Top 10 natural pain relief methods for labour

An an experienced antenatal teacher, I know how important it is for some women to have natural pain relief methods to hand during labour.

One of the huge benefits of natural pain relief is that these methods are completely safe for both you and your baby, with no lasting side effects unlike some forms of medical pain relief.

It's important to say that many things will effect how you experience the sensations of labour: the kind of environment you're in, whether you're being encouraged to listen to your body and move into positions you feel comfortable on, whether labour has started and progressed unaided or whether it is being artificially induced or speeded up, your state of mind, the position your baby is in and whether there are any complicating factors.

If you feel well supported, confident in your ability to give birth, and positive about working with your body, you may find that you are able to manage your contractions using natural methods pain relief alone..

Natural pain relief methods can be used in so many different scenarios too - if you're planning a homebirth, whilst you're making your way to hospital and whilst you're waiting to be assessed.

Whether you're keen to avoid medical pain relief altogether or just want to have as many natural tools at your disposal, I've got you covered in this blog.

Here's my top 10 natural pain relief methods for labour:

1. A birthing comb

My number one natural pain relief method for labour is squeezing a birthing comb - yes you read that right, a comb! This method of pain relief is based on the pain gate theory, which states that your brain can only focus on a few sensations at any one time.

You simply grip the comb in your hand, with the teeth pointing into your palm and gently squeeze when you're having a contraction, alternating between each hand.

This pressure activates your ‘laogong’ acupressure point and can be used to alleviate pain, promote relaxation and distract you from any pain you may feel during a contraction.

It's not advised to use a plastic comb as it may snap, so do make sure you use a sturdy wooden one!

2. Water

Using water during labour can help to create a feeling of weightlessness, reduce pain and give you freedom of movement, all of which help labour to progress more easily.

Birthing pool

If you're giving birth at home, you can hire your own birthing pool if you like. If you're giving birth in hospital, it's worth looking into how many birthing pools are available at your local trust.

Using a birthing pool has so many incredible benefits. Fully submerging your body in water can massively help to reduce pain and you might also find it comforting to have water poured on your lower back

Your birthing partner can provide you with lots of support from the edge of a birthing pool too.

A birthing pool is also a great way to achieve a very ‘hands off’ birth and midwifes have waterproof equipment they can use to monitor baby under water.

It’s also very safe for your baby to be born in water and babies born in this way are usually born much more calmly.

A bath or shower works just as well

If a birthing pool isn't available, you can also use a bath or a shower to support you. You might want to submerge yourself in the bath, rock or sway under a running shower or point the shower head directly on your lower back for some relief.

3. Hypnobirthing

Seriously though, Hypnobirthing is super powerful stuff!

One of the main things we focus on during a Hypnobirthing course is working on alleviating any fears you have around birth and really working on your positive birthing mindset.

We know that when we feel more fear about giving birth, we hold more tension in our bodies, and when we hold tension in our bodies, we feel more pain.

One of the aims in Hypnobirthing is to break this cycle by helping you to remove any fears or worries you have about birth.

Studies have also shown that Hypnobirthing works to effectively reduce your pain levels during labour and it's an incredible natural pain relief method.

70% of people using Hypnobirthing described labour as a pleasant experience - statistic from the Royal Wolverhampton NHS trust

4. TENS Machine

TENS machines use 4 electrode pads which are placed onto your lower back and send mild electrical pulses to distract you from the pain of a contraction. The pads are attached to a control device so that you can increase or decrease the intensity of the pulses as you wish and as labour progresses.

You can purchase your own TENS machine or speak to your trust about whether or not they have any you can hire.

5. Birth Breathing Techniques

Birth breathing techniques are such an incredibly powerful tool for reducing pain during labour. Breathing techniques work by triggering your parasympathetic nervous system to relax, which is effective at helping you to stay calm.

Practising slow, deep breathing sends signals to your brain that you are safe.

When we feel safe during birth, our body can relax and contract more easily an comfortably. Feeling safe also helps to boost our Oxytocin levels which is the hormone needed for starting labour and keeping it going.

This is exactly why all of my Hypnobirthing courses include 3 powerful birth breathing techniques for you to use during labour.

It's important to remember that birth breathing techniques should feel effortless and easy.

6. Aromatherapy

Recent studies have shown that using aromatherapy and essential oils during labour can help to reduce pain.

You could use an aromatherapy roller ball, pop some oil in a diffuser or even use a few drops in the bath.

It’s really important that you consult a trained professional before using any essential oils as they're really potent - Clary Sage especially should be avoided before 37 weeks of pregnancy.

If in doubt, contact a professional.

If you are interested in using aromatherapy during labour, my recommendation would be to check out the wonderful Take Five Aromatherapy.

7. Freedom of Movement

Being free to move in labour really allows you to follow your body and listen to your instincts, finding birth positions that feel comfortable for you.

You might want to rock, sway, squat, circle your hips, dance, pace up and down, kneel, stand, lay down…whatever your body tells you to do, listen to it and do that!

Moving instinctively can really help you to feel more in control and can greatly reduce your discomfort.

8. Massage

Massage can be an incredibly powerful tool for birth and is something I teach all of my Hypnobirthing clients.

You might want a full back massage, counter pressure on your hips or simply a firm hand rubbing your shoulder.

Massage & touch can greatly increase your feelings of relaxation, love and get that all important oxytocin flowing.

9. Hot water bottle

A hot water bottle can provide lots of great pain relief, particularly in early labour when contractions can feel very similar to period pains.

You could try popping it on your lower back or even in between your thighs to give you comfort when you need a rest.

10. Relaxation

Being relaxed during labour greatly reduces your pain levels. Relaxing our bodies reduces tension which reduces pain.

But relaxation is not something you can simply turn on like a light switch. Relaxation is a real skill that we need to practice during pregnancy.

Relaxation could be

• listening to a Hypnobirthing MP3

• playing some calming music

• your birth partner reading a script

• practicing calm breathing techniques

• visualisation

• creating a relaxing environment (think low light levels, nice smells etc)

• a comforting massage

• using aromatherapy or another familiar smell

In a nutshell...

There's no right or wrong when it comes to which pain relief options you choose to use during labour. You might even plan to use one thing and then on the day it just doesn’t work for you and that’s okay.

The most important thing is that you feel well informed & confident in your pain relief options and also have heaps of practical tools at your disposal.

Arming yourself with these natural forms of pain relief just makes sense - even if you know you want medical pain relief at some point, these methods can really help you to stay calm & relaxed during birth.

Love Emma

HypnobirAntenatal teacher

xxx