Labour!!

[keelie_b]

I know im asking this really early but as its my first i just want a general idea of what to expect.
I dont understand all these different procedures and it would be good to know so i have plenty of time to make a good informed decision.

So would anyone reccomend (sp?) and epidural?
Iv been told these deal with a lot of the pain but you have no idea whats happening or when to push ect.

Gas and air?
From what iv read its not a major pain relief and just makes you a little wappy. Also i really dont want to be feeling constantly sick i absolutely cannot bare feeling sick (although i am getting used to it)

Water Births?
A lot of women have said these have helped a little with pain what do you think? can you even have one for your first?

Im dont really know much about any other pain reliefs options but id like to know everything.

Oh and if im overdue, these sweeps a lot of you have mentioned bleeding, is this a painfull thing?

I really dont know anything at the moment
Think thats it for now

Thanks all

 

[keelie_b]

Meant to post this in "Ask a mum" section will do it now.

 

[Tasha20]

First time I wanted a homebirth, with gas and air.

From my experience I would reccomend that whatever plans you will make, keep an open mind.

The homebirth didnt work out that time but I am going for it again.

Your body hasn't given birth before, and I can tell you, you will be shocked at how much it hurts, nothing can prepare you for that.

There are always pain relief options, and I found gas and air to be really nice, pethidine is what makes you sick the most

Make sure you have plenty of support at the birth, its invaluble!

With my homebirth this time I am going to have a pool too, its a good way to help you relax, as tensing and going against your body makes it worse.

As for going overdue, I didnt have that problem as I was a week early.

But I had a sweep when I was in early stage of labour and bled loads thinking about it now makes me feel queesy

 

[EllieBelle]

As I live in France, apparently home births are NOT allowed, so there is no option of that here. I did think briefly about returning to the UK for the birth, but the health service here is supposed to be one of the best in the world so think I will stay put!!

Im also told you have to have an appointment with a dr who would carry out an epidural, whether you have one or not, Im not sure if thats the same as it is in the UK!!

A few years ago I had to have a lumber puncture, and can remember asking at the time whether an epidural was as bad - to which the answer was absolutely not!!!

Hope you get some informed answers in the "ask mums" section!!

 

[Bexie]

One other thing to think about is the possibility that you may need a c-section. I hadn't even thought about this with my first pregnancy, I'd just thought about a natural birth, but when I had my 20ish week scan I was told I had a low lying placenta, I didn't have a clue at the time what this meant, so I asked the sonographer what the worse case scenario was and she said a c-section, after she told me this I started to think that it was possible that I may not be able to have the natural birth I wanted, as it turned out my daughter was lying in the breech position so I did need a c-section (few hospital's in the UK will deliver a breech baby naturally).

I'm really hoping this time round I'll be able to have a natural birth as the recovery after a c-section is tough, your really limited to what you can do, you also can't drive for 4-6 weeks which is a nightmare if you live in the sticks like me.

Great question though and it's good to think of all the different options available to you.

Part of me would love to have a natural home birth, but the other part is scared of any complications.

One thing to think about with pethadine is that it gets past onto the baby, which can make them a bit groggy when they are born.