How would you describe it?

How would you describe it? Remember there is a difference in sensations between a labour that is left to run it's course naturally, and one that is induced with synthetic oxytocin.

So what does labour feel like?

The answer is it varies from person to person. I can personally only describe it as a menstrual cramp that gets more and more intense over time. Another way to describe it would be to imagine you have an upset stomach, the cramps you get with diarhoea but with a higher intensity. . These cramps may be felt in the lower abdomen or back, usually depending on which way the baby is facing. A 'back to back' baby (sunny side up) will likely cause back pain during labour. There are positions you can get into that will help move baby into a more optimal position though!

Other things that can affect how you experience labour is your environment, whether you feel calm & safe, your position/ability to mobilise and your birth support (birth partner & health care provider)

Being able to keep calm relaxed and confident is key as it ensures adrenaline is kept at bay. Too much adrenaline can trigger the fight or flight response, hindering labour and increasing tension and pain.

This picture was taken 30 mins before I gave birth. I remember thinking " I can do anything for 10 seconds!" Thinking that over and over helped through each contraction. This was a simple technique I learned as a hypnobirthing teacher.

What techniques did you use to get you through labour? . . . . . . . . #birth #midwifemarley #childbirth #birthprep #pregnancy #healthypregnancy #baby #hypnobirth #pregnancy #pregnant #labour #hypnobirthing #pain #education #babybump #bump