Painless Normal Delivery

Painless normal delivery uses epidural analgesia to make labour and vaginal birth more comfortable. A pain-relief medication is delivered through the lower back, numbing the pelvic region while you remain awake and aware. It is a widely used, well-established way to ease labour pain.

It suits women in labour who want relief from labour pain, especially those with a lower pain tolerance who might otherwise consider a cesarean. It can be helpful in prolonged or complicated labour, for women attempting a vaginal birth after a previous cesarean, and for those with conditions such as preeclampsia, heart conditions or high blood pressure. It is not suitable for women with abnormal blood tests or those taking blood-thinning medication.

Before an epidural, our team assesses your labour and reviews your history and blood tests to confirm it is a safe choice for you. We discuss the benefits and what to expect, and answer your questions so you can decide with confidence.

Once you are positioned, a local anesthetic is applied to the lower back and a fine needle is used to place a thin catheter in the space around the spinal cord. Pain-relief medication is delivered through the catheter, with relief usually felt within five to thirty minutes. Alongside easing pain, an epidural can relax the pelvic muscles to aid the baby's descent, help lower blood pressure during labour and reduce maternal exhaustion.