What Are My Pain Management Options?

Every person has a different experience of the sensations of labor. It varies from person to person and pregnancy to pregnancy. But there are phases to labor, and getting educated on what is happening in your body can be really helpful in deciding how and when you might want to try various pain relief techniques.

Let’s take a look at the different stages of labor for most births:

1. Early labor – It’s starting! This phase of labor can last from hours to days and is mostly spent at home. You’ll start to feel mild contractions similar to period cramps that will come every five to 20 minutes. Your cervix will open to about six centimeters in diameter over the course of this phase.
2. Active labor – During active labor, your cervix will dilate to almost ten centimeters and your contractions will become stronger and closer together – roughly every two to three minutes. Active labor usually lasts four to eight hours, but talk to your OB so you can plan your timing for arriving to the hospital.
3. Transition – This tends to be the shortest period of labor – about 15 minutes to an hour - but can be the most intense. Transition is when your cervix is finishing dilating to ten centimeters and contractions become very strong and close together. You might feel rectal pressure towards the end signaling you are ready to move into the pushing phase.
4. Pushing – Here we go! It’s time to push! This phase of vaginal delivery is the final descent of your baby through the birth canal. Many women find they are able to better work through contractions in this phase as the act of bearing down offers relief.
5. Delivering the placenta – After you deliver your baby, you’ll continue to have mild contractions and may be asked to push to help expel the placenta. But chances are you’ll be so focused on your baby at this point, you won’t even notice!

Now that you know what to expect during the different stages of labor, let’s take a look at some pain management options that can be a big help:

• Massage – Whether from your partner, a doula or a nurse, massage is a wonderful way to alleviate labor pain. Choosing soft or strong pressure will be up to you in the moment, but the feeling of touch from another person can be very comforting.
• Counter-pressure – Your labor nurse, partner, support person or doula can apply pressure to specific points in your lower back or on the sides of your hips during contractions using the heel of the hand. Counter-pressure helps alleviate back pain during labor, especially in those women experiencing “back labor.” If you want to try this, ask your childbirth educator, doula or nurse for guidance on where to apply pressure.
• Movement – Walking around your room or the hallways, rocking, “slow dancing” with your support person and swaying are great techniques to find comfort during contractions. Whatever feels best, frequent position changes help your baby find the optimal alignment to travel through the birth canal.
• Birthing tools – Birthing balls, peanut balls and other aids can be used to position your body to lessen discomfort throughout labor and birth. Your nurses will also help you utilize the many positions offered by your highly-adjustable hospital bed.
• Heat – Get in the shower! Yup, you heard that right. Hydrotherapy is a tool used for pain management because of soothing heat and pressure. A nurse can help you safely position yourself in the shower and teach you and your support person how to use the shower wand to make the most of hydrotherapy for pain relief.
• Breathing – Why are women giving birth in movies always doing that breathing thing? Because it works! There are a variety of breathing techniques you can learn to use throughout the phases of your labor. Slow, conscious, deep breaths are relaxing and help you focus your attention.
• Medication – There are ranges of medicated support available to you at various points in the labor process. As one of our OBs jokes, your anesthesiologist is like your personal bartender – they have everything you need. Nausea? Got something for that. Anxiety? Back pain? They’ve got you. Discuss your pain medication questions, plans and priorities with your OB throughout your prenatal visits to understand the options recommended for your pregnancy. And on the day of your baby’s birth, speak up and let your team know exactly how you’re feeling throughout each stage of labor.

And be sure to lean on your care team! Labor and delivery nurses are specially-trained, all-around wonderful human beings who are there to coach you through the delivery process. They provide emotional support, guidance on staying calm and assistance with the above techniques to help you find relief. They’ve seen it all, so you can trust you are in good hands.

There’s definitely a reason it’s called “labor” – it’s a lot of work! However it will all be worth it when you get to hold that sweet baby. Try and enjoy those first quiet moments with some skin-to-skin contact, and revel in a “job” well done!

Supporting health, wellness and community in pregnancy and parenthood.

 For more learning and coaching from our experts at VHC Health™, we recommend VHC OB Journey which is chock full of information and resources:

• Download the app
  • Track your baby’s growth and count their kicks
  • Learn other mom’s birth stories
  • Watch helpful laboring and breastfeeding techniques
  • Learn everything you need to know about having a baby at VHC Health™
  • Log your baby’s feeding schedule
• Take classes such as our Advanced Comfort for Unmedicated Birth
• Attend free weekly Zoom sessions from our childbirth education team sharing important information about your stay
• Review our checklist for expectant parents
• Take a virtual labor and delivery tour
• Understand our labor and delivery visitor policy