The browser you are using is too old for our website. Please visit www.aptaclub.ie from Chrome and you will be able to browse normally.

Pregnancy

      Pain relief in labour

      Woman Giving Birth

      Pain relief in labour

      COUNT TO TEN

      Understand your options

      Giving birth is a unique experience and it’s impossible to predict how you will feel physically. Some level of discomfort is to be expected but if things go beyond your expectations, it’s reassuring to know pain relief is available. Understanding different methods of pain relief and when they might be administered should make your labour more bearable.
      Moving around, staying calm, having a warm bath or shower, or asking your partner to give you a massage may all help you to feel more comfortable1.

      TENS machine

      • Prevents pain signals from reaching your brain
      • Especially effective in the first stages of labour
      • Helps your body release ‘feel-good’ endorphins
      • Can be controlled to match pain levels
      • No known effects on the baby

      TENS machines are widely available for hire online and from chemists − make sure you get a machine specifically designed for use in pregnancy, not just for general pain relief. It can take about an hour before you really feel the benefits – so start using it as soon as you go into labour. It can also help soothe backache towards the end of pregnancy.

      Gas and air

      • A mixture of air and nitrous oxide (laughing gas)
      • Can quickly reduce the pain of contractions
      • Can make your mouth a little dry and cause nausea while inhaling
      • No known effects on the baby

      Sometimes known as Entonox, gas and air is administered orally and can be used at home, during births or combined with other pain relief in labour. To feel the effect when you really need it, inhale as soon as you get a contraction.

      Water

      Even if you don’t want a water birth, warm water (kept at around body temperature), can help you relax and soothe painful contractions. Most birthing suites have a birth pool or shower room, so ask your midwife if you can have a bath or stand (sit or squat!) under a warm running shower.

      Labour

      It’s best to keep an open mind when it comes to pain relief. I hated the thought of pethidine, but during my long labour it actually gave me the rest I needed to be able to push my baby out.

      Intramuscular injection

      • Helps to take the edge off pain rather than removing it
      • Helps you feel more relaxed – you may be able to sleep in-between contractions
      • Needs about 20 minutes to take effect and can last 2–4 hours
      • Can make you feel sick
      • Can make the baby drowsy and interfere with its breathing and initial breastfeeding

      This method of pain relief in labour involves injecting a drug, such as pethidine or diamorphine, into your thigh or buttock. As it can make you nauseous, it’s often given with an anti-sickness drug at the same time. Due to the possible side effects on your baby, it is not usually given if your midwife thinks you will deliver quickly. And if you are still feeling the effects towards the end of labour, you may find it more difficult to push.

      Epidural

      • A local anaesthetic injected into the lower back
      • Has a timed or controlled release
      • Takes pain away and leaves you with a clear head to focus on labour
      • Has very few complications but can cause side effects such as shivering, low blood pressure and, in rare cases, bad headaches

      Epidurals are only available at hospitals and are usually administered once the cervix is dilated to around 5 or 6cm and there are strong contractions. This type of traditional epidural will leave you with no feeling in your legs, so you’ll be bed-bound and may need help timing your pushes during the delivery.

      Mobile epidurals

      Most hospital units now use mobile epidurals – also known as walking epidurals. Unlike the more traditional epidurals, mobile epidurals leave you with some feeling in your legs and perineal area, so you are more able to sense when to push.

      Whatever your pain relief preference, always discuss the options with your midwife and remember to check that your hospital provides the option you want.

      NEXT STEPS

      • If you’re planning a home birth, ask your midwife about the types of pain relief available to you.
      • If it’s a hospital birth, ask if there will be a bath or shower readily available.
      • Ensure you include your pain relief preferences in your birth plan.

      Last reviewed: 24th February 2014

      careline-icon.png

      Expert advice

      Get the support you need, the moment you need it

      Join now for free

      Your baby's future health begins here

      Your baby's future health begins here

      At Aptaclub, we believe that experience helps to build resilience; that
      each new encounter, whether in pregnancy or after birth, can shape your
      baby’s future development. With our scientific expertise and one-to-one
      round the clock support, we can help you and your baby embrace tomorrow.

      Join Aptaclub

      Related articles

      Questions about feeding and nutrition?

      Our nutritionists and feeding advisors are always on hand to talk about feeding your baby. So if you have a question, just get in touch.

      Expert advice

      Get the support you need, the moment you need it

      Join now for free

      Your privacy is important to us and therefore we would like to explain how we use cookies on this website. With your consent, we will use cookies to measure and analyse how our website is used (analytical cookies), to tailor it to your interests (personalisation cookies), and to show you relevant advertising and information (targeting cookies) we think you will like. For more information please read the cookie statement.

      Privacy Settings

      You can choose your preferences anytime for cookies and tracking. For more information please read our cookie policy.

      • Strictly necessary

        They are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services (setting your privacy preferences, logging in, filling in forms, etc.). You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.

      • Analytical cookies

        They allow us to count visits and traffic sources, to measure and improve the performance of our site. They show us which pages are the most and least popular and how visitors move around the site. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.

      • Personalisation cookies

        They enable website’s enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third parties whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these services may not function properly.

      • Targeting cookies

        They may be set through our site by our advertising partners, to build a profile of your interests and to show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.