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Pain natural birth


Dealing With Pain During Childbirth (for Parents)

Learning all you can about labor and delivery is one of the best ways to help you manage the pain of childbirth when the time comes.

Pain During Labor and Delivery

Pain during labor is caused by contractions of the muscles of the uterus and by pressure on the cervix. This pain can be felt as strong cramping in the abdomen, groin, and back, as well as an achy feeling. Some women experience pain in their sides or thighs as well.

Other causes of pain during labor include pressure on the bladder and bowels by the baby's head and the stretching of the birth canal and vagina.

Pain during labor is different for every woman. It varies widely from woman to woman and even from pregnancy to pregnancy.

It's often not the pain of each contraction on its own that women find the hardest, but the fact that the contractions keep coming — and that as labor progresses, there is less and less time between contractions to relax.

Preparing Yourself

To help with pain during labor, here are some things you can start doing before or during your pregnancy:

Regular and reasonable exercise (that your doctor says is OK) can help strengthen your muscles and prepare your body for the stress of labor. Exercise also can increase your endurance, which will come in handy if you have a long labor. The important thing to remember with any exercise is not to overdo it — and this is especially true if you're pregnant. Talk to your doctor about what he or she considers to be a safe exercise plan for you.

If you and your partner attend childbirth classes, you'll learn different techniques for handling pain, from visualization to stretches designed to strengthen the muscles that support your uterus. The two most common childbirth philosophies in the United States are the Lamaze technique and the Bradley method.

The Lamaze technique is the most widely used method in the United States. The Lamaze philosophy teaches that birth is a normal, natural, and healthy process and that women should be empowered to approach it with confidence. Lamaze classes educate women about the ways they can decrease their perception of pain, such as through relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, distraction, or massage by a supportive coach. Lamaze takes a neutral position toward pain medicine, encouraging women to make an informed decision about whether it's right for them.

The Bradley method (also called Husband-Coached Birth) emphasizes a natural approach to birth and the active participation of the baby's father as birth coach. A major goal of this method is the avoidance of medicines unless absolutely necessary. The Bradley method also focuses on good nutrition and exercise during pregnancy and relaxation and deep-breathing techniques as a method of coping with labor. Although the Bradley method advocates a medicine-free birth experience, the classes do discuss unexpected complications or situations, like emergency cesarean sections.

Medicine-free ways to handle pain during labor include:

  • hypnosis
  • yoga
  • meditation
  • walking
  • massage or counterpressure
  • changing position
  • taking a bath or shower
  • listening to music
  • distracting yourself by counting or performing an activity that keeps your mind otherwise occupied

Pain Medicines

A variety of pain medicines can be used during labor and delivery, depending on the situation. Many women rely on such medicines, and it can be a huge relief when pain is quickly eased and energy can be focused on getting through the contractions. Talk to your health care provider about the risks and benefits of each type of medicine.

Analgesics. Analgesics ease pain, but don't numb it completely. They don’t affect sensation or muscle movement. They can be given many ways. If they are given intravenously (through an IV into a vein) or through a shot into a muscle, they can affect the whole body. These medicines can cause side effects in the mother, including drowsiness and nausea. They also can have effects on the baby.

Regional anesthesia. This is what most women think of when they consider pain medicine during labor. By blocking the feeling from specific regions of the body, these methods can be used for pain relief in both vaginal and cesarean section deliveries.

Epidurals, a form of local anesthesia, relieve most of the pain from the entire body below the belly button, including the vaginal walls, during labor and delivery. An epidural involves medicine given by an anesthesiologist through a thin, tube-like catheter that's inserted in the woman's lower back. The amount of medicine can be increased or decreased according to a woman's needs. Very little medicine reaches the baby, so usually there are no effects on the baby from this method of pain relief.

Epidurals do have some drawbacks — they can cause a woman's blood pressure to drop and can make it difficult to pee. They can also cause itching, nausea, and headaches in the mother. The risks to the baby are minimal, but include problems caused by low blood pressure in the mother.

Tranquilizers. These drugs don't relieve pain, but they may help to calm and relax women who are very anxious. Sometimes they are used along with analgesics. These drugs can have effects on both the mother and baby, and are not often used. They also can make it difficult for women to remember the details of the birth. Discuss the risks of tranquilizers with your doctor.

Natural Childbirth

Some women choose to give birth using no medicine at all, relying instead on relaxation techniques and controlled breathing for pain. If you'd like to experience childbirth without pain medicine, discuss this with your health care provider.

Things to Consider

Here are some things to think about when considering pain control during labor:

  • Medicines can relieve much of your pain, but probably won't relieve all of it.
  • Labor may hurt more than you expected. Some women who had said they want no pain medicine whatsoever end up changing their minds when they're actually in labor.
  • Some medicines can affect your baby, making the baby drowsy or causing changes in the heart rate.

Talking to Your Health Care Provider

You'll want to review your pain control options with the person who'll be delivering your baby. Find out what's available, how effective they're likely to be, and when it's best not to use some medicines.

If you want to use pain-control methods other than medicine, make sure your health care provider and the hospital staff know. You might want to also consider writing a birth plan that makes your preferences clear.

Remember, many women make decisions about pain relief that they abandon — often for very good reason — at the last minute. Your ability to endure the pain of childbirth has nothing to do with your worth as a mother. By preparing and educating yourself, you can be ready to decide what pain management works best for you.

5 tips on natural childbirth from an Ob/Gyn who experienced it | Your Pregnancy Matters

Dr. Kyler Elwell-Silver, who specializes in general obstetrics and gynecology, chose natural childbirth for her third pregnancy in 2019. She wanted to have the firsthand experience, which helps her relate even better to patients. (Photo credit: Julie Birdseye Photography)

In the U.S., giving birth with an epidural has become the norm. Approximately 73% of U.S. laboring patients used an epidural, spinal, or combined spinal-epidural block in 2015, up more than 10% from 2010. In Texas, that percentage is slightly higher, about 76%.

But in the past few years, more patients have inquired about giving birth "naturally" – planning to labor and deliver with limited or no pain medication. Patients have said they want to avoid the low potential risks associated with epidural, and some simply want to see what their bodies can do.

Some women consider any vaginal birth a natural childbirth, regardless of whether it includes getting an epidural or Pitocin to induce labor. Others think natural childbirth is only when there is no medical intervention. Most patients fall somewhere in the middle.

Patients who have had a healthy pregnancy and have had no complications or chronic conditions are good candidates to attempt a natural childbirth. However, it may not be the best choice for some expectant moms. We may suggest having an epidural if you are at high-risk for needing a cesarean section (C-section) so we can potentially avoid using general anesthesia. You might also be considered high risk if you have a heart condition, preeclampsia, or diabetes, or if you’re having twins or a baby in the breech position.

Our Ob/Gyns and certified nurse-midwives support patients in achieving the birth experience they want without judgment – with or without medication. We offer laboring moms plenty of options for pain relief, including aromatherapy and nitrous oxide (laughing gas).

If you choose unmedicated childbirth, it's important to prepare your mind and body for the experience. It can be difficult, but there are strategies to reshape how you think about pain, its management, and your birth experience.

Take it from my colleague, Kyler Elwell-Silver, M.D. After having epidurals during labor with her first two babies, she decided to try natural childbirth for her third. She put together five tips for moms to prepare for low- or no-medication labor and how to stay flexible if your birth plan has to change.

Dr. Elwell-Silver's 5 tips for natural childbirth

By Kyler Elwell-Silver, M.D.

As an Ob/Gyn, I've delivered many babies through natural childbirth – I wanted firsthand experience in what my patients go through. I'd had a low-risk pregnancy, so I was unlikely to need a cesarean section (C-section) or operative delivery. And this was my third baby, so labor would likely go quickly.

If you and your doctor agree natural childbirth is safe for you and your baby, here are five tips to help you prepare for the big day.

1. Make a ‘natural’ plan with your Ob/Gyn provider

Once you’ve decided you’d like to have a natural childbirth, talk to your Ob/Gyn or midwife. Let the provider know what you mean by “natural childbirth,” and ask about the options their facility offers to support you.

For example, William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital is uniquely set up to be supportive of many childbirth options – from pain relief to emergency care. We have a certified nurse-midwife and a doctor on the floor 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help whether you are in labor for hours or you deliver 10 minutes after arriving.

2. Find a support person or doula

The key to a successful natural childbirth is having a solid support person to distract you from the pain, talk you through what’s next, and cheer you on. This could be your partner, your mom, or a friend who has been through labor before.

Along with my husband, I had a doula with me during my natural childbirth. A doula is someone trained to support a woman through labor. Their goal is to help women achieve the childbirth experience they envision.

Doulas provide a range of services before, during, and after labor and can cost anywhere from $500 to $2,500.

Related reading: What role does a doula play during and after childbirth?

3. Get educated

Labor and delivery can last several hours, and it is painful. The more you know, the better prepared you’ll be.

I recommend taking childbirth classes, which cover everything from deep breathing and pain relief to C-sections. Every labor is unique, and sometimes things don’t go exactly as planned. Being prepared for any situation is important – childbirth classes can give you realistic expectations and instill confidence.

You may want to find a class that teaches the Bradley Method, which breaks down the different stages of labor, what to expect, and how your support person can help coach you through the natural birth process.

Related reading: Class is in session: The many benefits of prenatal education

4.

Prepare mentally

In the Western world, people are less accustomed to tolerating intense pain. We associate pain with something being wrong that should be fixed, often with medication.

But pain during childbirth is normal and necessary. It signals that your body is doing what it needs to do. Every wave of pain gets you closer to the goal: your beautiful baby.

My doula helped me get in the right headspace before labor started. Like a professional athlete, I visualized my baby’s birth often during my third trimester and returned to that scene during the labor process. She helped me keep my eyes on the prize throughout the pains of labor and delivery.

5. Learn natural pain management techniques

There are many alternatives to medication when it comes to pain relief. Talk with your health care provider about what is allowed and available where you’ll give birth. You’ll also want to practice your techniques before the big day, so they are second nature when you need them most.

Some natural pain management methods include:

  • Breathing techniques, such as those taught in Lamaze
  • Massage
  • Essential oils or aromatherapy
  • Meditation
  • Hypnosis
  • Music therapy
  • Taking a warm bath or shower
  • Walking around
  • Virtual reality
  • Using positions such as squatting or sitting on a birthing ball

If you don’t want an epidural, but aren’t opposed to other forms of medical pain relief, you might consider trying nitrous oxide. The nonflammable, colorless gas does not actually reduce pain or take away the sensation of a contraction, like an epidural. Instead, it relieves anxiety, which helps you tolerate the pain.

One piece of advice from my doula that I really appreciated was to focus on other things. My husband and I were scheduled to look at new houses the day I went into labor. So, that's what we did – even though it make our realtor a bit nervous!

Then, we went home and I sat in my warm, soothing bathtub until my husband (who's also a doctor) finally convinced me it was time to head to Clements University Hospital. I checked in, then walked around and chatted with some of my colleagues. My baby was born just minutes after my water broke, not long after we arrived.

Why I enjoyed my natural childbirth

Dr. Kyler Elwell-Silver: 'Having had this experience, I now feel better equipped to support and advise my patients before and during delivery. But remember, there is no wrong way to give birth.' (Photo credit: Julie Birdseye Photography)

Don't get me wrong – natural childbirth hurts. But I felt prepared when I went into labor. And for me, there were some benefits over getting an epidural.

The most notable benefit was being able to move around during labor and after delivery. With my epidural deliveries, I was confined to the bed since I was numb from the waist down. This time, I could walk around to ease my discomfort. Right after delivery, I could stand up, pick up the baby, and use the bathroom alone (I haven't really been able to do that since, with three kids at home!).

Having had this experience, I now feel better equipped to support and advise my patients before and during delivery.

But remember, there is no wrong way to give birth. Too many women feel pressured to deliver in a certain way. Sometimes medical pain relief or a C-section are necessary. Labor and delivery can be unpredictable, and everyone experiences pain differently.

No matter which path you take, the goal remains the same – having a healthy, happy mom and baby. To visit with an Ob/Gyn or midwife, call 214-645-8300 or request an appointment online.

Childbirth. Painful and scary? No pain and no fear!

My charming beloved daughter is two years old. Two years of great happiness from communicating with this miracle, two years in the world of absolutely new and wonderful emotions... And over the years, I regularly remember my pregnancy, the moment of the birth of my girl and the feelings that overwhelmed me then. I would like to share my personal experience of natural childbirth and thoughts that probably come to the mind of all expectant mothers, and especially those who are expecting their first child.

Starting from afar, I will say that I have a very low pain threshold, I can not stand any medical manipulations. In general, until the age of 25 (I gave birth at almost 29), the thought that I would someday have to give birth (and I always wanted a child) caused me horror and tears in my eyes. From my youth I was interested in medicine and re-read quite a lot of literature and articles from the Internet about childbirth long before pregnancy. I was just curious. And films with a standard image of childbirth complemented the already “colorful” picture: an operating room, screams, groans, inhuman torments, fussing doctors ... At that time, I saw childbirth as a test that had to be heroically passed. After reading stories about childbirth, I had the feeling that in the maternity hospital the main person in childbirth is a doctor who necessarily performs some kind of manipulation (“pierced the bladder”, “put an epidural”, “finally injected painkillers”, etc. .). At the same time, questions were spinning in my head: “How did they give birth before in villages with midwives without anesthesia? And how do the medicines that a woman is stuffed during childbirth affect the child and milk?

Once again, surfing the Internet, I came across excerpts from Michel Auden's book "Reborn Childbirth", which turned my idea of ​​them upside down and answered many questions. I fully agreed with the author, who wrote that childbirth is a natural process, and the main character in them is a woman who, it turns out, is able to give birth herself, you just need to give her this opportunity. Auden's ideas inspired me, but I understood that France is France, and I would have to give birth in a Russian maternity hospital (the prospect of home birth did not attract me), where they would hardly be reverent about my wishes ...

I get the good news that my husband and I are expecting a baby! I began to look for a medical center where I could be observed during pregnancy, and I came to the Center for Traditional Obstetrics for information, where I learned about the Natural Birth program. To be honest, I have never even heard of such a “golden mean”, as I see it now, between standard and home births. The decision on where to give birth was made by me intuitively. I immediately felt that this was mine, that I had a chance to give birth on my own, as it was provided by Nature, which I really wanted.

Many people think that there is no reason to go to the courses, that you can read books and magazines, and everything that is taught in the courses will be forgotten at the time of childbirth anyway. Of course, this is everyone's choice. I believe that preparation for childbirth and courses for pregnant women are absolutely inseparable things. No books will tell what a practicing obstetrician will tell, they will not answer exactly your question. Personally, the courses have helped me a lot. Classes dedicated to childbirth radically changed my idea of ​​labor pain, I realized that you should not be afraid of it, but you need to learn to accept it, not by clenching your teeth and clenching your teeth, but by relaxing, no matter how paradoxical it sounds. A film about childbirth (where none of the three women screamed in pain) finally convinced me that there is nothing terrible in this process. The most valuable result of the courses for me was that I became psychologically ready for childbirth. And as we all know, a lot comes from the head and inner mood. In the courses, we did not memorize breathing exercises, relaxation exercises, we were simply shown positions in which it might be convenient to endure contractions, explaining that during childbirth the body itself will tell you how comfortable it is in this or that period - and so it turned out in fact, or something the midwife will advise. After the baby was born, the information received in the classes, where they talked about breastfeeding, caring for the baby, and the physiological characteristics of newborns, helped me a lot. I felt confident and knowing what to do with my own child.

The Natural Birth program provided for several visits to the midwife who will take care of the birth, even two - the main one and the "backup". It was very important for me to be next to the person taking delivery, whom I already know, who sees you not for the first time, and in a place familiar to me (when concluding a contract in the maternity hospital, they showed me the ward where the birth takes place). For each visit to the midwife, I prepared a whole list of questions, and not only related to childbirth. Together we adjusted the list of things that you need to take with you to the hospital, the list of “dowry” for the child at home, several times we talked about the action plan when I understand that “something is starting”.

...The birth began, as is often the case, at night. I felt my stomach begin to pull, but I decided that these were training contractions, which I had been waiting for. My husband advised me to call the midwife, but I decided not to disturb her at 12 midnight. Three hours later, I realized that this was no longer a “training” and called. The midwife arrived 40 minutes later, looked at me and said that you can go to the hospital. At the maternity hospital, I really appreciated the joint visit with the midwife, who saved me from standard unpleasant procedures (in my case, the body cleansed itself at home). My husband left (it was our mutual decision that I would give birth without him), and I stayed with the midwife. How grateful I was to Larisa for being by my side all the time! She suggested comfortable positions for me, gave me water to drink, poured a bath in which it was much easier for me to endure the contractions that were already very strong by that time, and at the same time she was, as it were, invisible. Almost all births we were with her together. The maternity hospital doctor came in the first time for a minute right after we settled in the ward, and the second time - at the last attempts, although, to be honest, her presence bothered me because her mobile phone constantly rang, and this, believe me, in such a crucial moment is very annoying.

The labor itself (pulling) lasted almost two hours. As I now understand, in the maternity hospital they would hardly have bothered so much with me in the birth chair (and I wouldn’t have lasted there for so long). And the midwife waited patiently, periodically checking the baby's heartbeat, and encouraged me, saying that everything was in order.

Being attuned to childbirth without anesthesia, but knowing my inability to endure pain, before childbirth, even after the courses, in the depths of my soul I asked myself the question: “When will I still scream that I can’t take it anymore and demand anesthesia?”. Anesthesia was not required! At some moments it was more difficult than unbearably painful, it was physical fatigue at the end of the contractions (at that moment I said the only time: “I can’t take it anymore! I’m tired.” But the midwife explained to me that the contractions were about to when they run out, and it becomes easier.This gave me new strength, and, indeed, after a couple of minutes they ended.

And then my baby was born! She didn't scream, but groaned calmly. The pediatrician immediately came to examine her, because. she had an umbilical cord around her neck, but everything was fine with her, and a minute later my daughter was placed on my chest! I did not cry with happiness (although before the birth I imagined this moment in this way), but lay and enjoyed the inexplicable calmness, stroking my baby. An hour later my husband arrived, and we were all together until evening.

Someone says that it is boring to lie in a separate room, that two or four people are more fun, but personally I didn’t need any communication, except communication with my own child! And it is much more convenient to receive relatives in a separate room.

The maternity hospital offered to take the child for the night, I refused (but the nurses did not insist, they simply said that if I wanted, I could give her at any time), because. I couldn't imagine my life without my baby. Before giving birth, many people told me that I needed to “rest,” that I would recover more slowly if I took care of the child myself from the first hours. But I initially had a mindset to be with the baby. Yes, I felt tired after giving birth, I sincerely envy those mothers who, a couple of hours after giving birth, were already ready to fly! This was not my case, I felt weak, “broken” all over my body, but in the first seven hours, the presence of my husband helped me a lot. From my experience, I can say that the best rest for a mother is to lie next to a sleeping baby. If the baby feels good and comfortable (again, with a mother nearby), then at first he sleeps a lot and lets him sleep and rest. And if something worries him, then his mother - her voice, hands, smell - is needed even more (of course, we are not talking about conditions requiring urgent medical intervention). Performing simple procedures - feeding, changing clothes - naturally makes you get out of bed and move. There was a very friendly staff in the maternity hospital No. 6, they showed me several times at my request how to swaddle and wash the baby, they answered all my questions. I don’t even talk about the role of living together in establishing breastfeeding, because. it's just obvious.

My baby girl was very calm from birth, she hardly cried, I think that this is partly because she was allowed to be born on her own. And I had a very good impression from the birth, a feeling of well-done responsible work. I remember a funny moment when already at the last attempts (!!!) for some reason the thought occurred to me that in French and English the word “work, labor” (travail, labor) also means “childbirth”. I told the midwife and the doctor about this, they looked at me with surprise, because, apparently, for the first time they encountered the fact that a few minutes before the birth of a child, a woman discusses philological nuances with them, but agreed with me. Childbirth really requires the active participation of a woman, her work with her own body, labor pain.

There is an opinion that labor pain is quickly forgotten, because she is overwhelmed by the joy of having a baby. But I remember all my feelings very well and from my own experience I can say that there is no unbearable pain in childbirth. Many of my friends, hearing from me that I gave birth without stimulation, without anesthesia, and at the same time did not experience unbearable pain, unfortunately, they are sincerely surprised, and sometimes they do not believe. Why "Unfortunately? Because most people have stereotypes about childbirth, labor pain in their heads. But I am glad that I had an alternative, the opportunity, I repeat once again, to give birth on my own, as provided by Nature, and I took advantage of it.

Author: Nadezhda Kuzmina, August 2010

Is giving birth painful?

Childbirth is a natural physiological process that is inevitably associated with pain. Prolonged pain tires a woman, leads to a violation of the contractile activity of the uterus and can adversely affect the course and outcome of childbirth, and most importantly, the health of the mother and child. Therefore, pain relief is very important!

In our maternity hospital, we use the most modern and gentle methods of analgesia in the labor process.

The most common methods of labor pain relief in Russia are the use of narcotic analgesics and epidural analgesia.

Intravenous or intramuscular injection of a narcotic analgesic is usually used in the early stages of labor or during labor precursors to give a woman an opportunity to rest and gain strength. A narcotic analgesic can cause drowsiness in a woman in labor and depression of consciousness and breathing in a child, so its administration is not recommended in the later stages of childbirth.

Epidural analgesia is the most effective and safe method of labor pain relief:

  • it makes it possible to eliminate pain throughout childbirth and saves the woman strength and emotions to meet the baby;

  • better than other methods of anesthesia, it allows you to fulfill the requirement for careful management of childbirth and turns childbirth into a less traumatic process for the fetus and mother;

  • reduces pain sensitivity in the lower parts of the body, but does not affect the consciousness and mobility of the woman in labor;

  • contributes to the normalization of labor activity in case of its violations;

  • allows you to anesthetize the closure of tears and abrasions of the tissues of the birth canal after childbirth without the use of anesthesia;

  • if the birth plan changes and there is a need for a caesarean section, anesthesia is continued by the same safe method, which allows the woman to be conscious and communicate with the baby from the first minutes of his life.

What is the essence of the method of epidural analgesia?

The anesthesiologist, painlessly for the woman in labor, inserts a special sterile thin catheter between the vertebrae into the space in front of the membrane surrounding the spinal cord. Nerve roots pass through this space, through which pain impulses from the contracting uterus enter the spinal cord, and from there to the brain with the formation of a sensation of pain. An anesthetic solution, a local anesthetic, is injected through the catheter to block the nerve roots and interrupt the flow of pain information during childbirth.

Does epidural analgesia affect the fetus?

Epidural analgesia is safe for mother and child - this has already been proven by many modern studies. Moreover, effective pain relief not only increases the comfort of a woman during childbirth, but also normalizes blood flow in the placenta, which in turn helps prevent oxygen deficiency in the fetus.

Learn more