Alternative therapies aid painless natural birthing
Published On: November 9, 2009, 1:19 am
By Ishpreet Bindra
By Ishpreet Bindra
While thinking of natural birthing instantly brings labour pains to mind, doctors today are eagerly turning to alternative therapies to ensure a painless natural birthing process, devoid of all pain killing medication.
Studies have identified that the drop in the oxytocin levels of a women during the process of giving birth leads to a decrease in effective contractions which prolongs the process of giving birth and the discomfort to the mother as well.
The drop in oxytocin levels are said to be seen due to stress experienced by the woman during labour pains.
It is due to this reason that there is a rise in the use of alternative therapies like –aromatherapy, acupressure, acupuncture and hypno-birthing during labour pains. These trendy new birthing techniques help to relax the mother and increase her oxytocin levels, make birth quicker and easier.
In India, these methods are new and are available at expensive birth boutiques. It’s a new terminology, a new concept and a new technique to make birthing a process a happy one, worth remembering.
Speaking about the new the alternative therapy techniques and the way they increase the oxytocin levels, says gynaecologist Shivani Sachdev of Delhi’s Fortis La Femme hospital said:
“The high oxytocin levels help in contractions during labour and quicker birth.”
Hospitals today are doing everything that they can to make the process a calm and happy one. Be it a good and relaxing back massage, or playing the sound of rain, or the favourite songs; they do it all, to make the woman feel in charge of her situation, but, for a price.
Dr Urvashi Sehgal, gynaecologist, says:
“Every month, some 15-20 women at Delhi’s Phoenix Hospital invest in a childbirth technique, either in a class, through hypnobirth or some other holistic approach.”
Sehgal through her alternative techniques assisted one patient through her delivery who was so relaxed that eventually she fell asleep. The lady had to be woken for the final phase of delivery.
From screams and cries during labour the scene has suddenly changed to peaceful and calm mothers smiling through labour. There is no need for pain killers and drugs during delivery now all thanks to the relaxation techniques.
Hypnobirthing practitioner Divya Deswal, said:
“This therapy, prevalent in 34 countries, incorporates releasing the fears women have about labour, which often shuts down the physiological responses to birth. A book and a relaxation CD are part of the course.”
There are other methods too like aromatherapy uterine tonics to enhance circulation; sandalwood and olive oil applications to prevent stretch marks; acupuncture sessions to block pain signals during labour; acupressure techniques to relax the back and reflexology amongst others to enable faster healing between contractions and get the mother ready for the next wave of pain.
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