Penny Simkin discusses the 3 R’s of labor  (Relaxation, Rhythm, Ritual) on her website and in articles she uses to discuss birth. In this post, we will address those as well as some others you may wish to consider.

Relaxation

In the early stages of labor it is suggested that you continue to attend to your typical routine.  If labor begins in the evening or wee hours of the night, you should try to remain calm and relaxed and get some sleep.  You will want to store up your energy for the more challenging portion of labor ahead.

If labor begins during your normal waking hours, take the time to nap, wrap up small projects, fold laundry, or whatever you can to take your mind off of labor. Don’t let the excitement wear you out in the first leg of the race.As contractions surge, allow your body to melt into them.  Remain calm and embrace them as they will open your cervix and bring your baby to you.

Some women find the analogy of a wave helpful. Imagine standing waist deep in the ocean. You have two choices- You can stiffen your body and dig your heels in. The wave will pound into you with a crash, possibly knocking you back or even sweep you under its force.

Or you can turn around and give in to the wave. It will swell beneath you, gently lift you from your feet and release you just as gently.

During later stages of labor, the body naturally tenses as it bears down with each contraction.  It is important to remember to relax your body between contractions.  A great deal of energy can be expended by keeping a tense forehead, shoulders or buttocks between contractions.

Ina May Gaskin reminds us that if our face and lips are loose, our nether regions will be as well.

Rhythm

Our body has natural rhythms such as our heartbeat and breathing. This is true of labor as well. It may be helpful for a laboring mother to have someone help her maintain slow, calm, rhythmic breathing.

She may also find a rhythm for other behaviors such as mantras, tapping, stroking or swaying.  Having familiar music may help a mother establish and maintain a rhythm. If creating a playlist, consider creating two; one with a slow tempo and another with a faster tempo.  This way you can have music which supports your mood at any moment.

A support person should be mindful not to interrupt or change the pattern unless or until the mother does so herself.

Ritual

Women in active labor tend to fall into rituals naturally.  Support people should do their best not to show judgement, interrupt or change the ritual. It is most helpful to the mother if her support team follows her lead. Some rituals women use include:

• hand or head massages between contractions

  Rituals of labor

• rocking on a birth ball or in a chair
• stroking of arms or legs during or between contractions
• moaning or vocalizations
• having breaths counted out to help her stay focused during contractions
• chants- “oooooopen,” “I can do this,”  “I am strong,” “out”
• swinging from support bars
• watching a support person’s hand motions
• intense eye-contact with a partner

Relinquish

It is also important to relinquish control of the situation to some extent.  Prior to labor, it is wise to consider how you might respond to different scenarios. However, it is also crucial to remember that birth is unpredictable.  As such, we cannot anticipate every event. A laboring mother should be prepared to accept that her plan may not come to fruition.  Diverging from the plan does not necessitate a negative experience- assuming a mother has shared her desires with her birth team, stays informed and is willing to change course as the situation dictates.

Birth is a natural, physiological response.  Given the chance, a woman’s body will bring her baby into the world.  Allowing your body to take charge and following it’s lead will ease the challenges of labor.

Relinquish control and give into the power and force of your body.

Respect

One of the most important decisions a mother can make is her birth team.  Choose to invite only people who have the utmost respect for you; those who will respect your wishes and work to help you achieve your goal. Feeling safe and secure will help you focus and shorten labor time.

For more information from Penny Simkin, check out her site https://www.pennysimkin.com/three-rs/