Pain Management in Labor (for Non-Hypnobirthing moms)

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Permalink Reply by Linda Knight on December 30, 2009 at 8:25pm

Well I don't have lots of experience with this, but the one time I did assist in a labor, I simply used my most hypnotic voice to help the mom focus on calm, steady breathing, focusing on the baby she would soon hold in her arms, and encouraging her to relax. I will say I had somewhat of a rapport with her before labor (dad was my son's best friend) but we didn't know each other all that well, and she responded beautifully. They made me leave the delivery room when she was ready to push... and by the time I got to the elevator (about 5 minutes), my phone was buzzing to tell me that they had a lovely baby girl. I wish any one of my deliveries had included less that 5 minutes of pushing!

Permalink Reply by Tracy on December 31, 2009 at 7:41am

Thanks Linda!!

Permalink Reply by Melissa J. Roth on January 4, 2010 at 6:13pm

Using submodalities convert the pain to a symbol. Make the symbol bigger first so the UM gets the idea that it can control it. Then use whatever imagery you want to make the symbol smaller. Move it outside the body so the mom can watch it growing smaller. Put it in her hands first then have her open her hands and watch it intently as it floats up to the ceiling or out the window (if there is one) or, once it is outside her body, grab it and make a big to-do about flushing it down the toilet. Let her hear the toilet flush. It doesn't matter what you do with it as long as you convert it to a symbol, make it bigger first, move it outside her body and then have it grow smaller and smaller until it is a dot. Keep the dot in case she needs it for some reason but it doesn't get bigger than a dot again. Do this the first time in synch with her contraction so that as the contraction subsides the symbol gets smaller. Then she has a tool she can use on subsequent contractions. Reframe how you talk about her contractions. Remind her she is having contractions and pressure but she isn't breaking rocks in the hot sun of an Alabama summer (she is not doing labor).

Also, do something for her fear. Every mom has fear: fear the baby will not be okay, fear the pain will not stop, fear something will go wrong, etc. Once the fear subsides there goes a major portion of the pain.

Permalink Reply by Jo Moon, CHt. on January 9, 2010 at 1:44pm

Judith Pragers book is greast - I recommend it to everyone. The language patterns concepts can easily be used to assist a mom in stress.

The dynamic may seem different but change your belief about that and assume that you have instant rapport.

Permalink Reply by Tracy on January 13, 2010 at 1:43am

Thanks everyone, I've been in touch with Judith and she's given me some ideas to get started (I'm waiting for her book to arrive).

Jo thank you for the reminder of getting my own house in order first :)

Tracy

Permalink Reply by Jo Moon, CHt. on January 24, 2010 at 2:06pm

The Worst is Over is a great book. I take it to the hospital with me whenever I go and recommend it to all medical practitioners. Just remember, even though the mom may be experiencing what she is interpreting as pain, her critical faculty is already relaxed and she is in a state of trance. If her trance focus is pain, that is what she'll experience. Move her into focusing on comfort - notice your breathing and how comforable it is to take in each and every breath, etc. Once you have breathing under control, then move her to imagine a special place of peace, harmony, beauty. You know the words - and mostly what you will use is the calm tone of your voice and pacing.

I liked Melissa's technique of moving the "pain" (I always refer to it as discomfort - it tones it down) outside of the body and purposely reducing its size.

Keep us posted.

As you spend time in the unit, I would like to read about any moms you are able to assist with C-sections.