Every woman has a different birth experience. Some are able to cope with labor pain normally without the need for medication, some are in so much pain that they need pain medication or anesthetic from a doctor.
When approaching labor, pregnant women will feel pain due to stronger uterine contractions. Contraction is the process of opening the birth canal and expelling the fetus. The pain usually appears in the abdomen, back, or around the thighs and pelvis.
There are some pregnant women who can stand the pain, but there are also those who feel very sick when they want to give birth normally. To reduce labor pain, pregnant women can get medicines from a doctor or try several ways to reduce labor pain.
How to Treat Labor Pain Medically
Medically, there are several ways that can be done to deal with labor pain, including:
1. Using painkillers
This drug is given to reduce pain during labor without causing numbness in certain parts of the body. To reduce very severe pain, doctors can give drugs class opioids, such as morphine.
However, the administration of this class of drugs needs to be wary of, because morphine can cause side effects in the form of respiratory problems and drowsiness.
Other painkillers such as ketorolac, naproxen, and aspirin can also reduce pain well. However, the use of these drugs in pregnant and lactating women needs to be consulted with a doctor.
2. Using regional anesthesia
Anesthesia or anesthesia can make certain body parts numb and immune to pain. There are two types of anesthesia to choose from, namely epidural or spinal.
According to research, both anesthetic techniques are safe for pregnant women and their babies during childbirth. However, the regional anesthetic method can sometimes cause some side effects, such as a decrease in blood pressure, headache, itching, heavy legs, tingling, nausea, and difficulty urinating.
3. Using local anesthetic
This type of anesthetic can relieve pain around the birth canal, namely the vagina, pelvis, and perineum or the area between the vagina and anus. Local anesthesia is useful for treating pain when the doctor or midwife performs an episiotomy to widen the birth canal and suture the wound on the mother after giving birth.
Local anesthetic drugs are generally safe to use, but sometimes they can cause side effects such as allergies and lowering blood pressure. However, these side effects are relatively rare.
In addition to the above treatment, doctors can also treat labor pain by giving other drugs, such as pethidine and entonox gas. However, this method is not yet commonly used in Indonesia.
Simple Ways to Overcome Labor Pain
In addition to medical means, overcoming labor pain can also be done with the following simple methods:
- Give a warm compress to the body that feels pain or take a warm bath
- Get a massage, for example in the legs, hands, and back
- Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, listening to relaxing music, or using aromatherapy
- Trying to move more, for example walking around the room, or changing body position, for example by sitting, squatting, or lying on your side
Towards delivery, pregnant women also need to regularly check with the doctor, meet the nutritional needs and body fluids by eating nutritious foods and drinking water, so that they remain energetic and enthusiastic during the labor process.
If the pain felt before labor is quite severe, you can try several ways to deal with labor pain above. However, if the pain does not subside or you are no longer able to deal with the pain that appears, tell your doctor immediately so that he can be treated.
