Preparing for an easy and quick birth: a set of preparatory exercises, recommendations and advice. Exercises for childbirth: effective gymnastics for an easy birth without tearing

Every specialist knows that labor pain is a natural condition for women, since it indicates that the pregnant woman’s body is properly preparing for the birth of the baby. Accordingly, it is normal for a woman to experience pain during childbirth, and it should be understood that contractions cannot be completely painless. At the same time, every pregnant woman should know how to relieve pain during contractions so that the birth process takes place in the most relaxed state. After all, severe torment actually has a very depressing and negative psychological effect on a woman in labor, not allowing her to concentrate on the most important task, namely helping her baby.

Why is excessive pain bad?

When contractions are very difficult and pain during childbirth is intensified by fear, panic, as well as a moral feeling of insecurity, the dilatation of the cervix usually slows down. As a result, so-called discoordination and weakening of labor in general occurs. This, in turn, can lead to suffering in the child (in utero). For this reason, girls during childbirth need to breathe correctly, relax with their whole body and trust the doctors. And the main thing is to understand that pain during contractions is not a reason to worry.

Childbirth is a complex process. And not only for the mother in labor, but also for the baby. Whatever pains accompany a woman, her goal is a positive outcome of childbirth; her health and the future of the baby depend on it.

During childbirth, by taking the correct vertical position and changing postures, the mother helps her baby to position herself more comfortably near the os of the uterus.

This action significantly reduces the risk of possible injury to the still soft baby’s head at the moment when the baby moves along the birth canal. This will also help to avoid perineal ruptures in the woman in labor.

Despite the fact that your stomach hurts, you need to move in order to warm up the body, since blood circulation improves precisely at the moment of movement, which really helps to relieve the spasm a little when it is very painful and contractions do not allow you to concentrate on what the doctors say.

When your stomach hurts during contractions, even simple walking is helpful. By the way, in many German clinics, no matter how much a girl is bothered by her stomach, she is not allowed to lie down at all during the first stage of the labor process. And according to an interesting ancient Russian custom (no matter how difficult the contractions were or how much the stomach hurt), a woman had to go around her entire house in order to open all the locks and untie the knots. These traditional actions meant the complete readiness of the pregnant woman and her entire body to give the world a new life and, one might say, “guaranteed” that everything should go well for the expectant mother. Also, this ritual was quite useful for the woman in labor from the point of view of obstetricians. It is difficult to argue with this, since the most ancient signs and traditions usually had not just sacred, but also logical and practical justification.

Currently, in many modern maternity hospitals, doctors offer women in labor to sit on a special gymnastic ball during contractions, performing very slow movements of the pelvis (circular). At the same time, the midwife or future dad can gently massage the cervical spine, shoulders and sacrum.

Making labor easier with exercises

• A fairly simple position significantly facilitates labor contractions - when a woman stands with her body leaning forward and her hands resting directly on the couch. This option of accompanying childbirth, by the way, is the most common in our country, as is the presence of a spouse when the wife is in pain during contractions. The future dad not only supports his wife morally, but also strokes his stomach and helps during exercises to ease the suffering of his beloved woman in labor.
• In addition to bending forward, pregnant women are recommended to perform the following exercise during childbirth: girl doing special breathing exercises, while she is kneeling on the couch, both of her hands are on her husband’s shoulders, and he is standing in front of her on the floor. The woman focuses on rhythmic but shallow breathing, tries not to stray from the rhythm set by the midwife, and sways her hips. This exercise not only distracts well from thoughts about how much the stomach hurts and what painful contractions she is having, but also provides the baby with a sufficient amount of oxygen.
• If a woman is worried that it will be very painful for her to give birth, then she should find out in advance how to cope with contractions more easily and make sure that she gets to a good doctor. It is considered a fairly effective remedy for relieving spasms. warm water. Of course, not all doctors and maternity hospitals today practice childbirth in the bathtub, since this type of delivery has not only advantages, but also disadvantages. However, in some maternity hospitals, women in labor have the opportunity to take a warm bath to relieve pain from contractions. In water, people almost do not feel the weight of their own body, but the body itself perceives any immersion in warm water as a pleasant and well-relaxing massage. At this moment, the warmth of the water is transferred to the muscles, it relaxes and quickly warms them up, contractions become more tolerable. Of course, it will still hurt, but the cramps will ease the stomach a little.
• If an experienced midwife is attending the birth, she should know how to reduce the pain of contractions. But cases are different, so it would be a good idea for the pregnant woman herself to take care of such knowledge. Sitting poses help many people, for example, squatting, or even on a chair, the main thing is with your legs spread wide apart to the sides. If the girl finds it more comfortable in the knee-elbow position, then she can stand on all fours. It will hurt at first, of course, but it actually really helps ease the contractions.
• Endure contractions on a rope in a completely hanging position Today only the most advanced maternity hospitals offer. This method really helps alleviate the pain of childbirth. The fact is that in a hanging position, the entire load on the pelvis is instantly removed, that is, its muscles relax well, the woman becomes less painful (the stomach stops experiencing tearing spasms), and the baby’s path to this white light is opened.

It is important to note that the woman in labor should under no circumstances feel constrained - she should take any positions that are comfortable for her during labor. Many women even know themselves (who are not giving birth for the first time) what positions are best for them to take, and what to do in order to ease their lot and prevent their stomach from hurting so much.

Barbiturates/tranquilizers: pros and cons

These drugs do not help women in labor when they are in a lot of pain. However, doctors sometimes give them to patients in order to relieve excessive anxiety. Sometimes, because of panic, women only think that their contractions are not like everyone else’s and they are in a lot of pain.

Negative effects from tranquilizers and barbiturates:

• they induce drowsiness;
• a woman in labor may forget about some details that should be monitored during contractions;
• These drugs can suppress the activity of the baby immediately at the moment of his birth.

Sleeping pills and analgesics: action and negative effects

Such medications can be taken absolutely at any time if the contractions are terribly painful, and it hurts so much that the woman loses consciousness. However, it is recommended to take these drugs in advance, that is, not to wait until it is very painful - it is advisable to administer them at the very beginning, during the expansion of the uterus by about 7 centimeters. These medications are usually given as an injection into the buttocks or thigh muscles. These medications will help relieve pain from contractions and relax your stomach. Such medications are considered safe, since they, without reducing optimal labor activity, help to survive contractions calmly.

Negative effects include:

• these drugs cause drowsiness (the stomach does not hurt and the woman relaxes);
• an incorrectly calculated dose (increased) can cause respiratory depression in the mother and child.

Epidural complex - is it harmful for the baby?

In general, any epidural is considered a type of anesthesia, and today they are used quite often, especially during periods of overly active contractions, when the woman is in great pain, and also for caesarean section. Their action boils down to the fact that they block pain for a certain time, while relaxing the stomach. The tissues relax, it becomes less painful. Plus, the epidural method does not suppress consciousness at all, and the woman remains in a state of readiness.

Partner childbirth is always a big responsibility: whether the expectant mother is accompanied by a friend, husband or one of her relatives, he should become a support and, if possible, alleviate the suffering of the woman in labor. Teachers in prenatal training courses often mention ways to alleviate a woman’s suffering due to contractions, but we decided to systematize this information.

1. Facial massage helps relieve stress and relax;

2. Remind the expectant mother to go to the toilet every hour: a full bladder is not only very unpleasant, but also increases the feeling of contractions;

3. Place a cold compress on the mother’s neck and face or lightly moisten it with cool water;

4. If doctors do not prohibit it, you can offer the woman water and light snacks - they will help replenish the energy that the expectant mother loses during labor;

5. Help the woman in labor change her position to speed up the process of cervical dilatation. Some positions will be painful, others will give a little respite from the pain, your task is to find the best option for it;

6. During contractions, the expectant mother suffers from back pain: massage her lower back, lightly press on the sacrum. The position “on all fours” also helps to cope with pain;

7. Be close: Even if a woman does not want to be massaged during contractions, feeling the presence and support of a loved one is very important. Encourage her with words, hold her hand;

Light shower. Many doctors agree that water perfectly relaxes muscles and relieves pain, so if there are no contraindications, you can help a woman take a warm shower;

9. Try to distract the woman from the pain: if her condition allows, talk to her, listen to her favorite music, read something interesting. Be a mediator between the woman in labor and the medical staff;

10. Remind her that soon the painful sensations will pass, and the expectant mother will be able to hold her baby in her arms - this always works.

The appearance of contractions

Many women who will become mothers for the first time are worried that they will miss the onset contractions. In the last weeks of pregnancy, false contractions are observed, which are mistaken for harbingers of labor, but real contractions cannot be confused with anything. Harbingers of contractions can be: the passage of amniotic fluid, the appearance of a mucus plug that clogs the cervix, dull pain in the hips or back. The first contractions are similar to the pain and cramps during menstruation, but soon these sensations intensify. When contractions become regular, it's time to rush to the hospital. When the situation stabilizes, the duration of contractions ranges from 40 seconds.

This is the beginning of the first stage of labor, when the cervix begins to dilate. If this is your first birth, your uterine muscles may contract for 10-12 hours, so don't be alarmed or worried. You will have a formal interview and first examination at the maternity hospital; you may be asked to take a test for the presence of protein and sugar. If your water hasn't broken yet, you can take a shower.

Comfortable positions during contractions

You can relieve pain or at least get a little distraction by changing body positions - your birth partner can help you with this.

• Vertical position. Effective in the initial stages of contractions: you can lean against a wall or bed. You can sit on a chair (facing the back), leaning on a pillow. To make sitting softer, another pillow can be placed on the surface of the chair. Lower your head into your hands, breathe calmly and measuredly, spread your knees to the sides;
• Kneeling or supported position. During contractions, you can put your hands on your husband's shoulders and lean on him while standing. Ask for a relaxing massage. You can also kneel down, spread your legs, and place your hands on the pillow. Try to keep your back straight;
• "On knees". It is most convenient to take this position on a mattress: make forward movements with your pelvis, try to relax between contractions, resting your head on your hands. If you put your weight on your arms, you will reduce the back pain caused by the baby's head during cephalic presentation (it rests directly on the mother's spine). In the intervals between spasms, you can walk, your partner can massage - pressing in a circular motion on the base of the spine is especially effective;
• Movement helps to cope with the pain from contractions - you should walk at intervals, keeping your back straight, then the baby's head will rest against the cervix and the dilatation process will go faster. Try to relax during breaks, focus on breathing. Visit the restroom more often - a full bladder is not the best feeling, and it can interfere with the progress of the fetus.

Second stage of labor or pushing

For a woman, the most difficult time is the end of the first phase, contractions become long and painful, and also very frequent. At this moment, the woman needs help and support, since you may encounter tears, depression, the expectant mother may begin to feel chills or begin to fall asleep. Breathe with her, support her, wipe away the sweat. If you see that the woman in labor is cold, take care of a warm robe and socks. If you start pushing, call your midwife.

The second period is the expulsion of the fetus, so in addition to contractions, the woman in labor needs to make her own efforts, listen to the guidance of the midwife. The duration of this period is up to several hours.

Positions for the second phase of labor:

• "On knees". Gravity opens your pelvis faster, but you may feel tired quickly. It is best if your husband sits on the edge of the chair and spreads his knees, and you can sit comfortably between them and rest your hands on his thighs;
• On the knees. The position is less tiring and reduces pain. It is best to have your spouse support you so that your body is more stable. If you feel tired, lean on your hands, but keep your back straight;
• Sitting on the bed. If it’s not very comfortable, surround yourself with pillows. As you begin to push, you can lower your head down and clasp your legs with your hands; do not forget to rest in the interval.

Childbirth

During this period, all the expectant mother needs is to listen to the doctors’ instructions. As soon as the baby's head appears, you will no longer need to push, relax, catch your breath. After a few contractions, the baby’s body will appear: after the little miracle is placed on the woman’s stomach, the torment is quickly forgotten. Then the baby is taken for examination: the neonatologist makes a control weighing, takes measurements, and cuts the umbilical cord.

After giving birth, women often receive an injection that increases the contractions of the uterus to help the placenta come out faster, otherwise, if you wait until it comes out naturally, you can lose a lot of blood. This issue is discussed in advance with the doctor, as is pain relief.

Childbirth is a tiring and difficult process, but all unpleasant sensations are forgotten when you hold your baby for the first time.

The pregnancy period is coming to an end, the woman is waiting to finally see her child. Contractions and the period of childbirth are the most important stage for which the expectant mother must prepare and approach fully armed. Understanding the physiology of the processes occurring in the uterus and other organs of the reproductive system helps many to pass this stage with minimal discomfort.

Contractions during childbirth are associated with pain, but this can be significantly reduced by following a few simple rules. Massage techniques, the ability to relax and rest during periods of calm, changing positions and other techniques will greatly improve your well-being. But first, let’s talk about what signs of contractions before childbirth a pregnant woman may feel.

Signs of true contractions

Contractions can be divided into true contractions. Training contractions of the uterus occur almost from the very beginning of pregnancy, but are felt only from the 20th week. With skillful influence, their intensity can be reduced (relaxation techniques, massage, warm bath, changing the type of activity or posture). They do not have a clearly traceable frequency and can bother you several times a day or week. The interval between spasms is not reduced.

True contractions are more pronounced and are accompanied by pain. A woman cannot influence their intensity and duration (no techniques lead to relaxation of the uterine muscles). An important feature of labor contractions is their frequency.

The first signs of contractions before childbirth may resemble a pulling sensation in the lumbar region, moving to the lower abdomen; over time, the pain intensifies. Attacks of contractions become longer and are observed more often. The interval between contractions at the first stage can reach up to 15 minutes, later it is reduced to several minutes. In general, several signs can be identified that determine the onset of true uterine contractions, signaling the onset of labor:

1. Contractions appear with a certain frequency.
2. Over time, the interval between attacks decreases.
3. The duration of contraction increases.
4. The pain syndrome intensifies.

During examination, the obstetrician determines the gradual dilatation of the cervix, and at the same time, the discharge of water may be observed.

Behavior during labor

The beginning of labor is, of course, a very exciting period for a pregnant woman, but it is necessary to concentrate as much as possible and record each contraction of the uterus, the duration of the contraction and the duration of the relaxation period. Between contractions, you need to try to relax, breathe deeply in order to supply the muscles with oxygen as much as possible.

You should not immediately call an ambulance and go to the maternity hospital - contractions can last up to 13-15 hours and part of this time is better spent at home with loved ones, and not in a hospital ward. Household members can support and set the mood for positivity; the husband can lend his shoulder and help in finding the most comfortable position.

Comfortable positions for waiting out contractions

At home, you can look for a comfortable body position that will make it easy to wait out the period of contraction of the uterine muscles. Here are the most comfortable poses for this period:

1. Vertical position. You can lean your hands on the wall, headboard, chair and maintain a vertical body position during the contraction.
2. Sitting on a chair. You need to put a pillow under your buttocks and sit on a chair facing the back. During the contraction, cross your arms on the back of the chair and lower your head into your hands. Can only be used in the initial period, when the child is still quite high.
3. Reliance on your husband. A pregnant woman can place her hands on her husband’s shoulders (both partners are standing); during contractions, the woman leans forward and arches her back. The husband massages the lower back and shoulders.
4. On your knees and elbows. Get on all fours and relax all your muscles.
5. On a fitball or toilet. Pregnant women are not recommended to sit during labor; the baby gradually moves through the birth canal and a hard surface can make this process difficult. Therefore, a fitball (a sports ball that you can sit on) is an indispensable item during labor). If it is absent, you can sit on the toilet.
6. Lying on your side. It is often easier for a woman to endure contractions when she is in a lying position. In this case, it is better to lie on your side with pillows under your hips and head.

Other tricks to wait out a fight

The question of how to ease childbirth and contractions worries every woman. There are several techniques to achieve the desired effect.

Walking

No need to lie down during breaks. It is more beneficial for labor if the expectant mother is on the move (no need to overdo it - walking at a moderate pace will be quite enough). While walking, the baby's weight will put a little pressure on the muscles of the cervix and stimulate its opening. In order not to disturb the baby, it is better to keep your back as straight as possible (do not hunch). Heels can help with this, find the highest ones possible (contractions and childbirth are the only period of pregnancy when they can and even need to be worn). It has been noted that in women who are on the move during labor, childbirth is faster and easier.

Concentrating on a third-party object

During contractions, catch your gaze on some object at eye level (a vase, a painting, or any other). Distraction can provide relief from contractions. You can sing (even if you have absolutely no hearing or voice).

The relationship between contractions and processes occurring in the body, methods of independent psychological training

Experience each contraction separately, try not to think that the next one will come soon. Relate the pain to a positive memory. You can imagine that this is a wave that rolls onto the shore and then disappears. Relate the contraction to a flower bud that blooms more and more with each attack, and in the center of it is the long-awaited baby. Some women are helped by awareness of the processes that occur in the body at this time. Think that this pain is not an injury, but just a reaction of the body to the opening of the cervix and the tension of the uterus itself. Think about the child, the more pain you feel, the easier it is for him to be born.

Massage

Try self-massage techniques:

1. During the period of muscle tension, press on the point that is located in the most protruding area of ​​the pelvic bones. The pressure should be strong enough to cause discomfort and slight pain.
2. Stroke the side of your abdomen with your palms. You can do this both bottom-up and top-down.
3. You can do circular stroking of the center of the abdomen with your hands, this will also reduce pain.
4. Rub the lumbar area with your fists (knuckles). The movements should be vertical, and the hands should be located approximately at the level of the sacral dimples.

Impact on biologically active points

Try distraction techniques and other areas of the body to relieve pain. Some may not see the connection between pressure points and the muscles that contract during contractions, but it is practically proven that such a connection exists.

1. Act on the skin of the forehead - carry out smoothing movements from its center to the temple area. The pressure should not be strong.
2. Use your fingers to make smoothing movements from the wings of the nose to the temples, this will also allow you to relax.
3. Make patting movements in the lower part of the face in the chin area.
4. Impact the point located between the index and thumb on either hand. The movements should be pulsating. If it is correctly identified, you will feel pain in response to pressure.

Breathing exercises

Breathing differs depending on the phase of contractions. There are 3 stages in total:

1. Initial, it is also called latent or hidden.
2. Active.
3. Transitional.

After passing through all phases, the period of expulsion of the fetus begins. Breathing during labor and childbirth has its own differences. Consider each stage of labor, labor and breathing during these periods.

Breathing during the initial and active phases of contractions

The duration of the initial phase can last from 7 to 8 hours, during this period uterine contractions occur regularly every 5 minutes, the contraction itself lasts from half a minute to 45 seconds. Cervical dilatation is observed up to 3 cm.

Then the attacks become more frequent and the active phase begins. It lasts up to 5-7 hours. The intervals between attacks of pain are reduced to 2 minutes, and their duration reaches 60 seconds. The cervix continues to open, and the throat size reaches 7 cm.

During these periods, a woman should alternate between periods of deep and shallow breathing.

When a contraction occurs, you need to inhale and exhale through your mouth at a rapid pace (like a dog); during the lull, you need to breathe deeply and evenly, entering through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.

Breathing during the transition phase of contractions

Next comes a period of slowdown (transition phase). In terms of its length, this period rarely lasts more than an hour and a half. Contractions last up to one and a half minutes, and the interval between attacks is from half a minute to a minute. During this time, the cervix should open as much as possible (10 cm) to allow the baby to pass through. Often a pregnant woman feels unwell, dizzy, chills, and nausea. For a woman, this is the most difficult phase; pushing is already felt and must be restrained until the obstetrician allows pushing. Otherwise, swelling of the cervix and its numerous ruptures may occur.

Breathing during this period can help control pushing. To do this, you need to breathe in the following sequence: first, two short inhalations, and then a long exhalation.

Breathing during fetal expulsion

After the uterus is fully dilated, the woman should help the baby and begin to push. Contractions during this period are replaced only by short periods of muscle relaxation, but in general they are less painful.

Breathing should saturate the muscles with oxygen as much as possible. To do this, during the period of pushing, you need to take a deep breath, hold your breath and strongly tense all the abdominal muscles. If one inhalation is not enough, then the woman needs to exhale, inhale deeply 2 times, then hold her breath again and tense all her muscles. When the contraction passes, you need to breathe evenly and calmly.

After the birth of a child, the mother’s work does not stop; there is another important stage ahead - the birth of the placenta. The process is almost the same as the birth of a child, only much faster and not as painful. The doctor may additionally administer oxytocin intravenously, which will allow the placenta to be delivered literally in one push.

Do not be alarmed if, even after the birth of the child, a woman experiences uterine contractions - this is a normal process that allows you to stop bleeding and significantly reduce the size of the uterus.

With the right psychological attitude, the necessary knowledge about the birth process, some help from household members and medical personnel, the sensations during contractions before childbirth and during the birth itself are tolerated quite steadily. By combining breathing techniques and other relaxing techniques, you can reduce pain to discomfort. Many women describe their childbirth experience something like this: “there was no intense pain”; “I thought it would be worse.”

CONTRACT PERIOD
Labor pain is a completely natural phenomenon; it indicates that a woman’s body is properly preparing for the birth of a child. For this reason, childbirth cannot be completely painless, and this is normal. Another thing is that too much torment has a depressing psychological effect on a woman, preventing her from concentrating on her main task and helping the baby. If the pain is intensified by fear, panic, and a feeling of insecurity, then the dilatation of the cervix slows down, discoordination and weakness of labor occur. All this can lead to intrauterine suffering for the baby. This is why a woman giving birth must breathe properly, relax her body and trust the doctors.

Observations by obstetricians and gynecologists show that a “bedridden” woman in labor endures pain during labor much more difficult. Conversely, movement during this period relieves painful cramps for many women.
Another argument in favor of movement is helping the child. After all, childbirth is a difficult process not only for the mother, but also for the child. The health and happiness of both will depend on the outcome of the birth. By taking a vertical position of the body and changing positions, the mother helps her baby to sit comfortably at the os of the uterus, which reduces the risk of injury to the baby’s head during movement along the birth canal and ruptures of the woman’s perineum.
In addition, during movement and massage, the body warms up, blood circulation improves, and this, in turn, helps relieve painful spasms during the next contraction.

So, you can move in different ways.
Even ordinary walking is useful: in German hospitals, for example, women in labor are not even recommended to lie down during the first stage of labor. According to ancient Russian custom, already in childbirth, a woman had to go around the entire house to open all the locks and untie the knots. These ritual actions meant that her body was ready for the birth of a new life and “guaranteed” that everything would go smoothly for mother and baby. At the same time, this ritual was quite useful for the woman in labor from the point of view of obstetrics. It is well known that ancient traditions and signs often had not only sacred, but also purely practical justification.
In many maternity hospitals, a woman in labor is asked to sit on a special gymnastic ball, performing slow circular movements with her pelvis. At this time, the midwife or the baby's father can massage the sacrum, shoulders, and cervical spine.
The position of the woman when she stands leaning forward and rests her hands on the couch greatly facilitates contractions. In our country, the most common option for accompanying childbirth is the presence of the husband during labor. Dad will not only support mom morally or give some nice useless advice, he will be useful for performing the exercise “a woman in labor stands and puts her hands on her husband.” Instead of a dad, you can use a wall, a window sill, or a headboard. Another exercise: a woman does breathing exercises while kneeling on a couch, her hands resting on the shoulders of her husband, who is standing on the floor in front of her. Focusing on shallow and rhythmic breathing, the woman in labor tries not to lose the rhythm. This not only distracts her from the pain, but also provides oxygen to the baby.
Residents of India and Arab countries are considered the most prosperous in terms of obstetrics and gynecology. The reason for this is traditional dances (belly dance, temple dance in India). The movements of the hips and contractions of the abdominal muscles, characteristic of these dances, have a very beneficial effect on the condition of the female reproductive system and reproductive function. A simplified form of these movements was borrowed by obstetrics for natural anesthesia during childbirth. When a woman sways her hips, as if dancing, the muscles of the perineum relax, the cervix begins to open faster, and pain becomes less intense.

Water is a very effective way to relieve pain. Not all maternity hospitals practice water birth: this type of delivery has both pros and cons. But in some maternity hospitals, a woman in labor has the opportunity to take a shower or a warm bath during labor. In water, we practically do not feel the heaviness of our body, but the body perceives immersion in water as a relaxing massage, the heat of the water is transferred to the muscles, warms up and relaxes them, the pain becomes tolerable.
For some, sitting postures may be the most effective: squatting, on a chair with legs wide apart, in a knee-elbow position (on all fours).
Well, when mommy is tired, she can lie on her side, placing pillows under her chest and between her legs.
To endure contractions in a hanging position on a rope - advanced maternity hospitals also offer this method of preparing for pushing. At first glance, this is comical, but in this position the load is removed from the pelvis, its muscles relax, and this is all the baby needs to begin his journey into the world. By the way, about comedy. A woman in labor should not be embarrassed to take positions that are comfortable for her during labor. Even the World Health Organization (WHO) in its recommendations says that every woman has the right to independently decide what position she should take during childbirth. In the process of giving birth to a child, a mother has something more important to do than worry about how others look at her. In addition, the “surrounding people” in the maternity hospital are the medical staff and the husband/relatives (if the woman is accompanied). So who should be embarrassed?

LIGHT PERIOD
Over the centuries-old history of mankind, the midwifery art of different countries, which became the basis of obstetrics, invented several postures of direct childbirth.
Often, the postures of the pushing period repeat the position of the body during contractions. For example, women of the East in ancient times practiced vertical childbirth. Such methods of delivery are used today in many maternity hospitals around the world; in Russia, alternative birth positions (kneeling or on a special bed; squatting or on a birthing stool with a hole for the baby to exit) are also gaining popularity.
Modern obstetrics has borrowed the technological principles of these techniques. In some maternity hospitals, analogues of such maternity beds and stools, designed in accordance with medical requirements, have already begun to appear. Although the aspect of traditionality is important here: such types of childbirth are still more common in Asian countries.

Psychologists and obstetrician-gynecologists advise to perceive labor pain as an integral part of a normal birth. Unpleasant sensations will be forgotten sooner than you think. So, the main thing in childbirth is peace of mind, next to you are professionals who deliver babies every day. And the hormones of joy, endorphins, will specifically begin to be actively released into the mother’s blood during childbirth, so that the birth of the baby becomes a holiday for her. Your task is not to interfere with doctors and endorphins, but to help them with your correct behavior.

ADVIСE
1. When choosing a maternity hospital, find out its conditions and the rules established there: is the woman free to choose positions during contractions, are there devices in the maternity unit for a free position during childbirth (balls, special obstetric chairs, bathtub, etc.)
2. Agree with your doctor whether it is possible to use non-drug means (aromatherapy, sound therapy, acupuncture) in the maternity hospital to relieve pain from contractions and pushing.
3. Sign up for preparatory courses for future parents: you can get a lot of useful information during the classes. It's only the unknown that's scary.