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Session 6: Week 30- I’m Getting Ready for You!

Helpful Resource Videos

Keeping calm during labor video

The difference in c-section and vaginal birth video 

Week 30 Pregnancy Insights: What can I do to help with pain while I’m in labor?

  • Use aromatherapy essential oils to help relax your mind and body.
  • Make sure to change positions often while you’re laboring.  Walk the halls, sit on a birthing ball, lean on or dance with your support person.  Keep moving!
  • Hold a comb in the palm of your hand, across the creases.  Apply firm pressure to hit those pressure points.  This may decrease the pain perception of the contraction by re-distributing the pain sensation and help you focus on something other than the contraction pain.
  • Labor in warm water.  We have soaking tubs on our labor floors to help relieve some of the intensity of the contractions by submerging yourself in warm water.
  • Heat packs to your lower back may help relieve some low back pain.
  • Have your support person give you a massage, apply pressure to your lower back, or give you a “hip squeeze”.

During labor, one of the tools to help with contractions is the use of “laughing gas”, also known as Nitrous oxide.  Your nurse will bring in a cart containing a blender and 2 tanks.  You will inhale the blend of 50% Nitrous oxide and 50% oxygen while you’re having a contraction.  Once the contraction is over, you remove the mask and breathe normally.  This is to give you a sense of “euphoria” or “I’m having a contraction, but it’s okay” type of feeling. This passes through your system quickly so the baby generally isn’t affected using it.

IV pain medication is a narcotic medication that is given to you through your IV.  This may be used while you’re waiting for your epidural.  This medication passes through the placenta, so it does reach your baby.  Ideally, it is out of the baby’s system before delivery.  If not, it may cause some breathing issues for the baby.  The best time to use this method of pain control is when you’re at least 2-3 hours from delivery.

The epidural does not take all the pain away; however, it decreases the amount of pain significantly.  None of this medication is passed to the baby as it is given to you in the epidural space of your spine.  Once you get your epidural, it can decrease your blood pressure.  To counter act this, we give IV fluids prior to the procedure.  We can also use medication to increase your blood pressure if need be.  We will also be monitoring your baby very closely to see how the baby responds to a decrease in your blood pressure. 

Click here for a video on the epidural! 

Create a Birth Plan

Make a list of your preferences for how you’d like to give birth, what form of pain control would you like to use, and if there are any special religious or cultural practices you want to have happen once your baby is born.  Make sure to share this plan with your support person, your nurse, and your provider.