Braxton Hicks
*Disclaimer* This blog post is merely discussion and does NOT represent any medical research or knowledge! It is a what if thought process.
For many years, I was very interested in research and education around Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. I soaked up as much as I could from gifted educators such as Dr. Nancy Poole and Diane Malbin. I had opportunities to create documents for others to learn from as a collective with amazing women who knew so much more than I ever would. I contributed to a research team for a number of years that spanned across the Western Provinces of Canada. The reason I begin with this is simple: I did what I could to help myself understand more about the disorder and what I could do to help others who were involved with people, either directly or indirectly, that were living with it. One really big piece I took from all that I learned is this: language is powerful! In fact, those 3 words frame much of what I say or do in the public forum! Language is powerful- in terms of FASD, it has been a framework from which much of the research has been founded. Have you noticed that disorders and diseases are often named for someone--usually the doctor or researcher who was able to figure out causation or origin, for example, Epstein-Barr, Down's, Hasimoto? Yet, two doctors on the west coast wisely decided to name FASD for its direct cause- fetal alcohol exposure.
So, we come to the name of this post. Braxton-Hicks. I did not take time to find out who named Braxton-Hicks, or what the point of the name is. But this post was sparked by what i saw on a TV show last night. Typically, I criticize shows for birthing inaccuracies, I will admit it. Such as, where is the umbilicus? Or, that baby is NOT a newborn. Or, get her up and off her back!! Last night, a doctor was speaking to some people about a woman who was imminently due and said, "She was experiencing some Braxton-Hicks (to which I thought, yay, quite accurate!). Then she said, "False labour."
This! This is where I am coming to! False labour. What do we mean by that? Did a woman think up the contractions, were they in her head? Or, since they didn't actually progress to birth, were they fake/false/useless....fill-in-the-blank?
I would like to propose this. Language! A woman who has been experiencing contractions, however, progressive or not, is still feeling them. There is no sense of false. And each contraction was caused by something. So, what are contractions caused by?
Many posts previously, we discussed the role hormones play. When it is time for birth, oxytocin will be in charge, doing the work, softening the cervix and creating pressure in the uterus to finally eject the baby. Contractions can also be caused by adrenalin, when fear or stress are in charge. Those contractions harden and often won't finish the progress to ejection. But what about Braxton-Hicks and language.
Braxton-Hicks are contractions that happen in the weeks leading up to birth. Some women experience none, or few, but many experience lots of them. I like to tell my childbirth classes that these contractions provide practice to stay loose, practice mindfulness and to find comfort. I often remind them that it gives and opportunity to pay attention to surroundings, thoughts and feelings and to respond accordingly. That doesn't sound false! It sounds like the body's wisdom in preparation for the demanding work of birth to come. When a doula client reports tension or contractions prior to labour, we often spend time brainstorming about ways to find comfort and rest and to decrease any stresses- again, an opportunity to focus inwardly at what the body is telling us, mind-body-spirit connections.
So, what is the difference between what I am saying and the wording of 'false labour'? Possibly nothing, just semantics! But what I do think is this: language is powerful. We believe what we tell ourselves and we believe what others tell us, especially if we perceive them to be smarter or more powerful (insert: medical professional) and are quick to submit to their point of view. So, if we say to a woman that her labour is false, we quickly diminish her feelings and sense of control, her inner knowledge to the point of view of someone who "knows better". In everything I do as a doula and childbirth educator and, frankly, as a mother and grandmother, my framework is largely to see women empowered to know themselves and to trust their inner wisdom. How can we make these two the same thing? Let's change our wording! Let's not say things like false labour or call non-progressive contractions Braxton-Hicks! Let's change our language to empowering words, words that support inner wisdom and power! We can express strength in our words by asking what is going on and trusting a woman. How often have we heard women say that they were ready to push and had a nurse or doctor tell them they weren't--only to meet the newborn minutes later? We need to continue to teach young women to trust their inner voice--whether it is their instincts for interpersonal relationships or their feelings around their body. But this doesn't start with adults. it starts very early, right when we tell a little person that they are crying for no reason or that their response to something is inappropriate! With those contractions, we can provide emotional and physical and informational support to understand what is actually going on- how to know when labour is progressing and how to manage when it isn't. We can teach mindfulness and self-reflection. We can use empowering and supportive language! It isn't false. It is simply an opportunity to practice! Let's make that change!
For many years, I was very interested in research and education around Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. I soaked up as much as I could from gifted educators such as Dr. Nancy Poole and Diane Malbin. I had opportunities to create documents for others to learn from as a collective with amazing women who knew so much more than I ever would. I contributed to a research team for a number of years that spanned across the Western Provinces of Canada. The reason I begin with this is simple: I did what I could to help myself understand more about the disorder and what I could do to help others who were involved with people, either directly or indirectly, that were living with it. One really big piece I took from all that I learned is this: language is powerful! In fact, those 3 words frame much of what I say or do in the public forum! Language is powerful- in terms of FASD, it has been a framework from which much of the research has been founded. Have you noticed that disorders and diseases are often named for someone--usually the doctor or researcher who was able to figure out causation or origin, for example, Epstein-Barr, Down's, Hasimoto? Yet, two doctors on the west coast wisely decided to name FASD for its direct cause- fetal alcohol exposure.
So, we come to the name of this post. Braxton-Hicks. I did not take time to find out who named Braxton-Hicks, or what the point of the name is. But this post was sparked by what i saw on a TV show last night. Typically, I criticize shows for birthing inaccuracies, I will admit it. Such as, where is the umbilicus? Or, that baby is NOT a newborn. Or, get her up and off her back!! Last night, a doctor was speaking to some people about a woman who was imminently due and said, "She was experiencing some Braxton-Hicks (to which I thought, yay, quite accurate!). Then she said, "False labour."
This! This is where I am coming to! False labour. What do we mean by that? Did a woman think up the contractions, were they in her head? Or, since they didn't actually progress to birth, were they fake/false/useless....fill-in-the-blank?
I would like to propose this. Language! A woman who has been experiencing contractions, however, progressive or not, is still feeling them. There is no sense of false. And each contraction was caused by something. So, what are contractions caused by?
Many posts previously, we discussed the role hormones play. When it is time for birth, oxytocin will be in charge, doing the work, softening the cervix and creating pressure in the uterus to finally eject the baby. Contractions can also be caused by adrenalin, when fear or stress are in charge. Those contractions harden and often won't finish the progress to ejection. But what about Braxton-Hicks and language.
Braxton-Hicks are contractions that happen in the weeks leading up to birth. Some women experience none, or few, but many experience lots of them. I like to tell my childbirth classes that these contractions provide practice to stay loose, practice mindfulness and to find comfort. I often remind them that it gives and opportunity to pay attention to surroundings, thoughts and feelings and to respond accordingly. That doesn't sound false! It sounds like the body's wisdom in preparation for the demanding work of birth to come. When a doula client reports tension or contractions prior to labour, we often spend time brainstorming about ways to find comfort and rest and to decrease any stresses- again, an opportunity to focus inwardly at what the body is telling us, mind-body-spirit connections.
So, what is the difference between what I am saying and the wording of 'false labour'? Possibly nothing, just semantics! But what I do think is this: language is powerful. We believe what we tell ourselves and we believe what others tell us, especially if we perceive them to be smarter or more powerful (insert: medical professional) and are quick to submit to their point of view. So, if we say to a woman that her labour is false, we quickly diminish her feelings and sense of control, her inner knowledge to the point of view of someone who "knows better". In everything I do as a doula and childbirth educator and, frankly, as a mother and grandmother, my framework is largely to see women empowered to know themselves and to trust their inner wisdom. How can we make these two the same thing? Let's change our wording! Let's not say things like false labour or call non-progressive contractions Braxton-Hicks! Let's change our language to empowering words, words that support inner wisdom and power! We can express strength in our words by asking what is going on and trusting a woman. How often have we heard women say that they were ready to push and had a nurse or doctor tell them they weren't--only to meet the newborn minutes later? We need to continue to teach young women to trust their inner voice--whether it is their instincts for interpersonal relationships or their feelings around their body. But this doesn't start with adults. it starts very early, right when we tell a little person that they are crying for no reason or that their response to something is inappropriate! With those contractions, we can provide emotional and physical and informational support to understand what is actually going on- how to know when labour is progressing and how to manage when it isn't. We can teach mindfulness and self-reflection. We can use empowering and supportive language! It isn't false. It is simply an opportunity to practice! Let's make that change!
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