How Much Pain Is Felt During Childbirth?

The most common question of a woman who is near to the expected date of delivery is, “How much pain is felt during childbirth?”. First-time mothers are more likely to give their pain a higher rating than women who’ve had babies before. Pain during labour varies from different sources. Emotional sources can be fear of the unknown, lack of knowledge and experience, etc. Whilst functional sources can be uterine contractions, cervical dilatation, progress of the baby, position, medical procedures, etc.

Pain Relief

How Much Pain Is Felt During Childbirth?

Pain is not just the body’s nerve response to a wound or a change in a body function. Pain is a very complex experience that is very subjective for every person. Sometimes, pain is influenced by an individual’s beliefs, culture, ideas, fears and feelings.

Pain threshold is the period at which pain begins to be felt. It varies from person to person. Don’t confuse pain threshold with pain tolerance. They are not the same. Pain tolerance is the amount of pain a person can handle without being much affected, either physically or emotionally.

Nobody wants to be in pain and most mothers want to know a good form of pain relief that they can utilise during childbirth labour. There are drugs and natural methods, or a combination of both. Your health care provider can suggest what’s best for you. Here are the main options.

Natural pain relief during labour

  1. Water birth – Water immersion method during the early stage of labour reduces the needed amount of epidural analgesia and complains of maternal pain without unfavourably affecting labour duration, mother and neonatal well being. On the second stage of labourwhenyou feel the urge to push because of more frequent contractions (active labour), your health care provider will assist you getting into the bath. You can also do it in a shower as you can remain upright and direct the showerhead at your back if experiencing back pain.Water birth is a natural way that aids to pain relief and can make you feel relaxed. You can move around more easily and be upright when you give birth. However, It may not give you enough pain relief.
  2. Calm birth – The philosophy of calm birth is based on the belief that pregnancy, labour and preparing for childbirth are normal life dealings and that birth is a likely process to be experienced in a calm and joyfully memorable way by all mothers. It uses the tools of relaxation, breathing and creative visualization.
  3. Massage – It stimulates the production of endorphins which are a natural pain killers and a mood enhancer. This method can be performed by your doula or your partner. Massage can reduce the anxiety and pain perceived by a woman especially if the massage is with the involvement of their partner.
  4. TENS birth (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) – It is the application of low voltage electric impulses to provide some pain relief during labour. The impulses send a signal to the brain where they compete with pain impulses from the uterus, helping to obstruct the pain.

Pharmacological pain relief during childbirth

  • Nitrous oxide – also known as “laughing gas” it is combined with oxygen and given through a facemask. The woman should breathe from the mask as soon as contraction begins. This method helps the mother by decreasing the intensity of pain and allows her direct control. The mask can easily be removed if the mother wanted to do so. This method may not work for some women and may cause nausea, vomiting, confusion and disorientation.
  • Pethidine – This drug is under the family of morphine and heroine. It is a potent analgesic usually administered by intramuscular injection into the buttock. The analgesia felt can last from two to four hours. However, it can cause disorientation and nausea to the mother. Anti-emetic drugs are normally given at the same time. It can also cause respiratory depression to both mother and the baby as well as the neonate’s sucking reflex will be affected.
  • Epidural analgesia – also referred as “epidural block”. Before the administration, your skin will be disinfected and local anesthesia will be used. An epidural needle with a catheter will be inserted on your lower back and then the needle is removed leaving the catheter in place. In this method, you remain awake and alert while having no sensation in the lower areas of your body. It is fast-acting analgesic and can be used during caesarean delivery as well as forceps or vacuum extraction during a vaginal birth.
  • Spinal block – The method of administration is the same with an epidural block but it can be given while you sit or lie on your side in bed. It also brings pain relief and is fast-acting. However, it only lasts from one to two hours.
  • General anesthesia – This method would make you sleep and lose consciousness. By that, you will feel no pain at all. It is a fast-acting method and is usually used in urgent cases such as when bleeding occurs and caesarean delivery becomes an option.

    • Childbirth is usually a painful experience particularly if you are a first-time mother. The choice of pain relief is yours. Not all methods are offered in all settings. Talk to your doctor about the options and don’t be reluctant to ask for pain relief if you need it.