Going without pain relief completely

[LegoHouse]

Would that be stark raving bonkers?

I had gas and air with my daughter but really the only thing it was good for was biting, and I can bite something else right? Like my OH (Kidding)

 

[Dorian]

I didn't have any pain killers with my three births. If you set it in your mind you can do it, learn about deep breathing and focusing, relaxing, etc. Then you'll be most likely be just fine

 

[Blah11]

You can def do it. I managed a lot better than I'd of thought. Mind over matter!

 

[Linzi]

Yer I did it last time too, I never planned it, it just kind of happened and I managed better than I did first time when I had pethedine and g&a x

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

didn't have any pain relief with either of mine, it's all about deep breathing, staying calm / not tensing up, being in control of the pain.

 

[Sam Pearson]

I don't think you're bonkers. I had gas and pethadine with my first birth in hospital. I intentionally didn't have anything with my subsequent 3 births. I learned techniques to help me with the pain - I really liked the exercises in the back of the book Face to Face with Childbirth by Julia Sundin. It was great not to be out of it when birthing so I could fully experience the birth.

To deal with the pain at home I used various strategies.

- Hypnobirthing - highly recommend it.

- I used water - both the bath in early labour and a birth pool in second stage.

- I had an active labour at home so the baby would be in the optimal position.

- The first time the midwives broke my waters which brought the contractions on faster and harder making it hard to deal with the pain - my body just couln't keep up. With my other births nobody interferred with me so the birth was more gentle and proceeded naturally and as the contractions increased in pain my body, uninhindered by drugs, was able to produce the natural pain relieving drugs as nature intended.

- I also worked on being unafraid (I was shit scared the first time) as this also helps with pain. If you are afraid your adrenaline production goes up - this means that the body's natural pain relievers (endorphines) go down and you experience more pain.

- I used calry sage as an abdomianl compress. It's a uterine tonic and I only needed to use it the once at transition and it worked a treat.

- I had only very trusted loving support people around me - my hubby, my children, my sister and my pets - no strangers and no hired professionals.

I can honestly say I enjoyed my drug free births. There was pain, no doubt. Big pain. But I dealt with it. Each contraction I reminded my self that it was only for a minute and in between I would be pain free and could relax - and I did - I actually slept between each on by the end as I was quite tired after a 3 day labour.

Good luck. I'm sure you can do it.

 

[AveryATL]

Most places in the US don't have the option of Gas or Air, so we pretty much have to either get an epidural or nothing.

 

[amjon]

I pretty much did it with nothing. I only got the IV meds about 10 minutes before birth. They made me think I was going to be in pain all day and didn't check me before they gave them. I think I was already ready to deliver at that point.

 

[Lizzie K]

I delivered my youngest (now two years old) with no meds, except a local for stitching a small tear. My first, I got iv meds and then an epidural. I wanted the epidural as soon as I got the hospital, but there was only one anesthesiologist there that night (New Year's Eve) and he was busy with a woman getting a c-section. With my second, I got just the iv meds. I said "not yet" for the epidural, then it was too late. With my youngest, I didn't plan on going natural, but I got the hospital only an hour before he was born. This time around, I plan on going all-natural. I really want a home birth, but assisted home-births are illegal in my state, so I am hoping my insurance covers a hospital just across the state line that is very supportive and encouraging of natural births.

 

[tmr1234]

I had G&A for a bit but about hr befor my Lo was bron i gave it away and said i didn't want it 9i was pushing for 3 hrs as they wouldn't check to make sure every thing was gone and i had a lip) I don't want any thing at all next time as bitting on the G&A made my mouth really sore the next day and i could hardly talk lol

 

[Ju_bubbs]

I've had 2 labours with G&A and 2 with no pain meds at all.. I can honestly say that the 2 with NO meds were a lot easier to get through and much more relaxed all round! I'm about to do the med free labour a 3rd time too and really looking forward to it!

 

[ljo1984]

i had gas and air with freya and that was only during the transfer to hospital, once i got there i started pushing and mw took it off me lol. if i hadnt of transfered im sure it will of happened just as quick and the g&a wouldnt have arrived here in time and i know i would have been fine with that. think im gonna try without with next one and quite excited about that, but i do like G&A so wont rule it out if i feel i need something.

so anyway no your not mad, totally give it a go, youve been through it before with just g&a so im sure you'll be fine. xx

 

[DaretoDream]

I had all natural too- no meds at all. You certainly can do it. just believe in yourself!

 

[Photojessy]

I had no pain meds and it was fab! Wouldn't have been the same experience with them. It was painful but not unbareable!

 

[PrincessKay]

Im planning a homebirth and the only pain relief im planning is water. Can you girls help me out with ways to manage with the pain? This is my first baby so i dont know what the pain feels like?

I did want to give hypnobirthing a go but the classes are sooo expensive!

Thanks girls x

 

[lynnikins]

i had no pain relief for AJ's birth i did use a hotwater bottle briefly but didnt have it for the actual birth

 

[DaretoDream]

I didn't have any pain relief at all either x

 

[RoxyRoo]

I had a pain relief free home birth, it was amazing!

I shocked myself at how powerful my mind is. I just focused and went into myself, telling myself over and over to breathe deeply and to relax my body with each contraction. I honestly think it helped my body to do what it needed to, I also stayed on my feet for the whole labour, rocking my hips side to side. I felt very calm throughout, and had a very straightforward labour.

 

[NaturalMomma]

I was completely pain med free with ds2 and it really wasn't that bad. There were some intense moments, but it wasn't for the majority of the birth. What really helped me was staying on my feet and not laying on my back. I did have a homebirth so it was easy for me to be on my feet.

 

[violetsky]

Hiya! I managed to get through it with no pain relief at all - or should I say no pain medication because I had a hot water bottle on my back for the first 3 hours or so.

I didn't go to hospital till I was 7cms dilated and I found staying at home so long really comforting, and I honestly believe being relaxed really helped.

I just point blank told myself I could do it, that it was important for me to do it for my baby, and I made sure OH knew to encourage me/prevent me from giving up.

I'm not a very brave person, I just did it "in the moment" and just kept telling myself 'just one more contraction'.

Don't get me wrong it was tough; I had back-to-back labour and ended up with a horrible tear and lots of stitches but doing it naturally was a phenomenal experience, really empowering. I wouldn't change it for the world. If you believe in it (and yourself) enough, you can totally do it too!