I had read that white noise was used as a form of labor analgesia. That was when I was an undergraduate student, and the the book was, I believe, by Holland and Brews. I did no find it in other books during my subsequent reading. But perhaps it works. The nurses and resident doctors must not have read about it, but they seem to know all about it and they use it extensively too. When I take round of the labor ward, if one of the women is delivering at that time, I get fresh evidence of it.
"Come on, push, push, push" shouts one person.
"PUSH! PUSH! PUSH!" shouts another..
"बाई जोर कर, बाई जोर कर, बाई जोर कर" shouts a third person.
The main thing is that all three or six or whatever number of them shout their thing at the same time. The poor woman is with clenched teeth, her entire concentration on that phenomenal effort of pushing. I wonder if she hears anything in that state, and if she does, if anything registers. Even if it does, no one can make out the individual components of the white noise.
"What is the purpose of this shouting?" I asked during the ward round once.
"Encourage her to bear down" answered one Resident doctor.
"As if she can make out what they are saying" said an Assistant Professor.
"It is like the crowd cheering their hero in a game - cricket, soccer, boxing, whatever" said another Assistant Professor. "She knows all of them are on her side - are with her. That gives her strength."
"I think it is labor analgesia" I said. "The midwives have perpetuated it through all these years from time long forgotten."
"Does it work?" asked one Assistant Professor.
"God knows. It is actually causing a headache rather than relieving any pain" I said. "Perhaps that is how it works - like a counter irritant.. Causing a pain greater than the labor pain makes her forget the labor pains."
"Come on, push, push, push" shouts one person.
"PUSH! PUSH! PUSH!" shouts another..
"बाई जोर कर, बाई जोर कर, बाई जोर कर" shouts a third person.
The main thing is that all three or six or whatever number of them shout their thing at the same time. The poor woman is with clenched teeth, her entire concentration on that phenomenal effort of pushing. I wonder if she hears anything in that state, and if she does, if anything registers. Even if it does, no one can make out the individual components of the white noise.
"What is the purpose of this shouting?" I asked during the ward round once.
"Encourage her to bear down" answered one Resident doctor.
"As if she can make out what they are saying" said an Assistant Professor.
"It is like the crowd cheering their hero in a game - cricket, soccer, boxing, whatever" said another Assistant Professor. "She knows all of them are on her side - are with her. That gives her strength."
"I think it is labor analgesia" I said. "The midwives have perpetuated it through all these years from time long forgotten."
"Does it work?" asked one Assistant Professor.
"God knows. It is actually causing a headache rather than relieving any pain" I said. "Perhaps that is how it works - like a counter irritant.. Causing a pain greater than the labor pain makes her forget the labor pains."
