Addresses nitrous oxide, IV opioids, and epidural analgesia. For each it covers how it’s administered, the benefits – how it helps with labor pain, and the possible side effects. There is also a detailed discussion of labor support for a person using epidural analgesia.

This is a printable “cheat sheet” that overviews all the tools for labor support and coping with the pain of childbirth. Includes links to lots more information about labor, birth, labor pain and info on epidurals.

A dice game for a childbirth education class to teach about variations in labor and rehearse labor coping skills.

A dice game for a childbirth education class to review the stages of labor.

Continuous labor support has been shown to reduce interventions, improve outcomes, and improve satisfaction with the birth. Learn about how to provide effective labor support: by learning about childbirth, learning about what best comforts the person you will support in labor, creating an environment where she is comfortable and feels able to do what she needs to do to cope without being judged, watching for Relaxation, Rhythm, and Ritual and reinforcing those, and – most importantly – helping her to feel safe, loved and protected. When someone feels safe, loved and protected, oxytocin and endorphins flow, and labor progresses faster and hurts less.

Four methods for coping with labor pain: cognitive strategies like visualization and affirmations, gate control – using pleasant distractions like music and massage, counter-irritants, and positions and movement that help labor progress faster and hurt less.