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| Home > Preparation for Child Birth > Relaxation
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| | Relaxation
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To ensure comfortable labor, you must be able to release muscle tension. Ability to relax at will, may not cone to you effortlessly. However, with concentration and practice everyone can master the skill of relaxing. Many techniques to relaxation are described in this portion. You may try all of them but concentrate on those that work best for you. Relaxation skills which are helpful in daily life are essential during labor and birth. During labor they will help you to:
Conserve energy and reduce fatigue
You should consciously relax your muscles. Otherwise you will most likely tense them during labor. By tensing the muscles not required during labor, precious energy is wasted, making you unduly tired while decreasing the oxygen available for the uterus and the baby.
Calm your mind and reduce stress
A relaxed state of mind helps you reduce stress. Evidences suggest that distress in the laboring woman in the form of anxiety, anger, fear, or illness leads to the secretion of an excessive amount of catecholamines, the stress hormones epinephrine (also called adrenalin) and norepinephrine (also called norad-renalin). A high level of catecholamines in the blood may lead to prolonged labor as it decreases the efficiency of uterine contractions which in turn can decrease the blood flow to the uterus and placenta thereby affecting the fetus.
Reduce pain
The pain experienced during labor and birth is considerably aggravated by tension and fatigue. Relaxation decreases the tension and fatigue while allowing maximum availability of oxygen for the uterus. Availability of oxygen to a muscle decrease pain to some extent since a muscle deprived of oxygen is painful. You concentrate in consciously relaxing all the muscles. You do not focus on maintaining your position since it is not important for you. Your awareness of pain is considerably reduced as your attention is diverted away from the pain of contractions.
Learning to Relax
The first step in learning to relax is to experience the feelings of your mind and body when you are resting or falling asleep. Since your mind and body are directly correlated you probably will notice the release of muscle and mental tension simultaneously as you relax. You may breathe slowly. There may even be a slight pause between each inhalation and exhalation. This type of breathing will aid you in the relaxation exercises and during labor.
Get into a comfortable position before you start your relaxation session. You may lie down using pillows, or sit in a comfortable chair with cushions propping you up for support. Lying on your back impairs circulation so you must avoid that position. After you have practiced relaxation in these positions, proceed to relaxing while sitting up, standing and walking. This is a must since you will need to relax in a variety of positions during labor.
You start your relaxation practice sessions in a quiet calm atmosphere and proceed to noisier, more active surroundings. Keep in mind that hospitals are busy places, so you should be able to relax in the midst of activity. From a practice session slowly stretch all your muscles and rise up gradually to avoid becom-ing light-headed or dizzy.
The next important step in learning to relax is to be familiar with muscle tension. The following techniques will reduce the unnecessary tension that may develop during labor.
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