How to reduce pain during labor

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Pain During Labor :

The pain experienced depends on several things including your own natural pain threshold, medication, birthing position, baby position, previous births, your general health and the actual birthing methods employed and the place of it.

It is better to be relaxed and know the pain and try to accept it as far as possible. In reality, your experience of the birthing process is unique to your body and how you choose to respond to it. Pain is a two part process: the first part is the physical experience of the pain and the second is your emotional reaction to your experience.

You can follow some of the techniques mentioned below but the doctor's advice is always the best.
1. Hot water fomentation and hot water baths help relieve your discomfort especially after labor on the stitching area.
2. Relax yourself by taking deep breaths slowly with your nose and out with the mouth slowly. Take all your time for such breathing with each contraction.
3. Massaging your shoulders and base of your back by your partner gently is a favorable approach.
4. Changing your position time to time whichever is comfortable to you. The labor is longer if you remain lying down. Try to be upright with more room for pelvis to give out your baby.
5. Conserve your energy by resting in early labor as you may be tired due to the frequent contractions and agonizing pain.
6. If you have your loved ones near you the labor is much easier and quicker. So try to hold the hand of your loved one (partner).
7. Laboring in water is good these days but many centers are not practicing these techniques due to technical difficulties. It is said to decrease the pain relief medication given during labor.
8. The doctors (Obstetricains and Anesthesiologists) always will be helpful in relieving your pain with epidural anesthesia/ local anesthesia. Now a day's patient controlled anesthesia has come up which allows the patient himself to lessen her pain.
9. Join with some jokes by the midwife or your partner.
10. Listen to your favorite tunes and hum yourself.

Various Medications	Timing of its use	Advantages	Disadvantages
Epidural or spinal anesthesia	Can be given any time during labor, but many doctors wait until labor is well established	Virtually eliminates pain; dosage and timing can be adjusted, widely accepted one.	Might lengthen labor; can cause fever or headache
njection of opioid analgesics	Throughout labor	Can be given more than once during labor	Less effective for pain; might make baby sleepy
Inhalation of nitrous oxide	Continuously or during contractions	Safe and effective; easy to administer	Can be difficult to time the application with contractions; not widely available