What Pain Relief Can You Have in Labor? Epidural, Nitrous Oxide and More

You can ask for pain relief during labor. You are the one who knows how you feel and how well you cope with pain, and you can change your mind. Pain medication does not make labor less natural, and it does not make a cesarean birth more likely.

At a prenatal visit, ask your provider about your options and what your hospital or birth center offers. You do not need to decide until labor starts. Tell them if you have heart disease, a blood disorder or liver disease, or have had spinal surgery, as these can affect your choices.

Things you can try yourself

• Relaxation and breathing techniques from a childbirth class
• Massage, or firm pressure on your lower back
• Changing position often
• A shower or bath, if your provider allows it
• An ice pack or warm compress on your back
• Slow, deep breaths between contractions as they get stronger

Opioids

Opioids are given as a shot or through an IV. Sometimes you press a button to release a dose, with a limit so you cannot take too much. They dull pain and help you feel calmer without making you lose consciousness. They can cause itching, nausea and drowsiness, and can briefly affect your baby's breathing and heart rate.

Nitrous oxide

Some hospitals offer nitrous oxide, also called laughing gas. You breathe it mixed with oxygen through a mask you hold yourself. It does not numb pain, but it eases anxiety so pain is easier to cope with. It works best if you start breathing it 30 seconds before a contraction.

Epidural and other blocks

In the United States, epidurals are the pain relief used most often for childbirth. Medication goes through a thin tube placed in your lower back, usually by an anesthesiologist. Relief should start within 10 to 20 minutes. You stay awake and alert, and you can move, though you may not be able to walk. Possible side effects include itching, a drop in blood pressure, fever and headache. Serious complications are very rare.

A spinal block is a single shot that works quickly but lasts only an hour or two. It is often used for cesarean birth. A pudendal block numbs the vagina, vulva and perineum just before delivery.