Options for Pain Relief

Not all moms experience labor in the same way. Condell Medical Center offers a variety of options for pain relief in order to help make your delivery as comfortable as possible.

• Epidural Anesthesia
  
  Epidural anesthesia for pain relief during labor is available 24 hours with a physician order. Discuss pain management options with your doctor during your prenatal visits to determine the right option for you.
  
  Click here for a directory of anesthesiologists on the medical staff at Condell.
  
  
• Hydrotherapy Tub
  
  Drawing a bath at the end of the day can be the ultimate way to wash away tension and offer relaxation. Hydrotherapy, or use of a labor tub, uses this same concept. In a labor tub, gentle warm water immerses the expectant mother, helping ease her anxiety and discomfort. Buoyancy in the labor tub allows for an almost weightless feeling and reduces gravitational pull, helping lessen labor pain.
  
  
  
  
• Birthing Ball
  

  With the help of Lori Adams, Chrislyn Yabut, RN, demonstrates a position on the birthing ball that can help expectant mothers ease the pain of contractions.

  The birthing ball aids expectant mothers during labor by helping them get into positions that help labor progress and align the baby in the pelvis properly. By learning various positions on the ball, expectant mothers can ease the pain of contractions, as well as relieve backache, anxiety and aching leg discomfort.
  
  "I believe these alternatives are a great option for women who have completed 37 weeks of a normal-term pregnancy," said Robert Rosenberg, MD, an obstetrician/gynecologist on Condell’s medical staff. "These options increase the expectant mother’s sense of well-being and promotes relaxation, which helps reduce pain."
  
  
• Relaxation strategies and coaching tools are discussed in the "Prepared Childbirth" class.
  
  
• Aromatherapy and alternative relaxation techniques are discussed in "The Choice is Yours" class.