The Fear Tension Pain Cycle is a phrase coined by Grantley Dick-Read in the 1920's. It refers to how a mother's experience of fear triggers the muscles in the body to tense up and as a result increases the sensations of pain experienced during birth. As you experience more pain, you experience more fear and the cycle continues.
Later studies conducted in the 1980's confirmed that if a mother felt anxiety or fear leading up to and during her birth experience, she was likely to report higher levels of pain. This can be accredited to an activated 'fight or flight' response. In these circumstances, the mother had released an elevated amount of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol.
The increase of these hormones in the body can have detrimental effects on the labouring mother. Firstly, her muscles will tighten. This is particularly an issue for the pelvic floor, the muscle group the baby must pass through on its way out of the vagina. If the pelvic floor is tense, more pain is experienced as the baby passes through the birth canal. There is also a greater risk of physical trauma occurring to the area due to the muscles being resistant. In addition to this, stress hormones slow down and reduce the efficiency of uterine contractions. This can prolong or even shut down labour. If this were to occur, there is a much greater chance of medical intervention.
While this may sound overwhelming or even inevitable, you can overcome it with intentional preparation. For most women, fear is the result of misinformation from their community, hearing mostly negative birth stories and not trusting themselves physically and mentally to birth their babies. With intentional work to release these fears, you can have a magical intervention free birth.
When we feel safe to birth, the body produces the perfect amount of oxytocin and endorphins to bring the birthing mother into a trance like state that works to ease muscle tension and release a flooding of the love sensation. It is only when the natural birthing process is interrupted, that stress hormones pick up again.
I have experienced both ends of the spectrum. I know what it feels like to have fear flood your system at the moment you feel most vulnerable and I know what it feels like to feel safety and love while bringing life forth into the world. My hospital birth lasted for 13 hours and resulted in syntocinon and morphine. My home birth lasted 6 hours and was completely drug free.
Don't let fear decide your fate. Check out my FREE e-Guide for Releasing Fear.
Jess xx
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