Sometimes instead of feeding from the breast you decide to pump exclusively. It could be because of latch problems or supply problems or perhaps you just want to do it that way because that’s what suits you best.
Or maybe your baby was premature and cannot breastfeed, or you have to back to work right away.
Whatever the reason, exclusive pumping can be really tricky and a whole lot of work. With that being said, plenty of moms do it and are successful at it. It’s so worth the effort to give your babe that pure liquid goodness.
***If you want to be a pro at Exclusive Pumping then you should take this quick video course from the creators of Milkology. The course is only $19 and it will teach you how to pump like a pro in 90 minutes, with a money back guarantee. You can check it out here.
Below are tips that will help you on your exclusive pumping journey and make life much easier for you and your babe.
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Tips For Exclusive Pumping
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Create an Exclusive Pumping Schedule
First and foremost you must have a schedule for pumping. This will ensure that you keep up your milk supply.
Many times it’s recommended you pump every two hours for 20 minutes and at least 8 times a day. But you could stretch that out a bit after the first month or so when your milk has really come in.
You could pump every three to four hours and get more milk in each session instead of doing it every two hours and only getting a few ounces. This will help save your sanity because pumping takes a lot out of you and you’ll already be super busy with your new babe.
But again, you need to wait to stretch out your schedule like this until your milk is really established.
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As time goes on you will be able to pump less and less because your child will begin eating solids. But make sure you build up a freezer stash for times when you cannot pump.
All of this and more is covered in the Exclusive Pumping course I mentioned above. You should take a look.
How Much Milk Will You Need?
While your baby is small he will drink small amounts often. As he grows he will take larger amounts in each sitting.
Here’s what you can expect from the beginning:
During the first few days after the birth of your baby, you will only be able to pump and collect a small amount of colostrum. Colostrum is the first breast milk. It is concentrated and very nutritious, so a tiny amount is all your baby needs.
After the first week, you should be able to pump two or three ounces every couple of hours or so.
After the first month, you’ll need 24 to 34 ounces a day. To get this amount you’ll need to pump about every three hours but everyone is different so you may need to adjust your schedule accordingly.
When your babe reaches the six-month mark he’ll need 36 to 50 ounces a day, so continue to pump often. You will have a very established milk supply by this time so it shouldn’t be difficult to pump that much.
Now let me give you some good tips to make this thing a whole lot easier.
In The Beginning Months, Power Pump
Power pumping can really boost your milk supply. This is important because it’s not as easy to keep your milk up when pumping as it is when breastfeeding alone. It has to do with hormones, specifically Oxytocin.
It ( power pumping ) will mimic cluster feeding to really get things flowing. You can follow this schedule to help boost supply:
Pump for 20 minutes then rests for 10 minutes. Pump for 10 more minutes then rests for another 10. After that pump for 20 minutes straight again.
If you want you can do it more then once a day at first. It takes a lot of commitment but it will ensure you have a steady flow of milk for your babe at all times.
Download a Pump App
Downloading a pumping app can help you keep up with your schedule and show you how well you’re progressing with increasing your milk supply. Here’s a great one called Pump Log. You can get it on iTunes.
A lot of people won’t get why you exclusively pump. They’ll have all kinds of questions, judgments, and things to say.
But just ignore them, they don’t know what they’re talking about. No one understands the decisions you’ve made but you and that’s all that matters.
If your Supply Starts Dropping add-In Sessions
If your supply begins dwindling at any point just add in more sessions. You can also Power pump more often and use the app mentioned above to log everything.
Don’t panic if you do get a sudden drop. You’ll be able to get it back up with persistence and patience.
Lubricate Your Breast Shields For Comfort
Lubricating your breast shields will make your non-stop pumping a lot more comfortable.
All that squeezing just gets really uncomfortable after a while. You get used to it and your nipples toughen up but creating some slide will make the process much easier.
You can use coconut oil to lubricate them. It’s safe, moisturizing and it just feels nice.
Get A Hands Free Pumping Bra
You will definitely want a hands free pumping bra if you’re going to be exclusively pumping. This device will make your life so much better.
You can pump doing anything and everything hands-free. Here’s a great one On Amazon you may like.
Get A Battery Operated Pump That Will Work With Your Car Charger
This is important if you EVER want to leave your house. And obviously, you do. Medela makes the best pumps around and they have a car charger for most of their pumps.
Have A Manual Pump For Emergencies
You should also have a manual pump for emergencies. Sometimes life happens. Your pump breaks or the power goes out.
You won’t have a way to pump that liquid gold without a nice manual pump. It’s a super important tool in your pumping arsenal.
Your nipples take a lot of abuse from the pump and a good nipple cream is essential. There are so many good ones but I really love this one right here and it’s what I used with all three of my little ones. I highly recommend it!
Boost Your Milk Supply With Herbs
There are some good herbs out there that will help keep your supply high and steady. You may have heard of a few of them before.
One in particular Fenugreek has been used safely for centuries.
You can find Fenugreek in Pink Stork supplements along with other milk boosting nutrients. I am a big fan of Pink Stork products, they offer the best lactation supplements you can buy. Here’s one with everything you need to boost your supply.
Use Other Lactation Boosting Products Too
There are great lactation recipes all over the internet, especially on Pinterest ( Follow Me!), but if you want to make things easy on yourself you can buy special protein powders and products specially formulated for lactating moms.
The biggest takeaway from all this is to just create a really good schedule, Power pump in the first few months, and have really good pumping supplies on hand.
Also, keep up a record of your progress, use lactation boosting products, and make sure you stay comfortable and keep your nipples healthy.
It’s all a lot of work but it’s so worth it and it does get easier over time.
Breastmilk is such a blessing for your babe and if you’re able to give it to him one way or another, you’ll be glad you did.
I wish you all the luck in the world.
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Delayed Cord Clamping is a really good idea and the health benefits of this practice are so compelling.
When your babe is born, as much as 25-60% of the fetal blood supply remains inside the placenta. Waiting to clamp the umbilical cord, for just 30-60 seconds after birth, allows the placenta to pulse this extra blood to the baby. Crazy right?!
With this particular post, I will be covering exactly what delayed cord clamping is, the benefits and negatives of delayed cord clamping, a case study
around this topic and more.
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There are a lot of aspects to consider when investigating the merits of delayed cord clamping and I am here to help guide you (in-depth) so you can make the smartest decision for your little one.
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What Is Delayed Cord Clamping Exactly?
Delayed cord clamping is a medical practice of simply waiting a minute or two to clamp off your baby’s Umbilical cord.
It has been a common practice for a long time that the cord would be cut straight away. The main reason was that it would supposedly prevent heavy bleeding.
But It has been long since discovered that the delayed cord clamping does not prevent nor change the outcome of bleeding.
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The benefits of delayed cord clamping are awesome. The baby benefits by having an increased number of red blood cells, stem cells, and immune cells. Delayed cord clamping provides essential life support, restores blood volume, and protects against organ damage, and brain injury.
It’s especially beneficial for premature babies as it helps to lower the risk of infection and blood transfusions. Within the scenarios of planning an emergency c-section and giving birth to twins, delayed cord clamping can also be applied.
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The Official Guidelines around Delayed Cord Clamping According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), the National
Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and the World Health Organisation say it’s better to wait between 30 to 60 seconds after the birth before cutting the umbilical cord (if both you and your baby are healthy). Maybe a little longer if you want.
This approach is suggested for both term and preterm infants.
When Delayed Cord Clamping may not be appropriate
Delayed cord clamping may not always be right for the baby or mother, depending on the situation. Sometimes there are times where the mother’s and baby’s health may be at a higher risk.
The situations, where delayed cord clamping may not be appropriate are as follows;
There is a problem with the placenta, such as placenta praevia or placental abruption
(where the placenta detaches early from the uterus) before birth.
There are concerns about the baby’s heartbeat.
The umbilical cord is damaged or bleeding.
If the mother is bleeding heavily
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Why Delayed Cord Clamping Is So Beneficial
There are stark contrasts between applying the cord clamping procedure immediately and
waiting a few minutes to do so. Here are the biggest benefits to the baby in more detail:
Increased blood volume to thirty percent.
For the first couple of days, an increase in red blood cell density (increased blood
volume by 30%).
Improvement of blood circulation.
The decreased likelihood of the need for a blood transfusion.
Lower incidence of the following issues; necrotizing enterocolitis and intraventricular
hemorrhage.
Increased and improved iron levels for around six months. It is found that this
particular influx of iron helps contribute to a reduction and prevention of iron
deficiency during the first year of the baby’s life.
The delay can ultimately allow for transfusion from the placenta to baby to take place.
This allows more time for immunoglobulins and stem cells, to be transferred
between the placenta and baby. These are absolutely essential for both the repair of tissue
and organs within the body. Immunoglobulins and stem cells, also help support the
healing of cells, inflammation, and organ dysfunction, which occur often in preterm
birth.
The Negatives of Delayed Cord Clamping
Overall, there aren’t many negatives to delayed cord clamping but there is at least one:
May increase jaundice, which would need light treatment (phototherapy). This is
caused by a build-up of Bilirubin.
Most experts agree that the benefits of delayed cord clamping far outweigh the risks.
Case Study
Delayed umbilical cord clamping has been evaluated in a small number of case studies, to
see what the major differences would be and whether there would be any effect, in terms of
development and growth.
In one focused case study, the ages studied were from 4 months to 4 years
Development within the brain pathways did not differ within the different timings of
umbilical cord clamping, but….
To further support and encourage the use of delayed cord clamping, it was found that
those that had the delayed cord clamping procedure applied, had moderately higher
scores in both social and fine motor skills. The group that was tested on were 4
years old.
Umbilical Cord Milking
Umbilical cord milking is an additional or alternative procedure to delayed cord clamping, that can be applied to newborn babies.
It’s a procedure, where the doctor holds down the umbilical cord between the thumb and forefinger, squeezes gently, and pushes the substance held within the umbilical cord, right down into the baby’s abdomen.
In this way, newborns can receive all of the additional blood flow and ultimately, all the important nutrients and hemoglobin from the mother to the baby.
• It is highly useful for situations, whereby the 30 – 60-second delay in cord
clamping may be too long (in certain risk situations). Umbilical cord
milking can be implemented very quickly (less than 15 seconds).
So as you can see, Delayed Cord Clamping is an excellent idea! It such a small thing yet it makes such a huge difference. I don’t know why they don’t always wait and I wish I had known about this when I was having my three babies.
Best of luck to you and your upcoming babe!
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Having a baby is totally exhausting and it can sure take a while. A first-time mama will labor for 12-24 hours on average. Sometimes longer.
But there are things you can do before and during labor that will help make the process just a bit easier and shorter.
Below are some things you can do to speed your labor up so you don’t end up so exhausted that you can barely push.
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15 Ways To Speed Up Labor And Delivery To Avoid Being Exhausted
The first few on this list are things you can do before labor has started at home to help get things going. The rest of the list are things you can do during active labor to keep things moving at a good pace. Read On!
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Exercise is Important (Get physical in different ways)
Dance
Consistent movement can be good for your body as a whole in terms of breathing, and loosening muscles.
Dancing specifically can get you moving and also help put the right amount of pressure on the baby’s head so that it will push against the cervix.
Dancing can also irritate your uterus, which can help to encourage contractions.
High impact dance movements and exercises can have a negative impact so definitely talk to your doctor on the intensity and duration of the activity.
Sex
Getting sexually intimate is not just for pleasure, it can also help get your labor going.
Having that all important orgasm can help to not only stimulate your uterine muscles but also release the hormone oxytocin, which can help onset birthing contractions. The semen released during sex can also contribute to the softening of the opening of the cervix. Sounds fun right?!
And Sex is always especially good during pregnancy so get indulge yourself and your partner.
Specific Stretches And Exercises Can Help Speed Things Up
Birthing Ball
Birthing Balls can be used to help encourage dilation and effacement during labor. They also help while at home as well. They work wonders!
Sitting down on a birthing ball can help put pressure on the baby’s head, right onto the cervix. Some specific movements and exercises that can help support this process include doing a figure 8 and hip circles.
Kegel Exercises
Kegel Exercises are specifically used to tighten the muscles within your pelvic floor. A steady repetition of tightening and relaxing your pelvic floor muscles can help get you ready for birth.
Despite not being scientifically proven, doing repetitive kegel exercises can help get your labor started in some instances. Just the stimulation they provide can move things along nicely.
One approach to doing this type of exercise is to stand against the wall with your feet on the ground then go ahead and tighten and relax your pelvic floor muscles. Do a repetition of 100 of these. This will be difficult but it so good for your pelvic floor and very stimulating.
Get A Massage
Treat yourself with a massage to help get your labor started.
Getting a massage is, of course, good in any circumstance. It helps relax your muscles, deep down, as well as enhance your all-around well-being.
There are certain places the massage therapist can work to help stimulate your body so that contractions can start. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s worth a try. At least you’ll get a good rub down if nothing else.
Acupuncture
This might be one of the more squeamish options to try but utilizing acupuncture in a focused way can be very beneficial.
Acupuncture is used to apply pressure to certain points on the surface of the body using tiny needles, fingers or thumb.
This can be used to help the cervix soften and dilate allowing the start of contractions in some cases.
Believe it or not, Acupuncture can be particularly helpful for repositioning babies from breech to a natural vaginal birth position. I’m not sure how this would work exactly, You’d have to see your local Acupuncture expert if your babe was breech.
Certain Foods And Drinks Can Make A Difference
There are foods that can not only speed labor along but can also serve the purpose of alleviating things that may arise in pregnancy.
Tropical fruit
Some fruits contain special enzymes that can help start the onset of contractions, for example, pineapple, papaya, mango, and kiwi.
Pineapple is full of Bromelain, which can help soften and ripen the cervix,
and also aid in overall labor and delivery. Eating Pineapples in different forms can help with your digestion, and help alleviate constipation too.
Iron filled food
Eating dried fruit and other such iron-filled foods like spinach can help reduce anemia.
Anemia can be a negative side effect of heavy bleeding, which can occur during and after birth.
Drink Tea To Help Ease the Pain
Drinking tea can be conducive toward shorter, earlier labor, and Certain kinds help relax muscles (and in turn, the uterus).
Raspberry tea, in particular, can help with treating anemia, toning the uterus, and helping prepare for labor and delivery. It can also help with the pain of contractions that occur during pregnancy.
Additionally, Raspberry tea can also help with any irritability concerning the uterus and It can also reduce acute pain post-birth. It’s good stuff and every mama to be should be drinking it.
Take a bath
This will have more of an impact on your emotional and spiritual state, which will in effect, helps with your physical state too.
Warm water will help relax and loosen your muscles and that is certainly helpful during labor and birth too, so get the room with a tub if you can.
Remember to keep the temperature at midrange, as hotter temperatures will have a negative effect on your babe.
Consume Caster Oil
Traditionally castor oil was given to kick start labor. But only do this if you are at your due date or past due. It really does work so you don’t want to do it early. It causes uterine stimulation and that often starts contractions.
I did this with my third and it worked well. I had a baby less than 24 hours later. Many other women share the same story online.
Now Your labor has started! Let’s talk about what you can do to move it along quickly!
Your Environment Matters
A stressful environment will cause you to tighten up in every way. You really do need to be relaxed as much as possible.
The best thing to do is to labor as long as possible in the comfort of your home, then when you’re ready to come to the hospital bring things that will make you very comfortable.
Bring your own pillows and music. Have them dim the lights and speak quietly. Whatever you need, just make sure you put it in a birthing plan beforehand so they’ll be able to accommodate you. You can print a free birthing plan right here.
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Movement Is Important
Sitting or standing up and moving around is the best way to help your labor progress quickly. This helps gravity pull the baby down and it takes some pressure off your back and pelvis. That’s a good thing.
Just sitting in the bed puts a lot of pressure on your lower body and it doesn’t allow you to open up very well. You want to give your body as much space as possible to do its thing.
If your water still hasn’t broken the doctor can assist you in getting it done. This really helps speed things up.
The doc will insert fingers into the cervix and peel off the membranes from the inner surface of the cervix. It triggers the uterus to release prostaglandins that dilate the cervix and stimulate contractions
This procedure is really uncomfortable but afterward, you’ll have a babe before you know it.
Get Medication
Medication can be given in certain circumstances and scenarios. Pitocin is often given to help speed up dilation and labor in general if things are moving slow.
This is also what they give you if you’re having your labor induced.
It can be given as a:
→ A tablet or gel that is inserted into the vagina to start.
→ A hormone drip to move things further along.
I hope your labor moves quickly and you enjoy it. These things will definitely help speed things up.
Best of luck to you!!
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Tearing during childbirth is very painful and ranges in different degrees of severity. Many women birth large babies without a tear at all and others tear birthing tiny babies. It just depends on your body.
There are things you can do to prevent tearing or more accurately – minimize the risk of tearing. That’s what we’ll discuss today because you should try to avoid tearing at all costs. I tore with all three of my babes and I have scarring and less sensitivity down there now. Not fun…..
But first, let’s discuss why tears happen.
During labor, the baby’s head descends into the vagina and moves down onto the perineum.
The perineal skin (the area between your vagina and anus) will thin and stretch over your baby’s head. As the baby’s head begins to crown, the labia and vaginal opening begin to bulge and stretch around the head.
If the skin and perineum have not stretched sufficiently then a tear can happen, unfortunately.
Now let’s talk about the different kinds of tears you can have.
There are four degrees of tearing and the third and fourth are less common and pretty gruesome.
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A first-degree tear is when the skin is only torn a bit. With a first-degree laceration, you may not even need stitches which would be awesome.
A second-degree tear is a little more serious. These lacerations involve both skin and muscle tearing and do require stitches. This is what happens to me each time.
A third-degree tear is in the vaginal skin, perineal skin, and the muscle that extends to the anal sphincter (muscle around your anus). Not cool.
And the last is by far the worst. A Fourth Degree Tear is the same as a third-degree one except it extends into the anal sphincter and the tissue around it.
Both can negatively affect the pelvic floor function and anal muscles. So not ok.
But as I said earlier there are things you can do to help. The list below are things you should do both prenatally and some great tips to do during birth to prevent or minimize tearing.
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How To Avoid Or Minimize Tearing During Childbirth
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Take a Childbirth Education Class
This one is huge because being calm during birth, finding good positions, possibly choosing to forgo the epidural (no judgment and we support all) is going to lessen the chance of tearing or lessen the amount of tearing.
Good nutrition will give your skin the elasticity to stretch far beyond its normal ability. I’m sure by this far in your pregnancy you know what is considered good and bad but just for the record, I’ll say eat plenty of fruits and veggies along with healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oils.
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Avoid the episiotomy
An Episiotomy is when they go ahead and cut the area to make more room for baby. Not sure why so many still do this but it’s still pretty common.
Routine episiotomy increases the risk of severe tears, and long term perineal, vaginal, pelvic floor, and anal sphincter damage, and an episiotomy rarely has benefits over a natural tear.
So why do it? In most situations, if any tearing is going to occur, natural tearing has less risk and often heals better. If your doctor starts talking about having one tell them NO THANKS.
Maternal Positioning
Your birthing position can also play a big part in reducing tearing. Research shows that if you’re in a standing, squatting, kneeling or side-lying position, you’re more likely to conclude childbirth without a tear.
If you really want to avoid tearing you may want to skip the Epidural. When you get one you’ll be stuck in one position laying down. This really increases the risk of tearing.
There are other options for labor pain besides Epidural that will allow for more movement. You can learn more about that right here.
***Have You taken a prenatal birth course yet? Don’t have time? Here’s the best Premium online birthing course and the first part of it’s totally free! You will learn absolutely everything you need to know and it will help tremendously so make sure you sign up. A Class is a must and I think the online ones are the best. Here’s a free Birth Planner Too!
Water Birthing
Getting in a warm tub is said to help your skin stretch. The warm water helps increase skin elasticity considerably. Midwives and doulas agree that this is a great way to avoid a tear so opt for that room with the tub in case you decide you want to hop in.
Perineal Massage
Perineal Massage doesn’t sound like much fun but it’s extremely helpful. You’ll be glad you took the time to do it when you come out of birth with your perineum intact.
Here’s a great video that will teach you all about tears and massage.
Use A Birthing Ball
Getting on a birthing ball during labor and beforehand will help condition your skin and perineum to open up and stretch. It’s a great exercise and it helps condition your body for giving birth.
Warm compresses during the later stages of labor are so helpful for many reasons. First and foremost they warm up the tissue and allow it to stretch really well.
Second, they supply comfort and help with the pain. You can use warm, wet washcloths. Most rooms have a microwave but if not use hot water from the sink.
You can have your partner hold them on there when you get near the pushing stages. This is standard practice for most midwives so if you have one ask them about it.
Good Ole Fashion Kegels
Kegels will help strengthen your pelvic floor and your vagina too. They will bring lots of blood flow and prepare your vagina for relaxing as your baby enters the birth canal.
Kegels will help the muscles recover after childbirth so that you don’t have accidents for those first few months as well so they’re well worth the little bit of effort.
So there you have it, these are the traditional ways to help your body birth easier and prevent or minimize tearing. I hope this helps and gives you some things to consider.
I wish you tons of luck on your birthing journey and enjoy this special time!
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It’s hard to tell when you’re at the end of pregnancy if you’re having real contractions. After all, Braxton Hicks can be uncomfortable just like real contractions.
Braxton Hicks are practice contractions so that your body can prepare for labor, in case you weren’t sure. Their job is to get your uterine muscle ready for the big day.
So is it the start of real labor or just more Braxton Hicks?
Let’s talk about how you can really tell whether you’re really in labor or if your body is still just practicing.
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Is It Braxton Hicks Or Real Contractions?
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First Let’s go over What Braxton Hicks Are Like:
Braxton Hicks contractions will be really irregular. They will come at 5 minutes apart, then 10 minutes, then 2 and so on. They will stop and start up again frequently,
During this time there will be no progression for labor and your cervix won’t dilate.
It basically just feels like your abdomen tightening over and over and while it can be quite uncomfortable and exciting, they aren’t usually painful yet.
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These contractions will usually last 30 seconds to a minute although sometimes they may last longer. They are felt at the top of the uterus then squeeze down and they can start as early as the second trimester.
They often feel stronger when you are being more active, or have a full bladder. Dehydration can bring them on as well so stay hydrated.
If you’re having a lot of Braxton Hicks just take it easy, get some rest and drink plenty of fluids.
.
What True Labor Contractions Feel Like:
When you go into real labor your contractions will come in very regular intervals, they will increase in intensity and your cervix will start to dilate. Getting more rest or water won’t stop their progression.
The contractions will grow closer together and they will last longer growing from 30 seconds up to a minute and a half.
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The pain will begin to radiate through your entire abdomen and into your back. Sometimes you feel pain in your legs as well.
Real contractions are often ( but not always ) accompanied by a bloody show and possibly your water breaking.
It’s all very exciting when you’ve waited so long to see your babe and the time finally arrives!
When To Go To The Hospital:
It’s hard to know exactly when is the best time to go to the hospital when you’re having contractions.
Some women believe it’s too early for their baby to come and wait too long. Others go when their contractions are a few minutes apart only to get there and have labor stop.
That happened to me but I walked along the hospital halls all night and then in the morning they gave me Pitocin to move things forward and in a few hours, my girl was here.
Sometimes they will send you back home and that’s always a bummer. It can happen several times if your labor starts and stops over and over. It’s not uncommon.
But as a rule of thumb, you should go to the hospital when your contractions are 2 to 3 minutes apart and the pain is becoming so intense that you aren’t able to relax anymore.
You are especially ready to go if the above is true and you have the bloody show or your water has broken. Those things accompanied by contractions are a sure-fire way to tell that it’s no false alarm.
If you have any doubts and especially if you are several weeks before your due date it’s always a good idea to go ahead and call your health care provider.
They can reassure you or if they have any concerns she will have you come in to get checked out.
I hope this helps and I wish you all the luck in the world. Enjoy your special time!
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Many women are very fearful of the pain of childbirth. Yet they want to experience it as naturally as possible. After all, women are made to create and birth babies and have done it since the beginning of time.
It’s a great honor to experience childbirth in all its true glory and it makes you feel strong.
But as great as all that sounds, that doesn’t make it any less scary. What you can do though is prepare yourself well.
There’s an arsenal of tools you can use and some alternatives to Epidurals that will allow you to have the experience more fully without being paralyzed temporarily from the waist down.
A Note to You: If you end up needing an Epidural then that’s ok too. It’s a choice and if you end up going that route don’t beat yourself up for it. The most important thing is getting the baby here safely. If you do want to learn more about Epidurals as well then read this post.
So let’s talk about your options for coping with Childbirth.
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13 Ways To Cope With Labor Pain Without An Epidural
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Massage Balls For Counterpressure
Massage balls can be used to provide distraction or they can be put in certain places where you feel the pain the most to apply counterpressure. Your Partner or Doula can apply the pressure while you’re having contractions.
It’s a simple technique but it does really help! You can find some good massage balls here. I absolutely love these and you will too.
Use Music
Music affects how people feel and it’s an excellent tool to use during labor. There are even a few studies that have tested the theory that music is good for pain management and they were done on women in childbirth.
So bring some good soft music. Or bring some metal if you like, just whatever it takes to help get you where you’re going.
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Take A Course
Taking a course is the best way to prepare for labor hands down. It’s helpful for so many reasons but especially for pain management.
You’ll learn different coping strategies that could mean the difference in a natural birth or a drugged birth. You can easily take a course online, there are lots of options.
I like Hilary’s Prenatal course. She’s a nurse that works with mothers in childbirth and her course is in video online and it’s easy to access. Many mamas take it and love it. You can get part of it for free right here so that will at least get you started. You can sign up here.
Use A Birthing Ball
A birthing ball is SUCH a good tool during labor. It can really help with the pain and you can use it in so many different ways.
You can also use it at home before you come to the hospital when you first start labor to speed things up. Below are just a few ways to use your birthing ball.
Rocking: A rocking motion can help you get through the worst contractions and sitting on something soft is so much better than something hard.
Leaning On Ball On All Fours: This position is really helpful, especially if you’re having terrible back pain. It takes the pressure off your back and helps push the baby’s head into the cervix causing it to dilate more.
Gently Bouncing: This will help push the baby down further and movement, in general, will create some relief in your worst moments. Bouncing on your ball gently will certainly help.
You can find a ball right here made especially for laboring mamas.
Deep Breathing
Deep breathing of course. It will help you to push through the pain. Everyone always tells you to breathe deep to the point of annoyance when in labor. But the fact is that you’re often in so much pain you still don’t do it.
But if you really put effort into it and believe me, it will take effort, deep breathing will completely take that edge off. You just have to really focus on it.
There are so many different breathing techniques for laboring mothers that I cannot begin to cover them all. This is where that prenatal course I mentioned earlier comes in. You will be so glad you took Hilary’s course so go for it.
Hypnobirthing
Hypnobirthing is a birthing method that uses self-hypnosis and relaxation techniques to help a woman feel physically, mentally, and spiritually prepared for what’s ahead and reduce her awareness of fear, anxiety, and pain during childbirth.
You can find a course locally in most areas so look one up and see if there’s one near you. I haven’t tried this particular birthing technique but it does get rave reviews and it sure sounds interesting.
Birthing Tub
Water during childbirth is so soothing and hopping into a big warm tub can really help dull the ache of your contractions.
The tub, with its warm water and soft flowing jets, is mainly used to reduce the pain of labor, making it a kind of alternative treatment for women who want to avoid anesthesia during their baby’s birth, though some do use it in combination with pain-dulling drugs.
If you want to go natural and you can get a room with a tub I highly recommend it. It’s an invaluable tool during natural labor.
***Have You taken a prenatal birth course yet? Don’t have time? Here’s the best Premium online birthing course and the first part of it’s totally free! You will learn absolutely everything you need to know and it will help tremendously so make sure you sign up. A Class is a must and I think the online ones are the best. Here’s a free Birth Planner Too!
A Tens Unit
Using a TENS unit during the early stages of labor is a lovely pain-reducing experience. Some hospitals have them on hand but if they don’t you could purchase one here on Amazon.
TENS during labor is most frequently applied to the lower back, on either side of the spine. Mothers can adjust the intensity of the TENS unit as needed during contractions. TENS can also be applied by trained specialists to acupuncture points or your doula can help you out with it.
It may not be as effective during active labor thought but it sure does help before you get to the more advanced stages.
Planting your focus on one thing can give you the strength to get through the toughest contractions. It will give you the mental and physical stamina for a successful outcome during this stressful time.
You can find one thing in the room to focus on and put all of your energy into it during your contraction. Give in to the pain and acknowledge it’s there but keep your focus on something else.
This is a technique taught in many birthing courses and it works.
Move A Bit
Moving around always helps. Walk up and down the hall if you can. Bounce on that birthing ball like we discussed earlier. Or get in the shower or tub. Just move instead of sitting there.
It will pass the time more quickly and your labor will progress faster too.
** A Quick Note: If you’re already thinking of Your Postpartum body and you’re worried about getting your body back and losing the baby weight I recommend the program The Postpartum Cure. It’s very popular and it’s helped many mamas lose the weight, flatten their tummy back out all while increasing your milk supply. It’s an excellent option if you want to get back to your shape quickly and safely. Here’s a link if you want to check it out.
And If you need some Medical pain intervention and you still want to avoid the Epidural then try one of these listed below:
Pudendal Block
With a Pudendal Block, local anesthesia is injected in the Pudendal canal where the Pudendal nerve is located. This will give you pain relief in your vagina, vulva, and perineum.
This is usually used right before you deliver your baby and it can help dull the pain from ” The ring of Fire”.
Nitrous Oxide
Another option for pain relief during labor is nitrous oxide. In higher doses, it acts as an anesthetic and anti-anxiety so it’s very helpful during childbirth.
Some benefits of using nitrous oxide are that it doesn’t affect the baby in any way, it doesn’t affect the release of oxytocin and it doesn’t hinder breastfeeding.
IV Pain Medications
Narcotics can be administered via injection or IV and take effect within minutes. Some hospitals provide a patient-controlled device so that you can choose the amount of medication released into your IV. It has a button on it you push to administer the medication. I used this during my first birth when my epidural began to wear off.
There are many ways to cope with the pain of childbirth and I hope the list above gave you some good ideas. Just do the best you can and if you do end up needing some meds then you’re still a real trooper for even trying to go naturally.
I wish you all the best!
If you enjoyed this post or thought it was helpful, I would love it if you would share it with your friends.
You can share with the Pinterest images below or the buttons below or to the left. Thanks!
There’s also a button at the very bottom that will allow you to download this post as a pdf if you want to keep it. Just click on the purple button below.
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Hey, I’m Toni and I’m the mama of 3 Little Birds. I love Writing about all Things Mama. Learn more about me here. Grab a Tea or Coffee and come see what you find.
