About Labor Pain
Labor pain is different for everyone. Some women never experience actual pain, only pressure or tightening, while other women feel that labor is the most excruciating pain that they have ever had. Most labor pain, however, falls between those two extremes. How a woman perceives labor is dependent on several factors, and how she chooses to cope with it makes a vital difference in her experience.
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Types
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Labor pain can manifest itself in varying ways. Dilation of the cervix causes a pinching or burning sensation low in the belly. When the baby descends, a woman may feel as though her pelvic bones are splitting apart. A posterior baby, which means the baby is facing the mother's front with the back of his head at her spine, typically causes intense back pain, otherwise known as back labor.
Identification
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To identify true labor pain, take into account the rhythm of the pains. Pre-labor fizzles out after a few hours and does not require a woman's full concentration. Real labor contractions continue in a rhythmic pattern and do not subside with either increased activity or rest. The pain of contractions may be in the back, hips, thighs and/or belly, with typical contractions starting out high on the uterus and spreading down and around the sides and back.
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Time Frame
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Labor rarely lasts more than 24 hours. Contractions start out further apart, becoming closer as time goes by. Labor pains may last anywhere from 30 seconds to longer than a minute and become as close as one minute apart (from the start of one contraction to the start of the next).
Benefits
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Labor pain gives the mother a sense of purpose and when the birth is over she often feels that she has accomplished a great feat. Labor pain also allows the mother to work with the baby as she adjusts the position of her body according to the sensations. The pain of contractions triggers the body to produce endorphins which are nature's pain killers.
Prevention/Solution
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Pharmaceutical options for labor pain relief include epidural or spinal anesthesia and narcotic analgesics. There are many natural ways to cope with labor pain including hypnosis, acupuncture, counter-pressure and massage and the use of mobility as well as equipment, such a birth ball and squat bar. One of the most effective ways to counteract labor pain is to have a supportive birth team in place--an educated partner, a doula and a relaxed birth attendant with whom a woman's birth goals mesh well.
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Resources
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