Anesthesia of childbirth: the pros and cons

So the wonderful nine months of waiting have passed, very soon there will be an addition in your family. But, the closer the day of the appearance of the baby, the more fears appear in the future mother. Many want to carry out anesthesia of childbirth. But this is a natural process, every woman can cope without anesthetics.

This article will be devoted to such an issue as anesthesia of childbirth, the pros and cons of it will be described in detail. Than such intervention from obstetricians threatens you and your future child, you also will learn. Kinds of anesthesia at sorts can be various. Which ones? Read more about this.

Anesthesia of labor: obstetrics, new methods

During childbirth, pain comes about due to muscle spasm, which is exacerbated by the release of adrenaline. Often a woman has a panic attack, aggravating physical suffering.

Anesthesia of labor for a woman who is psychologically prepared and consciously approached planning the birth of a baby is often not required. But nevertheless there are cases when anesthesia is performed according to the doctor's indications.

Indications for anesthesia

Do anesthesia during childbirth, if there are:

• Premature delivery;
• Strong pain;
• Prolonged contractions;
• Multiple fertility;
• A large fruit ;
• cesarean section;
• Slow labor activity;
• Hypoxia of the fetus;
• Need for prompt intervention.

If none of the above is observed, anesthesia during labor is usually not required.

Types of anesthesia

Modern medicine can provide the following types of anesthesia during childbirth: medicamentous and non-medicamentous. At the same time, your doctor should prescribe a kind of anesthesia that will not harm you or your child. It should be noted that the mother can not prescribe anesthesia herself, if there is no direct evidence for this.

Non-pharmacological methods of analgesia of childbirth

This most safe group of methods is very popular among obstetricians. What does this include? Effective and simple exercises that can begin at any stage of labor: breathing exercises, birth massage, aquatherapy and reflexology.

Despite the availability of more effective medicinal methods, many consciously refuse them in favor of non-medicinal methods. Natural anesthesia during childbirth includes:

• activity;
• Proper breathing;
• massage;
• Childbirth in the water;
• Reflexotherapy.

The appearance of the baby is the most important event in your life. To leave only positive impressions from this day you will be helped by non-drug methods of anesthesia of sorts, absolutely harmless and useful to you, and your kid.

Activity during labor

It is very important to choose an active position in battles, and not passive. Help yourself and your baby to be born. If you have not complicated birth, then choose the exercises for yourself, the main thing is to make it easier for you. However, sharp movements are strictly prohibited. Take note of the following:

• Rolling from toe to toe;
• Slopes forward and in the side;
• Rocking the pelvis, circular movements;
• Arching and flexing of the spine;
• Active walking;
• Wiggle on the fitball.

Breathing exercises

It is worthwhile to master breathing techniques even before delivery, during pregnancy. Plus this method - the possibility of combining with other types of anesthesia. You do not need to monitor the doctor, you are able to control the process. Relief you will feel right away, and most importantly - take yourself in hand. There are several techniques for respiratory gymnastics. If someone from people close to you is present at birth with you, then he should be familiar with these exercises in order to help you in the process of giving birth.

How it works? You have to distract yourself from pain, concentrating on breathing. The more it is deeper and smoother, the easier it is for you and your child, because he receives more oxygen. And if such a method is used together with an oxygen mask, then the effect will be much better, your child will feel comfortable. There are several periods during which breathing should differ:

• First fights;
• Increased intensity of contractions;
• Cervical dilatation;
• Period of vain.

During the first contractions

This species is distinguished by the fact that it is even and deep breathing, which oxygenates the blood of the child and mother. Concentrate your attention on the account. Breathe in four counts and exhale with your mouth for six. Lips should be folded with a tube. You are distracted from pain, gymnastics gives a relaxing effect. It can be used even during a panic or a lot of stress to calm down.

With intense bouts

During this period you need to calm down, now is the time to apply the technique of canine breath. These are superficial, shallow inhalations and exhalations of the mouth, the tongue needs to be put out of the mouth a little. Do not think about how you currently look, the hospital - this is the place where you need to think only about your health and the child, especially, believe me, you are not the only one!

The moment of opening the cervix

This is the peak, more painful than now, you will not be! But it is necessary to endure this, delivery without anesthesia by a medicamentous method is still preferable. Now we should speed up our breathing, make superficial rapid breaths and exhalations. Lips add a tube, inhale with your nose, and breathe out with your mouth. When the fight lets go, calm down a little, it's better to breathe deeply and evenly. This method allows to slightly relieve acute pain.

Period of attempts

All the worst is over, no more fights. Your child will be born very soon. If childbirth is not complicated, then the child will appear after 1-2 attempts. Touches need 2-3 times for a show. Do not panic, because now the final moment, almost painless. If you regret yourself and do not obey the orders of an obstetrician, then you will have to use tools from which you will have enough painful sensations. When the stranger starts, you need to take a deep breath-exhale-deep breath and hold your breath for 10-15 seconds, and you have to push. Do not stumble into the anus or strain your eyes, so you can get hemorrhoids, burst blood vessels in the eyes, stroke and other unpleasant and dangerous consequences.

Another important announcement: the period between contractions and attempts is needed in order to relax, relax and balance your breathing. You need to be trained daily during pregnancy so that you can manage yourself during childbirth. Bring the breath to automaticity, and you will self-control and ease your birth.

Other options

Modern methods of anesthesia include a large list of all sorts of procedures, but especially effective (non-medicamentous) are massage, childbirth and reflexology.

How to do massage during labor? On the body there are points, affecting which you can significantly reduce and calm the pain. In our case, the sacral area. You can do it yourself or ask a person who is nearby. This area can be stroked, tinged, massaged, gently tapped. To avoid redness and irritation in the area of massage, lubricate periodically the area with cream or oil.

How does water help? In a warm bath it is easier to bear the pain of fights, the water also has a relaxing effect. A future mother can take a comfortable position and just relax, while avoiding chills, fever and sweating, dry skin.

What is reflexotherapy? Modern anesthesia of childbirth includes such a method as acupuncture. It helps to improve the labor activity and reduce the pain of contractions. As you can see, there are a lot of options that you choose - this is your personal decision.

Medical anesthesia

In addition to the above natural methods, there are more effective, but, accordingly, more dangerous. Modern methods of anesthetization of labor with a medicamentous method include the following:

• Epidural blockade;
• Spinal block;
• Spinal-epidural combination;
• Drugs;
• Local anesthesia;
• Perineal block;
• Tranquilizers.

These methods are prescribed only in extreme cases, and your doctor at the same time monitors the course of labor to ensure that the baby is born alive and healthy. Only he has all the knowledge about pain management and can share them with you. Try to listen to what the doctor says, only he knows what you can and what not to use. All medications have side effects. And, if you decide on such anesthesia, some unpleasant consequences are possible.

Epidural blockade

Everyone has heard, but not everyone knows the subtleties of this procedure. To begin with, epidural analgesia during childbirth can be either partial or complete. If the birth is natural, then drugs are introduced on the basis that they are sufficient only for the first period of labor (i.e., contractions), during the attempts the drug ends. In this case, only pain signals in the area below the navel are blocked, the motor ability remains, the person is conscious and can hear the first cries of his baby. At your desire or special indications, the second period of labor can also anesthetize (attempts), but this is dangerous, since you do not feel the signals of your body and the birth can be significantly delayed or go completely wrong. If there is no such need, do not anesthetize attempts, during these painful feelings are more tolerant.

The second option is a cesarean section. In this case, a dose is introduced more than in the previous version, and motor activity is also blocked. Plus such anesthesia is an opportunity to see the baby right away and hear it.

Spinal block

This is also an injection, which is done in the lower back, in the fluid around the spinal cord. This is a less expensive method, compared with epidural anesthesia.

Pros:

• You remain conscious;
• The effect lasts two hours;
• Anesthetizes the entire body from the thoracic region and below.

Minuses:

• Can cause severe headaches;
• Lowers the pressure;
• May cause difficulty breathing.

Spinal-epidural combination

This is a relatively new technology, when two of the above methods are combined. This anesthesia lasts much longer, while the mother is conscious. The first two hours of spinal anesthesia, then - epidural.

Drugs

No matter how it sounds strange and contradictory, but drugs are also used during childbirth, but very rarely, in special cases. What are the drugs used for? It:

• Promedol;
• "Fortal";
• "Lexir";
• "Pethidine";
• "Nalbuphine";
• Butorphanol.

Narcotic substances can be injected both intramuscularly and intravenously (via a catheter), the second option is the most successful, since it is possible to regulate the dosage of the drug. This method is good because the pain is blocked for about six hours and the mother can rest. The effect comes in a couple of minutes. Of course, there are also negative sides: it is possible to slow the breathing in both you and the child.

Local anesthesia

It is not used to relieve pain during labor, but it is very effective if you need to make an incision of the vagina or apply seams after ruptures. The injection is made directly into the vaginal area, the effect comes almost instantaneously, temporarily blocking the pain in the area of the injection. No bad side effects can be caused neither by you nor by your child.

Perineal blockade

The injection is done directly into the vaginal wall, while the pain sensations are blocked only on one side. Such an injection is made just before the baby is born. The effect of the drug is not more than an hour and no side effects. This type of anesthesia is not suitable for the period of labor.

Tranquilizers

Tranquilizers are used for relaxation, injections are done at the first stage, when the contractions are rare and not so sensitive. Such medical anesthesia of births dulls awareness and has a hypnotic effect, reducing the activity of the child, but it does not relieve the pain completely. Tranquilizers can be either in the form of tablets, or administered intravenously or intramuscularly. When administered intravenously, the effect is instantaneous.

Postpartum period

Also spend anesthesia after childbirth. What for? So that a woman can rest and gain strength. That can disturb:

• Spasms caused by contraction of the uterus;
• Places of ruptures and cuts;
• Difficulty walking to the toilet;
• chest pain;
• Cracking of the nipples (with improper feeding).

If the pain is caused by ruptures and incisions, then painkillers or ointments are offered, but if the births are taken correctly and you follow the personal hygiene, then there should be no pain, or they should be minimal. During the application of seams, the doctor must anesthetize, and how this will happen - should be discussed with you in advance.

There are several ways to reduce pain to a minimum:

• Frequent and short water procedures;
• Special cooling pad (to avoid edema);
• Store the gaskets in the refrigerator (will dull the pain);
• Tune in for a speedy recovery;
• Less worry about the place of cuts and tears (avoid infection, do not make sharp movements, this will help you to recover quickly);
• Seat on a special cushion (exerts minimal pressure on the problem area).

The pain associated with contraction of the uterus, go away independently one week after the birth of the baby. To reduce them:

• Carry out special exercises;
• Lie on your stomach;
• Do a massage.

From pain in the back, the following exercise will help: lie on a hard surface, bend the right leg in the knee and hold the knee with your right hand. With your left hand, point the heel of your right foot to your groin. Be in this position for a few seconds, rest and repeat the exercise. If the back hurts from the left side, then do everything the same way with the left foot.

Reviews

Women, to whom anesthesia was applied during childbirth, reviews of all types of anesthesia are left both positive and negative. The whole secret is that each organism is individual, which method is right for you, no one knows. Women who came responsibly to the appearance of a child say that they deliberately chose non-drug anesthetization of labor: all medicines and manipulations have negative side effects that affect the condition and health of the child and mother. Other parturients claim that a well-conducted anesthetic helped them overcome this test much easier.

Childbirth is a natural process, we ourselves can cope with the pain during labor, says the majority of women. Here, they say, it is more important to be psychologically ready, to know breathing techniques, to be active, to listen to the advice of a doctor.