- Visualization and Self-Hypnosis – If you prepare yourself before delivery, you can use visualization techniques to focus your energy away from the pain and toward the birth of your child. There are books available on how to do this either on your own or with the help of your birthing partner. Women have been known to visualize themselves riding on waves in the warm sun as the waves of contractions flow through them. It is possible to become so focused on the birth of your child that you don’t even register the hospital surroundings around you.
- Massage – Your doula, midwife or birthing partner can help to relieve your pain with massage therapy. Massage is particularly good for working through back pain.
- Warm water can bring pain relief by relaxing your muscles during contractions. This will help our body to retain more oxygen, decreasing the birthing pain. Studies have found that water works best if a woman is at 5cm, but you can go in any time you feel the need. Many hospitals have birthing pools, but if yours doesn’t, you can still sit in the shower. The water should be body temperature. If it is too hot, you can become dehydrated and complicate your labor. And remember, even if you don’t plan on birthing in the water, you can still sit in the water to relieve the labor pain.
Pain Relief with Medication
During your labor, you may begin to feel a desperate need for pain relief. If this happens, try to get through 15 minutes before you make your final decision. It is often in the last stages of labor that you feel almost out of control. If you can get through 15 more minutes, you may just be ready to push. If you don’t wait and have pain medication, your labor can slow down significantly.
- Regional anesthetics stop the transmission of pain from nerves to localized areas. A short term caudal anesthetic can be injected into the spinal area. This will numb the vaginal and perineum areas for a short amount of time. A longer lasting anesthetic called a prudendal block can be injected directly into the vagina, numbing that area for a longer amount of time.
- Epidural – The epidural is probably the most widely used pain relief today in the delivery room. A local anesthetic is used to numb an area on your back. A hollow needle is inserted into your back, and then a tube is guided down it into your back. The needle is removed, leaving the catheter (tube) in place. Anesthetic is placed in the tube and the tube is then sealed. If you need more medication, it can be added to the catheter. An epidural keeps pain from leaving your uterine area – blocking feeling from your knees to your waste. If you have an epidural, it may be hard to push – so concentration is a must during this time. Epidural medication will not pass through to your baby.
- Narcotics can be used for pain relief in the delivery room. Medication such as meperidine can be given to you through an I.V. drip or injection. Only ask for the smallest amount at first, as narcotics will pass through you to your baby.
Remember, only you know what is best for you and your baby. Talk to your OB/GYN about options that will be available to you, and make a birthing plan that allows for changes depending on your labor.
