It is believed that labor pains and delivery pains are the worst kinds of pains in the world and it is only obvious that no one wants to make their labor even more painful. But even inspite of that, most women may be doing several things that could only be worsening their pains rather than reducing them. If you are pregnant and soon to go in labor, then you must know the top things that can worsen your labor pains. So for your reference, here is a list:
1. Lying on your Back
Lying on your back can really worsen your labor pains since not only does this put all the weight of the uterus and baby on your back but also makes you work against the gravity. Thus if you are in labor, avoid lying on your back and rather, choose a forward leaning or upright position.
2. Fear
Did you know that fear and anxiety of delivery or childbirth only worsens your labor pains? What happens is that when we experience fear, we tend to get nervous and this affects our breathing. When we have difficulty in breathing, our body tends to tighten up and this can lead to more pain. The best way to fight fear or control it is to be educated about labor, childbirth and get support from your partner or other people who are close to you.
3. Not having a Skilled Birth Support Professional or Doula
Another thing that can worsen your labor pains is not having a doula. What happens is that when you don’t have an experienced and skilled doula, you tend to feel fearful and this in turn leads to more pains. Thus it is very important to hire or contact a very reputed, skilled and experienced birth support professional as he/she will perform the delivery smoothly and will make you feel much more relaxed.
4. A Stressful Birth Environment
If you thought that the environment of birth didn’t have any effect on the pains you feel during labor then you are probably wrong. If things around you are stressful then that could cause tension and tension in turn could worsen the pains. Make sure there is enough support around you, a neat and clean environment is maintained and the surrounding are not too noisy or messy.
5. Being Dehydrated
Another thing that can worsen your labor pains is not being hydrated enough. What happens is that when you are not hydrated,the uterus doesn’t contract completely or efficiently and this may cause more pain. All the cells in your body are totally relied upon water in order to function properly and when they don’t receive as much water as needed, they start to break down.
This in turn leads to lowering of your energy levels, focus as well as your concentration. Thus make sure you keep yourself well hydrated during labor and have someone around you who can hold a cup for you to sip from a straw.
