natural pain remedies during labor

[Guest guest]

Namaskar Group,

 

I am assisting a mother who is currently eight months pregnant. She asked last

week if I

could recommend any natural pain remedies that she could use during labor. She

checked

first with her midwife who did not have any recommendations. She is open to

using

ayurvedic remedies or essential oils, or anything that is natural and

non-pharmaceutical.

 

In advance, I thank any and all answers.

 

Sincerely,

 

Kim Luchau

infant craniosacral therapist

Kaua'i Hawaii

phone: 808.822.4644

[Guest guest]

Immersion in water is the best that I know of for non-pharmacological pain

relief in labor, but does not always appeal to everyone (especially

kinesthetic responders who typically need to move a lot when

uncomfortable). Also, laboring in a birth pool does not need to mean that

she delivers in the pool -- some people are turned off by the idea of an

actual waterbirth, but laboring in the water can be really wonderful. I've

had lots of clients who get into the pool in labor and never want to get

out. I've heard some call it " the midwife's epidural. " :-)

 

--

*Wendy Hughes, CPM, LDM

Professional Home Birth Midwife

Infant CranioSacral Therapy*

Vivante Midwifery

Portland, OR

www.VivanteMidwifery.com

 

 

On Sat, Mar 8, 2008 at 4:18 PM, jivanimark <jivanimark wrote:

 

> Namaskar Group,

>

> I am assisting a mother who is currently eight months pregnant. She asked

> last week if I

> could recommend any natural pain remedies that she could use during labor.

> She checked

> first with her midwife who did not have any recommendations. She is open

> to using

> ayurvedic remedies or essential oils, or anything that is natural and

> non-pharmaceutical.

>

> In advance, I thank any and all answers.

>

> Sincerely,

>

> Kim Luchau

> infant craniosacral therapist

> Kaua'i Hawaii

> phone: 808.822.4644

>

>

>

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi All -

Even pouring warm water repeatedly over the laboring belly in the

bathtub feels HEAVENLY, though bathtubs really don't satisfy with the

depth of immersion preferred, having a devoted water bearer pour from

a pitcher gives wonderful respite.

 

Not being very experienced as a labor doula, I can only pass on tips

from others and invite others more experienced to speak up! Certainly

and by my experience, Vata pacifying warmth in herbal broth or herbal

tea or honey paste, massage oils prepared with herbs like ashwaghanda

with bala, boswellia, ginger and lemongrass come to mind. Yes there

are a number of essential oils that might be called on, and the client

history/issues as well as nose check can be assessed for best fit.

 

Ayurveda does find applying warm sesame oil on waist, hips, belly,

wherever Mama enjoys, in gentle full warm palm application very

integrative and soothing. It helps bring connectivity and grounding

to nervous system and senses, hence reducing pain.

 

Adding essential oils even lavender which is a mild analgesic can help

greatly. others depend somewhat on what other influences you want as

well as which tissue - strained ligaments lemongrass or balsam fir;

strained muscles again I'd choose balsam fir over others if available;

spasming muscles may respond well to basil or chamomile, overworked

muscles to marjoram but Im hesitant to use this one during birth,

better with voluntary muscles. Fear creates its tensions and pain

also, which can be addressed well with loving warm oil applications

and essential oils around specific emotional concerns, or just

relaxation.

 

If a woman really needs a deeper rest cycle or few, I'd not hesitate

to use valerian which is deeply grounding, rest inducing, and anti

pain. Helichrysum italicum is all purpose fo rmany kinds of pain, but

the quality level needed (low temp and pressure distillation, not the

usual in the industry) is VERY expensive and currently hard to find

due to its uses being embraced by growing number of essential oils

aware users if having to undergo surgery, instead of using allopathic

chemicals. (analgesic, sedation, anti-hemmorhagic, and post surgery

recovery results to name a few of hte benefits. But I am not schooled

in when to use/when not around influence on labor chemistry and

dynamics.). I'd think geranium a great ally at this time also, given

it's nourishment with mother/mothering issues, as well as emollient

for supporting stretching skin.

 

Blessings;

Ysha

 

> Immersion in water is the best that I know of for

non-pharmacological pain relief in labor, but does not always appeal

to everyone

[Guest guest]

Re: PerinatalAyurveda forum natural pain remedies during labor

 

Applying these wonderful oils on the mama's belly sounds so comforting

and relaxing. I do have to wonder how it affects the baby to come out

and have his first smells of his mother be that of sesame and

lavender. I doubt it could be negative, but a part of me wonders if he

shouldn't only smell his mothers naltural skin smell. Has anyone ever

addressed this?

 

Vicky York, IBCLC, CPD

 

Oregon

[Guest guest]

Hi Vicki -

 

Yours as always is iNteresting and honest thinking. My feeling is the

" should " is dictated also by what Mama needs to the extent also that

the karma and dharma of the baby probably has chosen whether sense of

smell most intimately around just maternal body smells vs some mix

with these supportive organic oil smells (or toxic hospital smells,

whatever!), all these factors influenced by what the Baby has come in

to do, experience, and overcome. Fortunately, the compassionate and

wise care options we can support with I believe too, can definitely

help change the negatives and give even better start. For all our

analaysis, thank God the intelligence and wisdom of MA Nature takes

many forms and channels!

 

There is another layer of discussion your question invites around role

of the senses in our overall growth to happiness and spiritual

awareness, peace, etc, including such ayurvedic words as the 3 and 20

gunas (qualities) in nature as well as the doshas. But I've

transitions to make this week too, will leave that as another teaser!

 

Lots of blessings with your Portland transitions - I have new contact

info for a doula there who is ordering the correspondence study and is

bringing down her Ayurvedic teacher from Olympia to do classes in the

area soon. Sounds like it may be a good connect but let's talk on

that when you are more settled?

 

Ysha

 

> I do have to wonder how it affects the baby to come out

> and have his first smells of his mother be that of sesame and

> lavender. I doubt it could be negative, but a part of me wonders if

[Guest guest]

Namaste!

 

I am not a labour doula, though I have heard many times that bhramari

pranayama helps with pain and the actual process of labour. Given the

cranio-sacral (ie throat-pelvic floor) connections and the stimulation of

the parasympathetic nervous system induced by the vibrations and sound,

bhramari theoretically would be quite useful. Likewise, I have heard that

japa and toning to be quite useful.

 

More on Bhramari:

http://www.yogameditation.com/articles/issues_of_bindu/bindu_10/bhramari_the_bum\

ble_bee

 

*(There seems to be a number of ways to practice Bhramari. I was taught

that the humming sound comes from the back of the throat, which gives a

slightly different sensation/sound than humming in the mouth. My

asana/pranayama teacher also tends to use bhramari with held asana or

movement and thus we rarely do the arm positions as described.)

*

Tanya*

*

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaskar Group,

 

Just a sharing......today I attended the birth I was

helping to prepare for some time back when I wrote

into the group. The mom wanted non-pharmaceutical

approaches to pain management during labor. Several

people responded. I was not sure what the mom would

chose from the list I acquired. We both decided on my

using warm oil and essential oils. I very liberally

applied both throughout the labor and she was thrilled

at the results! Although of course there was pain,

she felt it was always manageable.

 

The birth was amazingly beautiful. To watch her able

to find relaxation and power after applying warm oil

not only to her hips and belly, but everywhere, was so

inspiring. The father said today's birth was a huge

contrast to their first birth in the hospital. The

mom was able to be so present and connected with

herself and the baby throughout the journey.

 

My choice of oils came from what she was most

attracted to in her later stages of pregnancy. She

fell in love with geranium and to this I added ylang

ylang, gentle baby and a little peppermint.

 

Thank you all for such a useful forum. I could not

have offered what I did without this source of

wonderful support.

 

warmly with gratitude,

 

Kim Jivani Luchau

infant craniosacral therapist

Kaua'i, Hawaii

 

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