You are now in the "active" stage of labor. You will most likely have severe contractions three to four minutes apart and your cervix will open up to 4 to 7 centimeters. You may be starting to think about pain management. Your doctor, midwife and labor nurse will be there for you to help develop a plan.
Medication for pain management can be administered through an IV or by epidural. If you prefer a natural approach, you can also opt for therapeutic breathing, physical and mental relaxation exercises and massage.
More About Pain Management Options
Epidural Analgesia
Our goal is to make the birth experience as joyful, memorable and comfortable as possible. In keeping with this, The Birthplace and the department of anesthesia offer you the epidural method of pain control during labor. For an epidural, a medicine is injected into the tough outer layer covering the spinal cord. The medicine numbs the lower half of your body, including the abdomen, legs and birth canal, to provide pain relief during labor and delivery while allowing you to remain awake for the birth of your baby.