N101
Frances Dianne G. Mercado Aug 12
2018
BSN II
Ma’am
Oledan
Intrapartum Journal Reading
Pain During Labor and Delivery
Pain during labor is caused by contractions of the muscles of the uterus and by pressure on
the cervix. This pain can be felt as strong cramping in the abdomen, groin, and back, as well
as an achy feeling. Some women experience pain in their sides or thighs as well.
Other causes of pain during labor include pressure on the bladder and bowels by the baby's
head and the stretching of the birth canal and vagina.
Pain during labor is different for every woman. It varies widely from woman to woman and
even from pregnancy to pregnancy. Women experience labor pain differently — for some,
it resembles menstrual cramps; for others, severe pressure; and for others, extremely
strong waves that feel like diarrheal cramps.
It's often not the pain of each contraction on its own that women find the hardest, but the
fact that the contractions keep coming — and that as labor progresses, there is less and less
time between contractions to relax.
Preparing Yourself
To help with pain during labor, here are some things you can start doing before or during
your pregnancy:
Regular and reasonable exercise (that your doctor says is OK) can help strengthen your
muscles and prepare your body for the stress of labor. Exercise also can increase your
endurance, which will come in handy if you have a long labor. The important thing to
remember with any exercise is not to overdo it — and this is especially true if you're
pregnant. Talk to your doctor about what he or she considers to be a safe exercise plan for
you.
If you and your partner attend childbirth classes, you'll learn different techniques for
handling pain, from visualization to stretches designed to strengthen the muscles that
support your uterus. The two most common childbirth philosophies in the United States
are the Lamaze technique and the Bradley method.
The Lamaze technique is the most widely used method in the United States. The Lamaze
philosophy teaches that birth is a normal, natural, and healthy process and that women
should be empowered to approach it with confidence. Lamaze classes educate women
about the ways they can decrease their perception of pain, such as through relaxation
techniques, breathing exercises, distraction, or massage by a supportive coach. Lamaze
takes a neutral position toward pain medicine, encouraging women to make an informed
decision about whether it's right for them.
The Bradley method (also called Husband-Coached Birth) emphasizes a natural approach
to birth and the active participation of the baby's father as birth coach. A major goal of this
method is the avoidance of medicines unless absolutely necessary. The Bradley method
also focuses on good nutrition and exercise during pregnancy and relaxation and deep-
breathing techniques as a method of coping with labor. Although the Bradley method
advocates a medicine-free birth experience, the classes do discuss unexpected
complications or situations, like emergency cesarean sections.
Medicine-free ways to handle pain during labor include:
• hypnosis
• yoga
• meditation
• walking
• massage or counterpressure
• changing position
• taking a bath or shower
• listening to music
• distracting yourself by counting or performing an activity that keeps your mind
otherwise occupied
Pain Medicines
A variety of pain medicines can be used during labor and delivery, depending on the
situation. Many women rely on such medicines, and it can be a huge relief when pain is
quickly eased and energy can be focused on getting through the contractions. Talk to your
health care provider about the risks and benefits of each type of medicine.
Analgesics. Analgesics ease pain, but don't numb it completely. They don’t affect sensation
or muscle movement. They can be given many ways. If they are given intravenously
(through an IV into a vein) or through a shot into a muscle, they can affect the whole body.
These medicines can cause side effects in the mother, including drowsiness and nausea.
They also can have effects on the baby.
Regional anesthesia. This is what most women think of when they consider pain medicine
during labor. By blocking the feeling from specific regions of the body, these methods can
be used for pain relief in both vaginal and cesarean section deliveries.
Epidurals, a form of local anesthesia, relieve most of the pain from the entire body below
the belly button, including the vaginal walls, during labor and delivery. An epidural
involves medicine given by an anesthesiologist through a thin, tube-like catheter that's
inserted in the woman's lower back. The amount of medicine can be increased or
decreased according to a woman's needs. Very little medicine reaches the baby, so usually
there are no effects on the baby from this method of pain relief.
Epidurals do have some drawbacks — they can cause a woman's blood pressure to drop
and can make it difficult to pee. They can also cause itching, nausea, and headaches in the
mother. The risks to the baby are minimal, but include problems caused by low blood
pressure in the mother.
Tranquilizers. These drugs don't relieve pain, but they may help to calm and relax women
who are very anxious. Sometimes they are used along with analgesics. These drugs can
have effects on both the mother and baby, and are not often used. They also can make it
difficult for women to remember the details of the birth. Discuss the risks of tranquilizers
with your doctor.
Natural Childbirth
Some women choose to give birth using no medicine at all, relying instead on relaxation
techniques and controlled breathing for pain. If you'd like to experience childbirth without
pain medicine, discuss this with your health care provider.
Things to Consider
Here are some things to think about when considering pain control during labor:
• Medicines can relieve much of your pain, but probably won't relieve all of it.
• Labor may hurt more than you expected. Some women who had said they want no
pain medicine whatsoever end up changing their minds when they're actually in
labor.
• Some medicines can affect your baby, making the baby drowsy or causing changes
in the heart rate.
Talking to Your Health Care Provider
You'll want to review your pain control options with the person who'll be delivering your
baby. Find out what's available, how effective they're likely to be, and when it's best not to
use some medicines.
If you want to use pain-control methods other than medicine, make sure your health care
provider and the hospital staff know. You might want to also consider writing a birth
plan that makes your preferences clear.
Remember, many women make decisions about pain relief that they abandon — often for
very good reason — at the last minute. Your ability to endure the pain of childbirth has
nothing to do with your worth as a mother. By preparing and educating yourself, you can
be ready to decide what pain management works best for you.
Reviewed by: Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD
Date reviewed: June 2018
Link: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/childbirth-pain.html
Summary:
Experiencing pain during labor and delivery is normal and is expected, the pain is due to
the contractions of the muscles of the uterus and by pressure on the cervix. The art of
nursing already established a set of methods that will aid or provide comfort to the
intrapartum client as she is going through the most painful yet very rewarding moment of
her lifetime.
The first technique is the Lamaze techniques in which it promotes the empowerment of
mother knowing that pain in birthing is normal. It promotes relaxation techniques,
breathing exercise and may or may not promote medicine. The Bradley Technique includes
the participation of the father as a coach during the delivery.
Modern nursing make us of pain medication depending on situations, during delivery
analgesics, regional anesthesia, tranquilizers may be administered however there are
factors that should be considered and it is always suggested to discuss with your health
care provider.
“Your ability to endure the pain of childbirth has nothing to do with your worth as a mother.
By preparing and educating yourself, you can be ready to decide what pain management
works best for you.”
Reaction:
Child birth is one of the worst pain that a human can experience, this pain is inevitable and
is required during the process of normal vaginal delivery. Hundreds of women go through
this everyday according to WHO statistics. A laboring mother may lose her sense of being
due to the unbearable pain from a lot of regions around her body. Health care providers
play a vital role in terms of providing care and comfort to intrapartum clients. The
aforementioned techniques from the article should be taught to a birthing mother, and that
she should also be informed of the importance of such.
There’s not much a health care provider can do to reduce the pain as the it only gets worse
by every moment during the phases of labor however nurses can provide support and
comfort for the mother to feel secure. Providing care to an intrapartum mother will
strengthen her psychological senses, which is one of the key factors that affects the labor
occurrence.
Childbirth is a significant moment for every human being, it is the beginning of a new life.
Being able to share this moment with the family as a nurse is both a gift and a privilege. It is
truly fulfilling to see a mother’s joy the moment she hears her baby’s first cry. The DR duty
experience has definitely opened my heart for nursing and all the more inspired to do my
best in this profession that I’ve chosen.
