Painful home birth

What is the difference between home and hospital birth?

Somewomen decide on home birth, because, in that case, the chances for using pain relievers are less than in the hospital, and the experience is less painful than in the hospital. That is mainly because they feel more relaxed and comfortable at home. Even the results of some studies show that women cope with the process of delivery with less pain when it is conducted at home.

Drugs

However, if you decide on home version, you have to be prepared for the possibility that the pain will become unmanageable. It would be wise to have pain relievers just in case. Drugs that can be used as pain relief are Entonox and Pethidine (Demerol). Entonox is a quite harmless drug that passes through mother’s body very quickly and the only complication that may rise from it is that a mother can get `to high´ and can`t control her contractions. According to information gathered by the National Birthday Trust study, 50% home deliveries used Entonox, as well as and 73% of hospital deliveries. Pethidine is a Class A drug, which is injected in the muscle tissue by a mid-wife. Side effects of Pethidine are related to the fact that it can have influence on the baby’s breathing and it can rise problems with breastfeeding after the delivery. Epidural is a means of pain relief that can’t be used at home, because it demands skilled person, anesthetist. Because of the risk from side-effects, epidurals can only be done in hospitals under the full medicalattention.

Labor without Drugs

If a woman decides not to use any drug, there are some other methods that can ease her pain during labor. She can consider using hypnotherapy, bath pools, showering with warm water, relaxation, moving, placing herself in the most suitable position, and birth ball. The birth ball can be any bigger ball that is used to sit on it during labor and roll your hips. Distraction can also be of great help in a way that you find something (listening to music, playing with your pet, etc.) that focuses your thoughts on something else rather than pain. Music is the method where you can completely relax and enjoy sound, and we recommend something slow and relaxing. TENS machines are used as a method in managing pain without drugs. There is a little scientific evidence that they really work, but people say that it reallyhelps.

Other things that can help in conducting labor at home without medical drugs include aromatherapy, acupuncture, homeopathy and herbal remedies. If you decide on any of these methods, please consult with your medical practitioner, because they can be just as dangerous carrying along side effects as any other drug used in hospitals.