terrified, pain relief whilst pushing.

[honeytea]

I was wondering what pain relief you have had whilst pushing, I went to an information evening at the maternity ward we have chosen and they said that whilst pushing they will let the epidural (if you have one) run out so you can feel the urges to push, also they won't let you use gas and air.

I'm in Sweden and water births are banned here.

In an ideal world id like to try for a water birth but that just is not an option, my plan was to try to labour for as long as possible with few drugs or just gas and air but realistically I probably would opt for an epidural, the fact that that is an option made me feel better and more confident. I just feel so worried about pushing with no pain relief, I feel like I can't do it, before this meeting I was feeling confident that I could give birth but now I feel scared and worried :(

Im not sure what is normal in UK hospitals?

[lljkk]

Pushing isn't so painful, honestly. It's the contractions leading up to the pushing that hurt, because they are sort of warming up but not doing anything except squeezing you rather than squeezing a baby out. Contractions that actually push a baby out are relatively bearable (as is crowning).

So I can see the logic of letting epidural wear off so you can feel the pushes.

BUT, little secret here, the health care people won't get it all that right. It's notoriously difficult to time these things (like pain relief & speed of labour) accurately. So you'll probably still have some if not a lot of the residue of the epidural working as pain relief. It it works at all, that is (and some don't).

Please try not to be afraid. It's not the funnest day of your life but billions of women before you managed to get thru it, you will too.

[AnaisB]

My experience of the pushing was that it wasn,t painful. With both births i tore a bit and didn't notice. The urge to push and the adrenalin kind of takes over.

[Sariska]

I think it depends on the hospital. Most people I know who have had an epidural have been "coached" through the pushing because, as the previous poster said, letting it "run down" is a very inexact science.

I've experienced both of your scenarios. First birth started off drug-free in water and ended up with an augmentation of labour and an epidural. By the time I came to push, the epidural had started to run down but, tbh, I couldn't really feel when to push and had to be told. With the second birth I used a bit of gas and air when I arrived at the hospital but, as I was already fully dilated, there was no chance for anything else. And they took the gas and air away while I was pushing. Dunno why really because it was a short second stage.

I know it's easier said than done but try not to worry. You will be OK. And re the water birth bit, are you allowed to labour in water? Even if you then have to get onto dry land for the birth.

[EverybodysSpookyEyed]

I didn't have pain relief with either birth and the pushing part is not that painful - it was almost a relief! Also, you are thinking quite a bit about what you are doing which takes your mind off the pain!! I can't imagine having gas and air that helpful or possible!

I really wouldn't worry - and as was said before - the pain relief wearing off isn't exact.

[TENDTOprocrastinate]

I've had both experiences with and without pain relief. Dd1 was just gas and air. The contractions built up to a point of absolute agony, however the pushing part wasn't as bad - nor was the crowning part. I didn't want the gas and air at the pushing stage.

Dd2 I had a (planned) epidural. I was scared of experiencing the intense contractions which I had with my 1st birth (they were almost constant for 3hours solid between 8 to 10cm dilation.) the epidural was given to me at 7cms. It was utter bliss! I just sat back and waited until the mw said it was time to push. I could feel the contractions but they were painless (like braxton hicks). I even had an urge to push. The mw can tell you when to push but I didn't need them to. It took 1hour of pushing- this sounds like a lot but dd1 took 2hours so significantly less. No pain- amazing!

Both birth experiences were good. I preferred the epidural though and wonder why I ever bothered going without it the 1st time!

[PastaDee]

I had gas and air until I pushed. It was such a relief to start pushing. The pain was so much less than the contractions leading up to full dilation.

[honeytea]

Thank you so much for the advice and for sharing your experiences.

They let you be in water whilst you dilate here but they say you should only stay in the water for 30 mins as it will slow down labour, I guess if I refuse to get out there isn't much they can do.

I feel like there is a lack of choice in Sweden, I do appreciate that it is a very safe place to give birth but I feel like they have taken away lots of choices from the mother to make it so safe.

[BIWI]

By the time it comes to push, you will be so involved and so glad to give birth that you will be very focused on what's going on - you really won't feel it.

Good luck, and don't worry!

[EMS23]

If you feel confident on the day, you could spend early labour in your bath at home for as long as you want.
I laboured both mine in my own bath and got to 7cms DD1 and 4cm DD2.
And I agree with other posters that pushing was actually a relief and not as painful as the last hour before it.

[squidkid]

Seconding what all the others are saying... I delivered my first baby with gas and air and TENS and the pushing I remember as essentially pain free after those final contractions! Bloody hard work, but not painful. Crowning was somewhat painful but over swiftly.

[honeytea]

Staying at home and being in the bath sounds like a lovely idea, I love the bath, I think I might just get innow and spend the next 4 weeks in the bath!

[PastaDee]

Have you got a tens machine honeytea. I loved mine. It was much more effective than gas and air and meant I didn't even want the bath or the pool as it would have meant taking it off!

Worth a go for you?

[honeytea]

They have them at the hospital so I can try it out once we get there, alternatively I could rent one from the midwife, I will ask her about at my next appointment :)

[aimingtobeaperfectionist]

I'd just add, if you get an epidural- sleep!! Catch up a much as possible (if you can) as you need all your strength to push. The contractions are the worst bit, the baby actually coming out was the easiest bit for me- I finally felt like something was happening and the pain would be over soon!

[PixieHot]

Interesting thread - my midwife seemed to suggest that we wouldn't bother with any more gas and air at the pushing stage. I was shocked and appalled, and pretty much ready to yell until I got it back , but it was actually fine.

[PastaDee]

I'd get one for at home honeytea. I think it works best if you put it on very early on in your labour, learn how it works and build up through the modes.

At least, that's what I did and it really did work very well for me.

[Shagmundfreud]

There are very few nerves in most of your vagina, which is why you can't feel it when you've got a tampon in! I think that's why second stage isn't as painful as many people expect (except maybe crowning!)

Personally I found the pushing bit the least worst part of labour.

[KatAndKit]

The bastards took the G&A off me :( I suspect the pethidine had not entirely worn off though!
seriously though, the contractions of the first stage were far far worse than pushing the baby out. Your body really does take over for that part and it is soon over and you know you are just minutes from meeting your baby. The crowning really stings but it lasts for such a short time compared with the first stage.

[honeytea]

I was wondering if any of you had an episiotomy or tear with no pain relief and did you feel it?

I am looking forward to being minutes away from meeting my baby thats a lovely thought :)

[lljkk]

It's hard to feel a small tear when crowning because crowning is pretty much a climax moment, anyway, iyswim.
I only had small tears, though. Might be different with a bad one.
There's just so much going on that episiotomy or tear is just a small part of it all, usually.
Friend said she never found out the gender in scans because it gave her something to puzzle about during the labour.

After the baby is out you still have to expel placenta which doesn't hurt, it's kind of like having a poo in sensation, bit of a stretch, but a relief because it's the last bit of "business" in giving birth.

You know after all this angst you'll probably end up with a C-section you totally understand & accept or a series of other unexpected events? Pregnancy-childbirth is such an unpredictable adventure!

[KatAndKit]

I only had a little bit of tearing and I didn't feel it happen at all. I think if you have to have an episiotomy they use the local anasthetic (presumably the same stuff they use when they stitch you up, it's the same as what you get in the dentists)

[CheungFun]

Don't be terrified please! Giving birth is just your body doing what it was designed to do, yes it is painful, but I think of it as a good pain as you're working towards seeing your baby and having that first cuddle!

I arrived at hospital 9cms dilated and I had a water birth and just got straight into the pool and DS was born 2 hours later (total time from waking up in the morning to giving birth 5.5 hours). I had gas and air which helped, but mainly to concentrate on breathing and having something to bite down on IMO rather than pain relief.

The main thing is to deal with one contraction at a time and don't allow yourself to panic - you can do it.

I had a third degree tear but i think this was because the waters broke at the same time DS's head came out. I didn't realise until I was having a cup of tea and toast in my bed when the midwife said she would need to do my stitches in a while.

Good luck!

[Cies]

Another one who found the pushing stage almost a relief because you're doing something positive in the contractions, not just getting through them as best you can.

I had no pain relief at all (I'm not in UK, and the only pain relief available is epidural, which I managed without because I had a relatively short labour). Except when they did an episiotomy, and gave me a local anasthetic injected into the perineum, didn't feel a thing.

[Iggly]

I had a third degree with my DS and a second degree with DD. with ds he shot out in one go, so yes I felt it. With dd I didn't because I was much more in control, kept the panic under control and adopted a great position. I also listened to my body and the MW when I felt like she was talking sense (eg telling me how to push but I ignored her when she suggested I move).

I used G&A for DD - I didn't feel the effect (I had it with ds when being stitched up so knew what it should feel like) - but it was more the act of breathing in and out (and biting). I thought I'd got away with tearing but alas no.

The worse bit for me was getting the placenta out and being given local anaesthetic around the fanjo prior to being sewn up

[CailinDana]

Pushing is a very positive stage - you have something to focus on and the progress is very exciting. I tore a bit but didn't feel it at all. There's too much going on and you're far too determined to see the baby to pay much attention really!