There are a variety of discomforts that a woman will experience during labor. There are, of course, the labor pains themselves. They are the main discomfort of labor, and are very often the focus of conversation when it comes to labor discomforts. It is the pain for which all of the various pain treatment options, such as an epidural, have been designed. It is also the primary focus of the various natural childbirth methods, in terms of how to deal with the pain that comes during labor. There are the other obvious labor discomforts, such as perineal tearing or the need for a episiotomy. Having said that, there are other common labor discomforts, while they are not generally as severe as labor pain, that should still be thought about ahead of labor and given some degree or another of attention during labor.

One common labor discomfort that many women don’t think about but almost all women experience is dryness of the mouth. While most hospitals and birthing centers will allow a woman in labor to drink water or other beverages, it is easy to become dry in the mouth with all of the heavy sorts of breathing that labor requires. Fortunately, this common labor discomfort can readily be addressed just by packing some lip balm in your labor bag.

Another common labor discomfort tends to be cramping and muscle pain. During labor, many women find that their arms, legs, back, or other muscles become tight and often will cramp up. When this happens, it a perfect opportunity for a spouse or labor coach to help out. Providing deep muscle massage during labor can provide you some relief from this common labor discomfort, and can also provide your spouse with a way to participate in the childbirth process. Some couples even use massage oils during labor to help relieve muscle pain.

Nausea is also relatively common during labor. The longer that labor goes, the more true this tends to be, as the stomach gets to be empty and, in some cases, a woman becomes less and less hydrated. During labor it may be time to break out those leftover Preggie Pops that you used for morning sickness so long ago. There are also medications that your health care provider may be able to give you to help with nausea as well.

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