Approaches to pain in labour

This chapter discusses the differing approaches to pain in labour which you may encounter, with reference to two distinctive but often intersecting approaches: ‘working with pain’ and ‘pain relief’. We overview the research which has explored women’s experiences of managing childbirth pain, and note that the overriding message from these studies is that, for all women, what matters most is the quality of support they receive from their caregivers. We draw on stories from a diverse range of women and midwives to stimulate thinking about these issues, and also to encourage reflection on how your own experiences and background may affect how you respond to women experiencing labour pain.