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Sphincter Law: Smile=good. Chuckle=better. Good belly laugh=effective anesthesia

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    thanka2 is offline Registered User
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    Sphincter Law: Smile=good. Chuckle=better. Good belly laugh=effective anesthesia

    Ina May Gaskin's Sphincter Law from here.

    “Laugh a Little”

    Can laughter really help diminish pain during your labor? Ina May states "Pain-numbing endorphins, nature's opiates, are instantly effective and have no negative side effects. A smile is good. A chuckle is better. A good belly laugh is one of the most effective forms of anesthesia."

    Better yet, laughter helps open the sphincters.

    Why is this important?

    Your sphincters (including your excretory, cervical and vaginal) are responsible for releasing your baby into this world. If your sphincters are tight you may not progress, you will probably experience more pain, and you may be given pitocin to help force those sphincters open.


    So what exactly is Ina May's "Sphincter Law"?

    1.

    •Excretory, cervical, and vaginal sphincters function best in an atmosphere of intimacy and privacy. For example, a bathroom with a locking door or a bedroom where interruption is unlikely or impossible.
    2.

    •These sphincters cannot be opened at will and do not respond well to commands such as push or relax!
    3.

    •When a person's sphincter is in the process of opening, it may suddenly close down if that person becomes upset, frightened, humiliated, or self conscious. Why? High levels of adrenaline in the bloodstream do not favor (sometimes, they actually prevent) the opening of sphincters. This inhibition factors is one important reason why women in traditional societies may have mostly chosen women, except in extraordinary circumstances, to attend them in labor and birth. ( Have you double checked your birth plan? Have you officially chosen who you want to attend your birth?)
    4.

    •The state of relaxation of the mouth and jaw is directly correlated to the ability of the cervix, the vagina, and the anus to open to full capacity.

    What can you do?

    Practice breathing exercises with your mouth open...practice groaning nice an loud, like you are making love, with your mouth open. Have your partner prepare some funny jokes while you are in labor, or think of funny incidents that you have encountered together!

    If you want to read more on Ina May's Sphincter Law get her book, Ina May's Guide to Natural Childbirth.
    Also:



    Last edited by thanka2; 02-21-2011 at 11:11 AM.

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