When teaching childbirth education I like to focus on the mind of the expectant mother. Like many mothers, your ability to focus has been diminished and “placenta brain” takes over. You know, all the blood goes to that thing that is nourishing this very real person who is growing inside of you!
Mothers often think too much. We fuss and fret over little details that, ultimately, do not matter. Not all mothers are fretters or worriers though; some are very relaxed about this whole motherhood thing, which is great. Take it one-step at a time and don’t sweat the small stuff. However, a great many women do have a hard time relaxing and shutting down their grey matter. For these women, this can bring challenges from the onset of labor and into new motherhood and beyond.
After an uneventful pregnancy, moms generally enter the birth process with the common emotions of confidence, fear, or doubt, or any combination of the three at any given time. A confident woman that stays confident knows what she wants and understands how to proceed with the event of birth. There is generally one reason moms have easier labors the second time around, they understand what they are about to go through. Fear and doubt of labor is likely contributing to the elective cesarean rates worldwide. Fear and doubt are also very counteractive to a smooth birthing experience and can be a factor in the use of multiple interventions. Too many mothers have ended up in surgery because of her environment and her thought process. Preparing oneself for the pain and educating oneself on the realities of labor will not only help prevent intervention but will also contribute to a more relaxed and positive birth experience.
A laboring mother needs to let go of her mind and let her body progress through the birth process. Thinking and worrying can set off hormones in the body that can actually impede the release of oxytocin (responsible for uterine contractions) which is secreted from the pituitary gland in the brain. Thinking can create a release of adrenalin which can cause the uterine muscles of the lower segment to tighten which, in turn, may prevent the cervix from opening (how many friends have you heard say “I just wouldn’t dilate”).
A laboring mother needs to focus her efforts on the physical so that the flow of birth chemicals (hormones) can reach their maximum. If these chemicals are inhibited then the birth process will also be impeded.
Outside of fear, these situations during birth may cause a mother to lose focus:
Driving to hospital– many women find that though contractions were hot and heavy at home they have waned during the ride.
Being assessed in hospital– the couple will be asked many questions about what has been going on during the labor. The mother has to pull herself together to answer these questions, not realizing that what is happening just might be slowing her labor down even more.
Vaginal checks– this procedure while it offers data about your cervix can cause a mom to have an adrenaline release (see above). As well this can set a woman into self-doubt, especially is she has been 2 cm for week before labor rand now 6 hours in she is only three cms. You can just imagine! This procedure is also a very invasive one. The mother is expected to literally bare a very private part of herself to someone she have never met before. It there is any history of sexual abuse in a woman, this might just shut her down for good.
Being sent home– which is actually a good thing, as this is where the process might pick up again now that the mother is in a quiet environment. She might be stressed though and the labor might be more uncomfortable. In addition, there is nothing more frustrating than thinking you should be off having your baby and you are not.
Lack of privacy, too many strangers – Let’s be honest. The birth process is just full of strangers. This very private act is treated as no big deal to everyone and often privacy is just not maintained as much as should be. Unless you have a very tight birth team and you are in very advanced labor, this fact can keep your hormones from being at the right levels to birth your baby normally.
Michel Odent, MD and Grantly Dick-Reed, MD both support the idea that the psychological state of the woman has a great impact on the birth experience. What a woman thinks about herself and whether she perceives herself as a confident and capable birthing woman will be her greatest asset during the birth process. Knowing yourself and anticipating your needs will help enormously. Whether you are a woman that can relax in any environment or a very private woman you will need emotional support to create and maintain positive and relaxing surroundings.
Understanding the psychology of birth can and will have an impact on the outcome. Regardless of pre-birth plans, whether it be attempting a fully un-medicated birth or avoiding all discomfort during the process, knowing yourself and how to bring yourself and your baby through birth as smoothly as possible is what it is all about.
Visit the Birth Psychology website for more information.
Click here to watch an amazing birth at Welcome Jude Roman Fairbanks (turn on your sound!). Share your birth video or story with us. Email jen@urbanmoms.ca.
Patricia Blomme is a Registered Nurse and certified as a Perinatal Nurse. She teaches prenatal classes in Calgary and attends childbirth as a doula. She is a mother of five children, all born amazingly. She is a regular contributor to urbanmoms.ca.