Ok not due till July but found out today that here in Germany they dont use GAs and Air....

[twoplusone]

The only pain relif I really wanted to have.. and I wont be allowed it, apparantley thay dont believe in it out here. Methods are homeopathic apparantly. From what I have been told you cant have pethidine or epidural neither!!!..

[PinkTulips]

you'll be fine..... a drug free birth is completely doable and a wonderful experiance.

do try and prepare before the birth though as it will make a huge differance, especially the breathing techniques etc.

[foundintranslation]

I gave birth in Germany and had an epidural - no struggles to get it. Don't know about g&a.

I found antenatal & birth care fantastic (postnatal though was a different matter )

Were are you?

[Dinosaur]

Gas and air is pretty useless ime, I used it with DS1 and it just gave me a really sore throat from breathing it in. Didn't bother with it for DS2 or DS3. And my own advice would be to steer well clear of pethidine anyway - horrible stuff, and implicated in DS1's near-death experience.

Never had an epidural so don't know what they're like.

[bebespain]

twoplusone - I can really empathise with you. I'm in Spain and its the same scenario here.
I gave birth 3 weeks ago and in the end needed a C-Sec so still had to have an epidural (something I was dead against) but under the circumstances it was very welcome.
Post-natal care hmm... here infact its non-existant!

[twoplusone]

foundintranlation- I will be having my baby in Viersen.. I will check on the epidural thing then..
With DD I had spinal block for csection (elective due to probs) with DS, I had a VBAC on G&A the epidural failed after first dose machine wouldnt administer anymore.. dont want to have the pethedine... bu the choice is nice

Coming home isnt really an option as DD is 10 uyears old so she will be at school.

I am sure I will be fine.. will speak to my midwife.... thats the other thing I am not overly happy with, our mw (english) are not allowed to deliver our babies if we want them to...

I have been told that translators will be on hand and the care is excellent..
I did ask if I would be monitered for IUGR as I had this with DD (along with SPRM and placenta insufficiency) they said no, if they pick a prob up then they will deal with it but other wise no. With DS I was scanned every 4weeks from 20wks onwards, doppler scan at 24weeks showed I did have notching on the left uterine artery. I am being over anxious about nothing probably.... I am a natural worrier always on the what if!!!...

[Tortington]

drug free birth haaaa haaa haaaaa haa

go for epidural.

watch telly.

[aprilmeadow]

I had a drug free birth with my ds and it was fine, although maybe i was just lucky. I am 24wks pg now and hoping for the same experience. Although i guess it is good to know that all the options are available if i so desire them.

Fingers crossed for you that you have an easy birth and that you can at least have an epidual if you want one.

[Tillypup]

Hi, I gave birth on Wednesday. Fully dilated by the time I got to hospital, after a couple of contractions I asked to try the gas and air but didn't feel like it made much difference, probably due to everything else going on! It did make me feel really really thirsty though. After a while the midwife took it away from me as I was concentrating too much on that rather than pushing! The rest of the birth was drug free, not pleasant but still an incredible experience. I took 2 1/2 hours from getting into hospital so that probably made a lot of difference and also by the time I said I couldn't do it I only had two more pushes to deliver the baby's head!

I had some gas and air whilst they examined me afterwards, it made me feel sick and lightheaded but at least took my mind off all the prodding!

[shazronnie]

Gas and air is rubbish anyway; get a tens machine.

[Isa11]

Gas an air is useless. Didn't help at all, just added an extra thing to work out. I can't believe they don't do epidurals! Where are you?

[foundintranslation]

oh, nowhere near me then. Are you on an army base?

As you'll see if you've got your Mutterpass, there are 3 scans as standard - you've probably had the first one, then there's one around 20 weeks and one between 29 and 32 weeks. But it's usually very easy to get another if you or your gyn are concerned about anything.

I don't see why your MW can't be there (if not in official capacity, then as 'birth supporter'?). If you want her with you I would fight for it. I was fine because I'm fluent in German, but I can imagine if you're not, even if there are translators around, it can be quite scary.

[twoplusone]

As I said in previous post ga nd a really helped me when I had ds that is all that I used in the end as epidural failed..

Foundintranslation- when I asked my mw she just said they are not allowed in!!

I am sure dh and I will be fine.. as I was speaking to someone who had ababy here 3 months ago and she dsaid that whilst labouring you are left with just your dh then if you want the mw you ring for them.. which I think will be nice.. when I had ds we had mw in with us for the whole labour...but think that was because it was trial of scar and ds was back to back..

Thank you all for responding..

[twoplusone]

yes I am on a base..

[cece]

OMG I had 7 canistors of G&A during labour with DD! And I bit through the mouth piece... Come home for the birth.... I would!

[lulumama]

tens machine

water ..although not with the tens

massage

aromatherapy and homeopathy

visualisation

mobilisation

vocalising


and pethidine!!

lots you can do

and the body's natural pain killing endorphins that are released when you get into established labour and allow yourself to go with the rhythm of the contractions x

[twoplusone]

lulumama- when I go back tot he hospital for 20wk scan am going to ask if they do water births...

BUt no pethedine available.. The herbal methods must work or i suppose they wouldnt use then in the hospital...

[lulumama]

sorry. read that as can have pethidine and epi..sorry x

[Skyler]

2+1 (were you Luckylady??)
I faced this in Cyprus, (I used to Cooperoo) when TPMH was shut, but in Germany they have been doing it for years now. Don't panic. You can do this. I only wanted gas and air with dd2 as that is what I had had with dd1 but when it came to it despite being induced I didn't want the gas at all. Made me feel really sick. I was gobsmacked after.
I will try and find my link as lots of people had great advice and Mears had a great link I think.

[Skyler]

Scan this here

[Skyler]

I think you were hotmummy on that thread!!!

[twoplusone]

skyler-HELLO yes it is me, luckylady how are you and your two ... are you still in Cyprus..

[twoplusone]

sorry just re read military wives post, remembered talking to you on there last week , saying that someone from AY nik had moved to where you are too... when did you leave cyprus.

[Skyler]

We left last Feb. Still miss it though.... Hope you are feeling better today.

[franke]

I gave birth in Germany nearly 3 years ago. I had no probs getting an epidural and water birth is more available here. Doctors, gyns and consultants tend to look on birth as a medical event here and are highly litigation conscious - I was strongly advised against trying for a vbac. They will also scan you to within an inch of your life if you let them (although I think that's more to do with milking the private health insurance business than it is to do with baby's wellbeing)

BUT after running the gauntlet of antenatal care here, I had a very positive birth experience (got my vbac), very hands-off and felt very well looked after. Good luck .