Q: Is the labor pain very painful?
A: The intensity of the pain differs in different individual. It also depends on your pain threshold. Similarly if it is you second pregnancy, the tolerance to labor pain can differ. Since it is a subjective phenomenon, it is difficult to ascertain the level of pain.
Q: Can the labor be made painless?
A: If you do antenatal exercises, the ligaments and joints of the pelvis gets stretched and pain would be decreased. Antenatal exercises like breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, yoga, walking, simulation exercises should be practiced right at the beginning of pregnancy for a smooth and relatively painless labor. Nowadays few obstetricians use epidural anesthesia to make labor painless.
If you have intense back, lower abdominal pain, draining fluid from the vagina, any blood stained discharge from the vagina you might be going into labor.
Q: After membranes rupture, do I see my doctor even if I do not have any pains?
A: As soon as membranes rupture, you need to see the doctor as the baby has to be delivered by 24 hours of membrane rupture. Also note the color of the draining fluid and report it to the doctor.
Q: What is the difference between true and false labor pain?
A: True labor pains are very intense pain that spreads across the lower abdomen and the back. These pains occur at successive intervals and keep increasing in force and intensity; a false pain is usually due to indigestion and is relieved by antacids or by passing motion.
