Pain Management During Labor

The birth of a baby is a very special event

You’ve been planning for the birth of your baby through reading, childbirth classes, and conversations with your doctor, family and friends. You’ve learned a lot about pregnancy and childbirth. You're preparing for one of the most important events of your life.

Part of that preparation is choosing a method of managing the pain that happens during labor. St. Mary's Birthplace offers many methods for reducing your pain. Our expert health care team has helped hundreds of women to have as safe and comfortable a birth experience as possible, and you can trust them to do the same for you.

Decisions about using pain medicine during labor

Many factors affect the choice of pain relief during labor. It is important to discuss your pain control options with your health care provider during your prenatal visits. You and your health care provider should discuss which types of pain control may be best for you and your baby. You and your healthcare provider will make the final decision about which pain control option is best for you when you arrive at the hospital in labor. 

Your healthcare provider will consider these factors when choosing medicine for pain relief during labor:

• Effect of the medicine on mother and baby
• What type of medicine is best at each stage of labor
• The risks of the medicine to be used
• How much pain control you want
• When the medicine will be given

There are many ways to control pain during labor. Childbirth classes are a good source for information on this subject. For more information about childbirth classes given by St. Mary's Birthplace, call 218-786-4430.

Remember: Every woman's experience is unique

It's important to remember that each person’s experience of labor is different. Some women describe their labor as mildly painful and brief. Others say that their labor was long, painful, and difficult. There are many things that contribute to these differences. The most important thing to remember is that your experience of labor is yours, and that you have choices.

It's important to know that labor pain is quite different from other types of pain:

• Labor pain is productive. You are bringing a baby into the world.
• Labor pain is natural; your body works with it. Labor pain is a healthy sign of the progress you are making.
• Labor pain is not constant. It starts and stops and there is time to rest in between.
• Labor pain is usually rhythmic and predictable (rising, peaking, subsiding).

The health care team at St. Mary's Birthplace has a lot of experience with managing labor pain. They will do everything they can to help make this special experience in your life as comfortable as possible.