Women now have an array of medications and techniques at their disposal to help squelch the discomfort of labor. There are many alternatives available that help put women more in control of the birth experience. Essentially, it's a personal choice. Warmth and a sense of weightlessness may help reduce stress and pain and promote relaxation.
Patterned breathing uses distraction and conditioned response to reduce the perception of pain.
Massage Soothing touch, such as light or firm stroking and circular pressure, promotes relaxation and reduces transmission of pain impulses by overloading the nerves in the spinal cord that relay pain. Movement Squatting, leaning, standing, rolling on a therapy ball or walking facilitate the movement of the baby through the pelvis and are associated with faster, less painful labors. Bringing a new life into the world is a cultural, not a medical, event with the potential to be a peak life experience. Supporting a woman's choices during labor empowers her and promotes her self-confidence to safely birth and successfully parent her child. The goal is to have a healthy mother and baby, and to optimize that experience for the whole family.