|
Answer
Psychologic anesthesia, or psychoanesthesia, is a mental, as opposed to a medicinal,
method of controlling pain. During childbirth education classes, you should learn that
three common categories exist for managing the discomfort of labor and delivery:
intravenous medications, regional nerve blocks and psychologic anesthesia. A patient
may choose to use modalities from different categories at the same time, or switch from
one category to another during labor.
A number of different methods of psychologic anesthesia have been used with varying
degrees of success. These include:
- Psychoprophylaxis, as described by Lamaze in his
book,
Painless Childbirth
- Natural childbirth as described by Dick-Read in his book, Childbirth
Without Fear
- The LeBoyer technique as described in his book, Birth without
Violence
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
- Hypnosis
- Acupuncture
- Family-centered maternity care with delivery occurring in a birthing room
emulating a home-like atmosphere
These techniques have been used independently, in combination, and/or with
modification, depending on the requirements of the mother and the situation.
|
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families. 
