First things first, pain during labor is not a universal experience. There is a wonderful article on just how unusual labor pain really is here. Expecting labor to be painful is more common in cultures based on the Judeo-Christian teachings. Early translations of Genesis introduced the word "pain" into religious teachings about childbirth. According to scholars, the same Hebrew word that English speakers translated as "pain" was also translated as "sorrow" and "toil", in the very same chapter. Clearly, childbirth pain is not "ordained by God", at least not through scripture.
Secondly, our experience of pain increases as our comfort level drops. Being in an unfamiliar environment with strange smells, people and policies can have a profound effect on our experience of pain during childbirth. Choose your birth arena and support team carefully in order to reduce the stresses that might be interpreted as painful during an otherwise normal delivery.
Before resorting to drugs that can cause problems in both the mother and her baby, there are a number of strategies that can be utilized to reduce a woman's experience of pain during labor. A few of them follow:
A pool of warm water or a warm shower (especially one with a hand-held shower head that can be used by another on the back or belly during contractions).
Dry warmth: heating pad, hot water bottle or a rice filled sock heated in the microwave.
Cold: Ice pack, a frozen wet washcloth, ice cubes or just a pair of icy hands placed strategically on the back, forehead, hips or belly can reduce discomfort for some women.
Massage: You don't need to be a trained masseuse to listen to a woman and rub her tense muscles in the right ways. You do need to listen closely though, what feels great one minute might feel awful the next. Such is the nature of the labor dance.
Breathing : Pain is often associated with shallow or tense breathing because the muscles need plenty of oxygen to do the work of labor. Deep, relaxed breathing can ease pain due to fatigued, oxygen-deprived muscles.
Counter-pressure: Having a set of strong hands to press on your lower back can be wonderful but firm and steady counter-pressure can be had in a solo birth as well. Try standing sideways in a door frame and pressing your back into one side of the frame while pushing yourself backwards with your hands on the other side of the frame. Did that make sense? It worked wonders for me.
Dancing or swaying: Rocking from side to side can help move the baby into a better position for birth. Try "dancing" on all fours, on a birth ball, in a kneeling position, while hanging from a partner or any other position that feels right at the time.
Birth ball: Super-sized inflatable balls can be wonderful for sitting on or kneeling over during birth.
Vocalizing: Some women find that making noise during the height of a contraction can ease the sensations of pain. Many women "tone" or hold a certain note for an extended period during birth and find it very helpful. In contrast, holding sounds back due to fear or embarrassment can increase a woman's experience of pain. Don't be afraid to be vocal if you want to be.
Changing positions: Walking, squatting, kneeling, dancing, sitting backwards on a toilet, etc., are all good positions for some women during some stages of labor. If walking hurts, sit. If sitting hurts, squat. Try any position that sounds good at the time.
The one position that many women find increases their perception of pain is lying down in bed. If you're lying down and it hurts, try getting up and moving around.
Pain is common in western childbirth mythology but that doesn't make it normal. Keep in mind the idea that birth is the "easy part" of parenting a child and you'll do just fine.
More comfort measures
Aromatherapy ideas from the midwives archives
