HealthPartners - Your guide to pregnancy

When you take childbirth classes, you will learn about different methods to reduce pain and discomfort during childbirth. Different educators may focus on different theories, but their overall goal is to teach you how to manage your pain by using controlled breathing, touch and relaxation techniques, and/or pain medication.

PAIN MANAGEMENT

ANESTHESIA Anesthesia means loss of feeling. Anesthesia medication blocks the sensation of pain by numbing an area of your body (regional anesthesia) or putting your whole body to sleep (general anesthesia). • Regional Anesthesia – Includes local block, spinal or saddle block, and epidural block. An epidural block is the most common form of regional anesthesia used during labor. The anesthetic is injected through a small, flexible catheter (tube) in the lower back. This provides pain relief in the lower abdomen, legs, and birth canal and helps you relax. It is considered a safe option, although possible side effects include a slowing down of labor or a drop in your blood pressure. • General Anesthesia – Used for cesarean births in emergency situations if a history of back problems prevents someone from having an epidural or spinal block. An anesthesiologist administers the general anesthetic through an IV until you are unconscious and feeling no pain. A breathing tube is placed down your windpipe and attached to a ventilator that breathes for you during the procedure. Once the baby is born and any incisions are closed, you will wake up and be groggy for a while. You may have a slight sore throat for a day or two after the surgery because of the breathing tube.

There are many medication and anesthetic options. Once you’re in labor, your health care provider will provide careful instructions about the dosage and timing of each medication. If you don’t want to use pain medication, you can tell your health care provider before or during labor. The following sections include basic information about different ways to manage pain during labor and birth.

NITROUS OXIDE Nitrous oxide is a gas that you inhale through a face mask. It helps you relax and decreases the perception of pain. You can use nitrous oxide any time during labor with no effect on your baby. Possible side effects include sedation, nausea/vomiting, or dizziness. Not all birth facilities offer nitrous oxide, and it can’t be used if you’ve received any other type of narcotic or regional anesthetic. NARCOTIC ANALGESICS Narcotic analgesic medications can be injected into a muscle or vein to reduce the amount of pain being felt. These medicines affect the whole body and may cause nausea and sleepiness. They are most often used earlier in labor, so they will not have an effect on the baby’s breathing at birth. The type of medication used will depend on your health care provider and where you will give birth. There are only certain times during labor when you can receive this type of medication. Side effects may include nausea, dizziness, disorientation, possible allergic reaction, decreased vital signs in you, or possible temporary breathing problems in your baby.

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