Labour pain relief?

[jw1555]

So I was just wondering ladies what pain relief worked for you on previous labours? I'm a ftm and have no idea about all the pain relief, I've obviosuly learnt about them but I just wanted to hear people's real experiences!

 

[Fourstar]

I used gas and air for a short while but it made me feel dizzy. Think helicopters like you've had too much to drink. Then I got an epidural and it was like the hand of God took all the pain away! The only problem was that I couldn't feel anything when it came time to push. I know sometimes they turn it down toward the end but they gave me control of the button and I kept pressing

 

[scerena]

Well I was BEGGING for an epidural but I only ended up having gas and air- the water helps a lot too (but I had to get out as lost too much blood) but I found it helped a little bit so worth a go if it's something you're considering. I think at the time you're in labour you will just know what you want- on my birth plan I said I was open to any pain relief accept pethadine, infact I said I wanted an epidural from the off so I was devastated when I could not have on! But to be honest doing it all on gas and air and having an episomy & ventuose delivery I felt like super woman afterwards

My advice would be- to be open to drugs incase you want some as it is painful!

 

[kirsty15032]

With my first I had 2 puffs of gas and air and it made me sick so went completely natural because they said it was too late for any other pain relief and because I had done 108 hours no pain relief I didn't need it! (111 hours my labour lasted) with this baby I'm planning on doing it with no pain relief again as I don't want to stay in Hospital with my daughter I had her at 8.06 pm and left at midnight after I had been stitched up. If it wasn't the fact I haven't spent a night away from my 3 year old yet I would be demanding that epidural lol. Only you can make the decision I went in with the attitude that I would go nstural as long as I felt I could then try other avenues.

 

[Harley Quinn]

I managed to get through bothy my labours with just laughing gas (or gas and air, as it's called some places). However, I was reaaalllly wanted fentanyl during my second labour, but things were moving so fast and there was no time.

I would suggest researching all the options available to you (some kinds you might hear about here might not be an option where you are) and then decide which ones you are comfortable with. Then, during labour start with the least strong/invasive one and go from there. It is definitely painful, but you might surprise yourself with how you can manage it!

 

[MummyToAmberx]

1st baby i was told i left it to late. However i had G&A (only made me sick) and pethidine which was crap it did nothing bare make me feel like id been on weekend pub crawl.

2nd labour i had G&A which i tried from earlier point did nothing again bare make me sick.

3rd labour i had water birth with no pain relief, the warm water was a amazing but i wouldnt say it did anything for pain however i wasnt expecting to go 5cm to baby in my arms in 27 mins so could be completely different story for someone who has gradually bulid up.

 

[emeeorevan]

I'm reading these posts and I realize that I don't know much about the pain relief options and I'm a thrid timer! What options are available in the US? I've only heard of epidurals and I've had two but they slowed labor both times and had to be turned off or down way before delivery.

 

[lemongrass]

I looked at the official information given to medical professionals where I am that explains the medications available to labouring women and their possible side effects. It freaked me out (and this wasn't biased information, it is where Drs get their info) and so I wanted to try and go without any pain meds except laughing gas. I had to be induced but I was still able to although by the time I wanted the gas I was already nauseous and didn't want to make that worse so I didn't bother. I think going in without fear made it easier.

 

[Harley Quinn]

emeeorevan, I think it depends in where you are. You can ask your doctor what's available or if you get a tour of the maternity ward when you register at the hospital, that would also be a great place to ask. I've heard a lot of women in the US say that laughing gas isn't available to them, but that just seems crazy to me! It's the firs thing they offer here. After that they offer a narcotic, like fentanyl. Then I guess an epidural? Sometimes, though, there are doctors or nurses who have been trained in other methods, like there is one doctor in my maternity group who can do water injections (literally shooting water into the skin in your back). So you just have to ask around!

 

[Mushymilkfor2]

I had an epidural, and it was AMAZING! But like a PP poster said when it came time to push I couldn't feel anything. I had control with a button and was told I had plenty of time to push the button and still be able to push effectively. And, I did not!

If I had the option of birthing pool I think I would have definitely given that a go, when I was laboring I took showers and baths at home to feel better and it really was so amazing at taking the edge off the pain enough to get through them.

 

[Selaphyna]

I had an epidural with DS1. It worked while I was still dilating, but when I was in the transition phase and pushing, it was like I had no epidural at all. Glad I still got it though as I can't even imagine how much worse my contractions would have been without it (I was induced with Pitocin).

With DS2, I probably shouldn't have gotten it. I went to the hospital by 1:30 am, I was checked and told I was 5 cm, fully effaced. I asked for epidural, but was told they needed to get a full bag of fluids in me. I think they checked me again at 2am, I was 7cm. Finally got the epidural in at 2:40am, started pushing at 3am, after three big pushes he was here by 3:20am. Didn't get much use out of the epidural, lol.

 

[cflower04]

I used a tens machine first, then I had a little gas & air before getting my epidural! Could feel everything to push but I couldn't feel any contractions. In fact they turned up the epidural just before I started pushing because they didn't believe I was ready to deliver!

 

[Citycroft]

No pain relief at all for 23 hours of active labour but I made very slow progress; went in at 3-4cm and after all that time still only at 6cm. I was exhausted and struggling so had an epidural. Within an hour I was fully dilated; 1.5 hours later my daughter was here!
Really unsure what I will do this time; I will just go with the flow again and be open to another epidural if I feel I need one.
My big advice to anyone is not to feel a failure for asking for relief other than gas and air; do what your body needs. Unfortunately some people like to make you feel like you've not done it properly once they find out you had an epidural. Makes me so cross!

 

[stephj25]

I used gas and air and worked ok for me. Although to start off with it felt like the dizziness you usually get with a migraine. That soon goes away as your pain increases!!

 

[jw1555]

Thanks everyone, it's really interesting to hear first hand how all the pain relief has worked for others. I much prefer to hear abit of 'real life' feedback!

 

[Geo2]

Labour is very painful, i remember my last labour well, it was very long, and i was really tired, they gave me a co-codemol pill, which done nothing, what a joke! So i wouldn't go for that one.
A lot later on finally they offered me gas and air, what a luxury, it didn't take away the pain at all, but gave me something to focus on doing. Breathing really helped, any kind of breathing techniques are really worth learning, and water, and massage, all really help. The main thing is to stay relaxed.
At the very end they gave me a minuet dose of diamorphine, which didn't seem to effect me at all, did not take away pain, but remember that it made me a bit chatty, basically felt like I'd just smoked a cigarette, but a bad choice, as it did was made me sick, and they said they gave it with anti sickness meds. Won't be doing that again!

 

[ameliare]

When I first got to the hospital I was 4cm and I sat in the labour tub for a couple hours. It helped me to relax and helped with the pain while I was in the tub. I got out of the tub and an hour later my water broke, I was 5cm. 10 minutes later I was 10cm. I took 3 days to go from 1-5, then 10 minutes to go from 5-10. So it wasn't gradual, if it were I think I would have done things differently. The pain went from bearable to unbearable instantly and I asked for an epidural. My OB wanted me to try laughing gas/gas and air first so I tried that. It didn't help at all. I just kept breathing it in (you're not supposed to) until I was "knocked out". I got the epidural while I was pushing, also not normal. It took 45 minutes for my epidural to work which is longer than average but once it did... amazing. There was no pain and I was calm, smiling and laughing. When it came time to officially push, they turned down the epidural so my contractions felt like period cramps. I had absolutely no side effects from the epidural. I breastfed immediately and my baby was completely alert.

For my next baby I will be having an epidural about the same time. Because I got to 10cm before having it, there was no chance of it slowing my labour.

 

[Gingerspice]

The thing with the gas is you really do have to time taking it and focus on the pre build and get a good suck in before the contraction wave hits. It was evident when I was distracted and was speaking to someone and 'missed' the window and would be breathing it in when the contraction was hitting, which was too late, it did nothing.
I'm not saying it will definitely work for everyone or that those it didn't work for must have been doing it wrong, but there really is a 'right' way to get best relief with gas and air. You have to pre-emp the wave and get it in you before the full wave. I got through 4 bottles in my time (hence why they took it away and resulted in no pain relief) and when I managed to do it at the exact timings it did really help.

 

[dlj2]

Tens machine throughout=fab for back pain, then once at hospital in fully established labour (15hours) half shot pethadine didn't like it I was completely out of it don't remember a thing! And gas and air which did make me sick initially as took too much, but was great as contractions intensified and during pushing. Be open to anything and try what you like the sound of best, i.e if you don't want any pain EPi, if you want to feel your legs be mobile g&a etc.x