Natural Pain Management Techniques

• KidsHealth.org offers several non-medical options for managing pain during labor, including hypnosis, changing positions and engaging in activity that keeps your mind occupied and distracted from the pain. Recommendations to help prepare for labor both before and during pregnancy include walking, massage, meditation and yoga.
  
  

Analgesics

• These medications, which include drugs like meperidine, morphine and other narcotics, are administered intravenously or by injections that are repeated as needed. They are systemic and may cause nausea and drowsiness in the mother. Analgesics can be given well into labor and do not normally interfere with contractions. Because these medicines are systemic, the baby is also going to get some of the drug. How the drug affects the baby depends on how much is given and how close to delivery it is administered.
  
  

Tranquilizers

• Doctors sometimes, though rarely, administer tranquilizers to help calm anxiety and induce rest and relaxation during early labor. However, these drugs can significantly affect the mother and baby.
  
  

Epidural

• An epidural is a regional anesthetic used for both vaginal and cesarean deliveries. An anesthesiologist administers pain medication through a small tube-like catheter inserted in the mother's lower back. The medicine provides continuous pain relief to all of the body below the belly button and can be regulated according to the patient's needs. The mother stays awake and alert with an epidural, making it possible for her to participate in the delivery process. The baby does receive some of the medicine, but much less than with general anesthesia or intravenous administration. An epidural does have some negative effects. It can make it difficult for the mother to push during delivery, and it may cause her blood pressure to drop. An epidural may also cause nausea, itching and headaches in the mother. There is very little risk to the baby, possibly some distress due to the mother's drop in blood pressure.
  
  

Spinal Block

• A spinal block is very similar to an epidural. With an epidural, the medicine is injected right above the sac of fluid that surrounds the spinal cord. A spinal block procedure injects the medicine directly into the fluid, providing pain relief from the chest down. A spinal block takes effect very quickly, while an epidural may take up to 40 minutes. An epidural-spinal block combination is sometimes used.