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There is an expectation in the United States that childbirth is the worst pain you could ever feel. Because of this, women approach childbirth with overwhelming fear of the pain and attempting to remove it all in search of a good birth experience. How painful is childbirth really? What does it take to handle the pain? Can you have a good birth experience if you feel pain?

How painful is childbirth, really?

Ronald Melzack researches experiences of pain, and studied the pain of labor. Through his research he found that overall childbirth can be called severely painful, but the intensity of the pain is variable. About 25% of first time mothers and only 11% of experienced mothers rated labor as horrible or excruciating. In fact 9% of first time mothers and 24% of experienced mothers said they had low levels of pain. With 17% of women having low levels of pain, the ‘easy’ labor can’t possibly be as rare as we think it is.

For many women labor is the first experience with any real physical pain. Women who have experienced other physical pains tend to rate childbirth lower on the scale than things like kidney or gall stones, Lyme disease, chronic back problems, some broken bones, double ear infections, toothaches in need of root canal and recovering from cesarean surgery. Some women even claim the pain of labor is easier to handle than the pain of a broken heart. The point is, how painful childbirth feels is somewhat relative. Without another pain to compare it too, calling childbirth the most painful experience is prejudiced.

If only 18% of mothers rate labor as excruciating, how likely are you to be included in that group?

Research by Lederman found that overall, you are likely to experience more intense pain if you:

• Are a first time mother
• Have less education
• Are younger
• Experience menstrual problems
• Have a history of miscarriage
• Have difficulty accepting this pregnancy
• Feel conflict about becoming a mother
• Are anxious about labor
• Fear being helpless, in pain, losing control or losing self-esteem
• Have a previous psychological issue requiring counseling
• Have unstable emotional feelings
• Have unrealistic expectations of the pain
• Have a partner who is negative or indifferent toward this pregnancy

What does it take to handle the pain?

One of the most startling truths about the pain of labor is its relation to the mother’s confidence in her ability to cope. In general, the more confident you are you will be able to cope, the less pain you will feel. Another important factor is the people you have with you at labor, because your ability to cope with the pain of labor will be influenced by the interactions you have with those attending you (midwife, doctor, nurse). This paints a far different picture of what you will need to get through labor than the old ‘high pain tolerance’ theory. In fact, you can be a wimp about pain and still cope well with labor pain.

In A Wise Birth, authors Penny Armstrong and Sheryl Feldman explain that women who are treated well by birth attendants, have their needs considered and bodies respected and whose mothering responsibilities are honored will give birth more easily. In contrast, women who are challenged by their birth attendants, restrained, distrusted and treated indifferently will have more trouble with labor. They conclude, ‘drugs and technology in birth, as in life, have proved to be poor substitutes for true, human attention.’

Studies on doulas continue to prove their statement correct. A doula is a professional childbirth assistant. She does not offer medical help, instead her job is to simply be with the mother and serve any needs she may have. You may find a doula rubbing a back, suggesting positions, teaching a partner how to give a massage or just talking to the mother. What effect does this attention have? Women with doulas need less medical intervention to give birth, are less likely to need medication for pain, and are more satisfied with the childbirth experience. Again we see a high pain tolerance is not what it takes to cope well with labor.

Can you have a good birth experience if you feel pain?

Not only can you cope well if you are a wimp about pain, but you can have a great labor and be satisfied with the experience even if you feel pain. In fact, in one study, the mothers who refused anesthesia felt more pain, but they had higher scores of satisfaction with labor both immediately after the birth and one year later. Another study found no difference in satisfaction immediately after birth, but within two days mothers who had chosen to use epidurals had less positive feelings about childbirth. All of this tells us that removing the pain is not related to having a good childbirth experience.

Where does all this leave you? There are several things you can do now to give yourself the best chances for a low pain labor and positive birth experience. First, educate yourself about the process so you are less likely to be anxious and fearful of what to expect. Second, learn different techniques for working with your body and managing the pain you feel in labor. Third, make sure your caregivers will be supportive of you during labor – if they won’t or can’t, hire someone else. Finally, hire a doula to be with you during labor. These four things will give you the best odds for a manageable labor, regardless of how painful it is or is not.

Resources:

Melzack K, Taenzer P, Feldman P, Kinch R, (1981). Labor is Still Painful After Prepared Childbirth Training. Canadian medical Association Journal, 125:357-363.

Lederman R, Lederman E, Work B, McCann D. (1979) Relationship of Psychological Factors in Pregnancy to Progress in Labor. Nursing Research, 28(2):94-97.

Lowe, N.K. (1993). Maternal confidence for labor: Development of the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory. Research in Nursing and Health, 16(2) 141-149.

Standley K, Nicholson J (1980). Observing the childbirth environment: A research model. Birth and the Family
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Journal, 7, 15.

Armstrong P, Feldman S. A Wise Birth. London:Pinter & Martin, 2007.

Hodnett ED, Gates S, Hofmeyr GJ, Sakala C, (2003). Continuous support for women during childbirth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2003 Issue 3.

Morgan B, Bulpitt CJ, Clifton P, Lewis PJ, (1982). Analgesia and satisfaction in childbirth (The Queen Charlotte 1000-mother survey). Lancet, 1, 808.

Author: Jennifer Vanderlaan

For more information about the pain of labor, and to learn effective ways to cope with the pain, Jennifer invites you to visit http://www.birthingnaturally.net Jennifer Vanderlaan is a childbirth educator and doula who helps families discover what they need to be successful at childbirth.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Vanderlaan

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What Do Labor Contraction And Labor Pains Feel Like?

Labor pains are part of giving birth to a baby. Mostly these are bearable and there are a lot that can be done to prevent suffering. By understanding where the pains in labor come from and what can be done about it, you are most likely to have a satisfying childbirth experience and wonderful birth memories.

Labor and birth of the baby is the effect of dilatation of the cervix, and contractions of the uterus and abdominal muscles. Dilation is the first stage of labor. In the second stage, strong expulsive efforts cause the advance and birth of the baby.

During your pregnancy, changes happen in your body to prepare for these events. The ligaments of your pelvis loosen to permit your pelvis to relax and allow your baby to come out. Other changes occur to adapt your body to accommodate childbirth. Despite these changes and modern medicine, it is unrealistic to aim for a childbirth without any discomforts.

Labor is said to begin when your uterus starts to contract regularly. In the days before the onset of labor, you may experience minor contractions that feel like tightening, and cause discomfort rather than pain. These contractions are important in aligning and positioning the baby for birth.

The first labor pains are grinding, scattered and irregular. Many women describe it as bad menstrual pains. The first labor pains are usually felt in the front site of the pelvis and groin. Pain is mainly caused by pressure on the abdominal and pelvic area due to powerful uterine contractions and stretching of the cervix, vagina and perineum. During labor, contractions increase in frequency and intensity and can become painful.

As labor proceeds, the pains start to appear in the abdomen. The cervix has to stretch to allow your baby to eventually pass through your birth canal. When the opening to the cervix is fully dilated, the second stage of labor – during which your baby is born – starts. As the baby’s head advances further, pains are commonly felt at the back, hip and groin area. When the baby’s birth is near, stretching of the perineum causes burning sensations. At this stage many women feel like they are going to burst. Majority of them, however, suffer only minor tears, if any, especially if good laboring positions and movement have been used to help the baby to rotate and find the easiest way out.

The baby passes through your birth canal and is born by a combination of the continuing contractions of your uterus, and your conscious effort to push your baby out by using the abdominal muscles. The physical and mental relief after vigorous laboring, and the ecstasy of getting your baby in your arms, are such a victory and pleasure that the last stage of labor – which is the birth of the placenta – is often unnoticed by the mother. As the placenta is much smaller than the baby is, and the birth canal is open, the uterine contractions push the placenta out easily.

We are so conditioned to expect pains in labor that its significance as part of the birth process is discounted. There is no need to automatically opt for epidural or — on the other hand — to give birth in severe pains without any labor pain relief. Unmanageable pain during labor and delivery is not normal or needed. Labor pains, when they are correctly managed, have an important part in assisting and guiding your body to give birth to a baby.

By: Lena Leino

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Lena Leino, author of Easier, Shorter and Safer Birth, created an At-Home Labor Contraction Follow-up Chart so that you could easily document and see the progress of your labor. Now you can get this useful tool at MaternityAcupressure.com/labor-contraction-chart.html

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