Tips And Tricks For Pregnancy And Medication Free Labor

Below is my list of tips and tricks with links for ways to relieve pregnancy symptoms and have a medication free birth.

• Be Your Own Advocate
  • YOU know your body. If something doesn’t feel right, check into it. Look for a GI specialist that listens, instead of writing you off as “pregnant”. Becoming pregnant doesn’t magically erase the fact your GI system may react, or physically be, different and you need expertise in both OB and GI.
  • It’s usually the patient, you, who is responsible for piecing things together. If you can get doctors to speak with each other, that’s great…but if they don’t, you are the coordinator to ensure you get the quality care you deserve. 
  • Have a personal advocate. This can be your partner, a friend, or a relative. Someone who you share details with and who knows what you want so they can relay to the medical staff if you’re unable to.
  • X-rays of your abdomen during pregnancy pose risks to the baby. However, that risk may be outweighed by the benefit of diagnosis once the baby is further along in the pregnancy. If you’re pregnant and think you may have an obstruction, try seeing if a GI specialist or surgeon can evaluate you with a rectal exam. If you happen to have a stricture in the same location I did, this could help diagnose early without the risk of the x-ray. 
  • Don’t let the industry lead to your suffering. If you need something like a change of physician, get details about the process and timing and then be active in following up. Contact them regularly, frequently if needed, to check on status and ensure you get what you need in a reasonable time. If you don’t follow up, it’s likely you will never get what you need in a timely fashion, if at all.
  • If you have symptoms that sound like an obstruction, whether pregnant or not, have them do a rectal exam. It saves you the physical risk and insurance costs of other scans and tests…and it could result in a faster diagnosis if your issue is at the site of attachment for the pouch and anus. Sure, it’s awkward and uncomfortable but could save you in the long run.
• Healthy Snacks & Hydration
  • If you’re struggling with an obstruction or hyperemesis during pregnancy, see if your OB is partnered with an infusion center that could provide you with IV hydration to help reduce your misery until things can get better.
  • A good rule of thumb for staying hydrated is your body weight, divided in half, that’s how many ounces you should be drinking per day. For example, if you weigh 150lbs, you should drink a minimum of 75oz of water per day. You should increase that if you’re sweating or just feel thirsty.
  • The usual fruit, veggies, nut butters, nuts, cheese, and so on are great snacks to have during pregnancy. If you find yourself needing more, or facing a GI complication, you can also incorporate things like smoothies, protein bars/cookies, or protein shakes. These are full of nutrients but won’t be a heavy lift on your guts. I used Boost Breeze to avoid dairy (lactose intolerance) while I couldn’t eat because of an obstruction. Regular Boost and Ensure are also great options if you can tolerate milk products.
• Anti-nausea
  • Crackers, pretzels, mints and gum saved me several times. If I got nauseous, I could eat a couple crackers or pretzels and it would settle my stomach. Another go to if I had meetings were mints or gum that might last longer than just snacking….and they weren’t as loud to chew 🙂 It’s easy to just have a pack of crackers, bag of pretzels, and pack of mints of gum you can sneak in your purse or pocket to have any time you need them!
  • There are pressure points on your wrist that help relieve nausea. Many people use things called “sea bands” that are like a wrist sweatband that help hit the pressure point for nausea. If you’re struggling with nausea, it may be worth trying these… I bought a set when first diagnosed with UC.
• Pain Management
  • A rebozo can help with pain relief both during pregnancy and labor. You can wrap it around your hips and buttocks, then have your partner hold the ends of the rebozo and gently twist it back and forth to help loosen your hips and lower back. It can also be used during labor to help with counter pressure and pain management. This video shows a few ways to use the rebozo; the last option around the hips is what I used but we were standing and I leaned back a little to do a pseudo squat to help with my lower back pain.
  • To reduce pregnancy pains and try to get some sleep, especially towards the end, I used lots of pillows. Pregnancy pillow, body pillows (in front and behind), and a foam wedge. These really helped try to get a safe position so I could sleep on my sides or back.
  • A heat pad helped reduce muscle aches in my back (a lot of mid-back pain) and some gas/muscle aches on my sides or belly (like when I had clearly eaten too much for dinner). This could help while I was sitting in a chair working or trying to go to sleep. 
  • If you are interested in exploring water options, you can use the tub or shower to help reduce pain from contractions.
  • There are tons of ways to labor or manage labor pains, be prepared and then do whatever works best for you in the moment. Maybe it’s sitting on a workout ball. Maybe it’s counter-pressure from a partner. Maybe it’s standing or walking/swaying. Maybe it’s water. Maybe it’s focused breathing. Maybe it’s just squeezing the life out of the sheets or your support folk’s hand. Whatever you find works for you, do it. Remember the pain is terrible but temporary and chase your goal!
  • Acupressure to progress labor is something I tell every mom about! After having been in labor over 24 hours, I was exhausted but it only took about 30 minutes and a couple rounds of acupressure to progress labor and get things going without requiring me to walk miles.

• Shifting Baby Into Position and Natural Labor Induction
  • If you’re getting later in pregnancy and baby hasn’t shifted into the right position for labor, you can try a few things to get them to move before labor starts. A rebozo to shift your hips back and forth can help baby shift. You can also sit on a birthing/exercise ball while at work to help open your hips and allow baby to move into position. Another option includes leaning over the counter and rocking your hips back and forth (pelvic tilt) or side to side.
  • There are lots of ways to try and induce labor naturally. I tried many based on research and my midwife and OB relative’s recommendations. Some natural induction methods include: raspberry tea, curb walking (yes, you look and feel ridiculous), sideways stair climbing, sex with hubs (yup! There’s a component in semen that naturally primes the cervix and can help to induce labor), having the midwife ‘strip membranes’ (again releases something that helps to induce labor but it’s not comfortable or as effective as intercourse, so I only did this once), and an induction massage. I’ve also heard moms talk about spicy foods, but given GI concerns I wouldn’t recommend that one 🙂 You can also try acupressure/acupuncture, which is included as part of induction massages.
• General Pregnancy & Labor Tips
  • First pregnancies are notoriously late arrivals and long labors, statistically speaking. The average first time mom delivers around 41 weeks and the labor can be over 24-48 hours. So, when your due date rolls around and baby is still happy and cozy inside, don’t worry. Also, when packing your go bag, take a couple changes of clothes because it could be a while (if you plan to do the hospital and not an alternative option). Here’s a study you could also read about lengths of pregnancy and potential factors.
  • Pre labor can last days or weeks. Not exactly the first choice for a laboring mom. If you are close to your due date, try walking or acupressure to see if you can give your body the jump start it needs to progress into active labor. 
  • Contractions may be different depending on how labor starts. My contractions were stacked on top of each other when I was induced, causing no break in between and making them feel intense. Contractions the second time started on their own and, while still painful, started more like a normal cramping period before getting stronger. There was also a break between them until the final hour or so when I was about to start pushing. Both deliveries I didn’t take pain meds, exactly like I wanted, but the experiences with contractions weren’t the same. One was stacked contractions with lots of back pain. The other was paced better but most/all of the pain was in the front like a terrible menstrual cramp.
  • Delivering your baby isn’t the end, you also need to deliver the placenta. For a few hours after delivery, there are abdominal massages that need to happen to ensure you are all set and clotting appropriately.
  • You can have the delivery you want, if you’re clear about it up front. Having an induction in a hospital wasn’t my “plan” for my first baby, but it was the hand I was dealt. What was in my control was how I labored. I moved when I needed to, I had support to help with anything I needed (not the hospital staff), and I was clear that I wanted no medicine and to avoid a c-section or perineal tearing. I also made everything clear to my husband so he could advocate and act as a buffer for me to ensure I got what I wanted, if it was safe for me and baby to do so. Research techniques for labor pain management and use any that work for you during labor (breathing, positioning, counter pressure, acupressure, tub/shower, etc). Keep focused on your goal; this pain is “short” term and your reward is that precious little baby at the end! You can do it mama!