Another gating technique is called TENS or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Mild electrical charges are administered to the patient's back, again distracting her from the pain. Walking around, showering, bathing, having your partner rub your back, rocking in a chair, or squatting on a birthing ball are all non-medical ways to relieve labor pain. Another new, no-drug technique involves giving four injections of sterile water into the lower back in a diamond pattern. Studies have shown this method to be effective, although we don't know why it works.
Narcotics are next in the pain-management arsenal.
Some women choose a shot of Nubaine , a short-acting narcotic, to take the edge off labor. The advantage is that it can be given at any time during labor and is helpful in early labor because it helps women sleep so that contractions can get under way. The disadvantage is that it makes both you and the baby sleepy, which can be a problem if it is given shortly before the baby arrives. Narcotics are fairly short acting, offering two to four hours of pain relief. Epidural anesthesia offers longer-acting pain management without affecting the baby.