How to have a healthy and natural pregnancy in spite of your gynaecologist . (Part 5b)

Remedies DURING labour

by Christo Lues

It is very important to realize when you are in labour, and what false labour looks like. If you don’t know, you might end up in medical hands forcing you into real labour.

Many women arrive at their chosen maternity home, convinced that their very tight uncomfortable bellies herald that most important of days, the birth of their child, only to be told that they are not in labour. Or worse, the staff can't tell the difference between real and false labour and take charge of your labour by inducing labour or any of the procedures I mentioned previously. 

Signs of false labor;

There will be no blood-tinged show off mucus.

False labor pains usually;

• Do not become closer
• disappear on rest or when taking a warm bath
• the time between contractions are irregular and longer than real ones, often lasting anything from 1 to 15 minutes.
• Can be quite painful, but not increasingly so.

Recognizing labor

The following checklist will help you decide if you are in labor

• A greatly increased (but otherwise normal looking and smelling) mucousy vaginal discharge.
• A heavy sensation in the pelvis
• Very uncomfortable back and groin pain
• An increase in the frequency and strength of practice pains
• The slight slowing down in your baby’s movements

A day or two before labour you may find these signs;

• A few episodes of loose stools but not diarrhea, which is the bowels natural evacuation instinct or nature’s enema
• A slight bloody show of mucus expelled from the cervix - this can start from even 10 days before real labor.
• The cervix often dilates a few centimeters
• Many women experienced a surge of energy commonly wishing to clean up cupboards
• Increased irritability

Definite signs of labor;

These things must all occur for your baby to be born, although the sequence and variations of patterns my differ greatly.

• A show of mucus, as described above, must occur and will be ongoing while in labour. It is not necessarily the first sign but does often precede the next three signs.
• Contractions must occur even in so-called painless birth to expel the baby from the uterus and through the birth canal. Labour contractions typically have these characteristics; irregular initially… becoming more regular;   far apart (20-40 minutes)… closer together (1 or 2 minute intervals just before birth);   less strong... becoming more strong;   shorter (20-30 seconds) … longer (60 to 70 seconds at the end of the first stage).
• On internal examination, increased cervix dilation will be felt
• Breaking of the amniotic waters must occur, although this frequently happens later in labour. It might only be a trickle of water, often mistaken for leaking bladder, or it may come out in a gush. Slight tears of the membranes often spontaneously reseal and this may be completely without danger to the mother or child. In the event of great amniotic fluid loss, labour usually speeds up considerably due to the direct pressure of the babies head on the mouth all the uterus. Labour should follow within a few hours (up to 12) of this greater amniotic fluid loss and the baby’s movements and heartbeat should be carefully monitored.

Once the above occur it may be a good idea to get your midwife close by…

Homeopathy for the first stage of labour

The remedy Caulophyllum will help relax an overly tight cervix mouth where slowed dilation leads to great distress and prostration in the labouring woman. It often also restores contractions that will have ceased and can, in so doing, avoid steps of intervention like booster induction or cesarean section. 

Most practitioners use it in a 7CH or and 9CH potency and either from a few days before the woman’s due date or starting at the moment she is in labour. Use every 30 minutes or every hour during labour.

Cimicifuga is a remedy that acts strongly on the central nervous system including the impulses to muscular organs like the uterus, improving its function. Women who are very agitated during labour and who have a particularly low pain threshold profit greatly from its regular use during labour.

Rescue, in drop (preferred) or tablet form is a Bach Flower remedy that will help you to cope if you feel that you are losing control during labour. 

If you experience terrible anxiety of sudden onset just as labour begins used Aconite to release. 

If your labour is very slow to get under way, use Pulsatilla to speed it up without stress.

Other remedies during labour.

Coral 8 is great for helping along the contractions. When a muscle contracts it uses calcium and to relax it needs magnesium. If these minerals are depleted or in low supply labour will be more challenging, Coral 8 supplies the body with highly absorbable ionic calcium, magnesium and all 72 trace minerals that makes the body work correctly. Let your partner open these in your mouth or simply chew the capsule. Then slowly let it dissolve in the mouth. You can use this remedy as often as is needed during labour.

Cell Food™ is great for when it feels like you have no energy left or become extremely out of breath. Taking Cell Food™ will supply a bolus of energy and oxygen into your system if put in a little water. In a situation, usually just before delivery, a woman may become oxygen depleted, possibly resulting in spasms of the hands or other muscles. In this instance place 3-5 drops directly under the tongue - warning, it has a strong taste, but works instantly!

Arnica oil for massaging the back is extremely helpful when baby moves down and the mother experiences some pain. Massage in one direction, i.e. not up and down.

Chamomile oil can also be used for massaging and will have a calming effect on the mother without stopping labour.

In the final post (5c), I will look at remedies to be used after delivery.

Also have a look at Part (Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 and 5a)