By Gopi Rao
Few people would dispute childbirth as the reigning champion in the area
of human pain. Modern medicine has come a long way and pain medications are
fairly effective in alleviating the pain of giving birth, but there are some
unpleasant side effects for the mother and baby both when these are heavily
used. For this and other reasons, more and more mothers are looking to give
birth in a more drug free manner. Meditation is a powerful method for pain
tolerance during childbirth.
In order for meditation to be effective during childbirth, it is
necessary to establish the habit earlier on while the mind and body are relaxed
and free of pain. Stress has a profound effect on the growth and development of
an unborn child, so meditation is a beneficial practice throughout pregnancy
due to the stress relief it provides. Simple mindfulness or following the
breath meditation methods is highly recommended.
With a foundation of mindfulness to work from, when the first contractions
arise be mindful of them. Childbirth will be painful; there is no denying this.
Resistance will only bring stress to the situation, and stress will in turn
bring about a release of negative stress hormones and a tightening of the
muscles within the body. Muscular tightness and rigidity is not beneficial for
childbirth. Become the observer of the pain and progress of the childbirth, and
remember that the pain is something the body is experiencing right now. It is
not a part of your Self. The pain will pass eventually, but until it does, give
it your utmost attention.
Many people think that it's their duty to provide the laboring mother
with distraction from the pain, but attempting to ignore something this
monumental is an exercise in futility, and is usually counter-intuitive. Having
clear expectations set beforehand with those who will be allowed to visit the
mother during labor is essential and saves the mother from feeling like she has
to cater to guests during a time when she should be allowed to focus solely on
her labor experience.
The deep breathing of meditation prevents both the mother and baby from
becoming deprived of oxygen, and counters the natural instinct to take small,
shallow breaths during painful contractions.
Giving the pain of childbirth the full attention also turns discomfort
into valuable communication between the mother and her body. If at any point
the pain takes a turn towards becoming too great, the mother will be the first
to know, and this is valuable for women who have opted to use some medications
for controlling pain during childbirth. A mother does not need to choose
between medication and meditation entirely; meditation may be used in
conjunction with pain medications to reduce the amount needed to be effective.
Listening to the body during labor through focused meditation removes
the fear many mothers have of labor pains and gives the control back to the
mother, where it belongs. Being deeply grounded in inner stillness leads to a
calm and serenity that carries through the entire labor experience and beyond.
After facing that level of pain and fear head on, is there anything a woman
cannot handle? In this way, childbirth becomes one of the most powerful forms
of meditative practice, and serves to prepare the new mother for the adventure
of parenthood. For this reason, pregnancy is one of the best times for a woman
to begin the practice of daily meditation.
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Publications Division
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