http://www.atlantadoula.com/paincauses.htm

Would it make you feel better to know that you can do something (without medications) about 90% of the pain during labor, and that there are things you can do to decrease your perception and increase your tolerance of whatever other pain there may be?

There are physical factors that contribute to pain in childbirth, but they account for only about 10% of pain! These can be:

1. Baby in a difficult position
2. Size of baby
3. Unusual conditions such as high blood pressure, poor health, or fatigue
4. The stretching of the cervix (thinning and dilating)

The other 90% of childbirth pain is due to three (3) basic functional causes:

1. Incomplete muscle relaxation
   1. This may be due to fear, or may be a counterproductive response to the physical pain present.
   2. The uterus itself has very few pain receptors.
   3. Contractions are not actually felt painfully in the uterus, but in the pressure of the uterus against surrounding muscle tissues of the abdomen, back, and pelvic area. When these muscles tighten across the uterus, then pain is felt.
2. Improper breathing
   1. The rapid and shallow breathing of a nervous, frightened woman not only cause a decrease in oxygen available for the uterus and baby (which thereby cause more pain), but also causes toxicity and pain in all the skeletal muscles.
   2. Patterned breathing is the answer for some women, but is not very relaxing.
   3. Slower, deeper breathing works best for most women, and naturally leads you into releasing muscle tension.
3. Improper positioning of the mother’s body
   1. Certain positions cause more pain, and others cause less.
   2. Improper positioning is usually due to lack of knowledge, or to lack of help to find a proper position.

Perception of pain varies greatly from one woman to another and is different from tolerance of pain. Some women will perceive pain early, but can tolerate it for a long time. Others won’t perceive it until later, but can only tolerate it a short time. And some will perceive pain only, and only tolerate it a short time. There is no right way to be, but the ideal would probably be (for most women) to not perceive pain for a long time, and then be able to cope well with it for a long time.

You may perceive more pain if you are fatigued, scared, anxious, alone, not changing positions often, or if you have a full bladder. You can decrease your pain perception by having one or more support people with you, favoring upright positions, and immersing in water.

Once you do perceive pain, you can continue to use comfort measures to help you cope, or you may have the option of medications.

http://www.atlantadoula.com/paincauses.htm
©1998 – 2000 Suzanne S. Powell