Words: Dr Pankaj AGGARWAL
Most babies are born following a perfectly normal and uneventful labour. Yet, the fact remains that things don’t go according to plan always. A little help from your homeopathic physician could help in making such a plan safe and also uneventful.
Homeopathy has an impressive safety record. Its remedies are non-toxic and, when correctly chosen, can stimulate the body to heal on its own, while helping with natural physiological processes, such as pregnancy and childbirth. Homeopathy has more than 200 years of history too — and, its reputation during pregnancy and childbirth, for not causing any harm or injury, is well-established.
Natural Process
Induction of labour is a natural process. This takes place after the maturity of the foetus. This, of course, differs in every individual case. Each mother-patient differs in their hereditary and environmental factors, as also parameters too.
- Physical
- Mental [psycho-spiritual, psycho-social, socio-economical].
Every health professional has to keep the following elements in mind and handle them accordingly:
- Woman lying on back
- Fear of childbirth
- Not having doula, a woman, typically without formal obstetric training, employed to provide guidance and support to a pregnant woman during labour
- A stressful birth environment
- Induction, or augmentation, with artificial oxytocin
- Not knowing any natural pain relief options
- A posterior baby
- Being dehydrated.
We have not yet reached the stage of deciphering the exact time of maturity and time of induction of labour. Also, how precisely the process of induction takes place in a physiological context is as yet unknown. What we understand is that the psychic, nervous and endocrinal systems work in co-ordination — this leads to induction of labour.
What we, of course, know is that, like all physiological processes, labour and its activity are controlled by a ‘living entity’ which, in homeopathy, is referred to as the vital force, or vital energy. In psychological terms, this is known as the self [NB: To understand and respond to unanswered questions, there is now, in medical science, a new field of study which is expanding rapidly. It is called PNI {psychoneuroimmunology}].
Homeopathic remedies work on the vital force, or vital energy, or self. This suggests that the ‘command’ goes to the rest of the body [cf. PNI] to trigger labour. This methodology of homeopathic treatment holds good for every state, or condition. The fact also is homeopathic remedies act naturally — as Mother Nature ordained.
Induction of labour using homeopathic remedies is a completely safe option for allowing the mother’s body into labour. The remedies are safe for both the mother and baby. Also, when homeopathic remedies are contraindicated, or when other medications are being administered, the only ‘effect’ of taking the wrong homeopathic remedy is that nothing untoward will happen.
My Line Of Treatment
When I prescribe homeopathic remedies to induce labour, there are two important aspects I consider:
- What is the fear holding the woman, or baby, back? This is a big reason why women do not go into labour. Identifying the fear, at the core, and prescribing the most suitable homeopathic remedy to lift the intensity is how women may be induced into labour
- Position of the baby. This is another way to induce labour. If the baby is posterior, or breech, giving a remedy to correct the position will initiate labour, because of the natural pressure it creates on the cervix.
Homeopathy cannot override your body. Labour pains may begin from 38-40 weeks’ time. The best time to give the indicated homeopathic remedy is when the archetypal type of labour pain emerges and the mouth of the uterus [os] begins to open. This timely opening of the os and natural muscular action that pushes the baby out is all that is needed to complete the delivery.
I have seen women go into labour within five minutes after taking a homeopathic remedy, but the normal range I work with is 24 hours — when the mother is being prepared. The most appropriate remedy stimulates the mother’s body to go ahead, or what it naturally needs to do. This will also be ‘as if’ labour has begun on its own.
Useful Homeopathic Remedies
Aconite napellus. Contractions feel violent and intense, producing a state of fear and anxiety. Restless, agitated and fearful that they may die.
Arnica montana. Feel bruised, sore, ‘as if’ beaten, during labour. Don’t want people to touch. Relieves soft tissue damage [perineum, or abdomen] following birth, or caesarian section; reduces swelling, bruising, and risk of infection. Promotes healing.
Arsenicum album. Anxious restlessness leading to physical exhaustion. Chilly with anxiety.
Bellis perennis. For bruised, sore pelvic, or abdominal tissues.
Caulophyllum. False labour, where pains fly about the abdomen. Rigid cervix with pricking pains; cervix fails to dilate. Contractions become irregular and cease.
Cimicifuga racemosa. Cervix spasms and becomes rigid on examination. Uterus ascends high into the abdomen during contraction. Pains fly from side-to-side of the abdomen. Irregular, but painful contractions.
Chamomilla. The pains are unbearable, even in early labour. The mother is extremely irritable, or angry — no matter what is offered, or done, it is not right for them. Hands and feet cold.
Gelsemium sempervirens. Weakness and exhaustion; difficult to support weight. Muscles tremble with the effort of movement. Contractions weaken and cease.
Hypericum perforatum. Shooting nerve pains.
Kali carbonicum. Irregular contractions. Pain of contractions felt primarily in the back [with posterior position of baby]. Feels ‘as if’ the back may break; feels much better with firm pressure. Fear of dying.
Kali phosphoricum. Physical exhaustion either during, or after, labour where few other symptoms may be present.
Pulsatilla pratensis. Changeable and erratic contractions. Very restless. Weepy and wanting support and comfort from others. Happy to be held. Flushed face.
Pyrogenium. Not likely to be needed, but is an important remedy when a post-partum infection in the uterus develops following childbirth. Rapidly resolves sepsis. May be used for its protective effect against infection of mother, or baby, when the membranes have been ruptured for a long time before the onset of labour, more so when high temperature develops.
Staphysagria. Useful following incision, penetration, or stretching of muscle fibre, as happens with a caesarean section, or dilatation and curettage [D&C]. The remedy promotes quick healing of incisional, or lacerated, wounds. Relieves the feelings of anger, resentment, disappointment, and emotional upset that may follow a caesarean birth.
Points To Ponder
The dosage in every system of medicine is crucial. It is decided according to the basic principles of the system. In homeopathy, dosage means three things:
- Potency, or the ‘power’ of the medicine
- Quantum, or the quantity to be taken at a time
- Repetition being the frequency and duration in-between dosages..
To decide upon the dosage, your homeopathic physician will evaluate the sensitivity of the patient. First of all, pregnancy and labour are physiological processes, not disease. Remember most pregnant woman tend to be highly sensitive, because of their instinct to adding a new citizen into the world — so they are naturally bound to bring out the best resources that they can muster.
When the time for labour arrives, most sensitive, pregnant women become extremely touchy for the full safety for their child. In this sensitive state, the indicated remedy to be given is usually the 200C potency, and that too in pills form [four, 20-size pills = 1 dose]. Sometimes, just one dose would be sufficient to set a positive reaction for inducing labour. It may also be emphasised that the dosage can vary according to the sensitivity ‘index’ of the woman, including her emotional and health status, or condition, at the time of labour.
