PART 2: ALTERNATIVE REMEDIES FOR BIRTH PREPERATION & LABOUR

At Pegasus Homeopathics, when it comes to birth preparation and labour, the sole aim of our remedies is to facilitate a healthy pregnancy term, ease the labour process and enhance recovery in both natural birth and caesarian sections.

In the case of induction being required, when dystocia (difficult birth) is caused by large, awkwardly positioned babies, smallness of the mother’s pelvis, or failure of the uterus and the cervix to contract and expand, the following 5 remedies are helpful:

1. Caulophyllum 12C/30C (also known as black cohosh) has the effect of toning muscles of the cervix and womb. It furthers the progress of labour by helping to engage a breach baby and is very useful if the mother is exhausted and the pushing urge is deficient.  Also helpful for when ‘false’ labour pains are annoying in the last few weeks, where contractions are short, irregular, feeble, feel sharp, low in the pelvic region/groin, causing shaking, trembling and irritation. Typically the patient feels chilly but seeks fresh air.
2. Pulsatilla 12C/200C  will also aid in turning a breach baby.  ‘Changeability’ is a keynote both emotionally in the patient and as a characteristic of the pregnancy itself.  Pulsatilla is indicated in the typical ‘stop/start’ labour where there are weak contractions with little cervical dilation. Its effect is to kick start labour into action. The patient may feel hot but wants fresh air, can be clingy and apologetic with dry mouth but not thirsty.  Most of all, the Pulsatilla patient wants sympathy!
3. Cimicifuga 15C (Act.Rac) tones muscles of the cervix, relieves agitation and excitability and where there is pain especially in ovarian region. This remedy is indicated where there’s a lack of rhythm, strong contractions without dilation and it renders labour easier by its action on the uterus and ovaries ( it ‘ripens’ the cervix). The typical Cimicifuga patient says ‘I can’t go on’,  they are gloomy, feel cold and worse when there’s noise around them.
4. Gelsemium 200C is excellent for anticipatory anxiety when the mother doubts she can go on with labour and is exhausted, trembling with pains in joints and muscles. Contractions hurt her back and lumbar region, and the pain feels as if baby is ascending rather than descending.
5. Nat.Mur 200C is for the mother who is holding back her emotions, feels stuck, self-conscious and  vulnerable. She will typically get headaches, craves fresh air and ‘gulps’ water. This remedy often ‘flicks the switch’ and labour progresses rhythmically.

As you can see, a skilled and proficient health care giver who is experienced in observing objectively different conditions during labour is well-placed to administer the most appropriate remedy.   However, as with all homeopathic remedies, there is no harm done should a less appropriate remedy be given, especially to the new born baby.

And now that the baby has been safely delivered, read part 3 for remedies for post-partum conditions.