Natural Pain Relief Methods for Childbirth

Many women opt for medical interventions, most commonly the epidural, which is a regional anesthesia injected into the back that blocks pain by numbing sensation in the lower half of the body. While many are pleased with the outcome of this intervention, others experience a stall in labor and difficulty pushing, as well as side effects of vomiting and shaking. There is also a risk of a drop in blood pressure and, rarely, severe headache if there is any spinal fluid leakage, as well as difficulty urinating, backache and some other very rare complications. The baby may experience breastfeeding or respiratory difficulties, though research in these areas remains uncertain.

Learn more about medical pain management options here.

So what other options are there? Opting for natural childbirth doesn't mean going in unprepared. The following techniques, when practiced prior to labor, have been extremely effective pain-management tools for women opting for a drug-free labor.