Childbirth Pain or Delivery Pain.

I've never had a baby before, and I'm scared of die pain of delivery. Is it really bad?
Childbirth is accompanied by pain; expectation of this pain can evoke fear and anxiety in you. This is normal. If you're concerned about pain and how you'll handle it, the best way to deal with it is to become informed about it.

My friend told me I wouldn't feel like a real woman unless I have my baby without any pain relief. Is this true?
Some women believe they'll feel guilty after their baby is born if they ask for pain relief during labor. Sometimes they believe the baby will be harmed by the medication. Some believe they'll deprive themselves of the complete birth experience. The goal of every labor and delivery is a healthy baby and healthy mom. If a woman wants pain relief to help her, it doesn't mean she's failed in any way!

How can I find out more about the different pain-relief methods available during labor and delivery?
Discuss it with your doctor. Childbirth-education class is a good place to ask about these medications. You may also want to talk to friends to see what they did. Recent studies indicate more women are asking for pain relief during labor. One reason for this is that effective pain relief can be achieved with smaller doses of anesthetics, which helps reduce side effects and aftereffects. Today, about 66% of all women who deliver at large hospitals ask for pain relief during labor or delivery. In smaller hospitals, that number is around 42%.

Analgesia and Anesthesia
I've heard about analgesia and anesthesia for pain relief. What's the difference?
Analgesia is pain relief without total loss of sensation. Anesthesia is pain relief with total loss of sensation.

How does analgesia work?
An analgesic is injected into a muscle or vein to decrease the pain of labor, but it allows you to remain conscious. It provides pain relief but can make you drowsy, restless and nauseated. You may experience difficulty concentrating. It may slow the baby's reflexes and breathing, so it is usually given during the early and middle parts of labor.

How does anesthesia work?
With general anesthesia, you are completely unconscious; it is used only for some Cesarean deliveries and emergency vaginal deliveries. Local anesthesia affects a small area and is very useful for an episiotomy repair. Regional anesthesia affects a larger body area than local anesthesia.

Is general anesthesia dangerous?
Your doctor of anesthesia is also important for this he or she must be experienced. There are some disadvantages to using general anesthesia it is not used as much today as it was in the past. The advantage is that it can be administered very quickly in an emergency. Disadvantages include the mother being "asleep" or nausea that makes her vomit, with the risk of aspirating vomited food or stomach acid into her lungs. With general anesthesia, the baby may be asleep when delivered.

Do local or regional anesthesia affect the baby?
These anesthesia rarely affect the baby and usually have few lingering effects.

I've heard there are several types of regional anesthesia. What are they?
The three most common types of regional anesthesia are pudendal black, spinal block and epidural block.

What is a pudendal block?
A pudendal block is medication injected into the vaginal area to relieve pain in the vagina, the perineum and the rectum. Side effects are rare. It is considered one of the safest forms of pain relief; however it does not relieve the pain of contractions.

What is a spinal block?
With a spinal block, medication is injected into spinal fluid in the lower back, which numbs the lower part of the body. This type of block is administered only once during labor, so it is often used just before delivery. It works quickly and is an effective pain inhibitor. It is also used for a Cesarean delivery.

What is an epidural block?
With an epidural block, a tube is inserted into a space outside the mother's spinal column in the lower back. Medication is administered through the tube for pain relief. The tube remains in place until after delivery so additional medication can be administered when necessary, or it can be given continuously with a pump.
An epidural causes some loss of sensation in the lower part of the body. It helps relieve painful uterine contractions, pain in the vagina and rectum as the baby passes through the birth canal and the pain of an episiotomy. A woman can still feel pressure, so she can usually push adequately during vaginal delivery.
An epidural block is not effective in some women. Because an epidural may make it harder to push, vacuum extraction or forceps may be necessary during delivery.

What are the side effects of a spinal block or an epidural block?
Either block can cause a woman's blood pressure to drop suddenly, which in turn can cause a decrease in the baby's heart rate. These blocks are not used if the woman is bleeding heavily or if the baby has an abnormal heartbeat. A woman may experience a severe headache if the covering of the spinal cord is punctured during needle insertion with either type of anesthesia. This rarely happens.

Someone said if I have an epidural, I have a greater chance of having a Cesarean delivery. Was she right?
Experts don't agree on the answer to this question; each situation must be considered individually. Recent studies indicate that epidurals don't lengthen labor or increase the risk of C-section. If it affects your ability to push during the second stage of labor, your doctor can wait a little while and let the epidural wear off so you can push. Walking epidurals do not have as much of an effect on your ability to push.

What is a walking epidural or a walking spinal?
A walking spinal, also called intrathecal anesthesia, can be given to women who suffer extreme pain in the early stages of labor (dilated less than 5cm}. A small amount of narcotic, such as Demerol, is injected through a thin needle into the spinal fluid, which eases the pain and causes few side effects.
Because the dose is small, neither the mother nor baby becomes overly drowsy. Sensory and motor functions remain intact, allowing the mother to walk around with help or sit in a chair.

What are the advantages of a walking epidural?
A walking epidural numbs you only in the pelvic area; it doesn't interfere with your ability to move your legs. Another advantage is that fewer women who have had a walking epidural have a "spinal headache" after the epidural wears off.

What are the disadvantages of a walking epidural?
As with a regular epidural, you must have an I.V. in place before you get the epidural. This is because the walking epidural, like a regular epidural, requires I.V. fluids to keep your blood pressure from falling.