Natural methods of dealing with labour...

[majazama]

I posted the same question in the pregnancy forum, but thought I should double post to get more answers... here's what I have so far, as ideas to get me through labour...

-labouring in water
-using arnica and rescue remedy
-massage
-birth ball

I would like to know of any other things that helped you in your labours, or things you are planning on using. I would also like to know what other homeopathics are recommended for labour pains.
TIA~~~

[cottonwood]

Lots of movement (at one point I was dancing to my favorite music, which made me feel so much better), attention from others (in early labor), making LOTS of noise, and having complete privacy when it gets intense.

[Elyssia]

for me (and for many i have heard) spending some time laboring on the toilet
that is where we go and relax our bottoms and open up
it is physically and mentally engrained

it really helped me in my first birth when my friend was reminding me
(by modeling for me)
to keep my jaw and mouth open and relaxed
and to keep my voice low and my throat open
(ina may says open throat = open bottom)
i could hear my own voice getting higher and more tense
and when i consciously brought it lower and more into my chest and throat
i could feel my body relax too

rocking on my hands and knees felt good during my first birth
leaning over the counter and having pressure put on my lower back
was my favorite position w/ my third/fourth birth
in early labor i also enjoy being around my friends, my mom, midwives
whoever is there and visiting and laughing

[majazama]

Good idea about keeping the voice low and throat open. In my last birth, I started (ahem) screaming when it got really painful, but maybe if I turned my voice in the other direction, it wouldn't be so intense... hmmm, I also was doing raspberries with my lips, and that seemed to help.