Our Baby Nest doula team came up with this amazing list of ways to reduce pain in childbirth using ABC’s!
As birth doulas, we know birth is hard work, but there are things you can do to make it more comfortable, faster (who doesn’t want that!) and of course, a more positive experience. So here you are, things to do in labor to help…The ABC’s of how to reduce pain in childbirth!
Oh, and the amazing photos are taken from the amazing and talented Jessie Photo Doula, located in Portland, Oregon. She preserves birth stories, honors the work and rawness of birth and captures the moment of birth so beautifully.
A – Aromatherapy, Acupressure, Amazing birth team, Acceptance, Allow what is unfolding
B – Bounce on a Birth Ball, Breathe deep, Belly laughs, Believe in your power
C – Counterpressure, Cuddle with partner, Countdown contractions, Cold Cloth, Candles
D – Doula, Drink plenty, Dim lights, Dance
E – Eat, Empowering words, Effleurage, Express yourself, Eye contact, Essential oils
(Learn what oils are a MUST for birth here!)
F – Fan, Feel empowered, Food, Focal point
G – Groan, Give in to the process, Grunt, Go inward
H – Hire a supportive provider, Hold hands, Hip squeeze, Hot packs, Hire a doula
(from Portland Oregon and Vancouver, Washington area, request a free doula consult here!)
I – Ignore horror stories, Intuition-trust it!, Instinct, “I can!”
J – Jokes, Jive, Just breathe
K – Keep lights dim, Kisses from partner, Kind words
(read about 100 things your partner can do to help you in labor here!)
L – Laugh, Listen to music, Lunges, Lean in deeply, Labyrinth mantra (the way out is through)
M – Mantras, Massage, Makeout with partner, Meditate, Mindfulness, Music, Moan, Movement
N – Nap, Nourishment, Neck massage
(read more doula recommendations for things to have in your birth bag here!)
O – Open knee chest position, Open your pelvis, Open jaw, Oxytocin environment
P – Persistence, Patience, Pressure Points, Push into, Partner snuggles, Pray, Position changes
Q – Quilt (get cozy), Question what you don’t understand, Quiet voices
R – Relax, Rest, Rebozo, Release emotion, Rhythm, Ritual
S – Stay home in early labor, Shower, Sway, Sounding, Squeeze comb bristles in hand, Spray water on back
T – Talk about fears, Trust your body, Temperature change, Toilet (great spot)
U – Undress, United birth team, Understand your options, Unleash your inner wild, Undisturbed
V – Visualize baby coming down, Vocalize, Voice your needs
W – Water for labor or birth, Walk, Words of encouragement, Wait for urge to push
X – XHALE, Xtra support, eXhale and let go
Y – Yoga poses, Yell, Yummy smells (lavender, peppermint, lemon or other helpful essential oils all help reduce pain in childbirth.
(Read more about essential oils here.)
Z – Stay in the zone, ZZZZ’s, zero self doubt!
Okay, so The Jackson 5 group wasn’t quite right, having a baby is not as easy as 1-2-3. Birth takes a lot of hard work and perseverance and mental readiness, and these ABC’s can help you out when you need! Print out these ABC’s on how to reduce pain in childbirth. Post on your fridge to memorize them. Pack them in your birth bag. Talk about them with your partner. Share them with your pregnant girlfriends. Stick together and know, when things get hard, that you can reduce pain in childbirth with the ABC’s.
Thank you Jessie Photo Doula for sharing your photography with us. For more info on our featured Portland, Oregon maternity and birth photographer, click here.
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Want your partner to do MORE than just give you ice chips?!