Mindful Labour

Anne Pitman (M.Sc.) is Yoga Alliance 500-RYT certified and teaches Shanti Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga at Santosha Yoga Centre Westboro (www.santoshayoga.com) and Dovercourt Community Centre (www.dovercourt.org).
www.annesyoga.com

Pregnancy is often depicted as a time to glow – to relax, take care of baby and body and create the birth you want. The reality is that many women are so busy balancing work and home and are so stressed that finding time to take a prenatal class is a challenge in itself. In addition, a regular diet of nasty birth stories that others offer up with the best of intentions can feed fear and anxiety. We may be clear about what we want, but no matter how well one prepares, labour, like life, sometimes goes in unexpected directions. How can we be more present and less anxious in our pregnancy and in the labour and birth itself? How can we both prepare the birth we want but stay flexible? Mindfulness is a practice that can help to create a calm and connected pregnancy and birth?

Mindfulness is about being in the moment and noticing what is around us and what is within us – right now - without judgment. It can relieve fear and anxiety and allow us to be with ourselves with greater tenderness and compassion. Here are some useful practices during pregnancy, to encourage presence and calm, before and during birth.

Going Within

So much of our lives are lived in a social context. We search for answers around us, seek experts, search madly on the Internet, but not within ourselves. We have little experience of retreating into the body, of bringing awareness inside. In pregnancy, the practice of going within is helpful for calming the nervous system and accessing intuition. It is also a useful pathway for resting in pregnancy and in active birth. To take oneself away from the external chaos around us, and to go inward creates calm and provides space to access wisdom for decisions. The practice can be very simple: Take a moment. Bring attention to your body. Notice your inner world. Notice the baby within you.

Breath

Breath is another excellent tool for mindfulness. It is with you all the time. Following breath establishes an inward connection to yourself and your baby. An easy long exhalation, leads to relaxation, bringing down both heart rate and blood pressure. When emotional intensity and pain sends us into a haze of fear and worry, bringing awareness to breath can build an awareness of a calmer present moment. Noticing breath may be enough. Deeper, easier exhalation will bring on deeper, easier inhalation. There is no "right" way to breathe. Every woman can follow the natural wisdom of her own breath. Practice noticing your breath, especially in chaotic moments. Notice how it centres you and brings your focus inward.

The Moment

The singular focus on labour throughout the pregnancy, is similar to an athlete focussing only on the Olympics while trying to train for them. Being anywhere other than the here and now doesn't allow for any kind of peak experience. We can miss much of the experience of pregnancy by not being present. During labour, it is easy to attune to fear. We can get lost in "future thinking" wondering how much worse the pain will get. This is rarely helpful. Bringing awareness to each moment and breath during labour can help dispel fear and anxiety. The practice is to notice when you are absent, then breath and return to the present moment. It is where our life is.

Sensation

We almost always run from pain. When we get hurt, we try to find solace, whether through physical remedies (bandages, pain relief) or emotional calming (kisses and hugs). Pregnancy and birth provides and opportunity for women to change their relationship with pain. Every woman's labour experience is different as are the ranges of pain or pressure she will experience. Is it more helpful to consider pain as a sensation, one that is effective and brings us closer to having our baby in our arms? How can we be with it, soften toward it, ride it, lean into it? How can we go within and make an empowered decision on how to handle it. Practice noticing sensations during pregnancy. Notice nausea. Notice little pains and how they change. Notice expansion. Practice non-judgment. Just be with what you feel.

Once Prepared, Let Go of the Outcome

Being mindful is not being passive. It is noticing ourselves, and knowing when we need to act. Whether it is choosing a different caregiver or choosing pain relief in labour, the choice is made from going in, breathing, feeling and noticing. If having natural childbirth is the plan, it is important to clearly set that up prior to labour. However, once the container is set (the who, where, how of birth), return to being present. Even the "perfect" birth may not go as planned. It is equally important to trust yourself and your caregivers should the path change. Practice letting go of control during pregnancy: when your doctor is late for your appointment, when your midwife loses your chart, when your doula forgets your address. Life always offers up ample practice.

Pregnancy is a wonderful and natural time to bring awareness to our bodies and our lives. Learning to breath and drop into the moment is a useful skill. Birth is a "sensational" experience, one to prepare for, but not one to control. It is never about success or failure. All we can do is be present, moment-to-moment, breath-to-breath, and offer compassion for ourselves when we get lost. Breath and come back through mindfulness.