Regardless of your thoughts on pain control during labor and delivery, it is important to know use relaxation techniques. Whether you have a Cesarean section or natural childbirth, relaxation can be a powerful tool in keeping you calm and decreasing your pain and anxiety. Use the following steps to help integrate relaxation into your birth plan.
Instructions
1. In early stages of labor, contractions can be as close together as five minutes or as far apart as 20. Using the time in these early hours to relax in between contractions will keep your tension and anxiety down. It will also help you store some energy to use as labor progresses and becomes more difficult. Find a comfortable position in between contractions that will help facilitate your state of relaxation. Use pillows and blankets as you need them, and don't stay put in one place. As labor progresses and changes, you might find a rocking chair more comforting than the bed. Use what feels good.
2. Getting to a state of relaxation that will help you restore and preserve your energy will take more than simply demanding from yourself that you "Relax!" Close your eyes and begin with your toes. Contract the muscles in your toes tightly--curl your toes toward the soles of your feet--and then relax them. Repeat the action three times, allowing a deeper relaxation between each contraction. Work your way up through your body (toes, feet, calves, thighs, bottom, abs, etc.), repeating the same action--contract, relax, contract, relax--three times. Don't forget your shoulders, hands and face, as those are places we tend to carry a lot of tension.
3. Once you've worked your way through your body, repeat the action one last time, contracting every muscle group together and then relaxing. Repeat the action three times. As your body contracts and relaxes, you will find your muscles more able to relax with each repetition. Have your partner continually feel your muscles to be sure the tension has been fully released. As you finish with the last repetition of full-body contraction and relaxation, you should feel heaviness in your limbs and body--a more complete relaxation than if you were to simply lay down.
4. As your contractions start to come closer together, you will have less time for the full ritual. Have your partner help pinpoint the areas where you are carrying the most tension (feet, hands, shoulders, face) and concentrate on relaxing those areas only. Have your partner continually monitor your muscles, to be sure you are not transferring the tension you are relieving in one area to another. The energy you preserve via this method will give you more stamina toward the end of labor and delivery, and more energy to push with.
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