# Hypnobirthing & period pains



## bumphope

We started hypnobirthing yesterday. Fantastic. Love it!

I can't quite get my head round the actual contractions though and I wasn't quite sure the teacher gave me the right answer.

Why do period pains hurt even if you're not stressed about them etc etc. presumably they are just a contraction of the uterus...?

She said that it's a different system used by the menstrual cycle, and totally different to birth. I can't quite get my head around that? And I've been googling this morning and can't find anything about them using a different system.

Does anyone know?

X


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## kazine

They're different in that uterine contractions' purpose is to dilate the cervix to 10cm! They're obviously completely different in purpose, so I imagine they work in a different way too.


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## bumphope

Thank you  What you say it absolutely true, so hopefully that means the hypnobirthing will work for me.... Certainly 2 weeks in I'm feeling a lot calmer and less stressed about the birth. I'm actually excited to see what I can do, rather than worrying about what might go wrong! X


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## MindUtopia

I imagine they hurt because to an extent you probably are stressed about them, but they probably hurt more or less depending on how stressed out you are about getting your period, like with any pain. I personally don't find period pains to be that painful (actually I'm getting my period now and I hardly get any). Also, period pains are generally pretty constant, but in labour, you have a minute or 30 seconds here and there that's uncomfortable, but there are stretches of time in between when you feel totally normal. I was eating porridge, wandering around my house, etc. in between and totally comfortable. 

That said, period pains usually aren't totally unbearable for most people. I found contractions were much more intense than period pains, but not significantly more painful if that makes sense. For me, contractions were kinda like the bowel spasms you get if you have a GI infection and really bad diarrhea. Your whole body sorta clenches down involuntarily in a really intense way, but it wasn't like sharp, horrible pain, just a really intense and involuntary muscle spasm. Someone one told me it's kinda like when you get a cramp in your foot. Personally, I didn't think it was that painful, and I found it much easier to relax through than a foot cramp! But it's a weird feeling and different to anything else I've experienced. I did natal hypnotherapy though and felt it helped so much. I felt so relaxed, even during contractions, and my labour progressed pretty quickly and smoothly as a result. Seriously, hypnotherapy was the best thing I could have done. My advice would be just to practice, practice, practice and to try not to overthink it. It works, but you kinda have to turn off your analytical brain and just let it do what it needs to do rather than to try to think about why it works too much.


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## Feronia

Menstruation and childbirth are completely different systems controlled by different hormones and mechanisms. Menstruation is triggered by falling progesterone due to the corpus luteam failing (your ovaries each month can only produce a progesterone for so long UNLESS pregnancy occurs), and is just the shedding of closed spiral arteries that will regenerate the next month.

Childbirth is initiated and maintained by oxytocin and is complete contraction of the uterus. As a previous poster mentioned, the purpose is to dilate the cervix, not to shed the lining of the uterus (that happens after birth). So while menstruation cramps and contractions can feel similar, the purpose and mechanisms are completely different. 

Also, menstruation cramps are usually continuous, and contractions are about 1 minute every few minutes &#8211; they build in intensity and then gradually drop off. I found hypnobirthing very helpful in dealing with that minute of intensity, but I wouldn't use hypnobirthing for menstruation!


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## bumphope

Thank you both! Exactly what I needed to know. It makes sense now and I feel I can embrace the hypnobirthing! I love love love it and now I get why I don't need to worry about labour pain vs period pain it's even better  

Just need to get past the stupid block I have in my head that baby might not get into the right position and I'll be laughing!

X


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