Labor Pain Management

Becoming a mother is one of the most wonderful feelings that a woman can experience in her life. Along with new challenges and joys, motherhood also brings in lots of pain and discomfort symptoms. Beginning with conception signs, morning sickness and labor pain at the time of child delivery, pregnancy is altogether a new experience in a woman's life. Women who have already entered motherhood only know what do contractions feel like. And the most worrying part is nobody can predict when labor will start. So, all pregnant women should learn labor pain management techniques.

Labor Pain Causes and Symptoms

Almost all pregnant women fear about labor pain symptoms that they are going to endure at the time of childbirth. Labor is manifested when the womb (or uterus) starts contraction, which in turn is brought about by the combined effects of hormonal fluctuations and physical changes. It is usual to feel uterine contractions in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Such cases are called false labor pains. Unlike true labor pain, they do not get stronger with passing time or change with walking and physical movements.

Some pregnancies have prominent labor pain symptoms, while others do not have distinct symptoms. So, once a woman enters the last trimesters of pregnancy, she should be mentally prepared for labor contractions that may start at any time. True labor is characterized by frequent contractions, each lasting for about 30-70 seconds. With passing time, the contraction is more frequent and also, intensity of the contraction increases. The cervix stretches or dilates making a pathway for the baby. Eventually, the second stage of labor pain starts as the baby passes through the birth canal, which is then followed by delivery.

Labor Pain Management Options

Labor pain and other associated signs are manifested as a result of the body's preparation for delivering the baby. Understanding the process will help in handling the discomfort symptoms. Speaking about pain management during labor, the main objective is to help the body relax and deal labor pains in a better way. As labor pain intensity and symptoms are different for every pregnant woman, ways of dealing with pain during labor may also vary. Following are some tips for pain management in labor:

Preparation Exercises
Appropriate physical movements (as recommended by the physician) during the course of pregnancy will help prepare the muscles for labor contractions. Regular exercising also increases physical stamina and endurance, which in a way aids in handling the stress of labor and delivery. To be on the safer side, a pregnant woman should plan a proper exercise regimen that suits her.

Mental Relaxation
Mental relaxation and breathing techniques are effective options for labor pain management. They focus on relaxing the mind and body during labor contractions. Such a methodology involves distracting the mind or focusing on other thoughts, so as to have an easy delivery. There are certain techniques for mental relaxation during labor, which one can learn by attending classes.

Epidural or Spinal Blocks
Epidural and spinal medicines are commonly advocated for women having unbearable labor pain. Such regional block medications are formulated in such a way that they arrest nerves in the particular area from sending pain signals to the brain. In short, the portion below the abdomen is numbed temporarily, with an aim to reduce labor pain.

Analgesic Medicine
This is a therapeutic approach for labor pain management. In such a case, narcotic analgesics are administered intravenously, which reduce the body's ability to feel painful labor symptoms. Accompanied with certain side effects (especially for the baby), analgesic medications are recommended as the last resort to manage labor pain.

Other methods for labor pain management are acupuncture, hypnosis and water immersion. However, it is to be borne in mind that nothing can stop painful uterine muscle contractions. Labor pain is unpredictable, so be prepared and decide which labor pain management technique is suitable and discuss with your physician for a safer and less painful delivery.