Pain relief during labour: Ways to reduce pain and discomfort during child birth

The Duchess of Cambridge is in labour! Here is all that you need to know about labour pain management.

We know that the Duchess of Cambridge is in labour right now with royal baby no.3 on its way. While we don't have details about what she's undergoing right now, what we do know is that this a crucial period for her. Delivery of the infant into the arms of a conscious and pain-free mother is one of the most exciting and rewarding moments in medicine. Moir and this statement reflect the sentiments of every mother who opt for a natural birthing to bring her child into this world.

The pain of childbirth is the most severe pain that most women will endure in their lifetimes. According to McGill pain questionnaire comparing pain scores for women in labour, it was seen that labour pain is the most severe kind of pain a human can bear. Women in pain don t need an indication of pain relief. According to the American Society of Anaesthesiology (ASA), in the absence of any medical contraindication, a maternal request is sufficient medical indication to provide pain relief during labour, says Dr Kiran Coelho, Consultant Gynecologist & Obstetrician, Hinduja Healthcare Surgical, Khar. Here are few signs that indicate you are ready for your labour.

In the recent past, epidural has gained a lot of popularity as a standard pain relief option for labour. However, there are a number of methods that can help one get pain relief during labour. Here Dr Koelho lists out the options:

Complementary or Alternative methods

Continuous support during labour, touch and massage, water bath, heating pads, intradermal sterile water injections, acupuncture and hypnosis, all may be beneficial for the management of pain during labour. However, the number of women studied has been small and there has been no proven scientific data analysis of the quality of pain relief offered by these techniques. Here is how massage therapy during labour helps.

Nitrous oxide inhalation therapy

Nitrous oxide labour analgesia is safe for the mother, the baby and for caregivers too. It is simple to administer, does not interfere with the release and function of endogenous oxytocin, and has no adverse effects on the normal physiology and progress of labour. Since it doesn t affect the release of oxytocin, nitrous oxide does not affect infant alertness during the early bonding period between a mother and her newborn. Neither does it complicate breastfeeding. It does not increase the need for neonatal resuscitation. In the doses given during labour, nitrous oxide is not a strong analgesic. Women who use nitrous oxide during labour may still have an awareness of labour pain. However, many women find it helps them relax and decreases their perception of labour pain. Here are few things that can make labour pains worse.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)

In this procedure, electrical impulses are applied to the skin via electrodes. The electrical pulses prevent pain signals from reaching your brain. The pulses stimulate your body to release natural, feel-good substances called endorphins. It helps you to feel in control of your labour and be less anxious. It offers a distraction from your contractions.

Epidural analgesia

It is the most commonly used method of labour analgesia used worldwide at present. An epidural is an anaesthetic technique where a small tube is placed in the lower back to deliver local anaesthetic or other pain medicines near the nerves that cause pain. Epidurals make the contractions feel less strong and easier to manage. However, some pressure might be felt in the rectum and in the vagina later in labour. Being totally numb during labour is undesirable because you need to know when and where to push at the end of your labour. The latest advance in this area is patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA). New continuous infusion pumps have been developed with the capability to receive patient input and deliver medication on demand, which means the patient can control the amount of drug she feels she needs for pain relief. Continuous infusion with patient-controlled top-ups is better as a pain relief option. Here is what to expect during your epidural.

Image source: Shutterstock