvature of the ball stimulate receptor sites on the pelvic floor which are primarily responsible for endorphin release. The ball should be soft and under-inflated, and large enough in diameter so that the woman’s knees are flexed at a 90-degree angle. Hold on to a chair or bed as you sit down on the ball safety.You will have to bring your own or hire a ball.

Aromatherapy - The use of aromatic substances that stimulate chemoreceptor sites in the nasopharanyx that trigger other chemical responses in the body.

Music - Auditory, acoustic, and vibratory stimulation actually decrease our perception of pain and enhance relaxation. Different types of music are useful at different stages of labour. Couples should bring their own musical selections with them to hospital or birth centre. Music masks the distracting sounds often experienced in the hospital environment while helping to create a more personal, spiritual atmosphere in which to labour. If you are planning a hospital birth, find out if you will be allowed to bring music along.

Movement, Positioning, and Position Changes - Your baby’s position contributes directly to the pain of labour as well as the length of labour. Labour progress in enhanced when woman is allowed to follow her body’s messages and move and change positions frequently. Walking, swaying, slow dancing, stair climbing, squatting, lunging, hands-and-knees positioning with pelvic rocking, rocking on a birth ball or on a rocking chair are all examples of helpful movement and position changes for labour.
Changing your environment by walking outside in the garden instead of being indoors could also assist you greatly.
Our private hospitals in South Africa prefer the labouring mother to be bed bound, and you will have to discuss this with them prior to the birth to find out how they will feel about you being mobile during your labour and birth.

Companionship and Support - Labour support provided by a professional Doula, or birth companion, has been shown to improve birth outcomes, reduce the numbers of Caesarean sections, epidurals and other medical interventions, while promoting bonding and successful breastfeeding. Doulas are usually hired by a couple before labour and provide continuous, personal emotional and physical support to both of them throughout the entire process.
If you are planning a hospital birth, find out what the hospitals policy is of making use of a Doula.

Hypnotherapy - Hypnosis creates a state of deep relaxation that eliminates fear and anxiety from the birthing experience. This is done by changing your mind’s perception of pain, so that what you experience is interpreted by your mind as pressure rather than pain.
During labour and childbirth you will use hypnosis to move into a deeply relaxed state. This will help you to breathe deeply and rhythmically, increasing the flow of oxygen in your blood system. This oxygen helps to keep your baby calm and stable, and stimulates the production of Oxytocin – the hormone responsible for contractions. As well as keeping you relaxed, the use of hypnosis techniques makes use of the body’s own chemicals – known as endorphins – to block pain. Using hypnosis, you will be able to tap into the brain to release the natural ‘pain killers’ as needed.