a n y pregnant women believe they have two choices for pain relief during labor: an epidural or nothing at all. But there are several alternative pain relief options that can help alleviate pain without using medication.

We asked experts to offer eight drug-free methods of reducing labor pain.

Acupuncture
Aromatherapy
Hydrotherapy
Hypnosis
Meditation
Music Therapy
Pattern Breathing
Reflexology

Acupuncture
In addition to treating the pain of labor, acupuncture can be used to encourage the onset of labor after 40 weeks, says Donna R. Kesselman, MD, a pain management specialist who practices in New York City. Acupuncture also increases the readiness of the cervix, increases the strength of contractions, and reduces your anxiety and pain. In one study, women who used acupuncture once a week for four weeks before delivery experienced a reduced c-section rate, a decreased need for an epidural, and fewer requirements for Pitocin (a drug used to speed up contractions).

Tip: Always use a licensed practitioner and get your husband, partner, or labor coach on board the month before your due date so he or she can learn how to stimulate acupressure points to reduce pain during labor.

Aromatherapy
A simple scent can work wonders to reduce anxiety, says Jennifer Echert, ND, a naturopath and medical expert for ChicagoHealers.com, an online resource that educates users on alternative health practices. However, you need to choose a scent that appeals to you.

“Especially in labor, less is more when it comes to using essential oils,” Echert says. Stick with lavender for its pain-relieving and anxiety-reducing properties, neroli for relaxing and relieving anxiety, and peppermint for the nausea that comes during labor. Peppermint’s energizing properties are also helpful during the pushing phase.

Hydrotherapy
The simple act of taking a warm bath during the first part of labor has been shown to decrease overall pain and use of pain medication, Dr. Kesselman says. In several studies, hydrotherapy, or the age-old use of water for labor and/or birth, ultimately led to lower episiotomy rates, less blood loss and a reduced need for pain medication. See our article on birthing methods that includes hydrobirthing…

Hypnosis
If you’re with an expert who can help you reach a point of focused concentration, hypnosis can help shorten the duration of labor and ease the pain.

In one study, hypnosis led to a reduced duration of labor and 59 percent of women required no pain medication. Dr. Kesselman shares an interesting finding about hypnosis and epidurals: among first-time moms, the epidural rate of those using hypnosis was just 18 percent compared to the 40 to 95 percent of women who request epidurals without hypnosis.

Meditation
“Picturing a golden ball of light that starts at your feet and then slowly moves over your whole body, relaxing and calming every area of your body as it passes, is one meditation exercise to try," suggests Tracy Latz, MD, a Reiki master and board-certified integrative psychiatrist in Mooresville, North Carolina.

Meditation allows for deep relaxation and can be achieved though quieting your mind, visualizing, or listening to trance style music. Pranayama breathing is another meditation technique where you slowly and deliberately inhale, take a full pause after inhalation, and then slowly exhale… and then repeat.

Tip: Practice meditating before you enter the delivery room - this will help improve your focus at birth time.

Music Therapy
Soothing music has been shown to ease anxiety during labor. “There are certain types of music that we are drawn to and feel are healing at different times,” Dr. Latz says. “Become attuned to which music is most helpful to you when you are feeling sad, stressed, angry, or in physical pain. Certain musical notes and specific colors can have healing or calming effects on different areas of the body.”

Make a compilation of songs that are familiar to you and make a playlist for your iPod. Do a couple of different soundtracks – soothing, energizing, trance - whatever may fit your mood during labor.


Pattern Breathing
If you can keep control of your breath, you’ll feel more in control overall. One exercise: “Think of your breathing pattern as if it were a box or a square drawn on a piece of paper," suggests Dr. Latz.

1. Inhale up the left vertical line.
2. Hold that breath across the line on the top of the square from left to right.
3. Exhale along the line going downward on the right side.
4. And hold during the line that closes the square from right to left.

The count of your in-breath and out-breath should be the same, just as the length of the held breath at top and bottom should be the same. As you practice your breathing, you might find that your square is actually a rectangle. Just make certain that you are not straining your breaths or holds at the top or bottom. Once you find the pattern of the square or rectangular that works best for you, go through 4 to 5 complete rounds of rhythmic breathing to see how your body and mind respond.

Reflexology
Reflexology is a practice that uses pressure on certain areas of the feet to relieve ailments of specific organs in the body. This practice has been shown to decrease labor time, Dr. Kesselman says. In addition, applying pressure to specific ankle points has been shown to release pain-relieving hormones in the pituitary gland.

Be sure to work with a trained reflexologist who knows exactly which pressure points to push, and which ones to avoid.

Note: If you are interested in these options, make sure you include these wishes in your birth plan.

“It’s empowering to find a health practitioner you’re in tune with,” says Keri Marshall, ND, a licensed naturopath in Dover, New Hampshire. “So much of having the birthing process go smoothly has to do with your being in the most relaxed state possible.”

Remember to always speak to your healthcare provider before you try any of the above techniques. If he or she is not supportive of your interest in exploring alternative options, you might opt to switch doctors. Your pregnancy is your own and you should feel as comfortable as possible during your labor and delivery.