Pain relief in labor

[MissThing]

Hello Ladies! I know it might be a bit too early to think about it, but I already have started thinking about pain relief. In the very beginnig, I was thinking about absolutely natural labor...But now I am not so sure. I've read a lot about epidural, and I am more and more inclined to have it. Do you already know, what are you going to do?

 

[Jendon]

I had only gas and air with my first - but that was not really through choice. The midwife went out to get me some pethidine but by the time she came back it was time to push!!

My philosophy then (and now) is to basically see how I get on. I will probably get a tens machine again for early labour and see how I progress. My first labour was only 5 hours so Im hoping for another quick one!! I will try to go as far as I can with only using gas and air but Im not going to deny myself pain relief if it gets completely unbearable.

 

[Bodkin]

I had an epidural with my first baby and it was very good although you have to stay lying down and have a cathater (sp?) fitted - urgh!

Plus, my epidural was fairly total and I couldn't feel 'down htere' at all and wouldn't have been able to push (had I got that far!) as I didn't have any muscle control in that area.

So for pain relief purposes = GREAT. But for 'practical' and 'keeping that natural feeling' purposes = not so fab.

I thought the gas and air was good but it doesn't suit everyone. I also had pethidine which is ok if you want to go to sleep but only takes the edge off the pain.

You'd think after trying all that pain relief labour would have been a breeze but NO - far from it. Let's hope it's better the second time around

 

[andreag]

Keep an open mind and look into all of the alternatives. You don't have to make a decision until you need to so I wouldn't focus one type of pain relief. I'm hoping for a water birth and learning breathing techniques, but wouldn't rule out other forms of pain relief if required. I am also trying not to focus on the pain at all and think of the baby at the end of it

 

[clairescunny55]

im hopefully gunna have just gas n air again

 

[Snuggle]

I'm hoping to have only gas and air. I'm planning to give birth in a birthing centre run by midwives therefore no drugs available even if I want them

 

[smurf]

I'm gonna have whatever's available if and when I need it.

 

[kimmumof2]

hi hun i would recommend that you keep an open mind. i decided i wouldnt have an epidural but that is becus i have a fear of one. i used gas and air and had some pethidine but it didnt work. pain relief works differently for everyone so put on your birth plan that you will be open to pain relief as and when you need it. you might have a quick birth like me and not feel you need much it really depends on how you feel on the day so stay open minded. gas and air did take the edge off the pain during final stages but i didnt like the taste, i wouldnt have pethidine again however, my sis had it and she sed it worked for her! good luck hun and i dnt think you are doing it too early it is best to be prepared. xxxxx

 

[Jamie]

When I was induced the first time as I had pre-eclampsia, a midwife gave me pethidine even though I didn't want it, she said it was to bring my blood pressure down but it didn't do anything for me either with regards to blood pressure or as pain relief - it was hardly painful at all until my waters were broken Then when Caitlin's heartbeat dropped I was so scared, and as I have anxiety disorder anyway, I was just hyperventilating on the gas and air so it made me feel worse than ever I ended up having an emergency caesarean with a catheter and the recovery was the most painful thing I've ever had to go through! So obviously hoping to avoid another section!
I thought I would have an epidural this time but I don't like the idea of a catheter again do you always have to have a catheter when you have an epidural?

 

[sonic73]

I'm definately going for zero pain relief, well maybe some gas and air. I had pethidine with number 1 and just gas and air with number 2 and it was so much easier. I think I must have quite a high pain threshold as i didn't use the gas and air until the very end I just concentrated on breathing. Pushing was so much easier and quicker when you can actually feel it!! I think I pushed number 2 out in about 3 pushes lol

 

[OopsyDaisy]

I think I'm going for gas and air only, but am keeping my options open with the pethidine and epidural. I don't fancy the thought of a catheter either!

 

[weenik]

I'm trying HypnoBirthing....I just got a new book & CD that i ordered from Amazon so I'm going to give it my best go. I'm also going to try to get into the birthing pool too because that apparently makes you feel more comfortable. I'm obviously keeping an open mind and me or baby needs help we will take it, but I think allowing nature to take it's course is best for both of us xx

 

[frangelle]

I only had gas and air in my first labour, and so probs will for this one. The stoopid midwife said i couldnt possibly be 9cms dilated already so didnt even have a chance to get to a delivery room let alone have pain relief. I gave birth about half an hour later, stoopid woman

 

Hi Carina,

It's not to early to be thinking about the labour and pain relief. I've had 2 children naturally. For my first, I was in labour for 42 hours and the pain was, to be honest, excruciating throughout. That was because my son was "back to back" and his head was at a funny angle too, so although I could cope with the pain of the contractions (which were strong and frequent from the start!), the back pain was awful. A tens machine helped a bit. A birthing pool helped more, but my labour went on so long as was so painful throughout that I was exhausted, so I also agreed to try an epidural (which I had been dead set against because I feared the temporary paralysis).

They gave me the epidural and topped it up 2 or 3 times, but it didn't work for me. It was my worst nightmare - I couldn't move my legs but I could still feel every contraction After they had tried to give me it the 2nd or 3rd time and it still wasn't working, I decided I'd had enough and let it wear off. The staff thought this was unusual - they thought it unheard of that someone agreed to an epidural then let it wear off hours before delivery, but then again, they also said it was rare (and seemed so worried) that my epidural hadn't worked. I think it didn't work for me because I was dead set against it! Perhaps that's a silly thing to think, I don't know, but I'm glad it didn't work and that I let it wear off and have the birth the way I had wanted originally.

Don't let my experience put you off - you have whatever pain relief you want. Most of the women in my family have had epidurals - they decided they wanted them from the outset and were very happy with them. In fact, when it works, most of them were sitting up in bed, happily chatting away to their partner/reading a magazine etc. during labour and had no problems at delivery. I think that, for the majority of women who want epidurals and who'd happily accept medical intervention during birth, the epidural is the best (as it is the most "total") form of pain relief.

Birth is painful though - you will experience some pain before the epidural and pain/discomfort even after the birth - that's just how it is. But although it IS painful, as my mum says, it can't be THAT bad or else we would never go through it again! Especially wimps like me, who's onto her 3rd baby

P.S.

For baby no.2 - I had a lovely labour. I spent most of it at home with no pain relief. Then only 5 hours in hospital that time, mostly with gas and air and the birthing pool and it was like a walk in the park compared with the first because the baby was in a better position for birth. Labour is different for different women and even different between babies for the same woman.

You go for the type of birth (and pain relief) you want, but as others have said, keep an open mind. If one form of pain relief isn't much use, ask for another. Try them all! As long as you have a healthy baby at the end, no-one cares how you did it, least of all you.

 

[enn]

ahh yea good thinking, im gonna see how far i can go on gas and air but mention to mw if its too much then i might opt for another pain releif if poss

 

[FeeFee]

I had a mobile epidural with my first and didnt have a catheter so you dont always have to have one with an epidural
(although the epidural didnt work for me )

 

[MissThing]

Thank you all girls for answering This is going to be my first baby, so I have no idea how it will go...I saw one TV programm, and there was that woman, who even couldn' t feel the contractions with all of her children. It was like sitting, chatting with friends and then an urge to push with no pain And half an hour later-"hello baby" Would be nice if it would happen to all of us

 

[scousegit]

I would definately take whatever is on offer! Im pregnant with my second, but when i had my son, i didnt think labour was as bad as i expected..until later on!! I managed on gas and air for a while, but then the closer the contractions became and the longer they lasted the worse it was! I tried pethedine but wouldnt have that again. It just makes you very sleepy-fied but the pain is still there. I ended up opting for an epidural as the labour seemed to be going on forever, and ive got tosay, it was like someone pressing a button to switch the pain off! It was fab. I agree with the other girls that when it comes to pushing you are a bit numb so cant feel much but i managed ok! A girl i was in hospital with didnt know she was in labour and managed through it all just with paracetamol!

Good luck whatever you decide but i think keep an open mind and just go with the flow!

 

[scousegit]

I would definately take whatever is on offer! Im pregnant with my second, but when i had my son, i didnt think labour was as bad as i expected..until later on!! I managed on gas and air for a while, but then the closer the contractions became and the longer they lasted the worse it was! I tried pethedine but wouldnt have that again. It just makes you very sleepy-fied but the pain is still there. I ended up opting for an epidural as the labour seemed to be going on forever, and ive got tosay, it was like someone pressing a button to switch the pain off! It was fab. I agree with the other girls that when it comes to pushing you are a bit numb so cant feel much but i managed ok! A girl i was in hospital with didnt know she was in labour and managed through it all just with paracetamol!

Good luck whatever you decide but i think keep an open mind and just go with the flow!