Tell me quick...

[cristie_gce]

What else is available to me other than an epidural. I am so afraid to get one of those, but I don't want to be tied down to an all natural birth if I get too scared or if it hurts too bad....help please

 

[Vicki83]

Gas & air or pethidine hun.

Epidural doesn't hurt at all really hun, when you're in that much pain anything that'll take it away is a godsend!

 

[Sassyminx]

diamorphine/ pethidine, though if administered too close to delivery can interfere with babies breathing, makes you feel very drunk, and also can make you sick, though is given with an anti sickness injection ( which didnt work for me)

gas and air

thats pretty much it.......

 

[jools221181]

Is pethidine really that bad? I am really wary now cos I've heard so much about it affecting the baby etc. Also I have a phobia of sick so I guess it's epidural for me if I can't handle it!!

 

[Sammystar]

I had pethidine with baby number one. It made me feel completely out of it but didn't affect the pain much. I felt out of control, it was horrible! Also, the baby was drugged up for the first 48 hrs or so, she was very lethargic and slept the whole time.
With baby number two I got zero pain relief, which was also a total nightmare!
This time I'm praying for an epidural! It can't possibly be as bad as the first two experiences!

 

[Minime]

Pethidene slows the progress of labour down and you're more likely to tear. I had it with DD and I was completely out of it and barely awake for 2 days after, that was just me let alone her! I had 3 lots so it will be a very very last resort this time and one max. No way will I have an epidural either although most people who've had one say its OK, its not for me.

 

[nathanmum]

my friend had pethidine with her baby and it made her feel out of control which she hated. i never wanted it as i was worried about it effecting the baby.

 

[SarahJJ]

With my first I had pethidine which made me go loopy and say allsorts of stupid things and I was still in pain, so I had an epidural which was fantastic. I have no recollection of them putting it in just the relief afterwards. I had my son a few hours later and I could feel when to push and didn't have to have any stitches which I was relieved about. Then with second baby I was begging for epidural as soon as the contractions were too much for me, and again, mighty relief and pushed him out fine and no stitches. I am now praying I get into hospital with enough time to have an epidural this time. I think they are great, but I would wouldn't I coz of how well it went for me, but I know lots of women who have had just gas and air and got through it ok. I salute those women they are bloody amazing I think. I'm a big wimp but honestly keep an open mind and you will be great. Good luck!! xx

 

[kellie80]

I had an epidural with my first and its true, your in that much pain you don't really care. I asked for one with my 2nd and never got one so i had gas and air and 2 shots of pethadine which i hated made me so sleepy and i didn't know what i was doing. I swore i wouldn't have pethadine again but on my 3rd birth there wasn't time for an epidural and i was begging that much she gave me a small shot of pethadine about 20 minutes before he was born. I didn't want to do anything for the first hour of his life, i just sat there in a trance. OH was good though and fed him and held him but i do think i missed out on them first few minutes of his life cos of pethadine.

 

[nathanmum]

what about water some women swear by it?

 

[maybebaby]

I'm hoping to have a home water birth with just the water and gas & air. But the midwife has said that if at any point I feel I can't cope with the pain I can go to hospital and have an epidural (obviously up to a certain point). I'm trying to leave my options open as I've never given birth before so don't know how I'll cope.

I really want to avoid pethidine if possible though, I've heard too many bad stories about it.

 

[Trixie's Mum]

I had my little girl (4 1/2 years ago now- little sister due in a couple of weeks) using a TENS machine. Hard to say whether it actually worked or not, because I never tried switching it off!! Apart from that, I just worked through it- no epidural, so I could move about however I liked; no drugs, so I felt like me right through, and the baby wasn't born drugged-up and drowsy.

This time, I'm thinking I might try water to help- otherwise I might get a TENS machine again (hmmm, ought to get on with that if I want one ). I think if things are straight forwards and don't go on for too long (don't know how long my last labour was, but I woke up feeling uncomfortable, and babe was born nine hours later), then once you've had one un-medicated birth, you'd do the same again!

TM