Epidural Alternatives
The majority of women in America receive an epidural at some point in their labor. But many women try to cope with labor pains in other ways before they accept an epidural, and others still want to have a birth free of pain medication. Other times, an obstetrician might suggest waiting for medication.
Regardless of the reason, it’s always a good idea to know alternative ways to cope with pain besides the epidural. While natural means of pain management don't relieve the pain of contractions completely, they can help women effectively cope and can help in providing a satisfying birth regardless if medication is eventually used or not.
Here are four ways to help cope with labor pain:
Movement: The ability to change position during labor can really help a woman manage pain and make her feel like she has some control over her own body. Resting on or sitting on a birthing ball, walking, or being on hands and knees are all positions that can be soothing to a laboring woman.
Many midwives and nurses can help you find positions that might be soothing for your particular situation. Being on your hands and knees, for example, may help relieve back labor. You and your birth partner should get educated about and practice some labor movements before labor begins.
Breath: Breathing can help you relax during and between contractions. There are many different suggestions for how to breathe during labor.
- Breathe along with your contractions, breathing in till the contraction peaks and out as it fades away.
- Breathe out deeply, almost sighing, during contractions
- Focus on breathing and relieving tension between contractions.
Water: Water is sometimes called the midwife's epidural because it is so effective in helping relieve pain. Studies have shown that immersion in water during labor reduces a mother's pain, sometimes to the point that she doesn't need pain medication, and is safe for both mother and baby. Many hospitals now offer tubs in some of their birthing suites. Talk to your midwife or doctor if you are interested in using a tub at some point in your labor. Generally, water can reduce pain but shouldn't be used until a woman is in active labor and then only for a couple of hours. Otherwise, water can slow labor down.
Touch: Touch can really help relieve pain in labor, especially if a woman is suffering from back labor. For women who have back labor, hands firmly placed over the lower back during contractions (called counter-pressure) helps relieve the sensation of a contraction in the back.
Massaging between contractions, or light stroking of your arms may provide gentle relief. It's hard to know what kind of touch you will respond well to in labor-- some touching you may resist while other types that you might not enjoy in everyday life, you might find very soothing in labor.
The key to using alternative methods of pain relief is to have a professional such as a midwife who can help you find the tools that work best for you in your particular labor. Talk to your midwife or OB/GYN about how you would like to implement these pain management strategies during your labor.
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