It's like a ghost which haunts every first pregnancy, making more frequent appearances as the due date approaches. Labour. The birth. More specifically, the pain. The pain of which so much is written and spoken. I think I was typical of most first-time mothers in being not so much scared of childbirth, as apprehensive about how I was going to handle it. In the last few months of my pregnancy I made sure I researched the various pain-relieving options available.
1. Epidural
For women who want to feel nothing or as close to nothing as possible, an epidural is the only real option. A small tube is inserted into your back and a local anaesthetic is delivered to the nerves that carry pain messages from the womb to the brain. It's a powerful pain reliever but can prolong childbirth, as you won't feel the contractions and will have to rely on your midwife to tell you when and how hard to push. It's also more likely to lead to interventions such as the use of forceps or a suction device for the same reason.
2. Injections
Another option is an intramuscular injection of a painkilling drug such as pethidine or diamorphine. These reduce the pain of the contractions and help you to relax which, in turn, helps to lessen the pain. The downsides are that they can make you feel a little sleepy or sick and, if given close to delivery, can affect the baby's breathing and make them drowsy. This can cause problems with early breastfeeding.
3. Tens
An electrical current or, to use its full name, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (Tens), can also help. A Tens machine is easy to use. You tape small electrodes on to your back and administer the currents as and when you feel you need them. The theory is that the currents encourage your body to produce endorphins, which are its own natural painkillers. There are no known side effects for the mother or the baby, but consensus is that Tens is only really effective in the early, less painful stage of labour.
4. Gas and air
Gas and air, a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen, doesn't so much cut the pain as help you to relax and disassociate from it. You breathe in through a mouthpiece as a contraction starts and, all being well, zone out a little as it reaches its peak. It can make some women feel a little sick or sleepy, but is safe for the baby.
5. Water
A water birth is another option as the warmth and buoyancy of the water can help the mother relax and move around a bit. They are common among women who choose home births as small birth pools can easily be set up in the living room, but most hospitals will now have several pools available to labouring women.
6. Relaxation aids
Relaxation really is the key to managing birth pain, as a frightened mind and tense body will not easily open up to release the baby. With this in mind, some women use aromatherapy, massage, hypnotherapy and meditation, often in conjunction with more formal pain relief, to help keep them in the right frame of mind and aid the process.
It's worth keeping in mind that in the hours and days after giving birth, when the infinitely more overwhelming fact of having a newborn baby in your arms sinks in, a lot of people are somewhat amused by the amount of time they spent worrying about labour pain. It all feels trivial in comparison. And while it may only be anecdotal, many women I've spoken to – myself included – found that labour didn't actually hurt anything like as much as they expected it to. Most second-time mothers I know say the ghost of labour pain rarely haunts them this time round.
How did you manage the pain of labour? Or, if you haven't given birth, does the prospect of pain put you off?
