5 ways to ease the discomfort of labour

[ 0 ] 19/02/2015 | liza

birth rocks malta

Guest post by Jacqueline Cuthel*

Whether you are at home or in the hospital, a first or experienced mum, there are many simple ways to soothe and ease the discomfort of labour!

Here are my 5 favourites:

A birth ball – these beauties can be used in many ways to help support you or your partners weight enabling you to rock or sway gently, to rest or to help get baby into the optimum position!
Frozen water bottle – brilliant for numbing areas of tension on the stomach, bottom or legs or cooling down mums who are in labour during the summer.
Massage – there is nothing more relaxing than having your partner or doula applying some soothing strokes to your shoulders, lower back, hips or feet and melting away any muscular aches or pains. Massage also increases oxytocin the hormone which helps your uterus during labour. Hand massages can also be lovely especially in the car en route to hospital or during checks upon admission.
Warm shower or bath – for those water babies among us this is the perfect way to immerse your labouring body, for a rest or relieve overall discomfort or long labours. Showers can also be used to ease back ache or aching legs.
Tennis ball – who could have known these would be so effective in labour? Placed below a foot, mum can roll it back and forth pressing into lots of reflexology points enabling her to be in control of her pain relief – also brilliant for the car ride and makes an excellent reverse pressure for lower back!

*Jacqueline Cuthel is a happy, positive and fun loving mum to two boys and her love of holistic health and well being is at the heart of everything she does. She’s passionate about helping others live a happy and healthy life. She generously offers us 30% discount on the holistic preparation antenatal workshop BirthROCKS*, 25% discount on the BabyROCKS antenatal workshop, and 1 free BabyROCKS massage class and lovely free products. Yoga classes for kids and Yoga mother and baby in Malta will follow soon.