Pain Relief
Tags: Anaesthesia, Child Birth, Entonox, Epidural, Gas & Air, pain relief, pain relief during labour, Pethidine, TENS Machine
Every woman feels the pain of labour differently. With advances in medicine women have more options to control the pain, of childbirth, than ever.
It is a good idea to look into the Stages of Labour and pain relief early on in your pregnancy so that when your labour begins you have it clear in your mind what options are available to you.
Many women find that the first phase of labour, when the cervix is dilating, continues for such a long period that they need some kind of pain relief. This pain is generally felt across the abdomen, upper legs, back and sides.
During the second stage of labour, the baby descends from the uterus into the vagina, there is often a burning sensation as the membranes are stretched.
Available Pain Relief:
Anaesthesia (Epidural)
Gas & Air (Entonox)
TENS
Pethidine
Anaesthesia (Epidural)
What is it?
This is the most common form of pain relief used in labour. It is a drug that is injected into the woman’s spine.
How does it work?
It works by blocking pain. It affects the nerves and prevents pain messages reaching the brain.
Advantages
This is the highest level of pain relief
Disadvantages
Severe headaches after delivery, this occurs in approx 1:100 women
Remote risk of nerve damage, this occurs in approx 1: 20,000
Due to it’s effectiveness it can lessen your awareness of when you are in the second stage of labour, therefore not feeling when to push.
Gas & Air (Entonox)
What is it?
Entonox is often called laughing gas and is made up of 50% oxygen and 50% nitrous oxide. The gas is colourless and odourless and can be used at any point in labour and in conjunction with any other pain relief.
How does it work?
Works as a mild pain killer. It is inhaled through a mouth piece that you place between your lips and teeth and breathe deeply and evenly. You may feel light-headed, within a couple of minutes you will feel normal again.
Advantages
Can be used at any point in labour and in conjunction with any other pain relief.
Contains oxygen which is good for the baby
Can be used during a water birth
Is portable so can be used in home deliveries
Disadvantages
Only a mild pain relief.
Can make you feel light headed and sick
Can dry out your mouth (drink plenty of water whilst using it)
TENS Machine
What is it?
TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation. It is a small box about the size of an audio cassette case, with wires coming out of the box and pads on the end of the wires. You place the pads on your back, as directed by the information supplied with your TENS machine. The box gives out small pulses of electrical energy. You control the pain relief by changing the frequency depending on your pain.
How does it work?
The pulses prevent the pain messages from your womb and cervix reaching your brain.
Advantages
It is portable so you can wear it at home before you go into hospital
You can walk around with it working, which can help when you are in labour
There are no know side effects on either you or your baby
Disadvantages
Will cost you per month to hire the machine
Will get less effective as your labour progresses
May have to be removed when your babies heart beat is being measured as it can interfere with the monitor
If you are planning a water birth you will have to take it off when you are in the water.
Pethidine
What is it?
Pethidine is a pain killer (analgesic) and also an anti-spasmodic drug. You will be administered pethidine by injection at a given frequency determined by dosage.
How does it work?
It takes away the pain and helps you to relax. You will only be given pethidine in the first stage of labour as it can have an adverse affect on your baby if given in the second stage.
Advantages
Takes away pain and helps you to relax
Can be administered by a midwife
Disadvantages
Can make you feel very sleepy and sometimes like your are in a dream state, feeling the pain but you are not really sure if it is real
Can make you feel sick and dizzy
Slows down labour
Crosses the placenta and can affect your babies breathing
Can affect baby once born, they may be more sleepy and off feeding for 24 hours
June 16th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I think it’s important to go into birth with an open mind about pain relief. I went in thinking that I’d inevitably take something, but wasn’t sure what, and thought I’d just wait and see how I felt on the day.
I then read somewhere that a lot of women choose to give birth without pain relief because they want the feeling of the baby ‘exiting’ their body, because it’s their way with dealing with letting go of the ‘closeness’ of being pregnant. That gave me a different outlook on pain relief, I must admit, and I thought, for the first time, that I’d like to give birth without.
As it turned out, my labour was so fast that I got to the hospital with only half an hour to spare so pain relief wasn’t an option. It was full on but in honesty, I’m actually really glad that I felt everything, that I really truly experienced the feeling of childbirth, because there is nothing like it and it’s one of the most intense and most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have. Sometimes being a female is a drag but then I think we are also very lucky to be able to give life.