The Negative Influence of Stress on Labor and What You Can Do About It

Ever wondered how the stress you're feeling could actually pause the miraculous process of childbirth? I’m peeling back the layers to reveal the unseen effects of stress on labor. This episode takes you through the science of stress and its ability to disrupt the delicate dance of hormones necessary for labor to progress. It's a discussion that promises not just insights but transformational tools for an empowering entrance into parenthood.

Transitioning smoothly, we then spotlight the immense value of emotional preparedness as you step onto the threshold of birth. It’s not just about the physical readiness, but arming yourself with the emotional resilience to claim a birth experience that is as serene as it is powerful. Listen as I explore the intersection of mind, body, and the birthing journey.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:29

This year, I want to explore topics that support positive and empowering birth experiences. Today I'm diving deep into a fascinating topic the influence of stress on labor. Did you know that stress can actually slow or even stop your labor? It sounds incredible, right? Well, let's explore this further and learn some practical tips on how to emotionally prepare for your birth to ensure a smooth labor process. But before we delve into that, I want to remind you to hit that subscribe button so that you won't miss any of my future episodes. Now let's get started.

Speaker 1: 1:04

Many of us don't realize just how much stress can affect the process of labor. When we feel unsafe or stressed, our bodies go into fight or flight mode, redirecting the blood flow away from the non-essential organs such as the uterus. This redirection of blood flow can potentially stop labor, as the body prioritizes stress response over the birthing process. To explain this further, think about it this way Can you imagine trying to flee from a tiger while simultaneously trying to push out a baby? It's simply not possible. Stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline interfere with the production of oxytocin, the hormone responsible for triggering uterine contractions. So if you walk into the hospital feeling stressed or fearful, it's not difficult to understand how this can impact your labor process. Emotional preparation for labor becomes a crucial step in ensuring a positive birth experience. Jody Lynn Owens, lm, cpm, says it perfectly.

Speaker 2: 2:04

When you've spent nine months preparing for birth and you go into birth confident. You walk in like a boss.

Speaker 1: 2:12

Additionally, it is well known that during times of stress or anxiety, the body's natural fight or flight response can lead to increased muscle tension throughout the body, including the pelvic floor muscles. When the pelvic floor muscles are tense, they may not be able to relax and stretch adequately, which can hinder the descent and passage of the baby through the birth canal. Additionally, increased muscle tension in the pelvic floor can contribute to increased pain and discomfort during labor. It may also lead to ineffective pushing efforts as the tension may prevent the pelvic floor muscles from effectively coordinating the pushing motion. It's important to manage stress and tension during labor to promote optimal relaxation and flexibility of the pelvic floor muscles. Techniques such as deep breathing exercises, relaxation exercises, massage and labor support can all help to promote relaxation and reduce muscle tension, facilitating a smoother and more comfortable labor experience. Emotionally preparing for the birthing process can also provide guidance and support in managing stress and promoting relaxation during labor.

Speaker 1: 3:20

Stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, can also interfere with the production of endorphins, which are crucial for pain relief and promoting a sense of well-being during labor. This disruption in labor hormones can lead to increased pain perception and further impede the progress of labor. This heightened sensation of pain can lead to increased muscle tension and further impede the progress of labor. All of that can lead to stress and it's just this feedback loop that goes from decreasing oxytocin or tensing the muscles or decreasing the release of these endorphins, and they all just kind of intertwine and make it so that labor just gets so completely dysregulated. To mitigate these effects, it is important to manage stress during labor. Promoting relaxation, providing emotional support and utilizing pain management techniques can help to mitigate the impact of stress on hormonal balance, optimize endorphin production and ultimately facilitate a smoother and more comfortable labor experience. Here again, jody Lynn Owens reiterates this effect.

Speaker 2: 4:27

Birthing without fear, which is the name of a book, of course. But birthing without fear is a really different experience when you are allowed to like this exquisite cocktail of hormones that is in your body and that cocktail is allowed to do what it does. It protects us and it moves us through laboring and birthing in a totally different way. The pain is different, the process is different, the timing is different. It's different when you've spent nine months preparing for birth.

Speaker 1: 4:58

The physiological impact of stress and anxiety on labor is closely intertwined with the complex mind-body connection During labor. A woman's ability to relax, trust the process and surrender to a natural rhythm of contractions is important for the progression and management of labor. Again, oxytocin plays a crucial role in initiating and sustaining labor contractions. Oxytocin is also referred to as the love hormone, as it is involved in promoting feelings of well-being and relaxation and the emotional bond between mother and child.

Speaker 1: 5:32

Psychologically, stress and anxiety can create a sense of fear or lack of control, which can further hinder relaxation and impede the labor progress. When you're in pain and feeling out of control and giving in to the stress response and fear, and unable to relax, it is very, very, very hard to be in tune with your body and to be able to emotionally allow physiological experiences as intense as labor to occur naturally. To address these challenges, it is crucial to create a supportive and calming environment during labor. Providing emotional support, reassurance and utilizing relaxation techniques can help reduce stress and anxiety. Techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, massage and continuous labor support can all contribute to creating a positive psychological state, enabling the woman to relax, trust the process and surrender to the natural rhythm of labor. Here are two stories of how decreasing stress and increasing a feeling of safety and labor can positively affect the labor process. Sabrina Fletcher, tfmr Dula, shares her experience.

Speaker 3: 6:44

There was a part in my labor where it wasn't progressing and then, when I got to the pushing part, something switched because my husband took out his flute. So he's Mexican and there's a lineage through his grandmother, corandero healers. He does sweat lodge and massage and other sorts of ceremonies. He took out his flute and he started playing and singing and saying we're waiting for you, we're waiting for you. We had actually conceived that baby. It was a surprise. We were only dating like six months. I didn't know where do we stand, me and him. I didn't know how strong our relationship was, if we would be able to continue, if we would make it through becoming parents. But in that moment I fully felt his commitment and I was able to then give birth.

Speaker 1: 7:45

So there's a scientific reason for that. So studies have shown that the internal oxytocin is released when a woman feels safe and also when you feel loved, and so in that moment, when you felt safe and loved, your body was able to release that hormone that helped you give birth. Aria Pretlow describes a similar experience.

Speaker 4: 8:05

So at some point I was like I have been awake for a very long time it was probably like two in the afternoon or something. I was like I'm going to go lie down, I just needed a little downtime. So I remember I went and laid down on. We had a futon, like in a sunny office room, and I laid down on the futon just to like rest, and then Rob came in and he spooned up behind me and like gave me a snuggle and I had this surge of oxytocin. I felt the huge contraction, I heard a pop and was like my water broke and I love that story snuggle with your, you know, sweet, supportive person. I just it was like so amazing to actually experience that process. It was like feeling loved, held, safe, bonded, and then, bam, water broke. Yeah, like okay.

Speaker 1: 8:54

Yeah. So I bet you're wondering how to go about emotionally preparing for labor. Here are some ways that you can prepare and minimize stress in the hospital. First, focus on education. Knowing what is going to happen is key to being able to visualize and trust and surrender to the process. And a childbirth education class or workshop to learn about the labor process, to learn about different pain management techniques and the common interventions. A deeper understanding of what to expect during labor can alleviate anxiety and help you feel more in control. Second, begin to reflect on your birth preferences. Take the time to create a birth preferences document to communicate your desires and preferences to the healthcare team. This can help you feel more empowered and confident in making informed decisions during labor.

Speaker 1: 9:49

This does not guarantee that everything will happen as planned in your birth. It is important to maintain a flexible mindset. This goes back to the importance of educating yourself. Having a thorough working knowledge of interventions and options in the labor space and what they are meant for is highly important to consider, as things can change from moment to moment in labor and delivery. It is also important to understand that your baby's reaction to the labor process will determine a lot of what interventions are recommended in the hospital birth space and what interventions may be taken off the table because they are no longer safe or appropriate.

Speaker 1: 10:30

Third, set up an emotional support system. Surround yourself with a supportive birth team that may include your partner, your family members, close friends or a doula. Having someone who understands and respects your wishes can provide emotional support and advocacy and reduce stress and isolation during your labor. People who cause you stress should not be in the birth area, nor should people who aren't going to respect the environment that you set up for yourself. For instance, people who tend to talk too much aren't a good fit if you are hoping for a quiet environment. People who ask too many questions, for example, or require a lot of attention, will draw you away from your focus during the labor process. Be very selective about who you want in the labor room with you and kindly set your boundaries early If you're unsure how to set boundaries respectfully. Birth coaches and doulas are great advocates and can help you work to set the boundaries and work through any tension they may cause. Megan Kastanian shares about how she wishes she had done this in her first birth.

Speaker 5: 11:38

My first birth. There was someone at my birth who I was uncomfortable with. She was a nurse midwife, so she was kind of in training and I had had her in an appointment a couple weeks prior and I was uncomfortable with her there and I was uncomfortable with her being at my birth. But I didn't speak up. So like in my gut I knew I wasn't comfortable with her and part of me feels like if I would have spoke up before I even went into labor and said like, hey, I'm not real comfortable with her. I feel like sometimes our bodies clench up and can't do what they're supposed to do if they're protecting us from something else and sometimes I feel like maybe that would have been something for me to feel empowered enough to say I love this midwife, but this nurse, I'd rather have someone else there because she makes me uncomfortable. So I guess my advice is to, if you feel a certain way, to advocate for yourself and really just follow your gut instincts. If something feels off, it probably is.

Speaker 1: 12:42

Fourth, learn and practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, mindfulness, visualization and guided imagery. These techniques can help calm your mind, reduce tension and promote a sense of relaxation during labor. Hypno-birthing and lemmas are examples of great labor-specific tools. Fifth, create and practice positive affirmations related to childbirth. Repeat affirmations that resonate with you to instill confidence, reduce fear and maintain a positive mindset during labor. Positive labor affirmations can be found all over the internet. Find the ones that speak to you and print them off and bring them to your birth.

Speaker 1: 13:25

I also like to create a birth vision with my clients so that in moments of stress, they have a calming vision and audio to focus on to help ground them. Six, pack comfort items that may help create a familiar and comforting environment in the hospital, such as your own pillow, favorite music or playlist, a roma therapy sense, items that remind you of home and a fun item that can serve as a conversation starter to break the ice for you and the hospital staff. This really helps to get to know the people and to help them see you as an individual instead of another patient. Jody Lynn Owens explains.

Speaker 2: 14:03

So when you're in the hospital I'll tell people, bring one thing that's so bizarre that it makes everybody stop and ask you what's that? You know a picture, a family photo? That's just crazy. Or put a picture of your cat or some stuffed animal that you lost. Something that humanizes you and stops people and say, well, what is that on your table there and you get to tell a little story about your home. It brings people into your worldview.

Speaker 1: 14:29

Seven, once you have done all the prep work that I just spoke about, begin to foster open and clear communication with your healthcare providers. Discuss your preferences, fears and concerns well in advance. This builds a trusting relationship with your healthcare team and it can alleviate anxiety and ensure that your needs are met. Remember it's important to be flexible and open-minded, as labor can unfold differently than expected. By emotionally preparing and cultivating a positive mindset, you can navigate the journey of labor with more confidence and reduced stress. Don't take my word for it. Ellie Goldstein, Aran and Mother of Two, shares how she wishes she had prepared.

Speaker 6: 15:09

Yeah, it was really interesting to compare both births. I really think that if I had done anything before, it honestly would have been like mindset work, like meditation, breathing, even like positive affirmations, just things that you can do to help a positive mindset. You know, because I really did spend my entire first pregnancy just so nervous that something would happen that I don't think I really enjoyed it. I wasn't prepared for postpartum anxiety and depression at all. I was super anxious postpartum and then with the second baby too, it was hard, it was so hard.

Speaker 1: 15:50

In another episode I explained it this way, so I just can't stress enough the importance of preparation for the birthing process for parents. I think there are a lot of resources for preparation. Some are better than others. A lot of parents want the quick one day class, and then what I hear afterwards was there wasn't enough information. It was all condensed into, you know, a six hour period. But when you sign up for that you're like, oh my gosh, six hours, are you kidding me? So I think people would do better to look at this as I mean, it's not just birth, it's the marathon, it's the pregnancy, it's the birth, it's the parenthood, it's all this whole new thing that you are preparing for. I mean, you don't just jump into a new career after a six hour class. Most of the time you know your new career is going to be parenthood, and getting into that process is going to take some preparation, even the birthing process. So I just want to encourage parents to spend a little bit more time understanding what's going to happen, no matter what kind of birth you're having, whether you're having a home birth, a hospital birth, birth center no matter what you're doing, understand what the options are and why and what might be coming up for you with all of those options. If you don't know where to begin and feel overwhelmed by the birth prep process, don't worry, I've got you covered.

Speaker 1: 17:10

To help you prepare emotionally for your hospital birth, I've created the Empowered Hospital Birth Program. This program is specifically designed to help you become comfortable with various birthing options within the hospital setting and, most importantly, teach you how to calm your nervous system so that you and your baby can continue the dance of birth, even if you get a little out of sync. In this program, together we will gain clarity on your top three birthing must-haves, we will work through your top three fears or obstacles, and we will connect you with your own physiology so that you can feel calm and fully present during your birth. When I help you with your hospital birth process, your pregnancy will no longer be a source of anxiety or stress, but rather an opportunity for you to focus on connecting with your baby and enjoying your journey. Additionally, I will help you identify knowledge gaps to make sure that you are fully informed, learn key phrases so that you can better communicate with your medical team and emotionally process the fears so that they don't hold power over you anymore.

Speaker 1: 18:13

While practices such as yoga, meditation and birth classes are undeniably valuable and important, they often don't address the root cause of stress that may arise during the hospital birth. They also may not fully answer the questions you have, as many of these classes are fire hoses of information that just scratch the surface of everything that you need to know in a hospital birth. My program goes beyond these practices and provides you with personalized strategies, customized to you, to be able to empower you during your hospital birth experience. Are you ready to start? Go to kellyhoffcom backslash empowered to learn more about the empowered hospital birth program. That's K-E-L-L-Y-H-O-Fcom backslash empowered. Remember, preparing yourself emotionally for labor is just as important as any physical preparation you might undertake. As you navigate through the hospital birth process, you deserve to feel confident, calm and fully connected to your body and your baby. I will help you do that.

Speaker 1: 19:16

Finally, I will leave you with a sneak preview from my upcoming episode with Tricia Plett.

Speaker 1: 19:22

In Tricia's episode, we talk about how important it was for her to recognize and work through the anger she felt about being unable to have a home birth.

Speaker 1: 19:31

She shares with me how much it helped her to work through that anger and resentment before her delivery so that she didn't bring it with her into the birth space and into postpartum Life isn't straightforward all the time, especially if there's medical complications. It is so easy to begin to feel out of control and to have anger and resentment because of that. I really want to help moms focus on how to I don't want to say regain control, because what do we really have control over in life that have a sense of to regain autonomy and continuing to be a part of the decision-making process, even though things aren't going the exact way that you pictured. Because it's not like if you go in for a routine procedure, if you're going to get out your tonsils, it's pretty straightforward. They can tell you exactly how it's going to go With labor and delivery. We really have no idea. There are so many things that could happen. It's really easy to feel out of control. The overarching feeling that I get from moms is anger and resentment. It's really hard to work through that.

Speaker 1: 20:35

I'm really glad that you had the opportunity to work through that before your delivery, because otherwise I feel like that's what leads to trauma.

Speaker 7: 20:42

Yeah, I've thought about that too. This is totally the end of the story, but I have to say it. A doctor told me at my six weeks appointment. She said your birth was the most peaceful birth I ever attended. I just know that that is a testimony to dealing with my anger and my resentment before that.

Speaker 1: 21:05

You were able to grave the birth that you wanted. Yeah, you were able to move forward with the birth that you were presented.