To all the mum who already gave birth :-)

[lolly101]

I had a c sec hun but I was in labour for 2 days....They offered me G+A towards the end but I found it didn't help much and I found more relief from closing my eyes and deep breathing....staying focused there was something amazing at the end of it and every contraction was one less to go before I met her!..good luck when it is your turn

 

[clairebear]

I had a very long tiring labour i had managed to go over 24 hours with out pain relief. i tried G and A but it made me sick and yucky. i eventually gave in and had an epi which im so pleased i did i managed to relax and dialted the remaining 5 cms within a few hours. I ended up with a section so i was even more pleased to have my epi as i didnt have to have a general anes for my little ones birth!


Remember every one is different go into the experiance with an opne mind and u are not a faliure if u have pain relief you dont get a medal at the end u get a baby either way!

 

[PeanutBean]

I had an epidural after about 28 hours of non-dilating labour. I wish I hadn't. It numbed my legs so I couldn't move them and also the birth canal so I couldn't feel where to push. It DIDN'T numb my womb and I felt everything anyway.

 

[baby#4due2/16]

I have had 4 babies and with all 4 had the epidural...i wanted to enjoy the labor and delivery and if i had been in alot of pain i wouldnt have...a nurse told me when i was in labor with my 1st, i had told her i wanted a natural delivery but i was hurting so bad...she said the only way it wouldnt be a natural labor and delivery is if the baby came out of my nose LOL...needless to say I got that epidural and dont regret it at all....and if i have another baby i will def. get it again. I can also say none of my labor and deliveries were anything but exciting and i felt no pain so they were very enjoyable.

 

[MummyToAmberx]

Doubt could regrat having either, at end of day get your child.
i got to 6cm without anything id had enough. the G&A was horrrible, but i dont regret trying it, but it didnt do anything so far in.
i totally loved pethidine, my next labour just go in ask for that straight up

my only advice is, if want use G&A or pethidine to use it like after ur 3cm because leave it to late it has little effect on the pain

 

[sparkswillfly]

I regret my epidural because it bought my labour to a complete standstill. It made me get stuck at 6cm and I had to have a drip of something or other to start things up again. I wouldnt of minded so much if the bloody thing actually worked but it didnt! I was in established labour for 24 hours tho... I would have done anything to stop the pain. I imagine if it had worked properly it would have been worth it. Diamorphine was great it really relaxed me. So when they told me I needed to go down to surgery I was like "yeah come then lets go!" until it wore off....

 

[alio]

i wanted a natural water birth but was induced..... i ended up having pethidine, gas and air, epidural (which didn't work and anaesthetist had to question me about the lack of efficiency) and a spinal block for forceps delivery...... the pain for me was not remotely like people said. i'll keep an open mind next time..... i'm not particularly proud of myself! i have rheumatoid arthritis (that's far worse pain!) millions of us do it and will continue to!!! the only miracle is that beautiful baby at the end of it. you will be fine, natural or with drugs. you will do brilliant. xx

 

[CamoQueen]

I got an epidural, though it was only for about 30 minutes before I delivered (short labor)! I'm glad I did it, but next time I think I'll try it without, just because it made one of my legs numb for about 4 hours afterward and I couldn't get out of bed. Either way, at the end you're holding your beautiful baby and everything else just doesn't even matter. Good luck with everything and I hope you get the birthing experience that you're looking for!!!

 

[tasha41]

I had an epidural and I do not regret it one bit!! I barely felt it when I was getting the epidural (then again the contractions were so awful that I couldn't think of much else at that point really!!) and I didn't experience any complications from it. I will never opt for a natural childbirth after what I went through with Elyse (not that it's an option, I was essentially told I can't have a VBAC).

Anyways obviously, I ended up having a c-section.. after an awful labour experience. I had to be induced, the contractions came nicely and I was dilating well, I had the epidural.. they turned down my epidural to speed up labour (not that it was even going slow, this was only 10hrs into it and I was 6cm dilated, I thought that was pretty good!) and it was absolutely awful, they did this during shift change and I had to wait an hour through intense contractions to have more pain relief. I never felt that urge to push they talk about but we decided to try anyway after I was 10cm dilated.. pushed for 2.5 hours; had back labour and these awful abdominal cramps (not contractions, just this feeling that something in there was literally ripping apart). My heart rate was 120-130 at times, I was not able to interact properly with people- couldn't keep my eyes open, speak, focus on conversations, etc.. I just got so worked up and frustrated things were taking so long and the I was getting angry about pushing though I didn't "feel like it" and being accused of not pushing to the best of my ability, etc. so I don't know how I would have done it WITH the full force of the contractions.

Having my epidural also helped me to relax faster after they announced forceps and the vacuum extractor were out of the question and a c-section was my only option. After all that, my pelvis was too narrow to deliver her. They gave me more pain relief immediately because I was so exhausted from labour up to that point. And.. I have a perfectly healthy daughter at home right now who is gaining weight wonderfully, she's strong, she's beautiful, she's up and alert for longer periods of time everyday, and is exactly 3 weeks old as of 1:30pm today! *tear*

Even though I really respect the women that can do it naturally, it can get really rough, so keep your mind open to all options, you can't plan labour down to every last detail and you can't possibly ever know exactly what to expect. Good luck, I really hope it works out the way you want it to, but don't get upset if it doesn't, it's absolutely out of your control most of the time!

 

[ecossaise74]

I a nurse told me when i was in labor with my 1st, i had told her i wanted a natural delivery but i was hurting so bad...she said the only way it wouldnt be a natural labor and delivery is if the baby came out of my nose LOL... QUOTE]

that is so true!!! It's amazing how everybody is so different!! Birth is like a pick'n'mix menu lol!!

I agree with Clairebear, it's right you don't get a medal either way you get a baby, that's the main thing to think about!!!

Clairebear, Lolly101 and Peanutbean: You have my biggest respect and admiration, your labour looked really though and especially LONG and that's amazing what you did!!! I'm really impressed by your performances!!

I hope everyone is enjoying motherhood! Lots of kisses, xxx

 

[ecossaise74]

Thanx to Alio (the support is really nice), Tascha41, Camoqueen, Sparkswillfly, MummytoAmberx....It's enjoyable to hear about your experiences...I can't wait to let you know how mine is going ) Hope all your LO are healthy and happy now!!! Lots of kisses to everyone!! xxx

 

[danni2609]

Just G and A with both and was all i needed

 

[louise1302]

ive done it all roads round lol
my first i had gas and air , pethidine and an epi...i dont remember much
2nd i had gasn air and pethidine..i felt drunk
3rd i had all 3 again but the epi was a weak one and only took the edge off
and my 4th i had just gas and air and it was amazing i felt in control all the time and could feel and remember everything..it did help that it was only 1 hour long however

i went in with a complete open mind and promised myself beforehand i wouldnt be bothered if i needed the epi, my best advice is to go with the flow and take what you need to

 

[ecossaise74]

Thanx Dani2609 and Louise1302... I will follow the advice!!

BTW I was wondering, if you give birth before 37th week but after 35week, does the baby go into neonatal care??!! Or can you take it home with you??!! Just something that was bothering me!!

Lots of kisses everyone, xx!

 

[Sarah88]

I think it depends on how well the baby is going. If it's lungs and all are developed then you would be able to take him home with you.

 

[ecossaise74]

Thanx for answering!! Once you get an answer to a question you stop wondering, that's cool ) xxx

 

[moomin_troll]

i went 2 weeks over and had to be induced which makes labour more painful (ive been told) and i did it with just gas and air just made me tired didnt take any pain away so i felt it all but it wasnt as bad as i thought it wud be. labour is worse part get thru that pushin is easy. i was cut and had to have stitches which sucked

 

[ecossaise74]

ohh ok, cool.. Thanx Moomim_troll, I will motivate myself thinking once I get through the 1st stage, the hardest is done! that's a really nice way of thinking, haven't see things under that angle yet... I like that!! Take care xxx

 

[moomin_troll]

good luck. i wont lie it does hurt but it really wasnt as bad as i thought it would be and this isnt me lookin back i actually said to my oh while in labour its not that bad lol

 

[freckleonear]

I had gas and air and pethidine. I really wish I hadn't had the pethidine, as it made me feel so drunk! It also made Aaron really sleepy for the first week, making breastfeeding more difficult. Next time I'll be hoping to manage just on gas and air.

I was in labour for 24 hours and the contractions were far worse than the pushing stage. If I hadn't been so tired I would have been able to try out more upright positions to help with the pain, so my top tip would be go get as much sleep and rest as possible in early labour.