Alternative Pain Relief During Labor page 2

Meditation
“Picturing a golden ball of light that starts at your feet and then slowly moves over your whole body, relaxing and calming every area of your body as it passes, is one meditation exercise to try," suggests Tracy Latz, MD, a Reiki master and board-certified integrative psychiatrist in Mooresville, North Carolina.

Meditation allows for deep relaxation and can be achieved though quieting your mind, visualizing, or listening to trance style music. Pranayama breathing is another meditation technique where you slowly and deliberately inhale, take a full pause after inhalation, and then slowly exhale… and then repeat.

Tip: Practice meditating before you enter the delivery room - this will help improve your focus at birth time.

Music Therapy
Soothing music has been shown to ease anxiety during labor. “There are certain types of music that we are drawn to and feel are healing at different times,” Dr. Latz says. “Become attuned to which music is most helpful to you when you are feeling sad, stressed, angry, or in physical pain. Certain musical notes and specific colors can have healing or calming effects on different areas of the body.”

Make a compilation of songs that are familiar to you and make a playlist for your iPod. Do a couple of different soundtracks – soothing, energizing, trance - whatever may fit your mood during labor.


Pattern Breathing
If you can keep control of your breath, you’ll feel more in control overall. One exercise: “Think of your breathing pattern as if it were a box or a square drawn on a piece of paper," suggests Dr. Latz.

1. Inhale up the left vertical line.
2. Hold that breath across the line on the top of the square from left to right.
3. Exhale along the line going downward on the right side.
4. And hold during the line that closes the square from right to left.

The count of your in-breath and out-breath should be the same, just as the length of the held breath at top and bottom should be the same. As you practice your breathing, you might find that your square is actually a rectangle. Just make certain that you are not straining your breaths or holds at the top or bottom. Once you find the pattern of the square or rectangular that works best for you, go through 4 to 5 complete rounds of rhythmic breathing to see how your body and mind respond.

Reflexology
Reflexology is a practice that uses pressure on certain areas of the feet to relieve ailments of specific organs in the body. This practice has been shown to decrease labor time, Dr. Kesselman says. In addition, applying pressure to specific ankle points has been shown to release pain-relieving hormones in the pituitary gland.

Be sure to work with a trained reflexologist who knows exactly which pressure points to push, and which ones to avoid.

Note: If you are interested in these options, make sure you include these wishes in your birth plan.

“It’s empowering to find a health practitioner you’re in tune with,” says Keri Marshall, ND, a licensed naturopath in Dover, New Hampshire. “So much of having the birthing process go smoothly has to do with your being in the most relaxed state possible.”

Remember to always speak to your healthcare provider before you try any of the above techniques. If he or she is not supportive of your interest in exploring alternative options, you might opt to switch doctors. Your pregnancy is your own and you should feel as comfortable as possible during your labor and delivery.