Roots to life - What happens during labour?
The parents are the protagonists who will be mostly affected by the birth event, writes Marianne Theuma, while listing a number of exercises for the expectant mother.
Knowledge is power. Understanding what happens in a her body during labour and birth of her baby gives a pregnant mother the opportunity to tap into the potential that lies within her. In the same way that she never questions how her body will move when she comes out of bed in the morning, and never doubts how well her digestive system will work after eating breakfast and lunch, so should she be confident that her body will do a proper job at her baby's birth. She needs to know that her body is equally well-designed for this purpose.
Every mother has her own experiences to relate. Why is each experience of birth so different? The answer is because mothers and babies are different, and if we add to this the difference in all the situations and also in the support persons and caregivers contribute to the birth in their own different ways, the permutation of having the same stereotyped birth within the natural way of having a baby, is next to none. Indeed, natural birth, when left alone, can barely be anticipated and controlled, but needs loads of patience and waiting. Often, attempts in controlling it unnecessarily in different ways, actually cause problems.
As may be expected, pain enjoys a top-of-the-list concern in most mothers' perception of childbirth, due to many negative stories related to her in full colour or seen in films. It is not easy to forget what one has absorbed mentally, and probably these stories become even more realistic when the mother is going through labour herself. Labour, an interesting word, is referred to in the very Bible as "pain". "In pain you will bring forth children". One theory does not support this doom inflicted on women by God, but suggests that it was a mistaken translation of the original text that has misled many people into believing that having babies is a punishment of excruciating pain. If this were so, it certainly is a paradox to celebrate motherhood! The same theory suggests that "work", hence labour, is more faithful to the original meaning and should replace "pain" in the text.
This theory certainly changes one's perception of childbirth. I would much rather go through a lot of work to have my baby, than go through a lot of pain! This is not just a play of words, as the perception of what one needs to go through, does indeed affect the outcome of the birth in many ways. Fear, being the number one enemy of many-a-birthing mother is certainly diminished, if not completely eliminated.
The uterus in a pregnant and birthing mother is the protagonist of the birth experience. It is the organ that gives the baby all the essentials until he/she is ready to live independently. The uterus is made up of numerous muscles working together in an exceptionally synchronised way. Like the heart, they work constantly, but a woman is normally oblivious to the feeling. When the due date for the baby's birth gets close, these muscles start rehearsing with more verve, making the mother aware of what is to come and allowing her to experiment with techniques that would help her when the real performance starts.
When the time is ripe, the uterus senses that all is ready for hard work. From days before, hormones start to make the "door", otherwise known as cervix, soft enough to open up more efficiently and with less pain. The muscles in the uterus work like any other muscle in the body, that is, they harden, they expand and they shorten or contract. This is why we refer to "contractions" of the muscles as opposed to "pain" during labour. All our muscles do this most of the time we are awake and doing things. We never refer to it as pain, do we? In exactly the same way, the muscles in the uterus harden, expand and shorten. Strictly speaking, this should not be painful, unless the mother is either afraid and so tenses up, or is in a bad position, like lying on her back in bed! The hardening and expanding muscles of the uterus will hit hardness caused by fear or by a bad position which encourages gravity towards the wrong direction.
The educated mother may be in control of both these situations, and the unnecessary pain they cause may be avoided. The right kind of explanation during antenatal visits or pregnancy classes will mentally prepare the mother well enough to ensure that this does not happen. With the right frame of mind, the right environment, and good practice, it is possible for a mother to be able to control all the contractions resulting from a natural birth. As we have seen, her body is naturally designed and able to go through all of them! All she needs to do is tap into that ability and use it to her advantage. In most cases, her care-givers and support persons only need to be her cheerleaders, believing she can do it, and only stepping in if and when necessary.
Let me share some mental exercises that will help a mother during contractions. The following exercises may be practised everyday as part of the exercise regime meant for pregnancy. They only take a few minutes, though when practised in a group they are certainly more fun. Mastering them well will be a precious asset for the mother in labour. Take time to prepare a happy atmosphere within the room like having appropriate music, aromatherapy oils and furniture for comfortable positions which encourage the pregnant belly to fall forward. A massage given by a loving and knowledgeable partner adds to the positive environment. During real labour, a mother may also be encouraged to move around to aid the baby's descent and shorten the labouring hours.
1. Be conscious of tension in different parts of the body. Let go your body part by part, face, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, chest, back, belly, backside, all the way down the legs.
2. Take a breath in through your nose and let it out slowly through your mouth. Breathe in deeply, allowing your breath to reach around the baby, pushing your belly muscles outwards, making more space for the uterus to work more efficiently.
3. Slowly breathe out through the mouth, consciously letting go each part of the body as you exhale.
4. Pause for a while, until you are ready to take the next breath, again slowly and deeply.
5. Think about a beautiful place you enjoy and go there in your mind.
6. It helps to send mental messages of love towards the baby, telling him/her how much you love him/her and how much you look forward to seeing him soon.
7. Think about yourself as being the best parent your baby will have. Be confident that you will find ways and means of being so in each particular situation you will meet in your life, even when the going gets tough.
Indeed, mothers' emotional requirements for a birth as intended by nature, are not at all too demanding or too expensive as compared to the medical management of birth. Why do hospital systems in general, find it difficult to keep a birthing mother happy when her demands are so easy to fulfil and in many ways so much safer for herself and for her baby? It is simply a question of accepting alternative ideas which work efficiently, and for all professionals concerned to be ready to work in a team which includes the birthing parents as significant members within that team. Most parents today are becoming knowledgeable and need to have a say with regards safe choices in childbirth. We need to keep in mind that after all, the parents are the protagonists who will be mostly affected by the birth event. They will carry with them the birthing experience, both positive and negative, throughout their lifetime. Surely, a positive experience of the birth augurs a better chance of positive and more fulfilling parenting experience in the future.
• Ms Theuma is a qualified childbirth educator and school teacher. A mother of three children and a grandparent, she directs a school for parents, In the Family Way, based at Marsascala.
The school offers courses and support for parents, covering various related subjects, from pregnancy to primary and early secondary school age.
Every mother has her own experiences to relate. Why is each experience of birth so different? The answer is because mothers and babies are different, and if we add to this the difference in all the situations and also in the support persons and caregivers contribute to the birth in their own different ways, the permutation of having the same stereotyped birth within the natural way of having a baby, is next to none. Indeed, natural birth, when left alone, can barely be anticipated and controlled, but needs loads of patience and waiting. Often, attempts in controlling it unnecessarily in different ways, actually cause problems.
As may be expected, pain enjoys a top-of-the-list concern in most mothers' perception of childbirth, due to many negative stories related to her in full colour or seen in films. It is not easy to forget what one has absorbed mentally, and probably these stories become even more realistic when the mother is going through labour herself. Labour, an interesting word, is referred to in the very Bible as "pain". "In pain you will bring forth children". One theory does not support this doom inflicted on women by God, but suggests that it was a mistaken translation of the original text that has misled many people into believing that having babies is a punishment of excruciating pain. If this were so, it certainly is a paradox to celebrate motherhood! The same theory suggests that "work", hence labour, is more faithful to the original meaning and should replace "pain" in the text.
This theory certainly changes one's perception of childbirth. I would much rather go through a lot of work to have my baby, than go through a lot of pain! This is not just a play of words, as the perception of what one needs to go through, does indeed affect the outcome of the birth in many ways. Fear, being the number one enemy of many-a-birthing mother is certainly diminished, if not completely eliminated.
The uterus in a pregnant and birthing mother is the protagonist of the birth experience. It is the organ that gives the baby all the essentials until he/she is ready to live independently. The uterus is made up of numerous muscles working together in an exceptionally synchronised way. Like the heart, they work constantly, but a woman is normally oblivious to the feeling. When the due date for the baby's birth gets close, these muscles start rehearsing with more verve, making the mother aware of what is to come and allowing her to experiment with techniques that would help her when the real performance starts.
When the time is ripe, the uterus senses that all is ready for hard work. From days before, hormones start to make the "door", otherwise known as cervix, soft enough to open up more efficiently and with less pain. The muscles in the uterus work like any other muscle in the body, that is, they harden, they expand and they shorten or contract. This is why we refer to "contractions" of the muscles as opposed to "pain" during labour. All our muscles do this most of the time we are awake and doing things. We never refer to it as pain, do we? In exactly the same way, the muscles in the uterus harden, expand and shorten. Strictly speaking, this should not be painful, unless the mother is either afraid and so tenses up, or is in a bad position, like lying on her back in bed! The hardening and expanding muscles of the uterus will hit hardness caused by fear or by a bad position which encourages gravity towards the wrong direction.
The educated mother may be in control of both these situations, and the unnecessary pain they cause may be avoided. The right kind of explanation during antenatal visits or pregnancy classes will mentally prepare the mother well enough to ensure that this does not happen. With the right frame of mind, the right environment, and good practice, it is possible for a mother to be able to control all the contractions resulting from a natural birth. As we have seen, her body is naturally designed and able to go through all of them! All she needs to do is tap into that ability and use it to her advantage. In most cases, her care-givers and support persons only need to be her cheerleaders, believing she can do it, and only stepping in if and when necessary.
Let me share some mental exercises that will help a mother during contractions. The following exercises may be practised everyday as part of the exercise regime meant for pregnancy. They only take a few minutes, though when practised in a group they are certainly more fun. Mastering them well will be a precious asset for the mother in labour. Take time to prepare a happy atmosphere within the room like having appropriate music, aromatherapy oils and furniture for comfortable positions which encourage the pregnant belly to fall forward. A massage given by a loving and knowledgeable partner adds to the positive environment. During real labour, a mother may also be encouraged to move around to aid the baby's descent and shorten the labouring hours.
1. Be conscious of tension in different parts of the body. Let go your body part by part, face, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, chest, back, belly, backside, all the way down the legs.
2. Take a breath in through your nose and let it out slowly through your mouth. Breathe in deeply, allowing your breath to reach around the baby, pushing your belly muscles outwards, making more space for the uterus to work more efficiently.
3. Slowly breathe out through the mouth, consciously letting go each part of the body as you exhale.
4. Pause for a while, until you are ready to take the next breath, again slowly and deeply.
5. Think about a beautiful place you enjoy and go there in your mind.
6. It helps to send mental messages of love towards the baby, telling him/her how much you love him/her and how much you look forward to seeing him soon.
7. Think about yourself as being the best parent your baby will have. Be confident that you will find ways and means of being so in each particular situation you will meet in your life, even when the going gets tough.
Indeed, mothers' emotional requirements for a birth as intended by nature, are not at all too demanding or too expensive as compared to the medical management of birth. Why do hospital systems in general, find it difficult to keep a birthing mother happy when her demands are so easy to fulfil and in many ways so much safer for herself and for her baby? It is simply a question of accepting alternative ideas which work efficiently, and for all professionals concerned to be ready to work in a team which includes the birthing parents as significant members within that team. Most parents today are becoming knowledgeable and need to have a say with regards safe choices in childbirth. We need to keep in mind that after all, the parents are the protagonists who will be mostly affected by the birth event. They will carry with them the birthing experience, both positive and negative, throughout their lifetime. Surely, a positive experience of the birth augurs a better chance of positive and more fulfilling parenting experience in the future.
• Ms Theuma is a qualified childbirth educator and school teacher. A mother of three children and a grandparent, she directs a school for parents, In the Family Way, based at Marsascala.
The school offers courses and support for parents, covering various related subjects, from pregnancy to primary and early secondary school age.