Prior to labor, your client said she did not want to use pain medication. During labor, she hits a point where she is overwhelmed and doesn't feel like she's coping well with the pain. She says she is afraid the pain will only get worse. As her doula, which of the following is NOT an option you try at this point?
Explanation
Answer: D - Many times a laboring woman feels she cannot cope, but the continuous support of a doula or partner keeps her focused and helps her to achieve the natural birth she envisioned. While an epidural is an eventual option, a doula should use all of her skills to help the mother find a comfortable position or ritual to get through contractions. It may be that her feeling of being overwhelmed will pass, and with help she will find a means of coping again. In the end, however, the choice to use pain medication is the mother's alone, and the doula can continue to offer support even if that change is made in the birth plan. Some doulas and couples choose a "code word" for this change - a word used by the mother to signal that she is really serious about her inability to cope and needs a more medically managed pain relief strategy.
