- Mothers who choose not to have medical intervention for pain relief during their childbirth often use natural methods to help relief their pain during labor and delivery. Many different types of natural pain relief are available that do not come with the risks associated with pain medication and epidurals.
Hypnosis is an effective method for not only relieving the pain of childbirth but also conquering the fearful and anxious emotions that often accompany childbirth. Hypnosis is a combination of relaxing exercises and verbal reinforcement that creates a calming environment for the laboring mother. It uses a variety of methods, from visualization to breathing and music, to help the mother stay calm and concentrate on something other than the pain she is feeling.
Massage and changing positions are two effective ways to relief pain during labor. Massage is involves touch and allows the mother to concentrate on the nerves being stimulated instead of the pains from labor. Changing positions can help move the baby out of a specific position that may be causing the mother pain. It can take the pressure off of the back, pelvis or other area that is compromised.
Very few risks are associated with natural pain relief methods, as it does not carry the possibility of being passed on to the baby in negative ways, as with medication. Natural pain relief can be just as effective as medication and epidurals. Its effectiveness is based on the woman in labor and her belief in the pain relief methods, as it takes an open mindset to place belief in alternative methods. - Pain medication is another way to relieve the pains of labor, though its effectiveness is questionable, and the associated risks are many. Narcotics are given to the laboring mother through an intramuscular injection or through an IV. The medication usually takes a few minutes to reach effectiveness and generally decrease the intensity of pain for up to six hours. The most common narcotics used during labor are morphine, meperidine and nalbuphine hydrochloride. Epidurals are injections into the spine that numb the mother from the injection site down to her toes. They can be painful, and severe cases have reported paralysis and constant headaches following the epidural.
The risks associated with narcotics and epidurals often outweigh the benefits. Mothers who receive pain medication are often less alert and less able to effectively push their baby out. They often become tired physically and mentally, and a large percentage of them end up with a cesarean section because the stress becomes too great on the fetus. The fetus can also suffer complications from medical pain relief, such as drowsiness and difficulty breathing. Fetal reflexes can be slowed as well, and this can be detrimental to the baby's health following childbirth. - When choosing a pain relief method, carefully weigh the benefits and risks associated with them. Remember that labor won't last forever, and the pain is only temporary. For centuries, women gave birth naturally without the option of pain medication, so it can be done. Getting pain medication too early can slow down or even stop your labor, making it more likely that your will need to receive a cesarean section. If you choose pain relief, it is best to wait until you are in serious discomfort and have tried less invasive methods. On the other hand, most women reach a point in labor where they decide they simply cannot take the pain any longer, and it is then that delivery is close, and the pain will be over shortly.
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