Childbirth is an exciting and long-awaited event for any woman. Before their onset, any expectant mother experiences fear and anxiety. If a woman becomes a mother for the first time, then she is concerned about the question: is it painful to give birth for the first time? Experienced friends, mothers and grandmothers can talk about childbirth as a painful trial. Women can even convince themselves that it will hurt. In fact, a lot depends on the psychological mood, so it is important to be able to properly prepare for the upcoming birth of the child.

Does it hurt to give birth?

In his life, every person has experienced severe pain at least once. Of course, the birth of a child is a painful process, but even the most tender woman can endure it, because as a result a miracle will appear that will eclipse and help forget all fears and pain.

Labor is painful if the expectant mother is not given epidural anesthesia, which suppresses pain reflexes. But then the woman in labor will not be able to control the process of contractions and attempts.

  With the approach of childbirth, every woman begins to worry about the pain that awaits her

First time pain

When a woman is about to become a mother for the first time, she is not yet familiar with this process, and may be afraid of pain. But you have to overcome this kind of fears, since it is they that serve as the cause of excessive strong muscle tension, which interfere with focusing on the most important thing.

Undoubtedly, giving birth for the first time hurts. This happens due to the long course of the birth process. The body does not yet have sufficient preparation for the birth process, so the first birth will become a test.

  Due to the duration, first births are always more painful than subsequent ones

Why does pain occur?

The birth process is a strong irritant for the body. In response to stimuli, the human brain transmits signals to nerve endings that provoke the onset of pain.

Childbirth is a physiological process. Pain occurs during the first contractions, contributing to the opening of the cervix. Uterine contractions cause severe pain, but subsequently they lead to the expulsion of the child.

Strong pain can occur in women due to psychological unpreparedness. Experts who conducted research on this subject revealed that more than half of women in childbirth are not psychologically ready for the birth process, as a result of pain they become more painful than they could be. Women initially set themselves up for something that will be very painful, and the body begins to perceive them as a danger to human life and health, as a result of which a protective reaction arises in the form of pain.

Fear is a completely natural occurrence

Of course, it is quite natural to experience moderate fear of the onset of labor. If a woman realizes that this fact cannot be avoided, there is nothing abnormal in the feeling of fear of the very beginning of the process. She understands that serious changes will soon occur in her life. The future mother begins to prepare for them, which will help her subsequently cope with her feelings of insecurity and fear.

How to deal with pain and fear?

  Physical and psychological preparation for childbirth will reduce pain

A woman is destined to be a mother. It contains a desire to have children, and to develop maternal feelings, which means that her body is able to withstand labor pain. And if the expectant mother is well prepared for the birth process, then it will be less painful. Physical and psychological preparation is important.

Physical training may include attending courses for expectant mothers, where specialists teach proper breathing, a posture that helps cope with pain. During pregnancy, do not give up intimacy with your spouse (in the event that the gynecologist did not forbid this because of deviations during pregnancy). This prepares the female genitals for the birth process.

On a note!Experts have noticed that women who actively live sexually during pregnancy give birth easier and faster.

Psychological preparation is the most important. The course of childbirth depends on her. If a woman constantly adjusts herself that giving birth is painful, then this will increase her fears and will not allow her to relax. It is important to have positive thoughts. You should not listen to the terrible stories of friends, or watch movies about childbirth, where it is very colorful to show how it hurts.

The future mother can prepare her psyche through various breathing exercises, muscle relaxation. You can just imagine that giving birth is not painful.

  Learning to breathe properly is very important.

How to relieve pain directly during childbirth?

There are several reliable ways to relieve pain during contractions:

1. The correct breathing technique.
2. The right pose.
3. Massage.
4. Childbirth in the water.

Given certain factors during childbirth, pain can be significantly reduced.

From breathing depends on the supply of oxygen to the mother and child. Breathing will help a woman to relax and direct the strength of the muscles to push the baby out. An important role can be played by breathing training during pregnancy. Daily breathing exercises will be a good preparation for the upcoming hard work.

Pose during childbirth

  During childbirth, it is worth moving more around the ward, which will reduce pain

It will hurt to give birth, largely depends on the posture of the woman. If the woman in labor will motionlessly lie in the process of labor, the pain will be stronger. It is important to find the right posture that will help you relax as much as possible and help your body undergo pain.

It is proven that with movement, the pain decreases. During fights, it is useful to move around the ward, and change the pose. Due to motor activity, normal blood circulation is maintained in the body, and the uterus receives oxygen in sufficient quantities.

If a woman in labor is contraindicated to stand up and move, exercises can be done lying down to help reduce pain. Thanks to the movement, pain can be significantly reduced.

Massage

In this case, this method of analgesia is used for partner births. The partner can massage certain points on the woman’s body. Massage is carried out when the fight begins and allows you to reduce the intensity of pain. It is usually necessary to massage the lumbar area, it is there that there are numerous pain points during contractions.

Childbirth in water

The woman who gave birth to a baby in water claims that childbirth is easier and less painful.

Important! Before giving birth in an aquatic environment, you should make sure that there are no pathogenic microbes and infections in the water. Water must be sterile.
  Recently, childbirth in water is gaining popularity.

Is anesthesia necessary?

As obstetrics, various painkillers can be used. Sometimes it can just be antispasmodic drugs in the form of tablets. They contribute to the expansion of blood vessels and activation of blood circulation in the uterus. Painkillers should not be administered at intervals of less than 3 hours.

A popular type of pain relief is. This is a more modern method of pain relief. This kind of anesthesia is injected into the spinal cord. Thanks to this method of anesthesia, numbness of the lower extremities and the lumbar region with the stomach occurs. The action of the analgesic substance lasts about 3 hours. This method of anesthesia is not suitable for every woman in labor, so it is worthwhile to carefully discuss with the doctor possible adverse reactions.

  A popular form of anesthesia is epidural analgesia.

What else can the intensity of pain depend on?

The intensity of pain during the birth process may depend on several factors:

• If this happens for the first time, then the process will be painful.
• If there is a chance of premature birth, then the pain can increase due to complications.
• When a woman gives birth to a fetus, then, due to its size, birth can be more difficult.
• If a woman in labor has chronic diseases of the internal organs, then everything can be complicated.
• When a woman in childbirth is well prepared physically, and most importantly psychologically, pain can be avoided.

If labor occurs without complications, then the pain is significantly reduced.

  The strength of pain during childbirth depends on many factors.

Get rid of fear!

When the expected term of labor approaches, the woman will have to prepare and set up her body for hard work, during which a long-awaited miracle will appear. The future mother should set herself up for the positive, and direct her thoughts to the good course of childbirth.

A woman may imagine that she is not the only one who gives birth to a child. She is not the first to be afraid that childbirth is very painful. Many women in different parts of the world went through this process. There is not a single woman who, out of fear, would not give birth.

Yes, childbirth hurts, but any woman can cope with it. The future mother should understand that she is not alone, she will be helped by highly qualified staff to overcome all fears and successfully give birth. In the modern world, there are many methods of pain relief, while our parents gave birth without it. It has become popular to have more than one child, which means it is quite possible to endure pain.

So, the main question for primiparas, is it painful to give birth for the first time? Women giving birth again are also worried that the pain will be much stronger. But as a result of patience, a long-awaited baby appears, forcing a woman to forget all the torment that she went through so that he was born.

"Can't take it anymore, cut me!" - came from the birth chamber.

I had heard such screams during my four days in the hospital every night. Surprisingly, the entire maternity hospital knew whether the birth was currently underway.

By the time I was discharged, I began to understand why a few hours later, when I was allowed to get up and go to the shower, I received a compliment from the girls from the prenatal department about how quietly I gave birth.

In general, there was no particular heroism in this. I did not hold back screams or groans, I just could not scream, even if I wanted to. It’s impossible not only to scream, but also to speak during a fight if you want to achieve pain relief by breathing. Any attempt to say something is breathless and therefore leads to increased pain.

Many people imagine that there are special breathing techniques during childbirth, and postures that help reduce pain. It is also known that they are taught this in preparation for childbirth.

I had a similar idea when I was expecting my first child. Then I did not consider it necessary to burden myself with the search for courses and training, relying on the strength of mother nature and the knowledge of medical personnel. Yes, and the existence of such courses at that time I had a very rough idea.

This is not to say that the first birth was unsuccessful. In general, everything went well, I had almost no gaps - only microcracks; the birth was not too long - 10 hours; the girl was born not large (3100 gr.) and received 8-9 points. My husband was present at the birth, provided me moral support, especially at the beginning, while I was still able to think something. And then I ended up on a bed with a dropper, they gave me an anesthetic injection, and my mind clouded. It was night, I was terribly sleepy, my head was spinning with medicine. My husband did not know how to help me, and stood behind me at the front, "quietly", apparently out of solidarity, taking upon himself at least some inconvenience. I didn’t own the situation so much that even when I needed real physical help (to massage, hold my knee in the bout), I did not guess to attract my husband.

Here is a fragment from the diary of my first birth:
"Contractions went every three minutes, and 60 seconds of torment gave way to two minutes of sleep. I wanted to sleep unbearably, from the medicine I had a veil in front of my eyes, but all this was unimportant. I did not think about the child at all, but thought only that I’ll have to go through all this to the end, and there’s no way to postpone my birth at least for a while to rest. And also: if it hurts so much even with anesthesia, what would it be without it? .. "

Perhaps these feelings are familiar to many.

However, everything passes, the end has come and my torment. The very next day, holding a newborn daughter, I remembered giving birth without horror. A week later, I was overwhelmed with pride that “I could!” And after a couple of months I was quite calm about the possibility of having a second child in a year or two.

Nevertheless, childbirth left a slight feeling of dissatisfaction.

After the birth of my daughter, I began to read a large number of magazines about children, and most importantly, I gradually found a lot of information on the Internet. Although the birth was behind, the topic of pregnancy and childbirth still interested me. And by the beginning of the second pregnancy (the eldest daughter was then a year and a month) I was already quite aware of the preparation courses for childbirth and the childbirth itself, their traditional and non-traditional methods, maternity hospitals, etc.

So, having hit the road "in the second round", I decided not to let everything go by its own accord.

First of all, I wanted to decide on a "birth plan." I will give one more fragment from my diary:
“For the first time, I had no plan, I just had a desire to give birth naturally. And now there’s something more definite.
  I want to give birth without stimulation and anesthesia. Together with her husband. Without a dropper, and not being tied to the bed, to be able to change position.
  I want the baby immediately attached to the chest. Maybe I want too much?
  But I want something nothing - so as not to interfere !!! "

So, the plan loomed more or less definitely, it remained to find a place where it can be carried out. I worked out the topic in sufficient detail, it attracted me, but, having discussed and considered everything with my husband, we came to the conclusion that this is not for us.

So, you should look for a suitable hospital.

This was not an easy task. Climbing the entire Internet, I looked for a few options. But the more I collected information about different maternity hospitals, the less they all suited me.

I will not bore the reader with the vicissitudes of my searches. I can only say that they were successful only by the 38th week of pregnancy. Quite by accident, I discovered a hospital in Dolgoprudny.

The head of the hospital turned out to be a very nice woman. She spoke in detail with me on the phone, and set up a personal meeting in which we discussed the details. My birth plan was quite feasible here, plus it was allowed to bring with me any things from home that could help during childbirth: a ball, pillow, rug, music ... At the same time, the price was simply ridiculous, could not be compared with rates of Moscow maternity hospitals.

To implement my plan for an ideal birth (now I can already say that without fear of the evil eye) I enrolled in pregnancy courses at the Spaso-Perovsky hospital. I managed to get exactly what I wanted from the courses: real breathing skills, position in childbirth, to watch several films, both domestic and foreign. In addition to this, despite my seemingly rather extensive knowledge about pregnancy, I learned a lot of useful information on this topic.

So, by the time of birth, we were quite savvy and morally in the best possible way. What happened next is best shown in the diary.

“On the morning of February 8, I woke up from a pulling pain. After 20 minutes the pain repeated, and after another 20 minutes I realized that I seemed to wait.

I took up my toilet: made an enema, shaved (of course, with the help of my husband). Contractions were weak. It seemed to me that the process was too slow, so I tried to achieve not pain relief, but rather pain intensification. To do this, I took the “frog pose”: I squatted down, spreading my knees and leaning my hands on a stool. This seemed to make the contractions more effective.

By noon, the contractions became more palpable. I began to apply slow, deep breathing (in four breaths - six breaths out).

At 2.20 p.m., contractions became more frequent and became more painful. We urgently started to pack up. At 15.45 we arrived at the hospital. I was drawn up, changed clothes and examined: 3-4 cm opening. I endured contractions, bending over and leaning on the couch. Deep breathing gave excellent pain relief. I just could not speak during the fight, so as not to lose my breath.

Finally, registration is over, and at 16.30 we were escorted to the ward. A doctor on duty examined me here. Disclosure was already 5-6 cm. The doctor said that the bladder was flat and suggested that it be pounded. I did not mind much.

After piercing the bladder, the doctor suggested that there were two hours left and offered pain relief. I refused, saying that I had enough strength for two hours.

After the doctor left, I settled down on the floor, leaning on a pillow. In between, my husband and I were guessing the crossword puzzle, during the fight I was breathing, and he was giving me a lower back massage. At this stage, the massage gave complete pain relief!

Contractions became more painful, and I switched to rapid breathing at the peak of the fight. The husband was still doing massage, which relieved pain no longer completely, but certainly half. After the fight I showed him where the pain had moved and where to massage.

Two bouts I carried her on all fours, this situation was less painful. However, it was less effective, so I returned to my previous position: sitting on my knees apart to the sides. In this position, I physically sensed the progress of the child. During the fight, I tried to imagine the opening of the neck, thinking about it was painful, but it allowed me to relax and not pinch the pain, but to meet her.

During the next fight, I felt a desire to push. While it was not very strong, I decided to take a few more fights. When this sensation intensified, I asked my husband to run for the midwife. Until that moment, we continued to guess the crossword puzzle in between.

The midwife laid me on the bed. The disclosure was already complete. We spent several attempts on the bed, but either I was pushing badly, or the neck was not ready yet - the process was slow. Only after 25 minutes did something start to turn out, and they took me to the Rodzal. But the contractions were still rare, and they decided to inject me with synestrol.

After hearing another fight, I climbed into the chair and began to push, although both midwives and the doctor were not occupied with me. I don’t know if the threat of stimulation worked, or the desire to quickly put an end to all this, but I managed to gather all my strength and move the child to the exit. At the next attempt everyone rushed to me, and from the intensity of the pain I realized that the heads were not long before the birth. “And without synestrol,” someone said. The midwife encouraged and gave instructions, my husband supported my head, which was also very helpful.

It was difficult, but I knew that the more I exert my strength, the closer the end, and I tried to overcome myself. After four or five attempts, I saw a blue-raspberry head, I was ordered to breathe with my mouth, the child was turned, and the next body gave birth to the whole body. I saw all this perfectly, because I was pushing as it should and did not close my eyes.

17.40 - the doctor stated.

The girl was sucked by mucus, she was wiped, wrapped in a diaper and put to her chest. She smacked a little while the doctor pressed me on the stomach and squeezed the placenta. I didn’t find a single gap. "

It remains to draw some conclusions.

Am I happy with my birth?
  I think they are almost perfect. I did everything as I wanted. I gave birth with almost no pain (compared to the first births that went with pain relief). I was amazed at how effective the help of my husband can be.

Would I like to give birth at home?
  Not. I needed clear midwife teams that allowed me to direct my efforts. And I needed a feeling that if something happens, help will come immediately.

Were preparatory courses needed?
  Sure! Women who go to birth without preparation cannot imagine how much they complicate their lives! Do not condemn yourself to torment, which can easily be avoided if you imagine what is happening in your body and how to help it. And of course, you need to prepare your husband for childbirth. Mine was only in two classes, but this allowed him to feel much more confident than the first time, and to provide me, in addition to moral support, real help.

Go to childbirth consciously, and you will enjoy them!

Discussion

Can. After the first birth I would not have believed. Then, for 2.5 hours, which passed from the bursting of the bladder to the birth of a daughter, I was exhausted with pain so that there was no effort left. And for the second time, the neck completely opened almost painlessly. Well, I moaned a couple of times, well, oh. And then, most likely not from the pain itself, but with a sensitive fight from fright, that now every subsequent one will be all the more painful and painful. But nevermind ... I hardly felt them. And when in the emergency room the doctor said that I urgently needed to go to the delivery room, because I had almost given birth, I was in shock. Not only did less than an hour pass from the bursting of the bubble, I still did not feel pain. The range of feelings was mixed ... I had an individual anesthetist paid for, but I already realized that they wouldn’t have time to do an epidural again. On the other hand, I realized that she was not really needed anymore. In general, they barely managed to lift me into the delivery room and put on compression stockings. A couple of attempts, and a daughter was born. WITHOUT PAIN and in only 1.20 from the moment of bubble breakthrough.
I understand that I was just lucky with genetics. My mom also kinda passed easily. But I did not expect that 1 and 2 times can so radically differ in feelings.

i gave birth in the same way as you only had your first birth :) and I had all the fights in the bath, everything is cool) now I hope there will be the same second :) without the intervention of doctors and so on, girls go to KVRS and sign a contract so that you don’t they didn’t cut it, they didn’t squeeze it, and so on, and if you don’t want to cook, you rely on doctors and free medicine, then doctors in maternity hospitals, as you know, don’t treat but cripple.)

03/18/2018 15:46:17, zuaaaaa

I hate giving birth. I just hate nature because it came up with a birth pain. I swore in my life that I would never go through this. Only surrogacy or adoption.

I agree with mos_ka, self-hypnosis does not help everyone! So why convince that childbirth can be painless, push women to torture, when is it better to give her the opportunity to make a rational choice? Drugs are really ineffective and harmful, but there is epidural anesthesia.

11/03/2012 20:33:12, Olga, 27

Good article, positive. And there is little positive in discussions. Add 2 words. Be sure to tune in to an ideal birth without severe pain, pain relief, etc. And do the maximum for such births: attend courses, breathe, study, cook your husband, LOOK FOR A GOOD Maternity Hospital. The latter is very important. Because, despite all the knowledge and skills, everything can go wrong in childbirth as planned. Well, my thyroid gland and adrenal glands could not “throw” prostaglandin and oxytocin into the blood for opening the neck for 20 hours of contractions! And patrimonial activity began to fade. And with premature outflow of water, this poses a serious threat to the baby, because he has nothing to breathe. And in such cases, much, if not all, depends on the professionalism of the doctor. Therefore, do not spare time and effort in searching for a good hospital, reviews of which do not depend on the amount of payments. Believe me, there are such establishments in Moscow. Good luck to everyone and don't be afraid of anything!

03/19/2009 3:19:20 PM, ate 04/19/2007 15:06:34, Anya

08/19/2005 03:25:02, Alya

Dear Anna!
  You can not compare the first birth without courses and the second with courses. The second is always easier because they are the second.
  Preparation, of course, is needed. To do this, today there are plenty of opportunities for every taste and budget.
  I think today few people give birth to "relying on Mother Nature." Screaming or not screaming, and what to scream - it depends on education, and not on training.
  Your husband really admires, for whom preparation for childbirth did not come down to checking the readiness of the camera and camera. He really was with you and helped, but was not present.
I would like to note that the connection between childbirth and pain is a stereotype ingrained in the minds of many women. It’s time to get used to perceiving pain and childbirth separately, preparation at the School for Pregnant Women helps a lot in this. If you wait for pain, she will definitely come. As it is written in one clever book about psycho-preventive preparation for childbirth (Obstetrics textbook 64 g.): "..., of course, all these measures are not able to relieve pain, but they are needed to switch the attention of a woman in labor ..." One belief that everything will be well able to work miracles, of course, this helps the course.
And I would say pain in childbirth cannot be classified as pain. This is an incentive, a criterion for the correctness of your actions, the well-being of the baby, the process of childbirth. For example, I have pain during menstruation is much stronger than pain during childbirth.
  I gave birth only twice, but I am ready to give birth to the third and fifth. And I wish you the same!

02/10/2005 16:08:46, Nata

02/10/2005 15:07:39, Nata

Is it humiliating to do an enema ????
And to lie, sorry, in the contents of your intestines during childbirth - is not humiliating ???

12/21/2004 18:47:17, Sled

Dear Anna, I read your article a few days before your birth. My husband and I went to courses, read a mountain of literature and information on the Internet, but your article, it somehow helped me systematize information and tune into childbirth.
For some reason, it turned out to be the most important for me that you paid attention to the fact that you need to be silent SILENT and BREATHE ...
I believe that thanks to you, too, I managed to give birth with virtually no particular pain ... (and by the way, without tears and cuts) ...

During pregnancy, every woman faces a fear of childbirth. As they approach, the experiences only intensify. Giving birth - it hurts or not, why pain occurs during childbirth, how it can be reduced - these issues worry many women on the eve of having a baby, especially if the birth is the first for them.

The answer to the question of pain during childbirth is likely to be positive. The pain occurs during the first, second and subsequent birth - it is impossible to avoid it. But pain can not be called critical or unbearable. If childbirth takes place without outside interference and in the absence of complications, then the pain can be endured if you behave appropriately and obey the doctors. Even if any complications arise during childbirth and the pain becomes unbearable, the doctors will not torment the woman, and, if necessary, will offer anesthesia themselves.

Pain is a defense of the body in response to an irritant. If the brain begins to perceive signs of a possible danger to the health and life of the body, it proceeds to transmit certain signals to the nerve endings. An example of this is any bruise, trauma, fracture - in these cases, pain becomes the first symptom of trouble.

Labor activity is physiological, so the pain that occurs with the first contractions is also a protective reaction of the body. The contractile activity of the uterus causes discomfort in the woman in labor, which gradually, against the background of the further opening of the cervix, develops into severe pain. This is normal, because the organs of the reproductive system have the task of reproducing the baby.

But pain is caused not only by physiological factors. Doctors say that 80% of all women experience more intense pain during childbirth due to the fact that they are not psychologically ready for this stage. The installation, aimed at torment and unbearable pain, invented by a woman in advance, will set the body to the fact that it will perceive labor activity as a dangerous factor for life and health. As a result, the pain will be higher than it could be.

What is the connection between pain and fear of childbirth?

Fear and pain are interconnected - every woman who decides to become a mother should know this. Fear of childbirth provokes pathological tension of the uterus and causes severe pain.

Stress and tightness during the labor period have a certain effect on the blood flow in the uterus - the vessels cannot expand in the proper volume. Against the background of constant tension, the smooth muscles of the uterus lack the ability to relax, even between contractions.

Due to the spasm of the vessels caused by the psychological mood of the woman in labor, blood saturated with the breakdown products of muscle tissue and metabolites cannot circulate normally and withdraw them completely. The same thing happens with oxygen - because of a spasm, the arteries cannot deliver it to the uterus in the right amount. In this case, a critical situation may arise for the fetus - acute, which requires emergency intervention -.

All this could have been avoided if the woman had been mentally prepared for childbirth and did not experience uncontrollable fear. As a rule, such women in labor do not have anatomical problems that impede the natural passage of the baby through the birth canal, it does not occur prematurely, which means that the need for surgical labor did not initially exist.

The tension of the smooth muscles of the uterus, caused by a strong fear of the woman in labor, leads to the development of an ischemic condition - there is practically no blood in the blood vessels of the uterus. Against this background, high intrauterine pressure is created, the baby begins to experience a sharp lack of oxygen - in such conditions it is difficult for him not to suffer and stay alive, since the birth is likely to be prolonged.

If anesthesia is done at this moment, then most often this step turns out to be ineffective - the fear sitting in the woman’s subconscious can even impede the effects of painkillers. Therefore, the only way out of the situation is an emergency caesarean section.

What fears are normal?

In addition to a conscious fear of childbirth, there is also an unconscious fear that is associated for a person with the unknown - the birth of a child and the changes in life that this event will entail. New serious changes, new life - all this can not but disturb a woman during pregnancy, and this fear is quite normal.

Also, closer to the end of pregnancy, women have a fear of childbirth, which is also quite natural if it is associated with the realized fact of the inevitability of the onset of the birth process in the near future. If at the beginning of pregnancy a woman thinks little about childbirth, since at this moment it may seem that they are very far away, then in the last trimester of pregnancy, especially in his last weeks, the realization that soon you will have to give birth and avoid this is unrealistic scares the woman.

It turns out that unconscious fear and female insecurity on the eve of childbirth is a fairly common and natural phenomenon that does not require an explanation of the nature of these sensations. Psycho-preventive preparation for childbirth, which every expectant mother can go through during pregnancy, will help to understand her feelings and cope with them. And do not ask the already held familiar mothers, it was painful for them to give birth or not, because everything is individual.

In what cases can a birth be painless?

Childbirth cannot bring a woman critical pain that she could not bear. Pain during contractions is caused by contraction of the uterus and advancement through the birth canal of the fetus. Such pain will be tolerable if the fear of the woman in labor is not added to her, which can strengthen her many times over. The physical and psychological readiness of a woman for childbirth is the key to the most successful and painless delivery. Calm, balanced mothers who are actively tuned to labor, give birth easier and faster.

So that the woman does not suffer from the question whether it is painful or not to give birth, does not panic for no reason, and has given birth easily, she needs to prepare for this crucial moment and know how to behave during contractions and attempts and relieve pain.

Psychological readiness for childbirth

Psychological preparation for childbirth, aimed at working on oneself, successfully affects the outcome of pregnancy. A positive attitude to what is happening and a sufficient awareness of a woman about all the features of pregnancy and childbirth significantly reduces the level of fear, helping to put the pain in the background.

A woman who knows the true purpose of fights represents the subsequent development of events. Lack of fear increases the chances of a less painful birth.

Right breathing

Breathing also affects the severity of pain during childbirth. reduces pain, facilitates the birth process and, importantly, gives the child the right amount of oxygen. You can learn the basics of breathing in childbirth in advance by visiting.

It is recommended to bring breathing exercises to automatism, spending up to 10 minutes on a daily workout during the day. It is not recommended to be zealous with prenatal training, as they can cause side effects - headache and dizziness.

Active position in childbirth

Another important factor in pain relief during childbirth is the woman’s active behavior. That is, a woman in labor should not just lie and wait for her fate. She needs to move around the ward, change poses, look for the most suitable body position during the next fight.

Movement activity reduces pain, distracts from it. During movement in the woman’s body, the blood flow level is maintained at an optimal level, so that the uterus is saturated with oxygen. If a woman in labor is not allowed to get out of bed, she can spread her knees to the sides, sway from side to side, and spring. Any active movement reduces pain.

Massage

Partially relieve pain in childbirth will help massage certain points on the woman’s body. Massage is carried out during the fight, which allows you to influence the pain impulses, reduce the intensity of sensations and relax. Usually, massage is performed in the sacral region with knuckles or pads, as well as with the base of the palm or fist of both hands. You can also massage the protrusions of the pelvic bones on both sides of the abdomen.

Acupuncture or Acupuncture

Acupuncture is considered an alternative massage option. With it, you can block pain impulses. The needles are set by a specialist at specific points at which pain is blocked.

Childbirth in water

It is believed that childbirth in water passes more gently and painlessly. This is true if all the conditions for such obstetric care are met. The fact is that water can cause infection, since pathogenic microbes actively multiply in it.

Childbirth in water should take place under sterile conditions, which can only be provided by a specialized clinic, and this service cannot be cheap. Considering other options is not recommended.

Is it painful to give birth with anesthesia?

In the form of anesthesia, women in labor may be offered narcotic analgesia with Morphine or Promedol. These drugs do not completely eliminate pain, but significantly reduce its intensity. As a rule, narcotic analgesics are used in combination with antispasmodics, therefore, the woman’s uterus relaxes additionally, the lumen of the blood vessels widens, and blood circulation normalizes. With prolonged childbirth with the help of narcotic anesthesia, a woman in childbirth can be introduced into a medical sleep.

But the pain is relieved briefly - for about 50-60 minutes. Using the drug after another is not recommended, new anesthesia can be carried out only after 3 hours and when opening the cervix no more than 4 cm.

If the disclosure is greater than or before the end of the birth, according to the forecasts of doctors, less than 2 hours remain - anesthesia with narcotic analgesics is unjustified: during attempts, the woman in labor will be sleepy and lethargic, and the baby may be born with problems of independent breathing.

After such anesthesia, the next day, many women complain of headaches and aches throughout the body - characteristic signs of drug withdrawal.

The second type of anesthesia in childbirth is. This is a more adequate and modern way of anesthesia, while the drug is administered by a specialist directly into the spinal cord. During epidural anesthesia, pain completely disappears, but at the same time numbness of the lower extremities and abdomen occurs. The result from anesthesia lasts about 3 hours. Epidural anesthesia has many contraindications and side effects, so not everyone is recommended to give birth with its use.

In this article:

Almost every expectant mother with the approximation of the expected date of the appearance of the baby begins to think about whether it hurts to give birth. Having read a lot of frightening stories from women who talk about excruciating feelings, which are simply unbearable to endure and having seen enough movies and videos where the heroines on the birth table scream to redness in their eyes, a completely understandable fear appears. As a result - the psychological attitude to severe pain, its expectation and, accordingly, self-hypnosis.

In fact, every pregnant woman should know the whole truth, be able to prepare mentally and physically for the upcoming birth, so that the whole process goes much easier and faster.

Why does a woman in labor hurt?

Pain is a protective reaction of an organism to a specific irritant. When our brain feels the danger of life or health, it begins to transmit signals to nerve endings. This happens during any trauma, when pain becomes the first sign that disturbances have occurred in the body. Childbirth, although it is a completely natural process, laid down by nature itself in the female body, leads to the appearance of this protective reaction. As a result of the contraction of the uterus, the expectant mother feels unpleasant sensations, which become more intense simultaneously with the opening of the cervix. For this reason, the first contractions are less painful than before the start of the attempt or during them.

However, answering the question why giving birth is painful, one cannot but note the psychological factor. It is he who causes the torment of about 80% of women. Just think that only 20% of women in labor experience almost no pain. And the reason for this is a moral attitude. A woman sets herself up for torment, so the body begins to perceive the appearance of the child as something dangerous.

Power of pain

The strength of labor pain depends on many factors. Consider the main ones.

1. First births are almost always more painful than subsequent ones. This is explained by the duration of the process itself, which decreases in time with each pregnancy. This is the most important factor.
2. Premature birth threatens with complications, so the pain is stronger.
3. The transferred fetus is larger in size, which in many cases leads to a difficult birth.
4. If during pregnancy there were threats of miscarriage, then childbirth can be difficult.
5. The health status of a woman is of no small importance.
6. If a woman is in good physical shape, performs exercises for pregnant women, then pain can be avoided.

Many compare the sensations during the birth process with fractures of several bones. Of course, this is an exaggeration, with the exception of complications. With a rupture of the placenta and bleeding, intensification of pain is possible. But in most cases, the sensations are not stronger than the level that the body is able to withstand. Remember that nature has endowed women with the ability to give birth, highlighting natural anesthesia for this.

Preparation for childbirth

The strength of pain depends on how correctly you prepare for childbirth. If you do everything right, you can completely avoid all the unpleasant sensations. There are times when women even enjoy this process. We will not strive for this, but try to prepare physically and mentally to reduce pain. The most important thing is to observe everything in the exact order shown and try not to get tired. Even if you have a second birth, you need to communicate more with the baby, and not be horrified by the upcoming process. How much time to devote to gymnastics is up to you.

Physical training

Childbirth is painful, but if you are in good physical shape, the whole process will be much easier and faster. As preparation, it is worth signing up for special courses for pregnant women. On them you can perform various exercises that increase the chances of an easy birth.

Gymnastics also affects the condition of the cervix. The time of the birth process depends on how flexible it will be. Therefore, intimate gymnastics is very important. By the way, do not cancel sex with your spouse during pregnancy. If there are no contraindications, then you can safely have fun in bed with your spouse. His sperm has a positive effect on the cervix - it becomes more elastic. An interesting fact was proved by American scientists: women who live an active sex life throughout pregnancy give birth much faster and easier.

If you do not have the opportunity to attend special courses, then you can find a video with a detailed description of gymnastics for pregnant women. Thanks to him, you will learn how to breathe correctly, control your body and the process of childbirth.

Psychological training

Other preparation methods

A few weeks before giving birth, you need to take a breathing training course. If you breathe correctly, you can find a common language with your own body. Water procedures will be useful, during which the body relaxes, the uterus comes to normal tone. Do not forget about massage. Only it should be soft, with aromatic oil (not harmful to pregnant women!) Or cream. Gently massage your sides, lower abdomen, and lower back. The main thing for you is to achieve relaxation, which allows you not to think about fears. Watch positive videos, pictures and don’t think about the bad.

Down with the fear!

If you are very scared, and there are several weeks left before the birth, it's time to get rid of all negative emotions. First, imagine that millions of women go through this every year. Yes, it hurts, but next to you will be qualified doctors who will tell you how to breathe correctly, support you mentally and offer anesthesia. Chat with mom or grandmother. They will tell you that before, women gave birth without any pain relief, but this did not stop them from having a second birth. Moreover, in many older families there were at least three children. And what does it cost you to endure only 4-5 hours of intense pain? It is possible that this time will be reduced by 2 times.

How painful it is to give birth to women who have already gone through this. That is why the second pregnancy causes more fear than the first. But, dear readers, the upcoming birth will be much faster and easier. Your baby will be born 3-4 hours after the start of labor. Attempts will not be so painful, and you will be able to get rid of tears and further suturing.

We give birth correctly

So, you feel the first contractions, you start to rush to the maternity hospital and you become very scared. What to do? How to behave? First, calm down. A little more and a meeting will take place with your baby. Secondly, listen to the doctor. Many women in labor believe that obstetricians are too rude, do not fulfill their obligations and are generally opposed to all patients. In this case, we can advise one thing - to think about the ongoing birth. If you do not like the attitude of doctors, you can not give a birth certificate, so now specialists treat women much better than before.

With severe pain, you can sing. This relaxes the muscles, alleviating the condition of the woman in childbirth. But shouting is not worth it - it will only aggravate your well-being. Try to relax without straining your stomach. Believe that this will make you feel better. During the fight, direct the tension into your hands, squeezing the pillow or sheet. As for the position of the body, this does not affect the pain. From the reviews of women in labor, you can find out that it becomes easier on the side, but science is silent about this. It is very useful to pat yourself on the stomach and communicate in a quiet voice with the baby.

Do not forget about breathing. If you give birth is very painful, it means that you are breathing incorrectly. A deep breath and a sharp exhale will relieve tension from the uterus and ease your suffering during your first pregnancy. In the future, you will be experienced in this matter and the second birth will be even easier. Watch the video, study the recommendations of doctors and at the most crucial moment you will be prepared.

Is anesthesia necessary?

As anesthesia, you can be offered a medical drug that completely relieves pain for 30-50 minutes. They can not be abused, doctors give an injection no earlier than three hours after the first. Most women give birth with this anesthetic, but the next day they often complain of headaches and body aches. They begin to "breaking". This condition accompanies for several hours, after which it disappears without a trace. This is not very harmful to the body, but worsens the general well-being.

The second type of pain relief is this. This is a modern type of drug that is injected into the spinal cord. Eliminates pain completely, along with this numb legs and stomach. The effect lasts up to 3 hours. Few people want to give birth with such anesthesia due to the large number of contraindications and possible complications. Anesthesia is injected into the back and if the procedure is performed by an inexperienced specialist, then there is a risk of damage to the spinal cord, which is unfavorable for the human body. During the introduction of the drug, the woman in labor should sit quietly for about 10 minutes, overcoming contractions without movements, which is very difficult.

Only you can decide whether anesthesia is needed. And if the birth pain is quite tolerable, then you should abandon drug anesthesia. Most importantly, listen to your body. He will tell if he needs anesthesia and how much it needs to be done.

Unconventional ways to get rid of pain

Now for the future mother a wide selection of clinics is presented, where she can give birth to a baby. If you are very afraid, then spare no money and give preference to that hospital in which non-traditional methods of delivery are practiced. Watch the video where women give birth in water, kneeling or squatting. So the process goes much easier. The first birth will not be as scary for you as many young mothers write about it. And the second child will appear without any particular torment.

Consult your doctor first, find out about existing maternity hospitals and choose the one that is right for you. This is very convenient - you can be hospitalized in advance, undergo training and safely go to give birth. Especially if the child is the first. You will spend as much time in the hospital as it takes to restore the uterus. This period is very important for the return of the body to normal.

To summarize

And now we will answer the main question - is it painful to give birth? Yes, it hurts, but it is quite bearable. You will be able to go through this test on the way to meeting your baby. Remember that if it hurts you, then the child is also not very comfortable. And the fear experienced during pregnancy negatively affects the nervous system of the fetus. Therefore, do not torment yourself or the baby, tune in positively and everything will go well! And how painfully you give birth, you will learn from personal experience. And using our advice, happily go for a second child. The experience will be very useful and you can tell other future mothers about their feelings or even upload a video if it was done.

We offer to view

Less painful childbirth is not a rare phenomenon at all. On the forums, you will surely come across stories about how a woman in labor did not notice contractions and arrived at the maternity hospital already at the stage of attempts, or even did not have time to get there. Many midwives and especially doules (professional assistants in childbirth) are convinced that if you give birth is painful, it means that something went wrong.

If childbirth occurs in a natural, physiological manner, then they are necessarily accompanied by the release of a whole bunch of hormones that drown out the pain. Here and oxytocin, which helps mom relax, and endorphins that block the effects of stress, and enkephalins are natural painkillers, and a whole cocktail of other substances that have not yet been studied. And the physiology of natural childbirth is such that in the last few weeks before the baby’s appearance, the process of partial destruction of the nerve endings of the uterus starts, which makes it less sensitive. And if childbirth occurs within the time allotted by nature, then the pain is minimal!

But where does the pain come from, about which many women in labor have heard, and some know firsthand? In the normal course of childbirth, the main source, oddly enough, is the very expectation of pain. This causes the so-called reflected pain. Even if nature works to drown out natural pain impulses, they are felt where physiologically should not be: for example, in the lower back, in the upper thighs, in the groin and lower abdomen.

In the vast majority of cases, second births are perceived much less painful simply because the woman in labor already knows what to expect and is much less afraid of the unknown! If the expectant mother is self-confident in advance and that everything will be fine, even the first birth can be, if not painless, then at least painless. Childbirth is easy when a woman in labor feels safe and understands that there are caring and supportive people next to her.

And so many experienced mothers say that birth pain is not perceived as an enemy, but as an assistant, indicating the correct actions of the body to receive the most valuable reward - the long-awaited baby!

Why it hurts to give birth: General course of childbirth

Obstetricians who adhere to the concept of natural childbirth believe that almost any woman herself can cope with the course of childbirth with minimal help from specialists. For this, a few conditions that were formulated by the French obstetrician-gynecologist Michel Auden are enough.

• The most important thing, Auden believes, is to avoid stimulation of the neocortex. The neocortex is the “thinking brain” of a person who inhibits the activity of the oldest part of the brain - the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. It is the ancient parts of the brain that are responsible for the safe course of the birth process, highlighting a complex cocktail of hormones and at the same time returning the woman giving birth “back to the roots” - the oldest instinctive principles that make the appearance of offspring a simple and natural process for all living beings.
• Any stimulation of the neocortex makes it difficult to appeal to the ancient instincts of procreation. Therefore, Michel Auden identifies several phenomena that impede the simple and natural course of childbirth, because of which they turn from a simple happy event, perhaps as happy, but not so simple, when giving birth is painful.
• First of all, it is a language. Talking with words makes our neocortex turn on to analyze spoken words. Auden gives an example of a woman who is in the grip of a tribal instinct: “She allows herself to scream, to do things that were previously unthinkable for her. She forgot what she was taught, what she read in books, she lost her idea of \u200b\u200btime - and suddenly she was asked what time she last urinated. A typical example of powerful neocortex stimulation! ”Therefore, a good midwife will be restrained and laconic, not distracting the woman’s attention from the process that completely takes her to unnecessary conversations.
• The woman's feeling that she is being monitored also stimulates the neocortex. The desire to find a secluded corner for childbirth is natural for all mammals. A simple understanding that an experienced person is nearby who can help if necessary is already enough.
• The next taboo is bright light. Childbirth is much easier if the woman is not under bright lamps, but in dim light. Mom, in the grip of her birth instincts, usually takes a position that protects her from too much light: for example, kneels and elbows.
• The secretion of the hormone adrenaline, that is, a sense of danger, is negatively affected by the birth process. During childbirth, the need for security is very important. The midwife should represent the mother, that is, the person who can provide protection, security and acceptance of any behavior chosen by the woman in labor.

Does it hurt to give birth? We are moving!

The longest and hardest time for a woman in labor is the period of opening of the cervix, that is, contractions. If earlier in the maternity hospitals mother was offered all this time to “lie and endure” under the supervision of a doctor, today in most cases the expectant mother can behave freely. Some rely on natural instincts, others rely on knowledge gained through special courses. Here are some ways to relieve pain.

Most women, when possible, prefer to endure contractions in motion or at least in an upright position. Someone begins to walk or dance, someone squats with his knees wide apart, someone gets on all fours and sways, someone rests his back on the bed or (with partner births) on her husband ... Swinging hips, changing positions in searching for one in which it will be more convenient right now - all this not only makes one feel better, but also helps the uterus to contract better, and the child is better to enter the birth canal. This is how birth pain directs the movements of the future mother's body in order to facilitate the baby’s appearance in the light!
If you still feel comfortable in a horizontal position, try to lie on your side and not on your back, otherwise the uterus squeezes the inferior vena cava, which is important for maintaining normal blood circulation during childbirth. When squeezing the inferior vena cava, the baby itself may suffer from a lack of oxygen, and the mother may develop dizziness due to the restriction of the flow of blood to the heart.

Does it hurt to give birth? Stress relief

One of the main principles of pain control pains - try not to strain! Excess muscle tension always leads to excess pain.

• Try to rest between fights (if they started recently and the breaks between them are large enough, it is better to try a nap in order to save strength), and during fights - relax as much as possible. A good indicator of tension or relaxation is the state of the muscles of the face: as a rule, the facial muscles seem to repeat the work of the muscles of the perineum, and if a woman has strained forehead and mouth, then the muscles of the perineum are also unduly strained. Therefore, if you have an assistant during childbirth, among other things, ask him to ensure that your mouth and forehead are relaxed, you can even massage your forehead gently.
• Singing on a low note (the lowest possible) also helps overall relaxation very well. Mom, as it were, chants her sensations, giving the pains out and releasing the ligaments.
• Water is one of the best natural painkillers. That is why in the most advanced maternity hospitals, chambers are equipped with a bath or shower. Warm water relieves reflected pain, reduces general stress and helps relax the muscles of the abdomen and perineum. Some people prefer hydromassage with a shower instead of a bathtub.
• There are simple but effective massage techniques for contractions: pressure on the sacral region (strong enough pressure with your fist or wrist is especially effective if severe pains are felt in the lumbar region); impact on the ilium (protruding bones on the sides of the lower abdomen, as it were, the corners of the pelvis); stroking the lower abdomen (light movements from the center to the sides) and stroking the lower back.
• Natural aromatic oils (it is very important that they are not synthetic, which can not only not help, but also harm!) Are rubbed either into the sacrum and lower back, or on the palm and wrist, or applied to the forehead on a hot scented napkin. Most often, in labor, lavender oil is used, which anesthetizes; pink (with a relaxing effect); chamomile (also for relaxation); clary sage (strengthens labor and at the same time perfectly relieves stress and tension).
• Various meditation techniques are good. For example, a woman in labor focuses on tracking absolutely all her sensations. The pain from contractions is, of course, noticed, but attention does not concentrate on it: the sound of the ticking clock and the cool floor underfoot become equally important.

Does it hurt to give birth? Here is the finale!

It will not hurt to give birth directly. The period of attempts for the woman herself is always less painful than the time of labor, but for the baby, of course, it is more complicated. Here the main thing for the woman in labor is the correct distribution of her own efforts.

To avoid gaps in childbirth and excessive tension, from which blood vessels on the face and eyes can burst, try to push to a certain point (the place on the perineum that causes the most vivid sensations) and mainly the muscles of the abdomen and pelvis. Do not strain your face, for this try to keep your mouth open.

If the baby walks along the birth canal too quickly, it may be necessary to restrain the force of the attempts. This is enough for the effort stage! And about the pains that arise after the appearance of the crumbs in the world, we can say briefly: they become dull if the baby is immediately reunited with her mother already on her chest!

Russian traditions

Russian patrimonial traditions have always been strong enough - which of us has not heard the legend about great-grandmothers giving birth in a haymaking and after birth giving up mowing further? This, of course, was the exception rather than the rule, but from the folk traditions many ways have come to us to make the resolution of the burden easier.

It was often taken to give birth in a bathhouse, or to take a bathhouse specially at the beginning of labor: not too hot steam should have relaxed and “softened” the body of the woman in labor. Usually the midwife entered the house with the words: “Help God to work!”, Dressed the woman in childbirth in a clean shirt, gave her a baptismal drink of water and lit a candle in front of the icons.

Unblocking the gates of the shirt, removing rings and earrings, and unwinding the braids of a woman in labor was considered the right means to accelerate childbirth. They unlocked all the locks in the house, opened the barriers of the stoves, the gate: after all, if everything is open and untied, then the birth will “untie” sooner.

The midwife throughout the course of the birth encouraged the woman, saying that everything was going well. Almost until the fetus appeared, women in labor could be led under the arms of the hut. The umbilical cord was tied to a newborn with a thread twisted with the mother’s hair so that the connection between them remained for life.

Text: Irina Ryukhova, natural feeding consultant, member of AKEB