The gentlebirth.org website is provided courtesy of
Ronnie Falcao, LM MS,
a homebirth midwife in Mountain View, CA
The gentlebirth.org website is provided courtesy of
Ronnie Falcao, LM MS,
a homebirth midwife in Mountain View, CA
|
Orgasmic Birth -- the documentary! ABC's 20/20 will be airing a segment about Orgasmic Birth on May
16th for their special Mother's Day show.
Interviews with Christiane Northrup, MD, Ina May Gaskin, MA, CPM, Sarah J Buckley, MD, Marsden Wagner, MD Joyous, sensuous and revolutionary, this pioneering film will compel many to reexamine their perceptions about childbirth. Viewers will understand how the use of normal, undisturbed birthing methods can aid the health and well-being of future generations. |
Aletha Solter's new book, Raising
Drug-Free Kids: 100 Tips for Parents, begins at conception and includes
a discussion of how the drugs used in
labor and birth predispose children towards drug abuse.
Just
Cool It - Athletes, and patients, know that overheating hurts a body’s
performance. A new device, called at various times the RTX, Core
Control or simply The Glove, cools the body's core so that blood isn't
diverted from the muscles to the surface for cooling. Mammals have specialized
blood vessels in their palms and other hairless skin surfaces—ears, nose,
cheeks and soles of the feet—that are designed to dissipate heat.
(Maybe this is why a cool cloth on the face and forehead feels so good
during pushing!) Heller and Grahn theorize that more blood, and thus,
oxygen, is available to the muscles when the body doesn’t have to route
extra blood to the radiators for cooling. Cooling allows an athlete
to recover from intense exertion quickly, allowing someone to do more work
in a shorter period of time. They now believe that the reason why
pushing IV fluids can help with exhaustion isn't the minerals or the rehydrating,
but rather the invasive cooling; they had noticed that if the IVs were
kept on ice, they worked better.
The Placebo Effect: A Practical Tool to Create Healing in Your Life
New research indicates that the simple belief that a pill will stop pain will cause your brain to release its own natural painkillers, endorphins. This is the first direct evidence that endorphins play any role in the "placebo effect."
Researchers induced pain by injecting salt-water solution into the jaws of 14 people, and then scanning them using positron emission tomography (PET) scans. At one point, the men were told they were being given pain medicine but instead were given a placebo.
The test subjects' sensitivity to pain was reduced, meaning that the belief that they were getting a pain drug allowed the participants to tolerate more pain. In addition, the scans showed their brains releasing endorphins. In some areas of the brain, the amount of release was related to how effective they believed the drug would be.
If You Think You'll Feel Better, You Will By Steven Reinberg (Forbes.com August 24, 2005)
Study: Placebos Make People Feel Better (ABC News August 24, 2005)
Placebo
effects mediated by endogenous opioid activity on mu-opioid receptors.
[http:
Zubieta JK, Bueller JA, Jackson LR, Scott DJ, Xu Y, Koeppe RA, Nichols
TE, Stohler CS.
J Neurosci. 2005 Aug 24;25(34):7754-62.
Reductions in pain ratings when administered a placebo with expected
analgesic properties have been described and hypothesized to be mediated
by the pain-suppressive endogenous opioid system. Using molecular imaging
techniques, we directly examined the activity of the endogenous opioid
system on mu-opioid receptors in humans in sustained pain with and without
the administration of a placebo. Significant placebo-induced activation
of mu-opioid receptor-mediated neurotransmission was observed in both higher-order
and sub-cortical brain regions, which included the pregenual and subgenual
rostral anterior cingulate, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the insular
cortex, and the nucleus accumbens. Regional activations were paralleled
by lower ratings of pain intensity, reductions in its sensory and affective
qualities, and in the negative emotional state of the volunteers. These
data demonstrate that cognitive factors (e.g., expectation of pain relief)
are capable of modulating physical and emotional states through the site-specific
activation of mu-opioid receptor signaling in the human brain.
New Study Reveals Simple and Effective Way for Women to Breathe Easier During Labor [7/27/05]
Another exercise aid that might benefit laboring women!
The
effects of an external nasal dilator on labor.
Sadan O, Shushan S, Eldar I, Evron S, Lurie S, Boaz M, Glazerman M,
Roth Y.
Am J Rhinol. 2005 Mar-Apr;19(2):221-4.
CONCLUSION: Nasal strips do not change the course but ameliorate the
quality of labor by improving the ease of breathing. Nasal dilators sustain
the respiratory effort associated with the long process of labor and may
control the switch from nasal to oronasal breathing during delivery.
This is a fabulous article from Mothering Magazine:
Comfort
Measures for Labor
Issue 95, July/August 1999
By Penny Simkin, Janet Whalley, and Ann Keppler
Nice Summary of Comfort Measures
Changing "Fear/Tension/Pain"
Into "Faith/Relaxation/Pleasure" from Laura Kaplan Shanley's pages
on Unassisted Childbirth.
Pain Relief and Home
Births from the UK
ComfortPage.com -
"a gathering place for expectant parents to find information
to help cope with normal discomforts of pregnancy, childbirth
and postpartum." They've got some good, informative articles and
some nice "comfort gift baskets",
which would make a great shower gift.
Birth With Sol
has a great selection of comfort items, including the head tingler and
the rebozo!
Secrets to
Having a Faster and Easier Labour and Delivery and Your
Partner's Role in Childbirth - a reasonable guide to providing comfort
to a laboring woman, excerpted from Pregnancy
Tips, by Gail Dahl
Great General
Advice on preparing for childbirth from homeopathykits.com
Fear, Pain
and Epidurals ~by Lisa Bobrow - about epidurals and alternatives from
a mother's point of view.
"Cervical dilation and effacement are produced from vertical fibers
in a relaxed woman. Stress causes horizontal and vertical fibers
to contract, creating non-productive first stage labor." [Osborne-Sheets,
C. Pre-and Perinatal Massage Therapy. Body Therapy Associates,
1998.]
I'm making up a little "cheat sheet" for my husband to have during labor... Last time, I was quickly overwhelmed by the pain and needed someone to come through for me with ideas and suggestions of things to try.
Things to Try as Labor Gets Hard
---------------------------------
Water -- bath or shower
Birth balls -- kneeling, squatting, leaning, sitting, bouncing
Warmth -- blankets, rice packs, sunshine, warm wet compresses,
therma-care thingy
Coolness -- rice packs, cool drinks
Distraction -- funny movies, go outside, be with people
Focus -- privacy, dim lights, eyes closed
Touch -- backrub, footrub, effleurage, hugs and kisses
Relax -- lay down and relax all muscles that aren't working
Move -- get out of bed, walk, rock, dance, sway
Hydration -- sips of water, juice, or tea
Acupressure -- narrow combs held in fists, thumbsucking
Sound -- music, groaning, singing
Breathing -- follow instincts (slow and deep is usually best)
Acceptance and flexibility
Remember the baby
Keep jaw and mouth relaxed
Rescue Remedy for panic
BY ADRIAN LEE
AN EXECUTIVE stayed at her desk for four hours after going into labour so that she could clinch a 4.5 billion deal.
Sue Clark, 34, director of corporate affairs for Scottish Power, was at a crucial stage in takeover negotiations when her waters broke.
She telephoned her husband, Richard, and asked him to pack a suitcase and collect her four hours later to take her to hospital. She said: "There were still people I needed to telephone and things to do."
A daughter, Lucy, weighing 7lb 5oz, was born four and a half hours after her mother eventually left her Glasgow office. Ms Clark, who earns a six- figure salary, said she was in some pain, but only her secretary knew what was happening. "I think working helped to take my mind off labour. I suppose I had quite a few contractions at my desk."
The deal was completed successfully and Ms Clark returned to the office
two days later to tie up loose ends before taking maternity leave.
Wow. If a woman can do this for money and business, imagine what
she could do out of love for her child!
Mother Care, Whelping
Information & Beautiful Canine Birth Pictures! from Mari-May Kennels.
This is a great description of how to provide hands-off labor support for
dogs, and it's amazing how much of it applies to humans, too!
The Binsi skirt fits underneath
the belly to avoid interference with monitors and the sensitivity of your
skin during contractions
OK, this is mostly a joke for a waterbirth crowd, but the manufacturers
are serious about this garment - the Birth-Day
Suit
This excellent tidbit is from Blissful Birth:
Today we want to talk to you about the importance of breathing. Of course, breathing is usually recommended at all times(!), but did you know that the way you breathe can have a dramatic affect on how comfortable your birth is?
Breathing properly not only gives you muscles the essential oxygen they need to do their job efficiently, but also reduces the amount of stress in your body, which in turn keeps your blood pressure down.
So how do you breathe properly?
Place one hand on your chest, and the other on your abdomen, just below your belly button. To breathe properly, imagine that you are pushing the air all the way down to bottom of your lungs, so the hand on your abdomen moves out as you breathe. The hand on your chest should remain still, and should only move if you still need more air after your abdomen hand has moved out as far as it will go.
If you have used yoga or meditation before, or ever trained as a singer, this sort of breathing will be natural to you. Many people, including tense or anxious people, have a habit of breathing high up in the chest, so breathing properly may seem strange or unnatural at first. Keep practicing, and it will soon become second nature.
This type of breathing is so powerful that even without the added benefit of learning self-hypnosis, many women can manage their labour just by focusing on breathing properly during contractions.
If you have a birth partner, ask them to practice proper breathing too,
so that not only can they help you maintain a relaxed and comfortable breathing
rhythm in labour, but can stay calm around you too!
See also: Birth and Orgasm / Orgasmic
Birth
The science of sex - Brain scans of women reaching orgasm have cast new light on how the mind and nervous system work. Julia Stuart on the discoveries that kept on coming [1/17/07]
The neuroscientist hypothesised that there was an alternative pathway
from the vagina and cervix to the brain: the vagus nerve, which leads from
the lowest part of the brainstem, the medulla, through the base of the
skull, down the neck, into the chest cavity, through the diaphragm and
into the abdominal cavity without using the spinal cord.
. . .
Professor Komisaruk's brain imaging of an orgasm was a medical first.
"One of the dramatic findings is that areas throughout the brain become
activated during orgasm," he says. "There is tremendous utilisation of
oxygen throughout the brain. Orgasm is good for the brain."
One part of the brain that was strongly activated was the nucleus accumbens, which other scientists have shown becomes activated by psychoactive drugs such as cocaine, nicotine and caffeine. Another two areas were the insula and anterior cingulate, which become active in response to pain. "It suggests there is some sort of inhibitory activity going on there, as orgasm and vaginal stimulation are strong pain-blocking stimuli." The third area of interest was the paraventricular nucleus, where the hormone oxytocin is produced. Oxytocin is released into the blood stream at orgasm and causes uterine contractions.
The Science of Orgasm by Barry R Komisaruk, Carlos Beyer-Flores
and Beverly Whipple is published by Johns Hopkins, priced £16.50
What's Love Got to do With it?
Labor, that is...
by Tammy Bayer, CD(DONA)
DONA Iowa State Representative
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
I take time during prenatal meetings to discuss with clients and their partners how love, and the expression of those feelings, can enhance their birthing experience.
Oxytocin is called the love hormone. When people kiss, hug, and hold each other close, oxytoxin floods our bodies. It is because of oxytocin that we get a good feeling when we express our love for someone special.
Showing love during labor can help mom to produce oxytocin to keep labor progressing. When dad tells mom that he loves her and is proud of her hard work, kisses her between contractions, caresses her, supports mom in positions, rubs her back, belly, arms, or legs while she lies in bed, and gives gentle encouragement during pushing, those actions of love help to increase mom's oxytocin output.
Mothers receive a rush of oxytoxin when they hold and breastfeed their babies.This promotes bonding and reinforces the attention she gives her child. While watching her partner care for their baby, she feels warm feelings towards him. Love helps to cement the family unit, providing a positive environment for baby.
Even when I know the mother well, I can't provide the same level of
love and support that her husband, partner, or other loved one does. I
can't replace that special someone, but I am there to help them make that
connection.
Keenan P. Benefits of massage therapy and use of a doula during labor
and childbirth. Altern Ther Health Med 2000 Jan;6:66-74. [Search
here for Keenan to find the abstract.]
TTouch for
Healthcare - TTouch was developed as a way of soothing anxious animals,
and it may work wonders for laboring women as well.
Ginger
Compress - for the back, hips or belly
The decoctions are vile, as I said, and it's not recommended to sweeten them. In the case of blood stasis, though, it would enhance the moving effect to give it with a small amount of rice wine.
However, the tincture is certainly fine to use, it's just is not as
likely to provide the relief that you see halfway through a dose of decoction.
Tincture can be taken as one dropper as often as every 2 hours with severe
pain, or 4 times a day with more minor symptoms. It is available in combinations
or singly from Wishgarden Herbs (303) 665-9508. Almost any health food
store will stock it, and Cascade carries it as well.
My favorite for the moms that seem to be having too much pain for where
they are and are tense and whining is two droppers lobelia (small amounts
of lobelia are stimulating, larger doses amazing in relaxing deep muscle)
one dropper skullcap, and 10-15 drops valerian. This works so well that
the moms often ask for more of it later on. Motherwort is supposed to be
good for early labor but I never use it. Rescue remedy is great if they
are really freaking out but I find I mostly use it after births if there
is some kind of trauma. Do you have a preference for bethroot/birthroot
or blue cohosh for slow labors?
I got a call from a woman today who said that in her first labor,
she had one ctx that lasted two hours!
I swore that I levitated during three contractions in transition. However
no one can confirm this. My suspicion is that you are correct and they
stop that feeling for a while. I do about 4000mg cal every couple of hours
for them. They seem to just burn through it.
See also: Essential Oils for Labor and Birth
This section has been moved to Essential
Oils/Aromatherapy
Gentle LED
Birth Lights - for a candle-like glow - perfect for hospital births,
where you can't use candles; these are battery-powered LED lights in beautiful
shades - very appropriate for birth. "A room lit with natural light,
candles, or a very low wattage light provides an ideal ambience for a laboring
woman."
Heat Halts Pain Inside The Body - 7/5/06
The old wives’ tale that heat relieves abdominal pain, such as colic or menstrual pain, has been scientifically proven by a UCL (University College London) scientist, who will present the findings today at the Physiological Society’s annual conference hosted by UCL.
Dr Brian King, of the UCL Department of Physiology, led the research that found the molecular basis for the long-standing theory that heat, such as that from a hot-water bottle applied to the skin, provides relief from internal pains, such as stomach aches, for up to an hour.
Dr King said: “The pain of colic, cystitis and period pain is caused
by a temporary reduction in blood flow to or over-distension of hollow
organs such as the bowel or uterus, causing local tissue damage
and activating pain receptors.
At the client's home, during early labor, I use a rice sock, which I
then give to the client to keep. At the hospital, I use Re-Heats,
which are for campers and can be purchased at most camping supply stores.
There's a doula on the list who sells them (GyntleTouch@aol.com) but shipping
costs might make them pretty expensive. They're fabulous because
you can re-activate them by boiling them when you get home (but wait until
you've had some sleep or you might forget and then you have a toxic dump
for a home -- take it from one who's been there `;-). I carry about
a dozen with me (each one stays hot for about 20 minutes) and I buy small
children's white socks to cover them with so they're not directly against
the woman's skin.
Someone recently asked about the ThermaCare patches that are being marketed
for menstrual cramps and I wanted to respond. I have had a terrible
time with my period since my periods returned following the birth of my
last baby. I am usually in bed for at least a day and the pain is
so bad I cry all day. I have been terrified that I would get called
to a birth on the really bad day(s) of my period. So when I saw the
commercial for the ThermaCare patches I literally ran right out and bought
them within the hour. Well, I got my period the next day and wore
the patches all through the worst part. The patch provided tremendous
relief, and when combined with high doses of ibuprofen (which I take for
my periods anyway) I was up and around for my whole period. I did
not have to spend a single day in bed. They are a little pricey at
around $7.00 for three in a box, but they really do last at least 8 hours
and they feel so good. I think they would be warm enough to provide
a laboring woman some good comfort, at least in early active labor.
They get at least as warm as a rice sock and you can wear them around,
so they are less cumbersome. If anyone has any other questions about
them, ask away!
Ice Massage for
the Reduction of Labor Pain [Medscape registration is free]
For cold, I use (and sell) cooling scarves. You soak them in water for about 20 minutes and they stay cool for hours! They're great. An ice pack also works well, but the cooling scarves can be tied around the woman's neck or forehead. You can get patterns from Watersorb or seworganized.com
Moore Medical carries the cooling
wrist bands.
" Mammals have specialized blood vessels in their palms and other hairless skin surfaces—ears, nose, cheeks and soles of the feet—that are designed to dissipate heat. (These radiator-like structures—venous plexuses and arteriovenous anastomoses—were described as early as 1858 in Gray’s Anatomy.) By redirecting blood away from the capillaries and into these blood vessels, the body can shed heat quickly."
Just
Cool It - Athletes, and patients, know that overheating hurts a body’s
performance. A new device, called at various times the RTX, Core
Control or simply The Glove, cools the body's core so that blood isn't
diverted from the muscles to the surface for cooling. Mammals have specialized
blood vessels in their palms and other hairless skin surfaces—ears, nose,
cheeks and soles of the feet—that are designed to dissipate heat.
(Maybe this is why a cool cloth on the face and forehead feels so good
during pushing!) Heller and Grahn theorize that more blood, and thus,
oxygen, is available to the muscles when the body doesn’t have to route
extra blood to the radiators for cooling. Cooling allows an athlete
to recover from intense exertion quickly, allowing someone to do more work
in a shorter period of time. They now believe that the reason why
pushing IV fluids can help with exhaustion isn't the minerals or the rehydrating,
but rather the invasive cooling; they had noticed that if the IVs were
kept on ice, they worked better.
This would suggest the use of that great old stand-by, frozen peas.
"It is concluded that the evidence for acupuncture as an adjunct to
conventional pain control during labor is promising but, because of the
paucity of trial data, not convincing. Further research is warranted to
clearly define its place in labor pain management."
The pressure points that I am aware of: (1) on the roof of your mouth,
just behind the ridge behind the teeth.
Thumbsucking (while pressing thumb upwards) applies pressure to this
area. It sure helped me in labor.
I first encountered the idea of a connection between opening the two
'mouths' of the female body in a workshop presented by Gayle
Peterson (in 1986). You may want to get a copy of her book "Birthing
Normally" and check her references, as a starting point.
The jaw and mouth area directly relate to the pelvic floor and cervix. What ever your mouth is doing your cervix is sure to follow :-) That is why I always encourage my clients to say OPEN with each contraction. The mouth is nice and round and cervix is encouraged to also. I was once with a friend in labor and all she wanted to say was "I can't, I can't" and she was stuck at 6 or 7. I kept saying "Say open, open", finally after much encouraging she started saying open. Right at that very moment the CNM was checking her and declared she had just dilated another cm. She had the baby in less than an hour chanting "OPEN" all the way.
Keeping the jaw open and relaxed during the pushing stage relaxes the
pelvic floor allowing the baby to pass through easier. I have seen this
work several times especially with a shoulder dystocia mom, whose baby
was very stuck. Having her open her mouth wide and relax her jaw helped
birth the baby.
RESPeRATE
Blood Pressure Lowering Device - We know that deep relaxation is very
effective in lowering the pain of labor and facilitating an easier, more
progressive labor. For people who are drawn to this approach, please
e-mail feedback on how it works for you!
See also: TENS Use for Starting
Labor
Diagram of TENS pads placement for labor
Comprehensive page
about the use of TENS for labor - Westons (in the UK) also sells
a variety of TENS units and accessories, including the butterfly electrode
pad.
The new MamaTENS is a very
attractive TENS unit; the design is more appealing and easier to use than
older types. The MamaTENS has a ramp-up feature for faster generation
of endorphins, when necessary. My only complaint is that the electrodes
aren't compatible with other types, and I don't think they offer the butterfly
electrodes, which are functionally equivalent to the MamaTENS electrodes,
but just a little easier and more fun to use.
Babycare TENS (UK) and their
sister company, Body Clock Health Care
Ltd have been leading suppliers of TENS, EMS and Electro-acupuncture
products in the USA, UK and Europe (including consumables such as electrodes,
gels, batteries. etc)
Maternity TENS (UK) - Obstetric
TENS Machines offer drug free pain relief that you can use instead of or
as well as 'Gas and Air' and'Pethidine'
TENS - Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
TENS Reduces Pain During Hysteroscopy [Medscape registration is free.] - this is the most current study on the use of TENS for uterine-related pain. [Fertil Steril 2003;79:1422-1427.]
Int
J Gynaecol Obstet. 1998 Mar;60(3):251-5.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for adjuvant pain-relief
during labor and delivery.
Kaplan B, Rabinerson D, Lurie S, Bar J, Krieser UR, Neri A.
CONCLUSIONS: TENS is an effective non-pharmacological, non-invasive adjuvant pain relief modality for use in labor and delivery. TENS application reduced the duration of the first stage of labor and the amount of analgesic drug administered. There were no adverse effects on mothers or newborns.
See also: Related
Studies
She placed the two pairs of pads diagonally in the area where the pain
was centrally located. One pair of pads was placed diagonally across from
each other, and then the other pair on the opposite diagonal so that they
make an "X". (If you have only one pair of pads, she suggested just
placing them on opposite sides across the central location of the pain.)
TENS is a method of applying controlled, low-voltage electrical stimulation
to large, myelinated peripheral nerve fibers via cutaneous electrodes for
the purpose of modulating stimulus transmission and relieving pain. Research
on TENS therapy in patients with cancer
is limited to single-group studies and case reports (Avellanosa and
West, 1982; Bauer, 1983). A meta-analysis of studies of TENS therapy in
postoperative patients (Ballantyne, Chalmers, Mosteller, et al., in press)
found that both TENS and sham TENS significantly reduced pain intensity;
no significant differences were found between the two for either analgesic
use or pain intensity. These results suggest that, just as with some other
interventions, part of the efficacy of TENS can be attributed to a placebo
effect. Patients with mild pain may benefit from a trial of TENS.
I used a TENS for my first labour and have hired one for this one.
I would definitely recommend it. I didn't realise how much it was
working until I had to take it off for the epidural for the c/s.
One drawback is that you can't use any water methods while you've got it
on & you have to have it on for a while before your natural endorphins
build up.
TENS is more commonly used in the UK - the hospital had a few to loan
women in labour and I tried one when they started the gel applications.
It did help, I have to say. But by the time labour *really* got going
strong, I was so exhausted it wasn't enough. Though, for some women
I talked to there, it was enough to help them through their labour.
The key is to start using it early on. Then you can gradually turn up the
TENS strength (the strength of the buzzing sensation it gives) as the contractions
get more and more intense. It is also important that the four pads
are placed on the right spots on the back so the endorphins (sp?) are released.
[from ob-gyn-l]
I am seeking information about the use of a TENS unit for relief of
labor pain. I have been contacted by a nurse manager who, along with the
hospital CNM, would like to offer this as an alternative method of pain
relief in her facility.
I have had limited (3 cases) experience in using it in motivated patients
- they all decided it didn't work and two decided for epidurals.
There is a recent review in the February issue of British Journal of
Obstetrics and Gynaecology by Carroll, et al., "
vitalityweb.com
carries some TENS units, including the butterfly electrode pad.
LifeCare
has both FreeLady and FreeMom.
Mettler Electronics carries the Com-Patch
4x6" 4x6" Butterfly Electrode at the best prices - $54 for 10
pads. 800-759-1288
thebackrub.com carries the 3.3"
x 6" Dura-Soft Reusable TENS Butterfly Electrode Pads at very good
prices.
Here's a general
search for butterfly electrodes for TENS units
Where to buy a TENS unit
Moore Medical Corp. 1-800-234-1464. By the way, they won't ship a
TENS to you unless they believe you are a qualified professional of some
kind. Being a certified labor coach might work.
They also have a very nice Electrode
Placement Chart.
20 Electrodes for $82.95 (best value)
10 Electrodes for $52.95
5 Electrodes for $29.95
How to apply the TENS pads
From "Transcutaneous
nerve stimulation (TENS) during the first stage of labour: a randomized
clinical trial." - "Two paired electrodes . . . 50 x 100 mm were placed
1 cm lateral on either side of the spine at the levels of L1-L3 and L4-S1.
Between uterine contractions TENS was achieved by using low frequency electrical
bursts (two bursts of five pulses). During uterine contractions high
frequency modulated stimulation was given."
I've known an awful lot of pregnant women using TENS. Lots of home units
in my neck of the woods.. haven't heard of a slew of them going into preemie
labor...... but if it did stimulate the uterus, wouldn't we see some kind
of effect if it were used during term labor?
I have rheumatoid Arthritis and use a TENS machine constantly for pain relief to my back.
I was using it for 9 weeks before I even realised I was pregnant. When I discovered I was pregnant I rang the SoM to ask her advice and she told me not to continue using it - but couldn't give me any reason so I researched a bit more. Both my GP and my MW told me it was ok to continue using the TENS and so I have throughout the pregnancy with no ill effects and it has obviously meant I have avoided taking pain killers (which in my mind would be far more risky)
Obviously mine is not a medical point of view and I guess it differs
for each person but I could find no evidence anywhere as to why or how
a TENS could interfere with a pregnancy.
Most maternity TENS machines will carry a warning saying "Do not use before 37 weeks" but there is no evidence to suggest that using them before this stage is harmful; it's just that they are designed for use in labour so haven't been tried before 37 weeks and manufacturers put this warning on to cover themselves.
A lot of holistic therapists will not treat pregnant women early on and their insurance may not cover them to treat pregnant women at this stage but this isn't because the treatment can be harmful but that miscarriage is quite common anyway and a woman who has miscarried may associate it with the treatment meaning that the therapist gets blamed or the woman blames herself and feels relay guilty about it.
A lot of the time its just that not enough research has been done on the product to prove that it's 100% safe; it doesn't mean it's dangerous.
When I was training in Sports Electrotherapy we were not told to avoid TENS in pregnancy, but you don't get many pregnant women coming for sports therapy!
I bought my first TENS machine years ago as a consumer because I get
a lot of back pain. It was a general one, not a maternity one and
they don't make this sort anymore but the only thing it said was that it
said it shouldn't be used over the abdomen during pregnancy and was probably
best avoided in the first trimester if there was a history of miscarriage.
"Basically the sensation from the TENS over-rode the sensation from the contractions, so in the same way that an ongoing situation (say background music) is easier to sleep through than a stop-start situation (eg trains passing), it allowed me to rest without the interruption of each contraction."
I thought this was fascinating. I am continually looking for ways to help moms get some rest with prodromal labor, and this sounds promising. In reading through the little online literature about TENS, there were recurring suggestions that constant use of a TENS unit also raises endorphin levels, possibly having a similar effect to morphine for sleeping a mom.
This then gave me hope that it might also be used to break the cycle of inco-ordinate contractions the way morphine can.
Most of the literature is about using TENS during active labor. Does
anyone have any experience using TENS continuously as a way of generating
endorphins as an alternative to giving morphine?
From someone who has personal and professional experience with TENS.
Certainly feasible. The following is interesting:
"A commonly held theory for the mechanism of action of low-frequency TENS is activation of endogenous opioid pathways. Analgesia produced by low-frequency, high-intensity TENS but not high-frequency, low-intensity TENS is reversed by administration of naloxone, an opioid receptor antagonist (Sjolund & Eriksson, 1979). Similarly, high-frequency TENS is unaffected by systemic naloxone in patient populations (Abram, Reynolds, & Cusik, 1981; Freeman, Campbell, & Long, 1983). High-frequency TENS is therefore believed to work through mechanisms proposed by the gate theory, producing only short-term analgesia (Garrison & Foreman, 1994; Hollman, 1997)." [from The Basic Science Mechanisms of TENS and Clinical Implications by Kathleen A. Sluka, PhD PT from the MARCH/APRIL 2001 • VOLUME 11, NUMBER 2 bulletin of the American Pain Society. ]
A very good paper on the mechanism of action of Tens. Tens and morphine
both seem to act on the c fibres - this would be a possible reason why
the effect may be similar.
OK - I've ordered a British Obstetric TENS Unit - the TPN400 from Weston's. Basic instructions for setting the controls for labor:
The emWave from
HeartMath
is an excellent tool for practicing relaxation. It's nice to have
the visual and audio feedback!
The Self-Controlled
Energo Neuro Adaptive Regulation (SCENAR) was developed for the Russian
space program to replace medical treatment for astronauts during space
travel.
See also: Aromatherapy as
a Relaxation Trigger
You can use the same principles as for aromatherapy to develop a conditioned
relaxation response to music - it's very POWERFUL!
Music Therapy in Childbirth
and Neonatal Care
Music To Set A Sacred Mood... RITUAL SONGS by the Colorado Midwives Association - NOW ON CD!!! from Mystical Evolution - oops! I think I read their listing wrong but I'm waiting for confirmation.
Acappella chants and songs performed by 4 members of the Colorado Midwives
Association (C.M.A.), designed for sing-along learning. It contains material
for gatherings (Blessingway, Rituals and Birth), as well as private meditations
to cleanse heal and strengthen. Selections include Woman I Am, I Am the
Circle, Mother Moon, We Are Sisters, as well as more traditional images
such as May the Blessings of God Rest Upon You and We All Come From God.
Simple and lovely; we've been getting requests for this "underground classic,"
and are glad to be able to make it available; proceeds benefit the non-profit
C.M.A., dedicated to providing better birth experiences through homebirth
services. Cassette: 9.98
NOTE - This album is now called BirthSongs - Songs for Birthing & Creativity.
My absolutely favorite birth album is Everywhere
A Child Is Born by Michael
Stillwater. - "Intuitive songs, dedicated to gentle birthing,
with songs for each participant and relationship in the birthing partnership:
the mother, father, baby, and attendants" - I especially love "the father's
song" with the lyrics, "Letting love in, and nothing more." And,
of course, the two renditions of "simply surrender". Ah, this music is
perfect for birth inspiration. [As a very special gift to an expectant
woman/family, you can commission
a song for them!]
Sounds of Life
is a collection of 40 original recordings with over 3 hours of music.
This unique 3 Disc set of beautiful and soothing compositions was created
to help a woman relax through her birthing experience.
Passion - Intimate Piano
Music - although this is from a site about female sexual arousal (the
"G-crest", "G-spot" or female ejaculation), this CD is excellent for facilitating
the relaxed and sentimental mood that is conducive to the relaxation of
the uterine muscles that hold the cervix shut, i.e. the muscles activated
by adrenaline.
Great Mother is by Shawndeya (Atmospheric Alchemy P.O. Box 70662, Eugene,
OR 97401) and the Silent Path is by Robert Haig Coxon (RHC Productions,
Inc. P.O. Box 4172 Westmount, Quebec, Canada H3Z3B6). They are both
wonderful!
"Music
To Be Born By" by Mickey Hart, Rykodisc, Pickering Wharf Bldg #C-3G,
Salem, MA 01970
Midwives June Whitson and Roxanne Potter have produced the cassette
tape Waiting for a Child: Songs, Relaxation and Visualization for Childbirth.
Created with musicians, Barry and Shelley Phillips the tape features cello,
tabla, Celtic harp, and oboe. Copies are available at 150 Via Venito, Corralitos,
Santa Cruz, CA 95076. $10 each plus $2.50 shippint for 1 or 2 cassettes.
I really like Canyon Trilogy by R. Carlos Nakai, it is Native American
flute music and I've gotten lots of compliments on it from both clients
and hospital staff.
I liked Mozart for Mothers to be.
A good CD to use for relaxation is "Pure Moods" .
My favorite is Steve Halpern's Spectrum
Suite for use in classes. It never fails to relax couples and they
often find they want to use it during their births. Since it is such an
individual choice, I usually tell couples to experiment, bring various
tapes to class to try. The thought of classical will drive some crazy,
country music will make others nuts. [Steven Halpern is one of the
few who pays attention to the theory of music and relaxation - its worth
a visit to his web site.]
Some of my favorites now:
One of my (and the birth center's) favorite is a virtually unknown cd by a woman named Molly Canole who delivered at Special Beginnings (where I worked) and finished the cd the day before her labor began. Probably the most touching birth ever for me, Molly sang along with the cd as soon as her daughter was born, not only making the husband cry, but also the experienced Doulas and CNM. Molly's music has already won several awards and certainly deserves a listen. It is called Beautiful Dreamer and is classic lullabies sung in her angel soprano voce. And, btw, the pic of Molly and her babe on the cover is the first picture her hubby took of the two of them, right in the bed at the birth center when the baby was a minute old! (and SB gets no proceeds, nor do I... just sharing something I think y'all would enjoy :) )
For early labors, or to change the mood from somber to lighthearted, I use Maire Brennan (who is Enya's sister).
For raucous families... and my Hispanic clients in early labor (who
totally love it!)... I play Gypsy Kings (wondrous mariachi music and vocals
in Spanish)
My favorites for relaxation are: "When you Wish Upon a Star" by Daniel Kobialka (available from Li-Sem Enterprises, Inc., Belmont, CA); "Harp of the Healing Waters" by Erik Berglund (Available from Helios Music, 800-900-5997); and "The Healing Waterfall II" by Max Highstein with Jill Andre (Available from Serenity, 800-869-1684). "The Healing Waterfall II" has a beautiful 20 minute guided imagery that is superb for practicing relaxation in class or at home.
My favorites for second stage are: "Vangelis Chariots of Fire" (taken
from the original soundtrack (Available from PolyGram Records) and "Hallelujah"
from Handel's "Messiah" performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. For first
stage labor, I encourage mothers to use the music that helps them to best
relax.
This section is written more from the point of view about how making noises feels good to the laboring woman.
See also: Birthing Noises
See also: Prenatal Music
and Audio Bonding - Womb Song - Lullabyes
It can be very helpful to practice your breathing techniques or listen
to guided imagery/relaxation/hypnosis tapes while playing a particular
music album in the background. Then your body comes to associate
that music with deep relaxation, so when you play it during labor, your
body automatically relaxes. Simple but very effective.
I like your mention of the lower chakras. have found this an especially
helpful approach as well. I teach the use of the sounds of the chakras
when birthing and breastfeeding. Oooooh to open the cervix, oh to build
energy if mom is getting exhausted and Ahhhto help the milk flow. These
sounds will actually happen naturally if you just watch an uninterfered
with birth and postpartum period.
There was a book of birth stories written by Catherine Milinaire in
the 1970s called "Birth" (1974), and one of the stories was of a woman
who sang her way through labor in a busy urban hospital. It left
a powerful image in my mind. But what I remember about singing is
being coached to whistle or sing so as not to push with my second baby
- because "the doctor isn't here yet" - and how crappy I felt hyperventilating
while trying to obey orders.
My neighbor told me about singing in labor, that it really helped her
more than any breathing style. So while having the rest of my kids I sang
in labor much simpler than talking about breathing, the breathing for singing
is automatic. I've encouraged some of our birthing gals to sing ,nursery
rhymes, Beatles, country songs what have you.
We used to teach this in childbirth classes. Works well for many
moms
I had a client many years ago who is a minister and from what I have
been told, sings many of her sermons. When she was in labor, she
sang. Her voice was beautiful. As transition neared, her words
became much more deliberate as she sang, "Soon now very soon, we're going
to see the king...." It was lovely.
One of my friends sang "Swing Low", "The Impossible Dream", and "Climb
Every Mountain" On the way to the hospital we picked up a young soldier
Hitchhiking and he thought we (a bunch of freaks who had become religious)
were just rolling along Partying. When he asked where we were going
three in the morning and we told him the singer was having a baby he was
incredulous. Hoped he remembered the scene when it was his time to
become a father. Also afterwards all the other women who were birthing
at the same time, told my friend how her singing had given them courage
and serenity to get through their births. Very nice.
Years ago I used to rent a movie called hypnosis as sole anesthesia
for C-Sec. The woman they filmed sang through the section.
I found a very comfortable position when having back labor is standing
and rocking from side to side and also stand and doing little squats. It
really helps to ease the pain.
Electrolyte water with calcium - sometimes called a sports drink. Our
local stores carry Miracle Water, which is terrific and unflavored, so
you can use it to mix up fruit juices, soups, etc.
Cold gel packs (in the freezer).
Inexpensive bamboo fan for helping to keep the mom's face cool when
she needs it.
If it's hot weather, I like to have a square yard of light material
that you can dampen and then lay gently over the mom's shoulders. It's
not as heavy as a towel or most table linens and really cools her down
fast. (Many homes have a supply of fabrics which would be suitable if this
were needed.) Also, it's nice to have a spray bottle or plant mister to
spray around her face, neck, shoulders.
Diaper wipes, for any sorts of smudges of whatever that you might not
want to use a washcloth for. You might have these around for the baby,
anyway, but it's nice to have them out and open and next to the box of
Kleenex.
They're terrific. I once labor coached for a homebirth where the mom was willing to go for walks outside but was concerned about the leaking. "No problem," the midwife said, "get some Depends." (By the way, for those who don't know, Depends are incontinence undergarments.) The woman's eager partner was back in a jiffy with some Depends, and off we went. It turns out you can even pee a substantial amount in these and they REALLY do not leak. This particular woman loved them. I think we went through several packs during her labor. Most women don't need that many.
Details: My favorite kind are the ones that look like big sanitary napkins, rather than the ones that look like "regular" underwear, i.e. briefs. They are held on by elastic straps around the waist and leave the legs free for walking and lots of different positions. Our local drug store was carrying some sample packs for less than a dollar. They contained two Depends and the all-important elastic straps, which normally come only two sets to a pack of 16 Depends, which makes it difficult to share the pack over a number of different births unless you happen to remember to reclaim the elastic straps and wash them.
Alternatively, those new "Personals" disposable underwear are pretty cool and very useful also, although they don't accommodate a pregnant belly quite so well. However, they are terrific for postpartum. If they fit, they also can be used during labor, especially with one or two maternity sanitary napkins tucked inside.
It bothers me that hospitals don't provide a way for leaking women to
feel comfortable about being up and about. In a pinch, you can improvise
with a disposable baby's diaper inside regular underwear, although I don't
think this would be that comfortable.
See also: Medical Marijuana
for Nausea
This information is included here in the hope that medical researchers might investigate the medical use of marijuana during labor and birth as a safer alternative to the harder narcotics that are used in IVs and epidurals.
Of course, there are many other non-pharmaceutical labor aids: hypnosis, homeopathics, herbs, essential oils, chiropractics, affirmations, flower essences, etc.
This information is in no way meant to encourage the use of illegal
substances.
As with many controversial subjects, it is hard to get good objective
research on this subject, but I'm inclined to agree with those who assert
that the relaxing influence of cannabis allows the body to function as
designed, even in a high-stress hospital environment.
Does anyone know of any harm that can come to the baby if this is used
as a form of pain relief?
Cannabis is a herb, and a safe one at that, of course, not every woman is going to want or need its help but for those who need some assistance coping with the pain, fatigue, nausea and even depression that can accompany birth and pregnancy, you would do well to consider Cannabis. I found Cannabis tincture wonderful during that chaotic phase they call transition, it doesn't kill the pain or disassociate you from the experience, it just softens the intensity enough to make the whole experience more enjoyable.
Here's some information regarding use of Cannabis during labor:
Cannabis as Medicine, (Part 3 of 4) by Gary Stimeling- search for "An Aid in Menstruation and Childbirth"
Pain Management - A Practical Guide for Clinicians - search for "Birth"
History Of Marijuana, Medical Use (Part I) - search for "Birth"
From: http:
..."The safety during pregnancy seems quite good when used in moderation,
and teas may be best route to achieve long lasting medical, psychological
and nutritional effects. It use during childbirth is controversial
as its interaction with surgical drugs may occur during C-Section and other
proceedures. Some light smoking during childbirth may be indicated for
pain and anxiety. Cannabis during nursing may increase milk but since it
Not so sure that it's use may be beneficial when breastfeeding though!
We have a bit of an issue with women using cannabis during labour here.
The babies are often born too stoned to be bothered breathing and they
can't be bothered trying to latch on to feed (guess they don't get the
munchies).
I really wouldn't advise it during labour.
I also would be very wary of a site called utopiasprings that purports
safety of cannabis, ummmm can you say possible bias!
We know that cannabis is implicated in drug-induced psychosis and a
higher level of schizophrenia amongst teenage users...I don't think its
a good idea to introduce it to a not yet born person!
I am about to deliver my seventh baby and used cannabis for pain and
stress relief with all my pregnancies and births. My children were alert
and all latched on to the breast easily. My labours were all uncomplicated
and I did not get unduly stressed or anxious, this I attribute in great
part to my use of Cannabis. Cannabis is a muscle relaxant, it is antibiotic,
anti-inflammatory and is a very affective yet gentle and safe analgesic
when used in correct dosage and with awareness and right information. I
find the claims that babies "were too stoned to suckle and breathe
" VERY difficult to believe. If that were the case us Rastas would be dying
out but instead we are on the increase!
Check the Indians use of Cannabis in their very ancient system of medicine
-Ayurveda, this should alleviate some of the hysteria and superstition
regarding this most awesome and safe medicinal herb. Comparing the safety
factor of using cannabis with pethidine for pain management during birthing,
there is no doubt in my mind which "drug" leaves us and our babies more
alert and healthier.
Research (Costa Rican report, early 80's) show that Cannabis babies
(breastfed by smoking mothers) were in general MORE alert, responsive and
outgoing than their non herbalized counterparts, and grew up with higher
IQ's and were more lateral thinkers.
Please contemplate this with an open mind and do more research before
you perpetuate negative propaganda, use of this herb helps liberates us
from dependence on a system that is in crisis and relies on people that
distrust the inherent wisdom, goodness and capable powerfulness that we
are.
Natural redheads have a higher pain threshold than others, says geneticist
Jeffery Mogil of McGill University's pain laboratory. Men and women
with naturally red hair can withstand 25 percent more electric shock than
non-redheads. And painkillers used in chidbirth work three times
better on red-haired women than on others. Mogil and his team
found that the mutant gene that causes red hair, melanocortin -1 (MC1R),
also affects how redheads (including mice) react to pain. Now geneticist
Ian Jackson of the United Kingdom Medical Research Council plans to study
redheads in the hope of developing new painkillers. Connecting the
gene to pain was surprising and exciting, Jackson says. "We thought
that MC1R was involved only in hair color."
Melanocortin-1
receptor gene variants affect pain and mu-opioid analgesia in mice and
humans.
is fat soluable it is also transmitted in milk, which as not
been shown to be dangerous, and may be beneficial."
Pain Thresholds
Mogil JS, Ritchie J, Smith SB, Strasburg K, Kaplan L, Wallace MR, Romberg
RR, Bijl H, Sarton EY, Fillingim RB, Dahan A.
J Med Genet. 2005 Jul;42(7):583-7.
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