Throughout many cultures, stories are told as a way of passing down information from one generation to the next. As children, we sat with our parents or grandparents as they regaled stories to us. Often fairy tales that once had a sinister element, now softened to bedtime story status. While these stories are not held as truth, they hold a deeper knowing of something much darker, like don’t go into the woods alone at night.
Less obvious than the retelling of Little Red and The Big Bad Wolf, is a modern horror story that has been perpetuated through film, television, documentaries, even by women and doctors themselves. It is the myth that birth is a traumatic event, something that women and babies ‘survive’.
These stories matter because they create a baseline for normal. They show us what is and isn’t possible. We first learn about human potential through the powerful stories we share with each other. And what could be more powerful than the story of birth?
When was the last time you saw a fictional birth where the woman was calm, surrounded by loved ones, safe and supported? (Insert crickets here). Yet you could probably recall several films, TV shows, books and even documentaries that have a woman screaming in pain being rushed down a corridor for an emergency caesarean begging for help or laying on her back with her legs in stirrups and a doctor screaming, ‘PUSH!’ in her face. No wonder women are afraid.
What if I told you that this fear was a self-fulfilling prophecy?
Here’s what you need to know…
In the 1920’s, a doctor by the name of Grantley Dick-Read coined the phrase, the Fear Tension Pain Cycle. In his work with birthing women, he noticed that the more fear a woman experienced the higher her self-reported pain. He was able to deduce that this was caused by the increase of muscle tension held in the body of a woman experiencing a heightened stress response, aka, fear. And the more pain you experience, the more fear, and so the cycle continues.
Further research into the role of fear during birth has uncovered some significant factors that contribute to the use of interventions (pain medication and assisted deliveries) and the stalling of labour.
Firstly, it’s helpful to understand that fear stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, more commonly referred to as the fight or flight response. When this occurs, the human body prioritises blood flow to the limbs in preparation to defend itself or run away from a threat. Unfortunately, this means that blood is moved away from the uterus, reducing oxygen supply to the muscles that are working to deliver the baby and decreasing the effectiveness of contractions.
Secondly, the body releases stress hormones to support the activity needed to defend itself in the form of cortisol and adrenaline. These bad boys are epic in a fight, but work against labour as they reduce the supply of oxytocin and endorphins. Oxytocin is the hormone that induces and facilitates labour, causes contractions, dilates the cervix, and promotes bonding and breastfeeding post-birth. Endorphins are what keeps birth calm and offers natural pain relief. In combination, when labour progresses naturally, the moment of birth sees these hormones peak to create a sense of euphoria and an instant connection between mother and baby.
And lastly, when the stress response is activated, all the muscles in the body tense up. This level of tension acts as resistance to the body’s instinctive muscle contractions. So instead of relaxing and letting the uterus and core muscles do their thing, the entire body tenses in response to the sensation, increasing not only the pain, but the energy required to birth a baby. This can cause a mother to become exhausted before the baby is born and require further intervention.
All is not lost. There is a way to break the cycle. The Mind Body Integration Method outlines 4 simple steps to overcome fear during labour and allow your body to come pack into balance.
1. Notice Your Internal State Moving Into Fight Or Flight.
Your body will give you clues as to what state your nervous system is in. It is helpful to wait until a contraction has passed to begin this process. Is your heart rate high? Is your breath short and shallow? Are you sweating? Are your eyes scanning the room? Are you looking for exists? Your mind will likely be signally stress through the kind of self-talk you are experiencing. If you are saying things like, ‘I can’t do this,’ ‘Get me out of here,’ ‘This is too much,’ or you are experiencing the urge to hurt people or run away, these can be signs that your nervous system is in fight or flight.
2. Breathe To Interrupt The Cycle.
The breath is the fastest way to influence the nervous system. By using a breath with an extended exhale (try 4 seconds in and 8 seconds out) you are intentionally stimulating the parasympathetic branch of your nervous system, the calm and connected side. Try to maintain this breath for as long as possible to fully harness the wisdom of your body.
3. Interject With Self-Compassion Or Positive Affirmations.
Next work with your mind to change the internal narrative of fear to one of safety. Self-compassion can sound like, ‘I am doing great,’ ‘This is hard but I am strong,’ and ‘I am a powerful birthing woman’. And some great affirmations include, ‘Let go’, ‘My baby and I are safe,’ or ‘I was made for this’. Choose one or write your own to find emotional resonance with your words. The more connected you feel to these mantras the more powerfully they will work for you.
4. Release Any Tension You Are Holding In Your Body
Now take your attention back to your body to release any residual tension you may be holding. Pay particular attention to your brow, jaw, hands, pelvic floor and thighs. This help to reduce your experience of pain.
The beauty of The Mind Body Integration Method is that it can be used anywhere, anytime in the lead up to birth. Anytime you notice stress entering your body, begin the process. The more opportunities you have to use it before birth, the better it will work for you on the day.
You deserve to be able to tell a new story, one where you enter motherhood empowered instead of exhausted. Don’t let your fear decide your fate.
You can learn more about the above method and how to identify and let go of your own fears leading up to birth in the author’s new book ‘Release The Fear Of Birth: The Mind Body Integration Method’. Available now at www.amazon.com.
Or if you'd like to work with me one on one to support your birthing journey, click here to discover availability for my Fearless Birth Sessions.
References
Mozingo JN. Pain in labor: a conceptual model for intervention. JOGN Nurs. 1978 Jul-Aug;7(4):47-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1552-6909.1978.tb00925.x. PMID: 249349.
Buckley S. (2015) Hormonal physiology of childbearing: Evidence and implications for women, babies, and maternity care. Washington, D.C.: Childbirth Connection Programs, National Partnership for Women and Families. Accessed on 01/10/21 https://www.nationalpartnership.org/our-work/resources/health-care/maternity/hormonal-physiology-of-childbearing.pdf
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