Squatting is a great way to give birth, as it enlarges the pelvic opening and gives gravity an opportunity to help the process. In order to squat during childbirth, keep your knees wide and feet flat and parallel to each other. Use your partner, care team, doula or a birthing bar to support you as you push.
Painless, normal delivery is possible by providing the mother with epidural anesthesia during labor. This is regional anesthesia that reduces pain in a certain part of the body.
Positions to try
Kneeling – you can rest by leaning forward between contractions. Sitting – you can sit astride a chair and lean forward resting on a cushion or pillow, sit on a birthing ball or a beanbag. Use a birthing ball. Supported standing or squatting.
Transition to the second stage of labor
This can be the toughest and most painful part of labor. It can last 15 minutes to an hour. During the transition: Contractions come closer together and can last 60 to 90 seconds.
For most people, active labor is more painful than pushing because it lasts longer, gets more and more intense as it progresses, and involves many muscles, ligaments, organs, nerves, and skin surfaces.
While slightly more than half said having contractions was the most painful aspect of delivery, about one in five noted pushing or post-delivery was most painful. Moms 18 to 39 were more likely to say post-delivery pain was the most painful aspect than those 40 and older.
Birthing in the side-lying position has been shown to reduce perineal tearing by allowing the presenting part to descend more slowly (Shorten, Donsante, & Shorten, 2002).
Squatting is a great way to give birth, as it enlarges the pelvic opening and gives gravity an opportunity to help the process. In order to squat during childbirth, keep your knees wide and feet flat and parallel to each other. Use your partner, care team, doula or a birthing bar to support you as you push.
Try being upright
One of your biggest allies is gravity. When you are upright—standing, sitting or kneeling—the weight of your baby presses on the cervix, encouraging it to open. An upright position may also help get your baby into the best position for birth.
Period pains are worse than labour.
More accurately, period pains are worse than the pain of surges (that's contractions, if you're new round here).
Some people describe the feeling as being like intense period cramps, others say it feels like a tightening or pounding feeling in your uterus or across your belly, others describe the feeling as being like very intense muscle cramps, while still other people describe contractions as being like the sort of wrenching ...
Pain during labor is caused by contractions of the muscles of the uterus and by pressure on the cervix. This pain can be felt as strong cramping in the abdomen, groin, and back, as well as an achy feeling. Some women experience pain in their sides or thighs as well.
For first-time mothers the average length of pushing is one-to-two hours. In some instances, pushing can last longer than two hours if mother and baby are tolerating it. Normally, the baby is born with his face looking toward mother's back (referred to as an anterior position).
Discourage more than three to four pushing efforts with each contraction and more than 6 to 8 seconds of each pushing effort (avoid counting to 10 with each pushing effort). Take steps to maintain a reassuring fetal heart rate (FHR) pattern while pushing.
How long does it take to push baby out? In all, delivery generally takes 30 minutes to an hour, but it could take as long as three hours, especially in first babies (second and subsequent babies usually pop out a lot faster), or as short as a few minutes.
Common options for coping with pain include massage, water therapy, and breathing exercises. Music and calming smells (aromatherapy) can help relax you. Consider taking short walks and changing positions during labor—moving around can reduce pain.
Complications from epidurals are extremely rare, and pushing with an epidural is generally not a problem because you will still be able to feel pressure (rectal pressure, that is!) despite not feeling any pain or contractions.
Birth position
A kneeling, or all-fours position, or lying on your side, may be beneficial and reduce the severity of tearing.
If you experience a first- or second-degree tear, you can expect some discomfort—especially when you're sitting straight up—for a week or so. Having a bowel movement or doing anything that causes an increase of downward pressure, like coughing or sneezing, will hurt as well.
Second Stage or Active Labor
The second stage is the most painful stage of labor. The baby passes through the cervix, through the pelvis and birth canal, and out through the vaginal opening.
Transition phase of labor
The end of active labor is sometimes referred to as the transition to the second stage of labor. It's when the cervix completely dilates to a full 10 centimeters, and is the shortest – but generally considered the hardest – part of labor.
Many women described pushing during labor as a relief, while others found it painful. "There is a ton of pressure, and once you start pushing it hurts so bad to stop." "My contractions were manageable but the rectal pressure was intense! It was relieving to push and incredibly relieving to push him out."