How can I manage labor pains without drugs?

Non-medical pain relief during labour

1. Active birth. Staying active is one of the most helpful things you can do to manage the pain of labour and birth.
2. Massage and heat. Massage and hot packs can ease your pain in labour.
3. Water immersion.
4. Relaxation.
5. Aromatherapy.
6. Acupuncture.
7. TENS.
8. Sterile water injections.

What pain medication is safe postpartum?

Ibuprofen is usually the preferred first step because little of it passes through breastmilk. Acetaminophen also is safe to take while breastfeeding. Both medications are available over the counter. Talk with your ob-gyn if you feel you need other options, or before combining two or more pain medications.

What else can you get besides an epidural?

Opioids. Opioids (aka narcotics or analgesics) also ease labor pain, but they don’t numb the body like an epidural. Instead, these meds (which include morphine, fentanyl, Nubain and Stadol) work on the nervous system to help block pain, resulting in a drowsy, calming state.

How can I make labor easier and less painful?

10 Ways to Make Labor Less Painful

1. Cardio Exercise. Exercise doesn’t have to — and shouldn’t — stop when you become pregnant.
2. Kegels. Kegels are a small exercise with big impact.
3. Lengthening Exercises.
4. Aromatherapy.
5. Homeopathy.
6. Acupuncture.
7. Sex.
8. Hypnotherapy.

What is the pain of giving birth equivalent to?

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.

What helps joint pain after giving birth?

What helps with postpartum back pain?

1. Eat healthily. Eating a balanced diet and keeping yourself hydrated will help your body heal and add to your bone and muscle strength.
2. Take hot water baths. Warm water can help relax strained muscles and bring you relief from pain and stiffness.

What if I don’t want an epidural?

If you don’t want an epidural, but aren’t opposed to other forms of medical pain relief, you might consider trying nitrous oxide. The nonflammable, colorless gas does not actually reduce pain or take away the sensation of a contraction, like an epidural. Instead, it relieves anxiety, which helps you tolerate the pain.

How can I give birth naturally without an epidural?

The use of a bathtub or shower in labor can produce some of the best pain relief available without an epidural. It is a safe, simple, and effective way to cope with labor. You may need to do some extra preplanning if you want to labor in or give birth in water at a hospital.

How painful is labor and delivery?

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.

What are pain relief options during labor?

There is a range of options for pain relief in labour including non-medical techniques and medical pain relief options such as nitrous oxide, pethidine and epidural anaesthesia. Particularly if you are having your first baby, consider all options and be flexible.

What are labor pains?

Labor pains in pregnancy are the pains associated with the labor process and contractions that occur to prepare the body for giving birth. The contractions are what cause the pains, and they prepare the uterus for delivery by causing the cervix to thin and soften before birth and then later to dilate,…