What contractions feel like and what pain can be compared to - scientific facts and expert opinion. How realistic is pain-free childbirth - useful tips for future mothers in labor What is the pain during childbirth comparable to?

Many women, preparing to find the joy of motherhood, on the eve of such an important event as childbirth, try to find the answer to the question: what is the pain like during childbirth, and what can it be compared with. Future mothers ask their experienced friends, older relatives, and read all kinds of literature.

Of course, such knowledge is important, but still, it is worth remembering that each birth takes place according to its own individual scenario.

Why does it hurt

The entire birth process can be divided into three parts: contractions (dilation stage), pushing (fetal expulsion stage), and the postpartum period (“birth” of the placenta).

The pain begins during contractions.

The causes of pain are the following physiological processes:

1. Contraction of the muscle tissue of the uterus. During contractions, pressure is exerted on the muscles and nerve endings. Therefore, the woman experiences severe pain.
2. Dilatation of the cervix itself. This stage is also very painful.
3. Fetal pressure on the pelvic organs, as well as nerve endings.
4. The baby's head passes through the birth canal and the pressure it exerts on the walls of the vagina and perineum.

It must be remembered that labor pain is considered normal and physiologically justified. Without it, it is impossible to imagine any natural childbirth.

It is difficult to say unequivocally what the pain that occurs during childbirth is similar to, because... Each woman is individual and experiences completely different sensations.

Some people can endure contractions and pushing, but for others the painful manifestations are simply unbearable.

At the initial stage, when contractions occur, the resulting pain can be compared to very painful periods. During this period, the uterine cervix gradually opens.

As contractions intensify, a woman may feel pain in the lower abdomen, radiating to the lumbar region. The nature of such pain is wave-like. The spasm increases, reaching the highest peak point, and then begins to subside. After this, a short rest period begins.

By the end of the opening stage, a woman, in addition to pain, may feel severe fatigue, which means that the period of pushing will begin very soon. At this moment, severe pain may subside somewhat, but as the head passes through the birth canal, the expectant mother may feel strong distension from the inside, and stretching of the perineum and vagina is also felt.

The birth of a child itself, as well as the release of the placenta, do not cause any particular painful spasms, because Stretched nerve endings no longer fully transmit pain impulses to the brain.

How to make it easier

You can reduce labor pain during labor in the following ways:

1. give a light lower back massage;
2. take a shower or warm bath;
3. apply warm compresses to the back area;
4. try to relax your body;
5. watch your breathing.

In some cases, doctors give women in labor painkillers or even offer local epidural anesthesia. This method allows you to almost completely eliminate all pain.

Video

What can you compare the pain of childbirth to?

I would compare this pain to the pain from a strongly contracted muscle. Only this is not one small muscle, but the entire abdomen. It takes my breath away. I was seriously afraid that I would die from pain. Honestly, at that moment I didn’t care. I just wanted to scream, scream and be hysterical. Well, I tried not to do that.

She gave birth without anesthesia or stimulation.

Personally, I was always surprised by the descriptions of terrible labor pains. The pain is quite tolerable, similar to heavy menstruation. For men, the comparison is like diarrhea with pain and colic in the intestines. Not only did I not scream once, I didn’t even moan. There was a young woman in the room with me who was literally standing on her shoulder blades from contractions. I thought - it’s not more dilated, that’s why the ort is tossing around like that. The doctor who came told her - shame on you, you are so furious, you are two fingers dilated (explanation for men - the width of two fingers, not the length), and your neighbor is eight.

I have experienced much worse pain in my life. I suffered from arachnoiditis (inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain) - this is hellish pain.

And once in my life I had a toothache. This is the worst thing in the world!!!

Many women I knew said that during childbirth, there was pain all over the body, some in the stomach, others had pain in their back. Labor was stimulated for me using a gel. The gel was injected into the cervix. And when the contractions reached their maximum, it seemed to me that it was precisely at the point on the stomach where the cervix is ​​located that a knife was being stuck in without a break, taken out and stabbed again. I still can’t imagine how such pain can be endured, I was shaking very much and I couldn’t utter a word, as my chin was shaking from the pain. I was periodically injected with painkillers into a vein, and it became easier for a while. What surprised me was the point pain. I think it’s all about the gel; in the natural course of the process, the pain is probably felt a little differently. But I'm sure it hurts a lot, in any case.

The comparison with the splits is very apt, plus the feeling that in the lower abdomen during contractions thousands of needles are digging into you.

I had two births and both times I gave birth without anesthesia or surgery. The pain is severe, but not unbearable. The main thing is a normal attitude :)

I was most afraid that they would put me on a drip for stimulation))). I can’t imagine how people endure contractions lying down - I ran like a panther around the perimeter, or along the corridor :)

The pain is quite bearable and quickly forgotten!

I have never experienced such pain before. Women who have given birth have told me that this pain is similar to the pain of menstruation, only worse. I realized that they were lying. It is very painful, BUT TOlerable. The obstetrics book says that this pain is similar to the pain of live amputation of limbs, or cancer pain in the final stages.

Oh, I don’t know, Ol... It seemed to me during contractions that if there was such a button to turn myself off)) I would definitely use it!! I had contractions for three whole days!! At first, of course, rarely, then more often, but I didn’t sleep a single night, I couldn’t lift a glass of water, my hands were so weak, I dragged beds from wall to wall, on the advice of experienced people, to ease the sensations and distract myself, and searched on the ceiling with the eyes of some kind of hook!!))) ... And after giving birth, two days later, gallstones also began to shake. This is easier, although, of course, it takes your breath away so much that you can’t even feel your arms or legs And also contractions. But attacks were not new to me, unlike childbirth, I knew that there would be an end. The recovery was easy and good, I don’t remember anything else bad! And two hours after giving birth, I was already lying in my bed on my side and writing a letter to my friend!!!))) Everything is forgotten quickly!! But once again I would agree to only have a caesarean section!!

I cannot compare the pain during childbirth with any other pain, because it is different, completely unlike anything in sensation. And in terms of intensity... well, I don’t know, it’s probably different for everyone, since not everyone has the same sensitivity.

But I can describe the pain during contractions :) It feels as if they grabbed your internal organs and began to twist them from the inside. The pain takes your breath away, you can’t breathe! And then suddenly they let me go! And so every 3 minutes))

I can compare the pain during childbirth to some kind of constipation (if a stone is stuck), which is mixed with a fracture. And at this time you are also scalded with boiling water. And then terribly painful periods begin. Something like that.) But don’t worry, all this passes very quickly. And this is not the kind of pain people endure. I wish you patience during childbirth!

I read the question and the joke came to mind, well, I can’t resist, it’s so on topic)))

A pregnant woman sees a male gynecologist:

• Doctor, tell me, is giving birth very painful?
• Well, how can I tell you? Have you ever been hit in the balls with a beer mug?

• Men, now you can no longer guess what to compare such pain with, but feel it for yourself. The thing is that a device has been created that simulates exactly the pain experienced by a woman during childbirth. And it is designed for several stages. True, there is a huge plus for men - you can refuse at any time. So just try it on yourself and you will know.

As you know, childbirth is a process accompanied by fairly intense pain. What are the mechanisms of this pain, at what stages of labor does it appear, and can it be overcome?

Pain is a unique mental state of a person that occurs when exposed to some very strong irritant. What is pain for? Its biological purpose is protection. An organ affected by a disease or injured attracts the attention of the brain with pain so that the necessary measures can be taken to eliminate the danger to the life and health of the body. As a result of this, adrenaline is released into the blood, muscle activity and tension increase, thanks to which a person can protect himself or avoid danger.

Thus, the physiological meaning of any pain is to give the body information about disturbances in natural processes. Childbirth itself is not something destructive for the mother’s body - it is a completely natural process. Therefore, labor pain has its own characteristics.

During the first stage of labor, the cervix opens. It is carried out due to the contraction of muscle fibers, their displacement relative to each other and stretching. Actually, involuntary contraction of the muscles of the uterus is a contraction. The strength and duration of contractions gradually increase as labor progresses. At the beginning of labor, they are short - 5 seconds each, and the intervals between contractions are 15-20 minutes.

By the time the first stage of labor passes into the second, the duration of the contraction is one minute or more, the intervals between contractions are 3-5 minutes. The first stage of labor in women who give birth to their first children lasts 8-12 hours, in multiparous women it is shorter. In this case, intense contractions occupy approximately 30% of this time at the end of the first stage of labor. At this time, the woman has less opportunity for respite, it seems that the pain intensifies, and in addition to the indicated pain mechanisms, the pressure that the head exerts on the birth canal is added. Muscle contractions are well known and familiar to us: various movements, walking, facial expressions, physical exercises, swimming are carried out precisely due to muscle contractions. The contraction of the uterine muscles occurs in the same way as any other muscle in the human body. Towards the end of pregnancy, the uterus becomes the largest and strongest muscle, so its contractions during childbirth are very powerful.

Factors that cause pain during contractions are the opening of the cervix, a decrease in the delivery of oxygen to muscle fibers due to the fact that during contractions the muscles compress the vessels that feed them. In addition, during contractions, compression of the nerve endings leading to the muscles of the uterus occurs, and tension of the uterine ligaments is noted. Can this be avoided? Probably not, because it is a mechanism that enables the birth process, but opportunities to relieve or reduce pain should be taken advantage of.

Opening of the amniotic sac

During a contraction, the pain increases gradually, reaching its maximum at the peak of the contraction (at the moment of maximum contraction of the uterine muscles), after which it also gradually recedes. Between contractions, the woman in labor can rest, sleep and prepare for the next contraction. In the first stage of labor, the pain is dull, the exact location of its localization is impossible to indicate, it is not felt clearly at the site of origin, but radiates to the lower back, sacrum, leg, and groin area. This is due to the fact that pain sensations come primarily from the uterine ligaments, the muscles of the uterus, and spread along the nerves coming from these anatomical structures, and these nerves are “responsible” for fairly wide areas, so the pain is diffuse in nature. This kind of pain is called visceral.

At the beginning of the first stage of labor, pain is caused by contractions of the uterus, as well as the tension of the uterine ligaments that accompanies each contraction. As labor progresses, stretching of the lower uterine segment becomes increasingly important in the occurrence of pain.

Pain during pushing

At the end of the first period, the nature of the contractions changes: the first attempts begin, they join the contractions. During pushing, the muscles of the diaphragm, abdominals and pelvic floor contract. Unlike contractions, pushing is a voluntary contraction of muscles, that is, the woman herself can regulate them through willpower. Pushing helps to move along the birth canal and expel the fetus.

Attempts occur within 1-5 minutes, the duration of each attempt is about 1 minute. The entire period of pushing lasts about 1 hour for primiparous women, and up to 30 minutes for multiparous women.

At the end of the first and at the beginning of the second stages of labor, the main role begins to be played by irritation of the inner part of the sacrum, tension of the uterosacral ligaments, mechanical pressure from the presenting part of the fetus (head or buttocks) on soft tissues and the bone ring of the small pelvis.

In the second stage of labor, the nature of the pain changes; it is acute and precisely localized - in the vagina, rectum, perineum. This kind of pain is called somatic. During pushing, a woman experiences an irresistible urge to push—to tense her abdominal muscles.

Mental state of the mother in labor

Fear of childbirth causes the pain to be felt even more intensely. With great stress and fear, a woman’s body releases adrenaline and similar hormones, which cause increased heart rate and muscle tension. In addition, there is a sharp decrease in the pain threshold. If a woman begins to feel that childbirth poses a danger to her, the wary anticipation of this danger gives rise to fear, which serves a protective function. When there is severe fear or stress, a person usually reacts by tensing his muscles and “squeezing.” If during childbirth the vaginal muscles are constantly clamped, this disrupts the process of opening the cervix, prevents the baby from passing through the birth canal, which, in turn, causes suffering both for the woman in labor, for whom childbirth becomes more painful, and for the fetus, because he is trying to overcome resistance tense muscles. In addition, fear or stress affects the autonomic nervous system (the part of the nervous system that, independently of consciousness, controls the functioning of internal organs), in turn, it affects the lumbosacral nerve plexus, and therefore the pelvic organs.

In other words, sensations in the uterus depend on the woman’s mental state. Fear of childbirth is the cause of acute pain and disruption (discoordination) of labor. And it doesn’t matter at all whether its source was a real or imagined danger.

Does the woman in labor feel the cut in the perineum?

The perception of pain and its emotional coloring are the result of the activity of the cerebral cortex. The pain threshold, pain tolerance and response to pain largely depend on the type of higher nervous activity.

The intensity of pain is influenced by the duration of labor, as well as whether it goes smoothly or with complications, the size and position of the fetus, the strength of uterine contractions, and the presence of previous births. Thus, prolonged labor, certain complications, and a large fetus, as a rule, increase the intensity of pain. But a woman usually tolerates it more easily than the first ones.

All in our hands...

Physical preparation of pregnant women for childbirth is carried out in schools for expectant mothers using a special set of exercises that strengthen some muscles that will be involved in childbirth and stretch others. In addition, the entire pregnancy should be carried out under the motto of physical activity. If there are no contraindications, pregnant women are recommended to do gymnastics, fitball exercises, swimming, yoga, and Pilates. Even if it is not possible to attend a school for expectant mothers or a fitness club, daily walks in the fresh air, doing light housework and simple gymnastic exercises will help you endure the trials of childbirth.

In order to reduce the psychological component of pain, psychoprophylactic preparation of pregnant women is used. Its goal is to remove the psychogenic component of labor pain, eliminate the idea of ​​its inevitability, the feeling of fear, and contribute to the creation of a new idea of ​​childbirth as a favorable physiological process in which pain is not necessary. Even if pain is present, you need to treat it positively - as a sign indicating that you will meet your baby soon. In order to correctly respond to pain signals and be able to cope with them, you need special knowledge about the course of labor, the nature of labor experiences, possible options for behavior, self-help, breathing techniques, and self-massage. Currently, preparation is carried out in group classes in schools for expectant mothers. During these classes, women gain an understanding of the physiology of childbirth, and also learn techniques and special techniques that help effectively reduce pain.

An important psychological moment during childbirth is the presence of a husband or another person close to the woman in labor, if there is mutual consent. It is useful for the pregnant woman to meet in advance with the doctor and midwife who will be attending the birth.

A prepared woman perceives childbirth as a natural process, knows that she can help herself, and feels more confident and calm. In addition, the woman becomes more disciplined and strictly follows the doctor’s recommendations, which, in turn, makes childbirth much easier for her.

Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful periods in a woman’s life. This is a real miracle of nature when you feel under your heart the movements of a little man, dearer and closer than anyone. Despite all the toxicosis and the constant need for tests, young mothers feel truly happy.

However, everything is spoiled by the fear of that very cherished date for which the baby is scheduled to appear. It is long-awaited and at the same time very frightening. How severe the pain will be during childbirth is a question that overshadows almost all pregnant women, especially first-time mothers who are not yet familiar with it. It's time to deal with this problem and reduce its significance so that it does not overshadow the happy bearing of the baby.

If someone claims that there is a pain-free birth, you should not take this phrase literally. This is possible only in one case - when using various methods of pain relief. Nature has arranged it in such a way that labor cannot proceed without pain, which at each stage will differ from each other in origin, and therefore in the methods of dealing with it.

To understand what is happening to you at this crucial moment in your life, try to figure out what causes labor pains and what their strength and power depend on.

Contractions

I period

1. The cervix opens due to intense contraction of the muscles, their active stretching and displacement relative to each other. Towards the end of pregnancy, the uterus is the strongest muscle in a woman’s body, which is why the pain during childbirth is so noticeable.
2. In this case, the delivery of oxygen to the tissues is disrupted, because during the contraction the blood vessels are pinched by the stretching muscles.
3. For the same reason, nerve endings are compressed, which also contributes to pain.
4. The uterine ligaments are stretched like a rope.
5. The strength and duration of pain increases gradually.
6. At first the contractions are short - 5 seconds each, the intervals between them are up to 20 minutes.
7. The duration of this period for those who give birth for the first time is from 8 to 12 hours. In multiparous women it is shorter.

II period

1. The duration of pain during contractions can be more than 1 minute. The interval between them is no more than 5 minutes.
2. The causes of pain indicated in the first period include the pressure exerted by the baby’s head on the birth canal.
3. As it progresses, strong stretching of the entire lower segment of the uterus begins to play a leading role in the occurrence of labor pain.

Attempts

1. The contractions are accompanied by pushing - intense voluntary contractions of the muscles of the diaphragm, pelvic floor, and abdominal muscles. Unlike contractions, a woman can regulate them independently - through her own willpower.
2. The main causes of pain during this period are irritation of the sacrum, its internal part, tension of not only the uterine, but also the sacral ligaments, pressure from the buttocks and the fetal head on the small pelvis (its bone ring and soft tissues).
3. Attempts should occur every 5 minutes, their duration is 1 minute.
4. The duration of this period is half an hour for multiparous women, about an hour for those who give birth for the first time.

Perineal incision, suturing

1. The perineal incision itself causes severe pain, as it is most often performed without anesthesia. However, it is he who is not noticed by the woman in labor, oddly enough. Although scientifically everything is quite explainable. The perineal incision is made at the peak of the next attempt, when both the skin and muscles in this place are maximally stretched. This kind of stretching forces the woman to focus on this pain, and she does not feel the scalpel.
2. But suturing after cuts and tears is a very painful procedure, so it is carried out against the background of pain relief.

Complications

Severe pain during childbirth can also be caused by complications:

1. Prolonged labor.
2. Incorrect presentation of the fetus or placenta.
3. Nondisjunction of the pelvic bones.
4. First birth.

General psychological mood

1. According to scientists, the pain that a woman experiences during childbirth intensifies if she is obviously very afraid of it.
2. The feeling of tension with which the expectant mother awaits an important event provokes the release of adrenaline in the body.
3. Because of this, the pulse quickens, muscles tense, and the pain threshold sharply decreases.
4. The severe stress that a woman in labor experiences keeps the vaginal muscles tight, which prevents the full opening of the cervix.
5. Because of this, it is very difficult for the child to pass through the birth canal, because he overcomes the resistance of the uterine muscles, and this leads to painful sensations during childbirth.
6. Fear affects the autonomic nervous system, which does not depend on consciousness and actively controls the functioning of all internal organs. Under the influence of such stress, it begins to affect the nerve plexus in the lumbosacral region - the pelvic organs. Therefore, the thought of whether it is possible to die from pain during childbirth should not even arise: a lethal outcome for this reason is impossible, but fear will make the whole process even more painful.

If you understand from the very beginning why pain occurs during childbirth at different stages, this will calm you down purely psychologically. Even during pregnancy, you need to take this fact for granted: it will not be possible to avoid labor pains, this is a completely natural process. Their strength should not be exaggerated. Don’t listen to the stories of experienced mothers who went crazy from pain - in this matter everything is very individual. It’s better to read the opinions of experts on this matter and start preparing your body for this task in advance.

Keep in mind... some scientists believe that the child unconsciously feels the pain that his mother experiences during childbirth. Not physically, but on an intuitive level.

Feel

Many women (especially those who are expecting their first child) are very interested in what the pain of childbirth can be compared to, so that they can be at least a little prepared for the sensations. One important fact to consider here is that each person has a different pain threshold. Someone can endure a toothache for several days, while others cannot stand even a scratch on their finger.

In addition, at the moment of the birth of a child, a woman is overwhelmed with a variety of emotions: fear, joy, curiosity, anxiety and much more. This distracts her from the pain she is experiencing, which reduces its manifestations. So it is very difficult to describe what the pain of childbirth is like. Although a number of general points can be noted.

Contractions

1. In the first stage of labor, you need to prepare for a dull, nagging pain.
2. Its location is difficult to pinpoint.
3. It radiates to the leg, lower back, sacrum, and groin area. This occurs because the sensations coming from the uterine ligaments and muscles begin to spread along the nerves responsible for wide anatomical areas.

It is for this reason that pain during childbirth is somewhat vague. Doctors call it visceral.

Attempts

1. In the second stage of labor, the pain changes: it becomes acute.
2. This pain has a precise localization - it is clearly felt in the vagina, perineum, and rectum.
3. Doctors call it somatic.
4. When pushing, you need to prepare for the fact that there is a desire to constantly push.

This is the kind of pain a woman experiences during childbirth - excruciating, quite strong, but completely natural and bearable. The team of doctors working at this crucial moment understands how difficult it is for a woman in labor to endure contractions and efforts, and believe me: they are doing everything possible to help the woman and alleviate her condition. Although this is not just a matter of people in white coats. Much depends on how prepared the expectant mother herself is for the pains of childbirth.

From the world of modern technology. Today, every man can experience the pain that befalls women in labor. To do this, electrodes are attached to their body, through which discharges are passed, simulating contractions.

Even with the most professional training, no trainer or physician can guarantee an easy, pain-free birth, which every woman probably dreams of. Even with anesthesia, painful side effects and complications occur, which will later remind you of themselves more than once. So, being pregnant, expectant mothers should be prepared for this in advance. And the better the quality, the less pain there will be - that’s a fact. Some tips will help minimize not only pain, but also pain.

During pregnancy

1. At the school for expectant mothers, women are very well physically prepared for the upcoming pain during childbirth. There are special ones. They strengthen some and stretch other muscle groups involved in childbirth.
2. In the absence of contraindications, light gymnastics, fitball, swimming, Pilates, etc. are recommended for pregnant women.
3. You need daily, at least half-hour walks to breathe fresh air.
4. Doing feasible housework.
5. Home exercises of simple gymnastics.
6. Psychoprophylactic training involves both auto-training and consultations with specialists and psychologists. The last option is, of course, preferable. This eliminates the idea of ​​the inevitability of pain and the feeling of fear. The question of whether childbirth occurs without pain disappears by itself. A new idea of ​​the birth of a baby is created, which is perceived as a favorable physiological process. A positive attitude towards pain is formed - as a sign indicating a long-awaited meeting with the baby.
7. Mastering self-help techniques, self-massage for pain relief, and breathing techniques in courses for young mothers.
8. Early acquaintance of the woman in labor with the doctor and midwife who will deliver the baby. This often relieves some of the stress.

During childbirth

1. The presence of your nearest and dearest during childbirth eases pain. This could be a husband, mother, sister, friend.
2. Strict implementation of all recommendations and commands of a doctor who knows exactly how to relieve pain during childbirth: you just need to listen to him.
3. Between contractions in the first stage of labor, it is advisable to rest as much as possible and gain strength: lie in the bath, take a nap, relax, have a snack - this will help reduce the pain during childbirth during the next contractions.
4. Screaming too much is not recommended, as it takes a lot of strength and energy. But doctors also do not advise clamping down.
5. If you want to know how to endure pain during childbirth, learn proper breathing and master the basics of self-massage in the most difficult moments - this is what distracts you from physical torment and contributes to the successful birth of your baby.

Correct breathing

Proper breathing helps a woman endure the pain of childbirth at different stages. The main thing is to learn it in advance and remember it in time.

• Start of contractions

Inhale through your nose on the fourth count - exhale through your mouth, folded into a tube, on the sixth count. The inhalation should be shorter than the exhalation. This method of breathing maximally relaxes the muscles, soothes and fills the tissues with oxygen, which saturates the blood and organisms of mother and baby.

• Increased contractions

At this stage, breathing must be accelerated. The technique is called “doggy style”. You need to breathe shallowly, with your mouth slightly open, like dogs breathe after running or during the heat. Feel free to open your mouth, stick out your tongue, and breathe quickly.

• Cervical dilatation

The breathing technique used at this moment is called “train”. When a contraction begins, you need to breathe quickly, but rather shallowly. Inhalation is done through the nose, exhalation is done very quickly through the mouth, folded into a tube. After the contraction ends, bring your breathing back to normal. This technique helps reduce pain during childbirth, when it feels like everything inside is being torn apart.

• Attempts

“Breathing on a candle” is considered the most effective during pushing. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, as if blowing out a candle. You can accompany this technique by singing vowels out loud.

• Last stage of labor

Self-massage

As practice shows, the most common self-massage helps to endure the pain of childbirth. The woman does it listening to her own feelings. As a result, blood circulation improves, muscles relax, and has a beneficial effect on the central nervous system.

• Stroking

Place both palms on the lower abdomen. Using your fingertips, lightly stroke from the center to the sides and up. Then, with your palms in a circular motion, more intensely, stroke the lumbosacral region. Do it when contractions have just begun.

• Trituration

Rub the same areas as indicated in the previous section with your palm, fist or edge of your palm. For mild contractions, gentle rubbing is used, for strong contractions, intense rubbing is used.

• Pressing

Using your fingers or fist, apply intense pressure to the lateral corners of the sacral rhombus (the dimples on the spine) or the inner surfaces of the crests of the iliac bones. There are many nerve endings in these places, so such pressure will help alleviate the pain of childbirth during labor.

• Shiatsu

Using your fingers on two active points of the body. Heigu - located on the back of the hand where the thumb and index fingers meet. The sixth splenic is on the inner side of the lower leg, approximately four fingers above the inner ankle.

• Relaxation self-massage

Using stroking movements, gently and easily massage the sacrum and back, the cervical-collar area from the periphery to the center. Use pain-relieving gels.

Poses for pain relief

• squatting, when the knees are wide apart, and the support of a partner is needed;
• on your knees with your legs spread wide apart;
• on all fours, when the pelvis is raised as much as possible;
• hang by your hands on the headboard of the bed, your husband’s neck, or the door frame.

If a woman is prepared, she will be able to independently reduce pain during childbirth and focus on the child, and not on her own feelings. If she understands that her baby is not having an easier time at this moment, she will direct all her strength to help him, forgetting about her torment. This is the highest, true purpose of a mother.

If for some reason it was not possible to cope with the pain or due to complications it is simply impossible, medicine comes into the picture. Today, there are effective pharmacological methods of pain relief during childbirth.

Can't be! The human body can withstand 45 del (this is a unit of measurement of pain). And during childbirth, this parameter increases to 57 del. In its power and strength, the pain during childbirth is comparable to breaking 20 bones at the same time!

Pain relief methods

For some reason, having decided on anesthesia in advance, the woman becomes calmer. She can prepare herself for a pain-free birth, knowing that doctors will take care of it. This relieves some of the stress and instills confidence in the woman in labor, which has a positive effect on the entire labor process. The harm of painkillers is the topic of another article, but from the point of view of torment and trials, this is the way out.

With modern anesthesia techniques, childbirth has become possible without pain and fear, when the mother remains conscious, but does not feel anything below the belt and can rejoice at the birth of the baby, pressing him immediately to her chest. But which method should you choose? This issue is resolved exclusively in conjunction with the recommendations of doctors.

• Inhalation (mask) method (autoanalgesia)

Pain relief occurs by inhaling a narcotic gas through a mask. This can be nitrous oxide or inhalational anesthetics: methoxyflurane, fluorothane, pentran. Used in the first stage of labor. The woman in labor, feeling the approach of contractions, puts on a mask herself, thus controlling the frequency of pain relief.

• Intravenous or intramuscular (parenteral) method

Administration of one of the narcotic analgesics intravenously or intramuscularly during increasing contractions. This is a great way to give the mother in labor a rest. The duration of such anesthesia varies from 10 minutes to 1 hour, which depends on the amount of the drug administered and the analgesic itself, which can be combined with a sedative drug.

• Local (local) anesthesia

An injection of an anesthetic drug is made into the perineum, inhibiting the function of nerves and the sensitivity of cells.

• Regional anesthesia

If local anesthesia allows you to block pain in a limited area, then regional anesthesia covers a larger area of ​​the body. It is represented by two methods - epidural and spinal anesthesia.

Epidural- injection of the drug with a thin needle between the vertebral discs. Through a catheter, pain relief can be prolonged by controlling the dosage of the injected agent. Anesthesia does not take effect immediately, but only 15-20 minutes after the injection.

Spinal- injection into the middle of the dura mater. Typically used for caesarean section (planned and emergency). It works very quickly. According to research, it does not affect the baby’s condition in any way.

• General anesthesia

It has been used very rarely lately, only in emergency cases. Causes a very rapid loss of consciousness in the woman in labor.

So, we found out that experiencing pain during childbirth is quite possible. No one has died from it yet. There are simply many other factors: negative previous experience, uncertainty, self-inflicted tension, low pain threshold - all this has a bad effect on the psychological and physical preparation of a woman before the birth of a baby. She perceives every contraction with horror, exaggerating its strength and power. Yes, this is one of the features of labor that cannot be avoided. However, any woman in labor can reduce pain and reduce its significance for herself if she relies on the recommendations and prescriptions of doctors.

Why does pain occur during contractions?

The birth process consists of 3 periods:

• Contractions and cervical dilatation
• Birth of a child
• Birth of the placenta (baby place)

The most painful process during childbirth is the dilation of the cervix. During pregnancy, it is dense, and in the cervical canal of the cervix there is a mucus plug that protects the fetus from various types of infections. Closer to childbirth, the cervix gradually softens, the mucous plug comes off and the cervix begins to contract and open under pressure from the fetus. Dilation of the cervix is ​​painful for absolutely everyone, as smooth muscles contract.

What is the pain of childbirth comparable to?

Initially, the contractions are not intense, short-lived, painful sensations are very similar to pain during menstruation (owners of painless periods now do not understand what we are talking about). Gradually the contractions become stronger, more painful and a clear frequency appears. The peak of pain occurs at the end of the first stage of labor and the beginning of the second stage. This pain is very strong, similar to the aching pain during menstruation, but several times stronger. I want to howl and destroy everything in my path! It is not without reason that they say that the pain during contractions can be compared to the pain of 20 bones being broken at the same time. Thank God I didn’t break any bones, but it seems to me that this is how it is.

Does it hurt to push?

Pushing is the process of pushing a child, the birth of a baby. Some will say that pushing is the most painful process, but for others, pushing is just a fairy tale compared to contractions at the end of the first stage of labor. Based on my feelings, I will say: the process of the child passing through the birth canal and the birth itself (including episiotomy) were not noticeable to me, I only felt contractions during pushing.

Stage 3 of labor – birth of the placenta. The contractions are no longer as intense, and the placenta is born quickly.

What other pain is possible during childbirth?

If a woman had tears during childbirth or had to have an episiotomy (incision), then after childbirth it all needs to be stitched up. By the way, episiotomy is a completely painless procedure against the backdrop of ongoing contractions; you simply don’t feel it. But suturing is a very painful process. Even though local anesthesia is used, you still feel a stinging sensation (after all, they are sewing with a needle), which is quite unpleasant.

How to relieve pain during childbirth and contractions?

In general, childbirth without pain is a myth! No matter how you relax, distract yourself, it still hurts! Of course, you can relieve the pain. The main rule that must always be followed: do not tense up during a contraction, relax as much as possible. Yes, it’s difficult to do, it’s impossible to completely switch from pain to thinking about beauty, but you can try to relax. The fact is that if a woman tenses up and becomes stiff during a contraction, the opening of the cervix is ​​slower, which means the birth process will be delayed.

It is very important to breathe correctly during a contraction. At the beginning of a contraction, take a deep breath with your entire chest, hold the air for a few seconds and exhale slowly. With proper breathing, a sufficient amount of oxygen is supplied to the child, and he does not suffer from hypoxia. Contractions need to be breathed through, not screamed!

It is better to endure contractions in a standing position, leaning on the back of the bed or windowsill. In this position, the fetus presses on the fundus of the uterus and dilatation is more productive.

Many women find it easier to endure contractions by swinging on a ball (fitball).

Pain relief during childbirth

Reading articles on the Internet, one can conclude that you just have to ask for anesthesia and they will give it to you right away. Not so! In ordinary maternity hospitals, where a woman gives birth without an agreement with a doctor, anesthesia is not given. Perhaps, in an extremely difficult birth, the anesthesiologist will take pity on the woman in labor. There is a logical explanation for this: the pain during childbirth is so severe that any woman will not refuse anesthesia. If you install it on everyone, it will be expensive for a budget organization. On the other hand, doctors know better who really needs anesthesia and whether it is needed at all.

Childbirth is a natural process, and each person has their own pain threshold. Remember that only through this pain you receive a small bundle of great happiness as a reward!

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