Childbirth without fear: advice from a psychologist

Trust in what is happening to you and your child

Conception, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding - all these are links in one chain that serves the main goal - the continuation of life on Earth. Although we say: “a woman gives birth,” the expression “through what happens to a woman, a child is born” would be more accurate. Thus, the center of childbirth is the child and the will of the Creator. When the baby is ready to be born, signals are sent from it to the mother's brain, and the brain triggers the labor mechanism.

Humility and concentration on the fact that we are fulfilling the most important task of our lives, helping the child to be born through ourselves, allows us to carry out childbirth meaningfully and with a positive attitude. Trusting nature pays off handsomely. After all, nature made sure that the contractions developed gradually, so that the woman could adapt to her sensations and her sensitivity to pain decreased, besides, there is always a gap between contractions for rest and in the first period it is always longer than the contraction itself.

What does this mean for a newborn?

When the birth process is difficult, this, of course, affects not only the mother’s body, but also the child’s. For serious complications, modern obstetricians and gynecologists use the term “disappointing fetal status,” recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). It includes symptoms such as irregular heartbeat, poor motor activity and muscle tone, and low amniotic fluid. The most common causes of “disappointing fetal status” are:

hypoxia – low oxygen levels;
maternal anemia;
arterial hypertension in the mother;
intrauterine growth retardation;
meconium (primary stool) in the amniotic fluid (the risk of this complication is highest when the expectant mother carries the baby for more than 42 weeks).

Another serious complication is perinatal asphyxia, a condition in which a newborn's blood has low levels of oxygen and high levels of carbon dioxide. Because of this, acidosis occurs - “blood acidification”, the functioning of the cardiovascular system and internal organs is disrupted. The baby receives a low Apgar score, and it persists for more than 5 minutes, he has a pale, bluish skin color, a rare pulse, decreased muscle tone, and weakened breathing.

Severe complications can arise from malpresentation, when the fetus, due to its not entirely physiological position in the uterus, is much more difficult to come out. Normally, the buttocks should be adjacent to the exit from the uterus, but in some cases it may be the legs, face, forehead, crown. Sometimes the child is in a transverse position in the uterus, and in this case it is completely impossible to be born naturally. Depending on the type of presentation, this problem is solved differently. In some cases, it is possible to correct the presentation by using the correct position of the mother’s body and “pushing” the fetus with her hands through the abdominal wall. Sometimes you have to resort to obstetric forceps or perform an episiotomy - cutting through the vaginal wall and perineum. In some cases, a caesarean section is indicated.

In one out of 200 pregnancies, placenta previa is detected - when the “baby place” is partially or completely adjacent to the exit from the uterus. This condition threatens severe bleeding and is an indication for cesarean section. The risks are increased with a large number of previous pregnancies, especially if they were also accompanied by placenta previa, twins and triplets, uterine fibroids, a woman’s age over 35 years, and smoking.

In some cases, problems with the umbilical cord are the source of fetal complications. It can wrap around the baby’s neck and press his body parts tightly against the wall of the pelvis. Because of this, blood flow is disrupted, hypoxia and asphyxia occur. If a woman's pelvis is too narrow and the fetal head is too large, it cannot pass through the birth canal. A caesarean section is required. Another problem that may be associated with a narrow maternal pelvis is fetal shoulder dystocia. The bottom line is that after the birth of the head, the shoulders get stuck. There are special techniques with which obstetricians and gynecologists can help such babies be born. However, this threatens the newborn with some complications:

injury to the brachial plexus and disruption of the innervation of the arm and hand;
fracture of the humerus or collarbone - in newborns they heal very quickly;
brain damage due to insufficient oxygen supply is the most severe complication.

Normally, the labor process lasts from 6 to 18 hours. But sometimes it happens too quickly - in 3-5 hours. This threatens the child with injuries, aspiration (entry into the respiratory tract) of amniotic fluid, and the risk of infection if the mother is in unsterile conditions, for example, giving birth at home or in an ambulance.

Following your bodily sensations

Trusting the birth process involves focusing on bodily sensations. Following the signals of her body, the woman takes those positions that help the birth process unfold and the baby advance; she contributes through her efforts to the birth of the child in attempts. Therefore, it is important to feel your body and perceive the signals sent by the contraction. In addition, the palpability and even pain of contractions helps a woman maintain a state of wakefulness during childbirth. The fact is that nature made sure that labor begins at night, when the woman in labor is not distracted by external signals and worries, and it is easier for her to concentrate on the processes occurring within herself. However, if the woman, as usual, slept at this time, the newborn would not be able to receive the care and attention it needs. It should also be noted that in the process of experiencing strong sensations, especially during pushing, a woman’s body produces adrenaline, which provides an emotional uplift during the first meeting of mother and child.

Labor: how to prepare for an easy birth

Prepared by: MedWeb

Every woman during pregnancy hears dozens of advice from doctors, friends who have already given birth, and consultants. When you register with the antenatal clinic, be sure to receive full recommendations. Some instructions are general (following a diet, proper rest, walks in the fresh air, taking vitamins), while others are individual and depend on the health status of each individual woman.

And if during pregnancy a woman tries to follow advice and recommendations and think rationally, then during the process of childbirth it is much more difficult to concentrate. But the mood for a successful delivery is an essential component of an easy and successful birth. What advice from doctors is worth remembering in the delivery room?

As you know, labor takes place in several successive stages, the first of which is contractions. The process is completely individual and depends both on the pain threshold of the pregnant woman and on the order of pregnancy. Practice shows that during a second pregnancy, a woman feels the onset of labor much more acutely. Perhaps this happens on a psychological level, because... the woman already knows what awaits her.

During contractions, doctors advise monitoring your breathing. This is one of the options to alleviate your condition. It is recommended to take one deep breath, three short exhalations. Breathe through your nose so as not to dry out your mouth. The second is the position in contractions. A fitball helps relieve pain; gentle rocking on it will relieve tension from the lower back and help the uterus open.

When the uterus is sufficiently dilated and the baby has descended the birth canal, contractions are supplemented by pushing. You may feel tension in the anus and the need to go to the toilet. At this stage, as a rule, the doctor examines and sends directly to the delivery table. The main rule when pushing is to clearly listen to all the recommendations of the medical staff. Any unauthorized action can harm both the mother in labor (internal ruptures) and the baby (with rapid labor, the risk of birth injury increases). It is worth continuing to monitor breathing, which should be deep and measured, because the child continues to need oxygen. The doctor will monitor contractions and pushing and tell you when and how much to push.

After birth, ask to put your baby to your breast. When the midwife takes measurements of the baby, the doctor will examine you for tears and, if necessary, stitches.

Once in the ward, set yourself up for happy motherhood and breastfeeding.

Accepting the experience of childbirth as a learning experience

It makes sense to think about the fact that childbirth is not only a significant event in the life of a child and family, but also an interesting learning experience in a woman’s life. The experience of knowing yourself as a part of the whole, knowing the capabilities of your body, feeling your involvement in the process of creation. Knowledge through doing, knowledge through living, knowledge through one’s own labor, mental and physical. The birth of a child is always a miracle and a mystery that occurs with our direct participation. Childbirth is natural, reliable and predetermined. The attitude towards accepting the experience of childbirth and the mood to live the experience of childbirth is an important component of psychological readiness for childbirth. With this attitude, when a woman is open to the experience of childbirth, the sensations she experiences are perceived as positive, as an opportunity to experience an event that is important for her and the child, to live these minutes with the baby.

Childbirth without fear: how to tune in and not be afraid? Psychological preparation

Childbirth can be different - painful and easy, long and short. The reason lies in the fact that women are different, and they come to the maternity hospital with different attitudes. The connection between the psychological and emotional state of a woman in labor and the nature of her birth is justified by both scientists and doctors. In this article we will talk about what methods of psychological preparation before childbirth exist, whether childbirth is possible without pain and fear, and how to achieve this.

Relaxation is the key to promoting natural labor

Childbirth is a long process. And it is important to distribute your strength so that you can rest for most of the first period, while low-intensity contractions are going on. This will allow, firstly, not to interfere with the development of labor, and, secondly, to save strength for the last hour of the first period, when contractions become frequent and very noticeable, and in order to perform physical work in pushing. Particularly important is relaxation of the pelvic area (in the first and second periods) and relaxation of the mouth (relaxation of the orbicularis oris muscles correlates with relaxation of the cervix). A woman's tense state deprives her of natural pain relief during childbirth. During contractions, natural “drugs” are produced - endorphin hormones, they are also called “joy hormones”, and the peak release of endorphins occurs during the period when the baby passes through the cervix, which is especially rich in pain receptors. However, stress hormones inhibit the production of endorphins, and a woman in a state of tension is deprived of natural pain relief.

Why is there fear of childbirth?

Let's look at two reasons related to childbirth.

The first reason is the accumulation of negative information.

We have already said that often women who have given birth, when talking about childbirth, essentially share their negative scenarios and experiences of unresolved problems. These scenarios are assigned to a nulliparous woman, and are subsequently implemented by her during labor.

In my practice, I quite often deal with clients who have negative scenarios and fears. Guess who is more afraid and, as a result, has a harder time giving birth? Oddly enough, these are doctors! It's not hard to see why. They know a lot. Due to the nature of their activities, even just starting from medical school, they are faced with various options for the unfavorable course of labor, complications, and consequences that have a negative impact on the life and health of the child. Yes, they receive information about pathology, but, unfortunately, they are not taught what to do with it (and, most importantly, with their emotions, feelings, fears) at the medical academy.

Substitute scripts! Your task is to free yourself from the scripts of other people's negative experiences! You can erase it like an eraser erases a drawing on paper. Or describe it in detail and burn it. Or firmly separate your thoughts and feelings from the thoughts, feelings and experiences of the other woman. “She is she, and I am me.” “I have my own life, my own experience and my own birth. I am different". Create your own scenario for a successful, comfortable birth, imagining a successful birth process - all actions, feelings, emotions. Play this movie several times.

Another reason for fear is the lack of awareness about the normal or positive course of childbirth. Unfortunately, even in our time, a woman often goes into childbirth completely unprepared, knowing nothing about how it proceeds and how she should act.

Nature takes care of a woman during childbirth. She programmed the entire birth process well. The main thing is to understand it. Tune in to it.
Nature prepares a woman to perceive pain. Pain will not come to you suddenly. You will have time to prepare.
You will not be given more pain than you are willing to bear. The intensity of pain in each individual contraction and in the dynamics of all births will increase gradually.
Nature also takes care of a woman by the fact that during childbirth the protective mechanisms of the psyche are activated. Their purpose is to protect the consciousness of the woman in labor from shocks. Let's name some of them.

Depersonalization. The woman has the feeling that everything is happening not to her, but to someone else.

Derealization. There is a feeling that the events are not real, and the real birth takes place in a different, special, perhaps more solemn atmosphere. And now, for example, there is a rehearsal that may end.

A woman can get “lost in time” with the feeling that she has been giving birth for an eternity, or, on the contrary, that only a few minutes have passed.

And one more important fact of caring for a woman in labor. Immediately after the birth of a child, a powerful hormonal release occurs. The pain is forgotten very quickly. New forces and greater activity are emerging. Nature is a wonderful director! Just trust her, understand her. Childbirth is a natural process!

Focusing on helping the baby through labor

A good physiological birth has a positive effect on the child’s physical and mental health and his ability to adapt. Childbirth is the first serious stress for a child, the first experience of facing a situation of uncertainty. However, in contrast to subsequent life circumstances, such as meeting an unknown world, entering kindergarten and school, moving, etc., his direct physiological connection with his mother is maintained during childbirth. Her state of mind - calm or panic, fear or pleasure - influences her hormonal (emotional) background and the course of the birth process. A woman is assisted in childbirth by a doctor, a midwife and people close to her, and the child has one assistant - the mother. And if a mother sees her task as helping her child cope with a difficult situation, then this has a positive effect on her perception of childbirth. Any mother knows: during an epidemic, when she and the baby are sick at the same time, focusing on caring for the baby, the mother stops feeling her own illness. Similarly, during childbirth, a woman who is focused on helping the child stops listening to painful sensations in her own body.

During childbirth, not only a child is born, his mother is born. The qualities of a mother develop in the process of interaction with the child. Childbirth allows the most important quality of a mother to manifest itself - patience.

UZ "Mogilev City Emergency Hospital"

The second stage of labor is the period of expulsion. It begins after the cervix is fully dilated and ends with the birth of the baby. The duration of the expulsion period for primiparous women is 1-2 hours, for multiparous women – 15-30 minutes. Here, in addition to strong contractions, contractions of the muscles of the abdominal wall, diaphragm and pelvic floor, and a feeling of pressure on the rectum are added - this condition is called pushing.

During the expulsion period, the woman in labor is in the delivery room on a special bed, in a supine position with her legs bent at the hip and knee joints. The head end of the bed is raised. In a semi-sitting position, the axis of the uterus and the axis of the small pelvis coincide, which improves the advancement of the head along the birth canal. At the moment of pushing, in order to strengthen it, the woman in labor holds the bed with her hands and rests her feet on the stand. It is necessary to prepare a sterile package for the initial treatment of a newborn and a set of sterile linen - a blanket and 3 diapers, heated to 40*C. The pubis, inner thighs, external genitalia, and perineum are treated.

The average duration of each push is 10–15 seconds. Usually during one contraction a woman feels the need to push an average of three times . And although contractions are the strongest at this point, most women say that when pushing joined the contractions, they became less painful. Pushing, unlike contractions, can be controlled - a woman can delay pushing or, conversely, intensify it. If the doctor or midwife still prohibits pushing, then the “doggy style” breathing technique will help to restrain the efforts. Usually the midwife says: “Don’t push, just breathe!” Then you need to breathe shallowly with short inhalations and exhalations.

How to push correctly? When starting to push, you should always listen to your doctor or midwife. If the midwife says: “Push!”, you need to:

At the moment when it is time to push, the woman in labor needs to take in full lungs of air, inhaling through her mouth and holding her breath, as before immersing herself in water, while keeping her shoulders down. You need to exhale very smoothly through a slightly open mouth. This is how you need to act until the end of the attempt. The most important thing is the pushing movement and all the woman’s efforts should be directed towards the perineum.
During each contraction you need to push three times.

3. You need to push smoothly, and between pushes you need to rest and prepare yourself for work.

Attempts are the main moment of childbirth; the outcome of the birth and the condition of the child depend on them. Therefore, even if you no longer have the strength, you need to gather your will into a fist and start pushing. It is very important to take deep, calm breaths between contractions. This will allow you to gain strength before the next contraction and effectively carry out the next push. In between attempts, the doctor will listen to the baby's heartbeat with a CTG sensor or an obstetric stethoscope. Pushing is hard and painful, but this is very important for the baby: at this moment it is also difficult for him, and only the mother can help.

If during pushing there is a possibility of a rupture of the perineum, then the doctor makes an incision - an episiotomy. As soon as the fetal head stops hiding in the pelvis, the midwife takes the newborn baby into the world.

Immediately after the head appears, it clears the baby's airways and he cries for the first time. The baby is laid on the mother's stomach, the baby takes his first breath and lights up the delivery room with a long-awaited cry. At the same time, the midwife dries the baby's wet skin with a warm diaper, then the umbilical cord is cut, and the pediatrician assesses the baby's condition using the Apgar scale. The baby is handed over to the mother and applied to the breast. This way he warms up and adapts to the environment, and the mother’s body begins to produce oxytocin, which triggers the process of milk formation and causes postpartum contractions of the uterus. It is in skin-to-skin contact with his mother that his acquaintance with the world begins. At this time, an invisible psycho-emotional connection arises between mother and child, which in the future will become the basis for the formation of attachment between them. The first 20 minutes after birth are a period of relaxation for the baby. During this period, he regains strength after hard work. After 20 minutes, the next phase begins - awakening. The baby begins to move, turns his head, unclenches his fists and tries to crawl. With the beginning of physical activity, the baby comes to the first feeling of hunger. It is very important that the baby finds and takes the breast at the moment the search reflex appears. The baby begins to open his mouth, clench and unclench his palms, then he begins to crawl, raising his head and pushing off with his legs and elbows, towards his mother’s chest.

In the second stage of labor - pushing and expulsion of the fetus, the role of the partner is moral support: you can simply hold the woman in labor, wipe the sweat from her forehead and help her breathe correctly (at the doctor’s command).

For the father of a child, a partner birth is an opportunity to help his beloved woman during childbirth, see how the child is born and hold him in his arms. This is how unbreakable bonds are formed between all family members.

How can a mother help her child?

Communicating with him on the eve of the birth, she mentally prepares him for the upcoming exit, tells how she and his dad are waiting for him, arranging his room and that the world into which the child will come is beautiful and hospitable. In positive words, mom describes the road ahead, the way out - the light at the end of a difficult path - and their meeting. During a fight, the mother remembers how difficult it is for the child in a changing world, and supports him: “Everything is fine. I'm with you". Each contraction can be imagined as a child’s step towards his mother’s embrace. At the end of the contraction, the mother approves of the baby and praises him. And so they move together from contraction to contraction throughout the first stage of labor. In her attempts, the mother’s task is to separate the child nourished by her body from herself and hand him over to the big world. At the end of the birth, the main reward awaits her - the opportunity to embrace the newborn in her arms. They have a long way ahead, but, as in childbirth, the mother will continue to perform her two main functions - to accompany the child with her care and love and to separate him from herself, so that at the end of the road she will see him firmly standing on his own feet, having built own relationship with the world.

How to reduce pain during childbirth?

This can be achieved in different ways.

Physical exercise

Childbirth is a process that requires physical endurance. Special physical exercises performed during pregnancy will help prepare for this and reduce pain. During such exercises, the muscles of the back, abdomen, and pelvis are strengthened, and the body's endurance increases. Women in good physical shape give birth easier than those who avoided physical exercise during pregnancy.

If it is not possible to resort to the services of a professional instructor who will select an individual training program, then you can perform the following exercises yourself with the permission of your attending physician:

squats (to strengthen the pelvic and abdominal muscles);
bending in a sitting position, legs extended (increasing the elasticity of the ligaments);
moving your arms with a towel behind your head for a few seconds, your shoulders should be higher than your elbows (strengthening your back muscles);
performing Kegel exercises (strengthening the pelvic floor);
maximum leg extension in a lying position, holding them for up to 30 seconds (strengthening the thigh muscles).

It is recommended to repeat the exercises up to 10 times on a gymnastic mat. Simultaneously with physical gymnastics, it is necessary to train breathing. Knowing how to breathe correctly will help a woman control the pain of labor.

Perineal massage

Perineal massage, performed starting in the middle of the second trimester of pregnancy, will minimize the likelihood of perineal rupture and pain associated with this complication. This is especially true for those who have experienced ruptures from previous births, which is associated with reduced elasticity of scar tissue. The frequency of massage is once a week at the beginning of pregnancy, after the 30th week - twice a week, and in the last weeks - daily.

If it is difficult to carry out the procedure on your own, you can use the help of your husband. To do this, you should purchase special oil for perineal massage or almond, sesame, olive, or sunflower.

Psychological attitude

A woman’s psychological mood largely determines the normal and painless course of childbirth. An easy, pain-free birth is an integral part of the positive attitude of the expectant mother. There is no need to look for and collect negative information or experiences of other mothers; the feelings of each woman in labor are individual.

It is necessary to understand that the main task of a mother is to help her long-awaited baby come into the world. And for this you need to do everything possible. A woman must remember that our thoughts can materialize, so we only need to think about good things!

Psychologists recommend that the expectant mother tame her fear and make it an ally. What does it mean? You need to deal with your fears. If a woman is afraid to be alone, she should consider the possibility of partner birth. If your main fear is pain, then you need to learn to breathe and relax.

To ensure childbirth is pain-free, you can read a good book about this process. Information from the literature will help you cope with the fear of the unknown. As such a source of information, we can recommend the world-famous book “Childbirth without pain and fear” (second title “Childbirth without violence”), authored by obstetrician-gynecologist Frederic Leboyer.

If a woman is afraid of insufficient qualifications of medical personnel, then it is worth agreeing with a doctor who inspires trust in advance.

Breathing technique

Special breathing exercises can be of great help in pain relief during labor. It is best to master it by attending courses for pregnant women, but you can master it on your own.

Breathing during childbirth should be different: light, deep, shallow, and calm. It all depends on the stage of the process. But you need to learn this in advance in order to bring the technique of proper breathing to automaticity. This will help control pain and avoid panic during labor.

Medication technique

In most cases, pain experienced during normal labor does not require medical anesthesia. But sometimes pain relief with medications may be required. The need for such intervention is determined by the doctor, and the woman in labor must be informed about this.

It is possible to discuss the methods of anesthesia accepted in a particular medical institution even before the birth at the stage of concluding a contract. But you need to remember that any medicine can negatively affect both the baby’s health and the mother’s well-being. Therefore, anesthesia should be used only on the recommendation of an obstetrician.

In order for childbirth to take place without pain and fear, you need physical (physical education and breathing exercises), psychological (the right positive attitude) and informational preparation (a book about childbirth, films, special courses).

The expectant mother must remember that the birth of a baby is not horror, pain and fear. First of all, it is hard work aimed at ensuring that the child is born healthy. You shouldn’t be afraid or panic; you need to do everything to subdue your fear.

Author: Veronika Ivanova, especially for Mama66.ru

Interaction with a doctor

And finally, it is important to establish interaction and find a common language with the doctor assisting in childbirth. Mom informs him about important moments of the birth process: about the outpouring of water, about the desire to push; about unusual sensations that she may experience, for example: spots before her eyes, cold sweat, and anything else that may bother her. It’s a good idea if a woman, before the onset of labor or upon arrival at the maternity hospital, discusses with the doctor some important issues for her, for example, the issue of placing the baby on her stomach after childbirth, pain relief and other issues that concern her.

Marina Evgenievna Lanzburg, psychologist School of Fathers and Mothers, preparation for childbirth -

Contact a perinatal psychologist

Before giving birth: 4 tips that will create the right mood

The main four factors that will help you prepare for childbirth are fighting fear, proper nutrition, gymnastics, and breathing exercises.

We will tell you today how to manage everything and do it right.

Removing the fear of childbirth

Of course, every woman is afraid to give birth. Are you worried that something will go wrong? Even if this unforgettable event has already happened in her life, there is still fear. And what can we say about those who cross the threshold of the maternity hospital for the first time. And how to cope with this condition?

First tip: look at your fear as a helper . After all, it is precisely thanks to the sudden influx of thoughts along the lines of “what if?” We regularly listen to and count the kicks inside the abdomen to make sure the baby is okay.

It is fear that drives us, weak and hungry, to the laboratory in the morning to get our blood tested on time. It is precisely because of the fear that something might go wrong during pregnancy that we regularly measure our blood pressure, monitor our diet, and read smart books and magazines. Is it true that if you look at fear from this point of view, then it no longer turns into an enemy, but into an ally?

Second tip: create positivity from negativity . For example, if you think that childbirth is dangerous and traumatic, replace this phrase with the more positive “giving birth is safe and natural.” Creating positive affirmations - self-hypnosis formulas that can tune the mind to a positive wave, help not only to relieve anxiety that hinders movement and thoughts. Thanks to them, you can trust that everything will really go well, but your confidence is already a big part of the matter!