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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Childbirth

no pain relief

45 replies

laurenbetto · 21/11/2013 15:17

What are your opinions on a birth with no pain relief.. wise or silly decision?

OP posts:

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DancingLady · 21/11/2013 15:20

Um... decide when you're in labour?

You don't know how much pain you'll feel. If you're having no pain relief to prove a point/be a hero, you'll be waiting a long time for your medal...

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uncomfortablydumb · 21/11/2013 16:10

Silly to make a decision in advance

If someone said you were going to have a headache next week, nobody would expect you to decide now if you were going to take a paracetamol would they?

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hashtagwhatever · 21/11/2013 16:15

yy wait until you are in labour I didn't have any pain relief with any of mine but I didn't decide on this prior its just how it ended up was painful but I felt I could manage without.

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wintersdawn · 21/11/2013 16:16

Go in with an open mind, one of mine was no relief until rushed for emcs, the other was epideral and anything else they would give me!

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curlew · 21/11/2013 16:21

You can't decide now. I had no pain relief with mine- I intended to try to have as little as possible, and I found I could manage without. But I had one reasonably short and one very short completely textbook straight forward labours. Who knows what would have happened if that hadn't been the case. So prepare for anything and take each contraction as it comes!

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Lorelei353 · 21/11/2013 16:23

It's worth preparing for and developing skills to get you through (breathing, movement, visualisations - whatever you think will work for you) and then seeing how it goes BUT giving yourself permission in advance to have pain relief if you decide you need it. I didn't have any and got through with breathing and movement, and later water, but only because my labour was straightforward and relatively short. I know I would have had some pain relief up to and including an epidiraul, if my labour had gone on for a long time. I'd have been exhausted otherwise.

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princesscupcakemummyb · 21/11/2013 16:25

i had gas and air with my 1st

same with 2nd

3rd baby 17 days ago no pain relief at all i had thought about my options before hand but its good to keep an open mind as you dont know how you will cope on the day :)

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SteamWisher · 21/11/2013 16:26

I made the decision in advance not have pain relief.

When I was in labour, it didn't occur to me. My MW didn't suggest it, which may be why I didnt ask.
With my second, I was much more confident about what I did and didn't need and I asked for gas and air at the pushing stage.

I think if it had been suggested by the MW I may have thought differently - i have noticed on shows like OBEM the MWs do suggest it. Some mums also scream ask for it and they may have though subconsciously that they would need some but would try without?

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MelanieRavenswood · 21/11/2013 16:27

Decide on the day, but it's good to know (and practise in advance) some of the things that TEND to make labour more manageable without pain relief (obviously there are no guarantees). Being free to change position as you wish, staying as upright as possible, massage, water etc.

I must say though, I can't imagine any woman refuses pain relief to prove a point to anyone else. Surely people do what they think is best for them and/or their baby.

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absentmindeddooooodles · 21/11/2013 16:29

I went in with an open mind. Apart from the fact tjat I knew I didnt want pethadine. Ended up not having any but it was bloody painful! Next time I think ill go in with an open mind again and see what heppens :)

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havingastress · 21/11/2013 16:29

You need an open mind.

I wanted a natural birth. Always been very good with pain, high pain threshold you could say.

Induced labour pains - oh my goodness. Totally different ballgame. I literally felt like my body was being ripped in half, the pain was indescribable and no way on God's earth could I have managed without pain relief. I actually felt like I was dying :( Did take a few months after the birth to come to terms with feeling like I'd nearly died.

Thank god I didn't have a birth plan signed in ink saying ' no pain relief' please!

You don't win any prizes for doing it au naturelle you know!

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HandragsNGladbags · 21/11/2013 16:46

DD1 had an epidural, she was induced and back to back. I wanted everything I could get my hands on.

DD2 only had time for gas & air but that just makes me vomit so no pain relief and that was a much easier birth and manageable pain.

Totally depends how you feel on the day

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oscarwilde · 21/11/2013 16:55

Silly to decide in advance
Not silly to understand your options, their implications for you, your child and your labour.
Take it as it comes, there'll be enough pressure and stress being a mum, you don't have to add even more yourself.

Besides - there's a reason we are not handed a stick and told to bite down anymore. If you need it, there are options, if it all seems bearable then all power to your pelvis

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TheRobberBride · 21/11/2013 17:02

I've had 2 births without medication. I used a TENS machine for pain relief but that was it. I wanted to try and do it without meds both times (not because I'm a martyr but because it was important to me for various reasons that I be 'present' throughout).

I researched natural ways to relieve pain (water, changing position, hypnotherapy, visualisation etc). I also requested on my bith plans that nobody offer me pain relief. I was lucky-both my labours were quick and straightforward. If they'd have been longer or more complicated i might well have needed something to get me through. So by all means plan for a natural birth but keep an open mind.

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FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 21/11/2013 17:06

Not silly to aim for a non medicated birth. All being well it's probably the best option for you and the baby.

BUT keep an open mind, things can change in labour and while it's fine to psych yourself up for going without, it may not work out as you plan, and that's fine too.

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sleepyhead · 21/11/2013 17:08

Keep an open mind.

I had g&a both times and morphine with ds1. I also asked for an epidural with ds1 but was too late.

Labour with ds1 was induced and very intense. 5 hours from waters breaking to birth.

Labour with ds2 was more gradual but I still was desperate for gas & air when I got to the hospital. 5 hours from first twinge to birth and ds2 was born 40 mins after arriving at hospital so no time for anything else (gas & air was mainly used for the stitches tbh).

I could have managed without pain relief but it wouldn't have been pleasant. I also can't compare my births to those that take hours and hours and hours. I should imagine that's much harder without an epidural.

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DoesZingBumpLookBigInThis · 21/11/2013 18:16

epidural is my best friend.

I had it with DS1 & DS2 - as I was induced with both.
DS1 was forceps, you would not want to go through that without pain relief

with DS3 there was no time for anything, but two sips of g&a while the MW checked how much I dilated.
we got to the hospital at 6am, he was born in 30 mins.

DS4 ended up being ELSC - footling breach so no choice there

DS5 & DD were VBACs and I'm glad I had an epidural with both - contractions started naturally but they were too much.
the epidural wore off for the pushing bit (same with DS2 actually) and although I tore badly with DS5 (9lb 14) I was really in control so it wasn't too bad.

with DD it went so well I didn't even tear - she was only 8lb 3 and had a smaller head than the boys, which helped.
I really made the MW laugh, the pg notes had "I Want an EPIDURAL! " written with red on every page!
I'm doing the same with my new notes again, as soon as they arrive!

I hope you can have a drug-free birth OP - I prefer no pain, especially as my contractions got more painful a lot quicker after each pg.

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oscarwilde · 21/11/2013 20:21

Ding.. New notes? Is that DC No 7? Hoollee cow. Respect!

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oscarwilde · 21/11/2013 20:21

DoesZing even !

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MinesAPintOfTea · 21/11/2013 20:30

Are congratulations due Zing? No cake on the app i'm afraid.

OP I didn't wasn't pain relief ahead of time but was induced exhausted and thought no-one could love through that pain. I had an epidural and was most put out when the anethacist left the room. Be glad that there are options if you need them and hopefully you'll have an easy labour.

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CatchesTheNightTrain · 21/11/2013 20:36

Keep an open mind. You never know how you will feel until you are in that situation.

From experience (I'm a midwife) those women that write rigid birth plans stating no pain relief for example can often feel they've let themselves down if during labour they require pain relief.
THEY HAVENT!

Every labour is different. It's good to read about all the pain relief available to you so you are aware of your options should you decide you need something .

Better to arm yourself with the knowledge about your options and go into it with an open mind. :-)

If you need no pain relief = great, if you do = great!

Must important is that you have a positive birth experience whereby you are in control and can make informed choices, whatever they may be.

Good luck with everything

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EXTERMINATEpeppa · 21/11/2013 20:42

decide in labour!!
the first one- I took everything they offered.

second- I didnt have time to even get a paracetamol & it wasnt awful.

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CatchesTheNightTrain · 21/11/2013 20:43

Oh and I should also add that I never offer women pain relief. I do ask women when I take over their care, that at any point they wish to have pain relief or if they wish to change their method of pain relief to just ask, but that I won't offer.

I believe in supporting women in their choices , not making them for them. I want women to feel in control.

Shows like one born can give us all a bad reputation for promotion of epidural and encouraging women to lie on their backs!

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OneLittleToddleTerror · 21/11/2013 20:49

Go with an open mind like others say. You won't know what you need until you are there. FWIW I did it with no pain relief except a tens machine. I would take the pain relief if I could but the hospital refused to examine how far I was dilated because they didn't want to 'escalate' more women into active labour. They were too busy. Not being in active labour means I can't have gas and air. By the time they got to me I was fully dilated. So yes it is doable if you have to do it. Just like the old days.

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BobaFetaCheese · 21/11/2013 21:03

Decide on the day, you may end up in for an emcs and feel like you've 'failed' if you dont manage a natural birth.

Ds1; pethidine, epidural with an induced labour (14hrs) strapped onto mointor and bed for his heart monitoring (and reduced movements). Didn't occur to me to ask for g&a, horrible experience, wanted a homebirth

Ds2; tens and g&a at the end, artifical water breakage and hooked up to monitor again (5 days between waters going n labour & reduced movements), 1hr 30mins,wonderful experience..still didnt get my homebirth.

Both births different to what I wantes but both needed to be that way or I might not have both/either DS here with me, safe and alive.