Pain in Childbearing and its Control

Pain in Childbearing and its Control will enable midwives to understand and select the most appropriate ways to help mothers cope with the pain inherent in childbearing. It is also relevant for other health-care providers and childbirth educators. Focusing on the mother's experience of pain and her contribution to its control, this research-based text describes the historical and scientific understanding of pain and considers methods of researching and measuring pain. Pregnancy, labour and post-natal stages are covered in detail, along with fetal and neonatal pain. Throughout the text, theoretical approaches to pain and pain control are presented within the context of practical care.