Continuing education module styles vary when teaching expectant parents about medications.

In this column, the author presents information from prominent Lamaze childbirth educators and from the literature to describe various options that educators can share with expectant parents regarding the use of pain relief medications during labor and birth. Ann Tumblin teaches about epidurals in a hospital class without losing sight of evidence-based practices that support normal birth. Jessica English focuses her classes on the natural processes of giving birth and spends only a little time presenting information about pain medications. Judith Lothian encourages educators to consider a new framework for Lamaze classes that involves letting go of the details and incorporating Lamaze's six Healthy Birth Practices and storytelling.

Duke Scholars

Author Barbara Hotelling School of Nursing