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Day 178 of 280 · 25 weeks + 3 days

Pain relief, on paper

Last reviewed · 3 min read · 8 sources · Plain-text version

Twenty-five weeks and three days. Nothing gets decided today. You list the pain relief options you've heard of and write one question about each.

Size this week
about the size of a courgette
Length this week
around 34.6 cm from head to heel
A Black couple at a dining table in evening light, she in a loose sweater over a 25-week bump writing a list, he reading over her shoulder with a pen in hand.

Twenty-five weeks and three days. The NHS asks you to start thinking about pain relief this week. Thinking, not choosing. Today you make a list of what you know, and a list of what you don't.

Your baby

One green zucchini on a plain pale wooden board, soft window light.

Around 34.6cm long from head to heel, about the size of a courgette (NHS). Your baby is very active, and you may feel hiccups now (NHS).

Your body

Thinking about your preferred pain relief is on the NHS's list for week 25 (NHS), and by week 29 it's one of the headings of your birth plan (NHS).

A few facts help frame the questions. The first stage of labor is usually the longest, about 12 to 19 hours, and pushing and delivery usually take 20 minutes to two hours (OWH). Of the medical options, the Office on Women's Health says an epidural's relief starts 10 to 20 minutes after the medicine is given, and a spinal block typically lasts 1 to 2 hours (OWH). What's offered where you give birth, and what suits you, is for your midwife, provider or class to explain. MedlinePlus suggests asking your provider about childbirth education classes for you and your partner (MedlinePlus).

Try today

  1. The pain-relief menu

    Time: 15 minutes

    1. Write down every kind of pain relief you've heard of, medical or not, from friends, family, books or the class. Don't sort them yet.

    2. Next to each, write one question. "How long does it take to work?" "Can I move around with it?" "Can I change my mind?"

    3. Circle the two you want to know most about.

    4. Take the list to your next visit or class and fill in the answers there. Add what you learn to the "Pain relief" heading on your birth plan.

    Make it work:

    "I'd like to keep my options open" is a real preference and belongs on the plan. So does "I know I want an epidural." Either way, writing it down means you don't have to argue for it mid-contraction.

Watch for

  • Normal

    tightenings that are irregular and fade, often when you change what you're doing (OWH).

    Call your provider

    for contractions that become stronger at regular and increasingly shorter intervals, even if it's weeks before your due date, since it might be preterm labor (OWH).

  • Normal

    a little urine leaking when you cough or sneeze; Kegel exercises help (MedlinePlus).

    Call your provider

    as soon as you can for fluid leaking from the vagina (OWH).

  • Normal

    getting out of breath more easily, as the baby presses on your lungs (NHS).

    Call your provider right away

    for trouble breathing, which the CDC lists as an urgent warning sign (CDC).

For you

Nothing is decided today, and nothing you write is binding. Labor can go differently from the plan in either direction, and changing your mind isn't failing at it.

If you've heard strong opinions, from family or online, write them on the list as questions, not answers. Your midwife or provider can tell you how each one fits you. And if the thought of labor pain frightens you, say so: the NHS's advice this week is to talk to your doctor or midwife, and to share worries with your partner, friends and family (NHS).

If you're the partner: read the list and add your own questions, especially "what do you want me to do if you change your mind?" Then ask her the answer.

Sources

This guide is general education that summarizes published research and guidance from groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, and the WHO. It isn’t medical advice, and every child develops on their own timeline. Your pediatrician knows your child; if something feels wrong, call them. In an emergency, call 911.

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