Think back. Do you remember in high school biology class when your teacher talked about the “Fight or Flight” response in animals and in human beings? It was and still is a built-in physiological response to fear and danger needed for survival and or safety.
Today the term “fight or flight” is now recognized as the “stress Response”.
If there were a real threat of being in danger, or even a “perceived” treat or fear about something (real or imagined) , our bodies would automatically respond by confronting the situation , fighting the danger, or running from it for safety.
Our bodies physically mirror our emotional state. It’s automatic and a natural, even a protective response – depending on the circumstance. So, what happens in our bodies physiologically when we experience emotions of fear? For example, anxiety, anger, nervousness?
In times of danger or when feeling fearful, either real or imagined, the stress response is automatically activated and hormones in the body including adrenaline, cortisol, and others, are released into the blood stream where they circulate and communicate to organs in the body to instantly react by releasing more glucose (sugar = energy) into the blood stream for ENERGYto respond as needed.
The hormones “shut down” nonessential organs, such as the stomach, bowel and bladder. Blood flow is increased to the heart, lungs, brain, and to muscle groups in the arms and legs so we can react to danger by fighting it or running from it. Also, there is an increase in oxygen demand. As we breath more rapidly, we get more oxygen circulated to the brain, heart, lungs, and muscle groups to react to danger more efficiently and quickly.
Sensations we may feel physically as a result are increased awareness of environment, pupil dilation, rapid heart rate and breathing, perspiration, temporary loss of bladder or bowel control, shaking, trembling, muscle tension,maybe headache,nausea, and vomiting.
When the fight or flight response is not appropriate, such as going on that much wanted job interview, adrenaline and other related hormones are triggered to respond as if you were indeed being threatened.
Your body doesn’t care if the threat is real or imagined, it will still trigger a stress response in you body.
For our ancestors, the fight or flight response served a purpose! The release of adrenaline was useful for hunting for food or protecting family and territory.
Today however, our American culture and society is way more complex compared to our ancestors. Adrenaline release into our bodies today is constant because of how consistently stressed we are with modern day problems and stresses in our personal lives. We are always on the go-go-go! Communication with others has gotten to the point where someone can call you while on the toilet! Oh – pa-leeze!
We are rarely in a relaxed, quiet state of calm. Today, in the 21st Century there is profound research stressing the benefits of relaxation, and the lack of it leading to illness. If we could take pills for instant calm we would, but we can’t. Our bodies are constantly running on high.
Here’s the good news, just like the body is triggered in to the stress response through emotion and negative thoughts, so is its ability to calm itself through positive emotions and thought. This is called the Relaxation Response.
Now, what effect does the stress response have on women anticipating the birth of their babies? It has great impact!
First, the fear of birth – specifically “labor pain”produces a mindset of generalized fear and causes doubt in your abilities.
Remember, fear, real or imagined, can trigger the stress response in our bodies easily and rapidly – and we are usually NOT consciously aware of it.
For a woman who is pregnant, stress can cause pre-term labor, illness, hypertension, during labor it can create negative emotions, slow or halt the process of labor, and affect the baby as well.
The uterus is a nonessential organ (meaning you can live without a uterus) relative to the stress response. Therefore, blood flow will be shunted away from the uterus to the organs needed to respond swiftly. Also, the uterus is a muscle and will tighten, just like other muscles in the body do. As we experience “fear” and the release of stress hormones occur, oxygen needs increase to th rest of the body, not the uterus. Lack of oxygen to the uterus can increase uterine discomfort hen contractions are occurring.
The body will be tense and ready to react. This creates a heightened awareness and increased perception of sensations (pain). The more uptight we get, the more tense, the more discomfort we experience.
Along with the joy of pregnancy and birth of a baby comes with it a host of hidden concerns that in themselves cause stress, and may contribute to anxieties felt throughout the pregnancy to delivery of baby, and afterwards into postpartum
90% of all stress is self-induced caused by our own thoughts and thinking patterns.
These are thoughts about being good parents, finances, housing, daycare, health of baby and mother,labor pain, physical appearance being pregnant, support from family members, unresolved relationships, parenting issues, other birth stories, changes in marriage, career, medical care, and partner support or lack of it, just to name a few and of course depending on your personal situation. If any of these stresses/anxieties can be resolved before baby’s delivery the more at ease you will be.
Since we usually can’t fight or run away from a threat physically, our emotions and BEHAVIOR will respond…
Suggestions for you and your partner to decrease stress:
- Recognize that going to a hospital to give birth does not mean that you are ill. Hospitals can make couples very uncomfortable by all the technology surrounding them. We tend to associate words with places and experiences such as, “hospital bed” and “illness”, or “pain” and illness. Having a baby is a natural event! So, shift your thinking to “the experience I am about to have is normal, therefore, I can relax, trust myself, and accept the physical sensations I will have as a healthy, progressive sign that the birth of my child is nearing. I have chosen the hospital environment to facilitate the birth of my child. Everything has been taken care of at home, I can relax now”, etc.
- Go on a hospital tour. You want to free yourself from as much stress as possible so that you can concentrate on the birth experience. Change your thinking about any hospital equipment you may come in contact with. For example, Start viewing the hospital’s labor bed as a tool to use to change positions with! These labor beds are incredible! They were designed to come apart to assist the laboring woman during labor by adjusting parts of the bed to move up or down. Don’t see the bed, lay down on the bed, and stay in the bed on your back, as you would if you were really sick. You’re not! Also learning where the Delivery Suite is, where to park your car, etc., will put your partner at ease too. Remember, the more you know the more prepared and ready you’ll feel.
- Go to a childbirth education class! You will learn a great deal about the birthing process, ways to stay in control, relax, learn about and understand the use of medications if needed. Education and learning you have a say in your care alone helps to break the fight or flight syndrome by reducing stress.
- Most important, learn and PRACTICE methods in relaxation and breathing so that when the time comes you will be able to call on them with ease, and do this not just when you have a baby, but apply them to your life in general. These are life skills in reducing stress that can be used over and over again, and can contribute to your total well-being throughout your life.
The stress response can be stopped. But you have to consciously make it happen. You will definitely learn how here on Leslynotes 
Lesly
[...] last thing this mom needs to do during labor is worry, panic, about her husband! The stress response will be activated and potentially make her labor more [...]