Pain Management

Alice was having her first baby. Her pregnancy had been uncomplicated and she had written a birth plan with her husband outlining her desire for a natural childbirth by keeping active and using TENS and then warm water to deal with contractions. ...

This type of regional anesthesia involves injecting a local anesthetic into the vagina where the pudendal nerves are located to reduce pain in the vagina and perineum. The pudendal needle is quite long and thick, so before the injection is given,...

Many women find massage helpful in labor to induce relaxation, bring about a sense of well-being, and alleviate pain. Your birth partner may find it relaxing and therapeutic too. Ideally, he or she will have had a chance to see massage techniques...

For some, natural pain relief may not be sufficient to enable them to deal with the increasing intensity of contractions, and they may choose to use medication in combination with natural techniques. In some situations, for example if labor is in...

Labor pain is unique and quite different from everyday chronic and acute pain. Generally, pain is a warning sign that something is wrong, but labor pain acts as an "alert" that the birth process is underway and that you need a safe environment in...

Your baby todayWhat exactly triggers the start of labor is still a mystery. Does the signal come from your own body or does the baby play a part in the decision? Every labor is different, and the timing of your first labor can be quite different ...

Your baby today3D views at this stage of the pregnancy will be extremely clear. Every part of the face is fully developed and your baby will be very expressive. Your baby is only a few days away now from being full term. ...

Your baby todayOne leg is shown here crossed over the other. Your baby can still stretch the legs out fully and even curl up in such a way that the feet can rest on top of the head: just because you're kicked on one side doesn't mean that the hea...

Natural Childbirth: A Real-Life Experience Mom-isms Your cervix is fully dilated when it has stretched open to the maximum. This provides the opening through which your child will pass. During the late stages of dilation, you may hear the doctor...