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The pain of labor cannot be completely eliminated, but it is an effective and safe way to minimize the feeling of it. It's an epidural. Thanks to it, after giving birth, mother is less tired and stressed, and the baby is in better condition than after a long and painful natural birth.
The birth of a child is associated withpainand this cannot be changed. Pain is an important part of startinglabor- it lets you know that something is going on. But it's a mild pain that any woman can bear. The real problem starts later. Many women remember childbirth as a nightmare - painful contractions lasting many hours (even several days) have led them to a state of exhaustion and self-doubt. And their relationships cause fear in those women who are yet to give birth. Of course, it doesn't always hurt that much. Enduring pain and feeling it is an individual matter, but what it will be like for you is something you never know before the fact. Thus, fear accompanies almost every woman giving birth for the first time. Does childbirth have to hurt so much? Not. A woman should be able to give birth withepidural . She should have a choice as to whether she wants to use it or not. It has many advantages and the risk of complications is negligible. An epidural is a type of local anesthetic - after using it you will be fully conscious, you can move around, also walk, but you will hardly feel any pain.
How an epidural works
This is because the nerves that transport pain from the muscles of the uterus to the brain, thanks to an anesthetic drug, are not transmitting it! The drug is introduced into the spine, the so-called epidural space in which these nerves run - directly near them. Administering the drug does not affect the strength and frequency of uterine contractions - labor continues, but you will not feel any pain.
ImportantEpidural anesthesia is recommended for women with: heart defects eye defects (risk of detachment of the retina) kidney disease high blood pressure diabetes low pain tolerance
epidural anesthesia is not performed when the mother has: blood coagulation disorders (e.g. thrombocytopenia, haemophilia) infection at the site of catheter insertion,eg purulent lesions on the skin at the injection site.
If the anesthesia is performed by an experienced anesthesiologist, the risk of complications is minimal. The most important tasks of a doctor is to properly select the dose of the drug and deliver it to the right place. If the prick is slightly adjacent, the patient may have severe headaches or backaches for several days. Occasionally, the maternal blood pressure may drop after administration of the drug. To prevent this from happening, an intravenous drip will be given before surgery and your blood pressure will be checked frequently. More serious complications are extremely rare - once every 150,000 births.
When the epidural is given
Anesthesia may be administered when the cervical dilation is 3-4 cm. The anesthetist will then ask you to sit down (if that is not possible, lie on your side) and arch your back sharply. Then they anesthetize the injection site - you will feel a slight prickle like a normal injection. Only later (it does not feel like pain anymore), the doctor inserts a long needle into the spine through which a catheter (a polyethylene tube with a diameter of 1 mm) is inserted into the epidural space. The catheter will remain there until the end of labor (or longer) and an anesthetic is administered through it. The outer end of the catheter is taped along the back and secured to the arm. The anesthesia starts working after 10-15 minutes. Women who took advantage of it describe this moment as a feeling of immense, indescribable relief, even a state of bliss. They were free from pain, they were happy, they could rest and even fall asleep! Note: some obstetricians are unfavorable to anesthesia because they think that it is “too good” after giving it to women. The lack of pain makes them lazy and they do not want to cooperate with the midwife and doctor. Therefore, you need to be aware at all times that the most important thing is to bring your baby into the world. So you can rest, relax, but most of all remember what you are there for! When the anesthesia has stopped working after 1.5-2 hours, another dose of the drug may be given, if it is not yet fully open. Because when the pushing phase begins, it is better for the woman in labor to feel the contractions. But even under anesthesia, the pressure reflex is preserved. A well-trained midwife will tell you when to press and when not to press while watching what is happening and will guide you smoothly to the end.
Why is it worth using anesthesia during childbirth
- Mum is less tired and stressed, she can take care of her baby right away and enjoy motherhood to the fullest. Childbirth will be a great experience and a beautiful memory for her, not a trauma that she would like to quickly forget.
- The baby is in better conditionthan after a long and painful natural childbirth. When there is no anesthesia, the mother breathes too quickly due to severe pain, which often causes disturbance of blood flow through the blood vessels and can lead to hypoxia in the baby. Also, the secretion of stress hormones causes narrowing of blood vessels and weaker blood flow through the placenta, and as a result - hypoxia. Anesthesia eliminates both of these negative factors.
- This is the safest and most effective way to relieve labor pain today. The anesthetic has no effect on the baby as it does not enter the mother's bloodstream, while painkillers given to the mother intravenously or intramuscularly (e.g. dolargan) enter the mother's bloodstream and then the baby's blood. After birth, it may have trouble breathing and sucking on the breasts.
- It does not hurt to stitch an incised or broken crotch. If there is a need for stitches, the next dose of anesthetic is given through the catheter, making the suturing completely painless. When there are a lot of stitches, it is possible to keep the catheter still for the next 24 hours and thus relieve pain after childbirth - it is worth asking the anesthesiologist for it.
Epidural myths
There are many myths surrounding epidural anesthesia. You can still hear statements that were true some time ago, but today - with the development and improvement of this method - they are no longer valid.
It is not true that:
- epidural anesthesia inhibits labor - this view dates back many years, when high doses and high concentrations of drugs were used to anesthetize labor. Currently, in Poland, the concentration of agents is even eight times lower - they do not significantly affect the progress of labor; elimination of pain may even prevent prolonged labor, as pain and the subsequent release of hormones (especially adrenaline) contribute to a decrease in the contractile function of the uterine muscle;
- you cannot breastfeed after it - this anesthesia does not weaken the suckling reflex of the newborn, and the drugs used in it do not pass into breast milk, so there is no reason not to breastfeed your baby;
- while inserting the needle, you can damage the spinal cord - this is not possible, because the puncture occurs in the lower section of the lumbar spine, between the 2nd and 3rd or 3rd and 4th lumbar vertebrae, and the spinal cord no longer reaches there.
The epidural is not reimbursed
It is estimated that approx. 30 percent of women, the fear of childbirth and the pain experienced during it is so strong that it stops the labor. Unfortunately, for the most partPolish hospitals have to pay for anesthesia. The National He alth Fund treats it as a non-standard service and does not refund the costs. Hospitals charge PLN 300-700. In our opinion - since it cannot be otherwise - it is worth paying. We are born only once or twice in our life. You should inform about the fact that you want to give birth under anesthesia when you are admitted to the hospital. In some hospitals, you can make an appointment to see the anesthetist approximately 2 weeks before delivery. He will check you, assess if there are any contraindications, and you will be sure that you will receive anesthesia when it is needed (there may be a problem with this during labor). And don't feel guilty. You have the right to reduce suffering because it is you who suffer, no one else. This does not detract from your predisposition to be a good mom.
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