Best pain relief control/method/classes for natural childbirth?

[annie109]

So what do you all recommend?

[Tanibani]

My personal favorite is the HypnoBirthing course (founded by Marie Mongan.)

http://www.hypnobirthing.com/

My birth story is on an MDC (18+ hour painFREE natural labor in a hospital)
called Tell me more about HynoBirthing. I'll try to dig it up later.

[rmzbm]

I've never had a natural birth, so take it for what it's worth - but after looking into all options I'm PROBABLY going to use the hypnobirthing too.

[pianojazzgirl]

Originally Posted by rmzbm

I've never had a natural birth, so take it for what it's worth - but after looking into all options I'm PROBABLY going to use the hypnobirthing too.

Same here. My first babe was born by emergency c-section before I even went into labour, but this time around I'm preparing for natural childbirth using the hypnobabies homestudy course. I've just started and so far I really like it. I've read so many great reviews by mamas around here that I just had to try it out!

[DucetteMama21842]

I LOVED the Bradley Method. Very high success rates for all varieties of birthing environments... Plus its a lot of training and information... IMO it prepared me way more than other classes I had taken. Anyhow.. that's my take...

[pamamidwife]

your intuition.

and the book Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering by Sarah Buckley. No one "method" can honor who YOU are and how you live your life (as well as birth) than yourself.

Bradley has some nice info about ways to defend yourself about the western medical nonsense, but I don't really think they're relaxation methods in labor work for all women.

[hubris]

Ditto on "intuition"! I just go within during my labors. Nobody taught me that, it's kindof a primal thing.

That said, sometimes it helps to expose yourself to different ideas so that you have those ideas floating around in your head and accessible to you during labor. Some people really like the suggestions in the Bradley Method book adn classes. I didn't find them helpful. I preferred the ideas in the book Birthing From Within. Some people find "relaxation practice" to be very helpful, I do not. It's a very personal thing.

I also read Active Birth before my 2nd son was born, and while it does not really focus on relaxation or pain management, things I picked up from that birth did end up making my birth a very different/positive experience for me, so I'd recommend reading that as well.

I personally do not aim for pain relief or being pain free, I aim for working with my body, whatever sensations it's experiencing. Sometimes pain/discomfort can be helpful in guiding what we do during labor. The key, for me, is not to be afraid of pain or perceive pain as "bad", but to understand how sensations relate to what is happening in my body, and go with it. Definining sensations differently and not using the word "pain" as a blanket word for all labor sensations is also helpful - it's sortof a mental mindset thing.

[JaneSmith1010]

I didn't need any pain relief techniques. Personally the focus on pushing and the endorphins were more than enough. I was buzzing big time just on my own chemicals from the natural process of birth. The most important thing is that you concentrate on the work you are doing and that you don't get scared and start to think that you cannot push the baby out. Everything will happen according to nature and you must have confidence in your ability to birth. Making eye contact when you feel panicky is a good idea and deep breathing that allows you to focus on opening up, rather than on contracting, will help you immensely. If you have time read Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin. I wish I'd read it before I gave birth...although I did have a very good experience.

[Rani]

Bradley method and Gentle birth! Also, do those kegels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!