There are a lot of things that you can do to handle the sensations of labor. Movement is really important during labor and birth. One thing you want to consider is to use upright, gravity-friendly positions to help bring your baby down.
You want to be standing. You can lean against a stool or a chair. You can lean on your kitchen counter or your bathroom sink. When leaning over, you want to make sure that your feet are flat on the floor. This is something very, very important.
When we experience pain or discomfort, or uncomfortable sensations in our bodies, it's typical to lift up and to try to shy away from the pain or the sensation. Keep in mind that you should have your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent.
You really want to find the rhythm and the swaying movement of your hips. This will really help you to alleviate any pain or uncomfortable sensations during birth. Movement is key.
If you have a partner to help support you during birth, to help with pain management, you can slow dance with your partner. You just want to drape your arms around his or her neck. Put some music on, and sway with the music to help your hips sway and open. Let your body release, relax, and surrender.
When you're laboring at home, if you can use one of your dining room chairs, and sit on it, you can lean against the back with your feet down on the floor. You can have a partner or a friend push your knees in, so that your back is straight. This will help to alleviate any back pain that you have.
Another effective pain management technique to use during birth is to be on your hands and knees. You might know from a prenatal yoga class that being on your hands and knees can be a very comfortable position. This allows you the opportunity to sway your back up and down like a cat or a cow, allowing some pain relief in your lower back and hips.
Another great tool or technique to use for pain management during labor is what's called a birth ball. You might see these at your local gym or exercise class. What you want to do is get a ball and sit on the ball. Make sure that your feet are flat on the ground. Rotate your hips, and move in a circle. Pretend you are a hula dancer, and find a figure eight, to move your hips in a motion that's going to allow a lot of space and openness in your pelvis to help give your baby room to find the best position for him or her.
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