Reasons AGAINST having pain control during birth?

[aw1990]

I just wrote out a massive thread and it got deleted coz i have a crappy net conection grr
so just posing facts now,but ive had 2 natural labours
DD1- contrations started on own but wouldnt regulate, progress was slow and baby was showing signs of distress so broke my waters at about 4cm, progress still slow so put me on the oxytoxin (dont think thats the right name but cant think lol) drip and i eventually took the G&A after it had been turned up a few times, had a 8lbs 11oz baby after 19hours from 1st contraction-birth.
DD2- was induced due to high blood pressure, had 1st prostin tab 9pm, mild cramping pains all night but could sleep fine, 2nd tab at 9am, contractions steadily got worse, asked to be examined at 12pm, was 3cm MW said it was going to be a while, i insisted i was in a lot of pain, offered diamorphine, refused, couldnt have G&A as on ward, so off she went to get me 2 co-codamols, 1pm my waters went and i crowned at the same time (was FAB! no burning ring of fire for me! lol) MW came back as i was screaming, calmly washed her hands, got gloves on, 'lets have a look then sweetie' clearly thought i was at it, only when OH said i didnt want to take my PJs of coz id soiled myself (had been whispering in her ear while she got washed up) did she panick and shout for a birthing pack, all the time im still under the covers, pjs on, head between my legs, 1.10pm Maddison was born on a bed bay with 6 other ladies and the whole wards MWs at the bottom of the bed, on 2 co-codamols that probs hadnt even kicked in yet! lol
it was scary at the time but thinking back i couldnt have asked for a better labour lol im hoping for a homebirth this time, dont want any medical interventions, just hope my BP behaves x

 

[pea-in-pod]

Hi fancyshmancy!

Well this is my first too so I would also say take my opinions with a grain of salt! but from what I have read and personally researched (sisters, friends, mother etc): The problem is that the pain medication frequently leads to a downward spiral of intervention, and it's that that you don't want!
Everyone I have aasked that has had both natural and pain relieved births (i.e. more than one child) has said: the intensity (I dont like to use the word pain at the moment!) during birth for the no-pain-relief variety was high, but they recovery was fast and generally easy vs: the birth with the pain-relief not intense/fairly comfortable but the recovery longer, and painful.

I am also hoping for a med free homebirth, but just dont know how I will cope with labour on the day. My MW has just recommened we give it a try, and worst case scenario we can transfer I can get pain relief if really necessary.

ps: Fetal positioning is HUGELY important in terms of how easy your birth will be and how intense, so please read up on that and check out www.spinningbabies.com and do some other reading on this very important topic.

Good luck!!

 

[clarsair]

My homebirth was going smoothly until LO turned back to back and I started on that slippery slope of interventions, which ended in a c-section. To be honest the drugs themselves I felt ok with but I do wonder if the gas and air made me feel too spaced out so that I no longer seemed to remember or care about my birth plan. The epidural I'm sure played a major role in ending up with a CS. The culmination of it all was a crushing feeling of failure and PND. For me this was the worst effect of a medicated birth.

 

[ginger863]

With my first i was hoping for a natural birth too but was open minded that it might not be possible as you can never tell how things are going to go. I had no pain relief for the first 18 hours but after that long i was still stuck at 4 cm and baby was presenting face first so couldnt dilate my cervix in that position. I had gas and air whilst the registrar went in and turned him, gas and air was ok for a while but then i was in back to back labour and still not progressing so i had pethidine/diamorphine cant remember which (not my chioce but i was exhausted by this point and wasnt givenmuch choice) this made me feel drunk, dizzy and sick. I didnt feel like i was in control at all which made me feel really uneasy, i was relaxed until this point. babys heart rate then started to race which im sure is because i was starting to stress out as i was so dazed and confused. Evnetually they broke my waters to try and help baby along but he was exhausted too so i ended up having an epidural which was the last thing i wanted to do. i was then stuck on the bed for the rest of my labour which i hated, i was still allowed to eat and drink though to keep my stregth up so that must vary form place to place. I had to have my bladder emptied for me with a cathertar (its just like a straw they put in you wee hole to empty your bladder then take it straight out, i didnt feel it at all but it was sore afterwards). After my waters were broken the contractions were coming thick and fast until i had my epidural which slowed everything down. After giving birth i had to stay in bed until i could use my legs again when all i wanted to do was have a bath, i felt horrible. Fianlly i have been left with nerve damage in my back that will never heal.
All in all you can never tell how your labour will go so you should try to be openminded but i will be much firmer next time and not let them talk me into drugs that i really dont want. My labour would have been much quicker without all the drugs im sure and next time round, unless something is wrong with the baby i will be going natural.

 

[Veryv]

Thank you for this, very interesting info.

 

[lucy_lu10]

I had some G&A during labour and that was all (not allowed during delivery). I never inhaled deeply enough to feel any affects (until the very end when I tried twice and I hated the loopy feeling that came with it), but rather used the mask as a focusing tool. My breath was louder and that helped me to keep my mind focused on just breathing and nothing else. It's not easy going without meds but I don't think it's particularly easy with them either.

The best thing about a natural labour is that you remain aware of what your body is doing and can listen to it throughout. Then as soon as your baby is born, you remain alert and in the moment. There's nothing better!!