How unusual is it to give birth with no pain relief?

[Emma58]

I had nothing with either of mine. It wasn't intentional I would have had anything they could give me but they both shot out before I had chance to get any pain relief.

 

[Gem & Leland]

i voted none as although i had an epidual it failed ( fell out infact) , i couldnt swallow gas n air if that makes sense , and when they finally went to give me pethadine i was too far gone and had to push !!! so yep , cant beleive it as i have low pain threshold ( i thought) but did it all with nothing !! and i was induced too and on the drip of doom to increase contractions !

 

[sparky]

nothing at all, just a positive mental attitude

 

[trixipaws]

i had a very small amount of gas and air. the killjoy MWs took it off me coz i was using it in between contractions trying to get high

i did the transition phase and pushing with nothing

i LOVE it when people say "wow, weren't you brave" etc. i am ever so proud of my little self

i shall refuse even a whiff of G&A next time, 'tis a challenge!

 

[nickilubs]

Gas and Air, it made me feel nice and spaced out. Didn't want anything else because I didn't want the fuss or to bother anyone by asking for something lol thats really bad!!!! The one time I could of had fuss and I turned it down!!!

 

[monster_munch]

Nothing with both of mine - tbh I tried gas and air with my first but was so spaced out with the pain by then (I was pushing but wan't dilated enough so they tried to get me to use the G&A to stop me pushing.. in hindsight I wasn't in the right mental place to listen to the explaination on how to use it ) that I thought they were trying to suffocate me the the damn thing
With Green Bean, I just didn't want anything - had already had enough injections to last me a lifetime so metpid etc out of the questiong, the thought of an epidural makes my blood run cold so that was sooo last resort - i think i'd prefer to run naked out of the hospital than let someone near my spine with a needle (i'm a wuss, i know!)

Plus - it feels so good to play the martyr(sp ) with my husband.... 2 babies , no pain relief - son was 10lb12oz... ergo you can make tea tonight dear

 

[kellysomer]

I had a water birth with Isla but no pain releief, then with Morgan i had no pain relief either but narrowly missed an emergency c section, i was seconds away from have a spinal block. I know that i can birth on positive attitude alone from Islas birth but second time round i asked for an epidural as everything was going wrong and i was so scared, as it happened he was in such a hurry to arrive i didnt get the time for an emergency section let alone anything else. If i had another (no thanks) i would likely go for a c section at 37 weeks with a private midwife and doula, i dont want to go through all that again.

 

[Bee]

None for me. Tried G&A once and it made me sick so ditched it.

 

[Suzie and Faith]

I had gas and air but I was fully dilated when they gave it to me and I used it as a distraction more than anything because there was lots of people running around and pulling me about and they dragged me down the bed they pulled that hard with the forceps so it definitely stopped me worrying too much!

If I ended up in hossie again (i want a homebirth really) then I wouldn't say no to an epi.lol

 

[Morganuk]

I had gas and air (was great). pethidine (never again, felt out of it) and an epi (only worked on one side).

It was so amazingly painful but i'd do it all again

 

[sunshinedoula]

Hi
It is quite common to give birth with no pain relief but these days so many people are 'scared' that they can't do it.
Have you thought of hiring a Doula?

Research has shown that having a Doula present at a birth:
• Shortens first-time labour by an average of 2 hours
• Decreases the chance of caesarean section by 50%
• Decreases the need for pain medication
• Helps fathers participate with confidence
• Increases success in breastfeeding
Source: Findings from "Mothering the Mother"
Klaus, Kennell & Klaus

 

[Lou]

They let me take my gas and air into the theatre for Isaac's assisted delivery even though I had a spinal block. The gas and air just calmed me down, without it I would have been a jibbering wreck, I couldn't stop trembling with the epidural.

Gas and air is the best thing since sliced bread. If I get pg again I will really look forward to having it again

 

[*Star*]

im scared that next time there wont be time for anyone to get there, let alone have the choice of pain relief.

ive been told for my next baby that i have to have a home birth kit with me and learn how to deliver the baby myself in case no one can get to me in time.

i'll plan the home birth next time lol

 

[sparky]

im scared that next time there wont be time for anyone to get there, let alone have the choice of pain relief.

ive been told for my next baby that i have to have a home birth kit with me and learn how to deliver the baby myself in case no one can get to me in time.

i'll plan the home birth next time lol

ha ha me too! although DH is going to deliver the next one mw present or not, he really wants to do it and i totally trust him. I'm going to demand my homebirth next time and not take any of their shit excuses

 

[lea m]

Gas and air is the best thing since sliced bread. If I get pg again I will really look forward to having it again

I think I might get pregnant just to have the G&A I love it that much! hahaha

 

[bobby1]

G&A is awesome, I was still having it when I had my epidural, didn't need it just liked the feeling
I'm not a druggie really

 

[BabyMagic]

I voted for water as I spent hours in shower at home and gave birth in water at the birthing centre in hospital.

I was hoping not to use any pain relief before labour, but didn't want to set myself for a failure so I didn't tell anyone. I did say on my birth plan though that they shouldn't offer pain relief that I would ask for if needed.

I am a firm believer that fear increases pain. Next time ( ) I will opt for a home birth and will possibly attend a hypnobirthing workshop as I found their book useful when it came to preparing for birth.

 

[ninjawomble]

I had..
Tens:- crap, got in the way, I ripped it off and threw it across room
G&A:- crap, made me feel drunk but did nowt for the pain
Pethidine:- NEVER again!
Epidural:- FANTASTIC!
Spinal:- for my emergency section..even better, being completely numb from waist down

My original birth plan was to just have G&A, but with madam being back to back and it being AGONY, I fought the contraction instead of relaxing into them...making it longer and more painful!


I have a question for those who had pethadine..did you find it made you go to sleep..only to wake up at the peak of each contraction???
Thi smade the pain worse for me, as I was waking up straight into agony. When it wore off and I was awake the whole time, I found I coped better. Im never having this again!

 

[Lou]

Gas and air is the best thing since sliced bread. If I get pg again I will really look forward to having it again

I think I might get pregnant just to have the G&A I love it that much! hahaha

Me too!