There are many different ways to cope with the pain of childbirth. When it comes to a drug free birth, you have your choice of Lamaze, the Bradley Method, acupuncture, hypnosis, yoga, meditation, walking, massage, taking a bath or shower, or distracting yourself. I largely credit my ability to cope with the pain of childbirth to two things: prayer and the Bradley Method. I had taken a childbirth class through the hospital that loosely followed the Lamaze method, focusing on patterned breathing and relaxation. A few weeks before I gave birth to my son, however, we enjoyed dinner and conversation … Continue reading →

Women choosing epidural anesthesia for the birth of their babies now have a new option in many hospitals. Across the country and around the world hospitals are beginning to offer patient controlled epidural anesthesia. In traditional epidurals, the pain medication is administered automatically through the epidural. With patient controlled anesthesia, the woman pushes a button to increase the pain medicine. When you feel you need more relief, push the button. It is not possible to take too much, as it is set not to go past the maximum safe dosage. There are several benefits to this method, compared to the … Continue reading →

Back labor is a term used for pain in the lower back that occurs during labor. The pain tends to happen both during and between contractions. The position of the baby is generally the cause. Back labor tends to occur when the back of the baby’s head is pressing into the lower part of your spine. Like all labor, women experience back labor differently. As the baby moves through the pelvis, the head will often turn to the anterior position. In some cases, this will relieve the back labor pains. Other women will continue to experience back pain throughout the … Continue reading →

Many women consider their epidurals the saving grace during labor. Women have varying beliefs; with some believing a natural birth is the safest thing for mom and baby. Others can’t understand why anyone would ever give birth without the benefit of an epidural. As it turns out, there may be a price to pay for the comfort of little pain during labor. Having an epidural increases the likelihood of certain medical interventions in labor. Some studies show it can raise the risk of needing a c section too. Natural child birth advocates point out studies which show epidurals can increase … Continue reading →

Epidurals are used in 60 percent of births in the United States. A cathedar is inserted into the space between the vertebrae, also known as the epidural space. Medication is administered through the cathedar, numbing sensation in the lower part of the body. In most cases, the procedure works fine and there are no lasting negative effects. In a small number of cases, things do not go according to plan. Some women experience severe reactions to the epidural. About 1 in 10,000 will experience convulsions. In other cases, medical error during the procedure can lead to severe injury or even … Continue reading →

Transition is the end of active labor. During this phase, your cervix will dilate from 8 to 10 inches. At the end of transition, you will begin to deliver your baby. This is the most intense part of labor and it is the one that pregnant women tend to fear the most. You can prepare for this phase of labor to reduce fear and add a few coping strategies to your repertoire. During transition, the contractions are much stronger than earlier in the labor. The contractions come about every two minutes and last one minute, so you don’t get the … Continue reading →