Pain relief and birth plans

Yeah I was adamant I was NOT having an epidural - I wanted to be on my feet not long after labour and all that.
Ended up being induced due to high BP hence no more birth centre and after having waters broken, was put on the drip for contractions. I managed on gas and air for a while and then I did end up having an epidural and honestly it was amazing and I don't regret it at all. It was so nice to be able to relax! I still felt contractions with a lot of pressure so still had gas and air but none of the intense contraction pain. And I was still able to get back on my feet for a shower after labour!

Just go with an open mind - I wouldn't rule anything out :)

Then again, a water birth will provide you with some pain relief so don't think you won't be able to handle it all without the use of extra pain relief x
 
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Every woman is different, and until your labour starts you won't know how you will react. I didn't want an epidural due to my fear of needles, and got through 52 hours of labour. 2 of those pushing. And I didn't find labour painful, just uncomfortable. Apparently I'm one of the lucky ones! Baby got stuck though, so ended up being prepped for theatre which included epidural. But they got him out in the end with forceps. I was so tired by that point, I don't remember any of it.
 
Don't worry about it too much, hun. Just make sure your birthing partner knows how you feel and go from there. Best thing is to try to avoid any intervention at all until as late as you can bear it, because once you start, it can rapidly cascade down until you end up with the epidural you don't want. But don't set your heart on it.

I had a home birth with no pain relief, not even gas and air, and it really surprised me. You can't predict what will happen, nor how you will react, so just go with what feels right at the time. xxx
 
With ds1 in my birth plan I wanted natural no injections etc a water birth a mlu etc etc....my baby had other plans....I needed an induction due to sever time between rupture of waters and being seen and when it came to he was distrassed and I had a spinal for a section as well as pethidine diamorphine etc COMPLETELY against my plan....... and when I was in that situatioj I went with it because nothing prepared me for what was to happen. It wasnt this serene tranquil setting it was flipping labour...... so my experience with ds1 was completelt against what I wanted....

Ds2 I had a vbac planned and no induction etc HOWEVER I ended up with a preemie after a GA section (ds1 was an emergency section).

What iv learnt is what will be will be....and if your screaming for an epi you will probably want it..... labour is flipping painful and we have the optiins to help us through it and I think why not. Im not for jumping to the most sever option straight off the bat but why wouldnt youbtake the help when you can get it....?!
 
I'm really in two minds about the drugs lol

I don't usually take anything for anything. I've probably taken more paracetamol during pregnancy than I have in my whole adult life, and that's not many! The thought of being out of it freaks me out. The fact that gas and air brings on the giggles even freaks me out! The thought of being stuck on a bed and not being able to even walk to the toilet really freaks me out! How on earth am I actually going to feel in labour?!

I'm going to have a look into hypno birthing I think. I am a bit of a hippy so I'm sure it would have it's benefits!

Either that or I'll just disappear into the woods and not come back until it's over
 
I went in very open minded didn't really have a plan but just wanted to go with it and see how I went. I did end up having an epidural and to be honest I found it a life saver after being in labour for 4 days and baby being back to back I was so done in that it was a relief to have the epi anI got a few hours to relax a little. I could still tell when my contractions were coming I could still tell my tummy was going tight and when itcame to push I new when to do it myself. As it turns out I ended up being rushed to theater so was glad epi was already in and they could just top it up. I think the best way to be is just go with the flow and see how you manage at the time xx
 
I'm really in two minds about the drugs lol

I don't usually take anything for anything. I've probably taken more paracetamol during pregnancy than I have in my whole adult life, and that's not many! The thought of being out of it freaks me out. The fact that gas and air brings on the giggles even freaks me out! The thought of being stuck on a bed and not being able to even walk to the toilet really freaks me out! How on earth am I actually going to feel in labour?!

I'm going to have a look into hypno birthing I think. I am a bit of a hippy so I'm sure it would have it's benefits!

Either that or I'll just disappear into the woods and not come back until it's over

gas and air dosent necessarily give you the giggles, it didnt do anything for me except make the pain tolerable and since it wears off in a breath or two its easily out your system if you dont like the effect. if you dont want to be stuck to the bed then dont be, walking and being active is much better anyway and they cant force you to lie on the bed, if you have to be monitored they can do checks every so often or work something out that means you can stay active. i do not do drugs, barely ever take paracetamol either just like you and the thought of not being in full control of my mind and body really freaked me too but i found that gas worked fine for me and im that uptight that nothing could space me out but that the gas kept the edge off the pain and made it bearable and i felt in complete control of that so id deffo try it first this time
 
My question is... do you feel the pain of the needle going in for an Epi?? haha
 
I didnt but was having contractions so comparatuvely I little scratch is NOTHING ...... my leg jerked but no pain x
 
I honestly don't think I had any pain from epi going in or if I did was completely over shadowed by pain of contractions xx
 
I'm really in two minds about the drugs lol

I don't usually take anything for anything. I've probably taken more paracetamol during pregnancy than I have in my whole adult life, and that's not many! The thought of being out of it freaks me out. The fact that gas and air brings on the giggles even freaks me out! The thought of being stuck on a bed and not being able to even walk to the toilet really freaks me out! How on earth am I actually going to feel in labour?!

I'm going to have a look into hypno birthing I think. I am a bit of a hippy so I'm sure it would have it's benefits!

Either that or I'll just disappear into the woods and not come back until it's over

gas and air dosent necessarily give you the giggles, it didnt do anything for me except make the pain tolerable and since it wears off in a breath or two its easily out your system if you dont like the effect. if you dont want to be stuck to the bed then dont be, walking and being active is much better anyway and they cant force you to lie on the bed, if you have to be monitored they can do checks every so often or work something out that means you can stay active. i do not do drugs, barely ever take paracetamol either just like you and the thought of not being in full control of my mind and body really freaked me too but i found that gas worked fine for me and im that uptight that nothing could space me out but that the gas kept the edge off the pain and made it bearable and i felt in complete control of that so id deffo try it first this time

I was a birthing partner and had a little go, shouldn't have! Freaked me out. I meant if you have an epidural, pretty sure there's no walking around with one of those!
 
My question is... do you feel the pain of the needle going in for an Epi?? haha

I think by time you want an Epi, you'll take a little extra pain for some relief ;)
But no, I think it was just the same as the 'sharp scratch' from any other needle!
Epidurals are amazing haha.
 
My birth plan went right out tge window, didnt get a waterbirth, and only needed gas and air I too was adamant I was not havin ab epidural
 
im pretty sure there is actually a way to have a level of epidural that dosnet numb your legs totally but its tricky to maintain. also trying the gas when not in labour is totally different to when your in labour, its like when you go out drinking etc the mood/situation your in does factor in to how it affects you i think. you never know in labour you might love it and at least it wears off really quick if you dont. id deffo not rule it out

o and when they were trying to gie me an epi at 9cm dialated i deffo felt it, 4 tries and then i told the guy to give up and sod off
 
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I was in labor for 24 hrs and my water had broken. I was only dilated 1.5 cm. I got the epidural and quickly dilated, I could feel every contraction and pushed on my own. The epidural made my body dilate better since it wasn't dilating without it.

My friend was trying for a natural birth and was in labor for over 36 hours. Her water had already been broken for 24 hours and was at risk. The doctor told her she needed an epidural so her body could relax and dilate After her epidural she delivered quickly and safely.

I'm not saying anyone should have an epidural, but I think there is a lot of negative rumors out there about it.
 
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