Can labor be painless?
Yes very much. During labor one can opt for epidural analgesia i.e. an analgesic is given into the epidural space in the back through a catheter. This does not interfere with the contractions but numbs the lady to the pain. If due to any reason a caesarean section is required then it can be done under the same analgesia. It is a common myth that the needle in the back will cause long term back pain. But this is not so. The back pain after delivery can result due to a number of reasons such as damage to the nerves due to prolonged second stage or due to lack of calcium.
