Labour pain relief - Getting terrified now

[Hannabee123]

So I've been to discuss pain relief options in my hospital today. I can chose from:

Gas & Air
Pethidine
Remifentanil drip
Epidural

I've been told if I don't chose an epidural and things go along because I'm high risk they will end up putting me to sleep to get the baby out.

This conversation has sparked some serious terror and I'm now scared shitless 😣

I really don't want an epidural but I'm considering it just in case anything goes south and it's in then...

Can someone calm me down or give me some of your experiences with pain relief in labour. What would you recommend or had good or bad experiences with?

I know that labour is complex and ANYTHING can happen / not go to plan. But would just like an idea of what to try and aim for

[NapQueen]

Imo pain relief is a sliding scale. It isnt "hi welcome to hospital, here is your epidural".

The goal is baby and mum safely through birth so if you need pain relief then take it.

Dc1 i had everything. I ended up prepped for a csec ib theatre, unable to feel anything passed my armpits abd dc was dragged out by the forceps.

Dc2 I breathed rythmically and had the odd puff of G&A and a bit of lower back rubbing.

Honestly no one knows how your body will react to labour so try not to pre empt, and just try and go with the flow.

Stay on your feet or upright as much as possible, and dont be afraid to say "ok this is too painful, what is next?"

[honeysucklejasmine]

I had an epidural with #1. Birth was forceps in theatre. I felt no contractions once it went in, it was lovely.

#2, the epidural failed and I delivered with gas and air. No instruments required and my recovery was much easier too.

I'm high risk too.

[JohnLapsleyParlabane]

I had a emcs under general (unable to have an epidural or spinal) and recovered way more easily than my friends who had epidurals. Up to that point I had gas and air. If I have another baby I will refuse the gas and if paracetamol/pool/hypnotherapy don't cut it then I will happily have another section under general.

[InDubiousBattle]

I had gas and air and diamorphine (similar to pethidine). I would recommend the epidural!!

Obviously you don't have to say but in what way are you at high risk op? A could of my friends found great relief in the birth pool but that might be unavailable for you?

With regard of what to aim for, my advice would be a healthy baby and a healthy you. It really is so hard to say Op as so much depends on the length of your labour and the position of your baby. I'm surprised they're pushing the epidural so heavily.

[honeysucklejasmine]

I should point out, I was induced with dc#1 and the labour was definitely more painful than the natural labour.

[buttwingsham]

I've had four dc. First one with g and a, three with epidural. My first epidural was because I had an induction and it was recommended to me that I had one. I tried without for a bit but the contractions from the induction drip were painful so I had one. For me it was great, ok not pleasant going in but not painful it kind of felt like someone was rummaging around in my back. But once it was in it was amazing.
I could still feel my legs, wiggle my toes, I didn't have any problems pushing and was up and about 20 mins after it was out.
I felt very in control, relaxed and actually really enjoyed my labours.

[QuilliamCakespeare]

I didn’t have any pain relief until the pushing stage both times. First time was because I was handling it so well they simply had no idea I was so far along. Second time I just didn’t have time as it was so fast he was nearly born in the car on the way to hospital. If used properly (really deep slow breath in), gas and air was great and absolutely sufficient for me to manage the pain. I’m not saying it didn’t hurt quite a lot but at no point did I feel unable to cope. By the way, I’m a total wuss usually and whinge non-stop if I so much as stub a toe.

[lornathewizzard]

It is really difficult to say.
First baby I had gas and air, morphine and the drip thing (would have had an epidural but things moved on before the doctor could get to me). This was a long labour and overnight so I was tired (obvs!)

Second baby I just had gas and air. Not through any conscious decision, just when I started to think about needing more pain relief the midwife said baby should be here within the hour. If she hadn’t said that then I think I would have had more pain relief (and she was more or less right).

Second labour I was much more with it afterwards and didn’t feel as wrecked. Although a shorter labour and I had more of an idea what to expect. I think as PP said I thought if it as a sliding scale , if you need the next step then go for it.

Oh and if you can get an aromatherapy back massage from midwife then go for it

(I should say I wasn’t high risk about both babies were back to back)

[user2085372673]

Before I gave birth I was terrified of an epidural too and was certain I wasn’t going to have one. Then I ended up being induced with a drip and I was begging them to put it in!

Labour isn’t the best experience of your life, but everyone gets through it and if you’re in the UK you are lucky enough that there are ways to make it easier and safer and it’s all free!

There’s no point in worrying as you might be someone who delivers their baby within 6 hours from start to finish. You’ll be fine, and you’ll get your baby at the end which is the important thing.

Good luck! Xx

[Chocachoo]

Like you I didn't want an epidural; instead had pethidine which took a bit of edge off but made me vomit a lot, and I was in labour for so long that I was too tired to deliver baby on my own and needed ventouse assistance. Asked for epidural at least 3 times throughout and told no. Looking back I might as well have had it, as needed ventouse anyway and at least epidural might have enabled me to sleep, enough to push more effectively at the end?! And if not at least I wouldn't have had to feel the instrumental part!

Pregnant again currently and expecting to have an epidural! My advice is rule nothing out and see how things go. Pethidine was defo counter productive for me X

[Hannabee123]

I'm scared of being put to sleep I'm scared I won't wake up. It did feel as though they are pushing for an epidural although it's not what I really want. I'm feeling abit overwhelmed and scared but your experiences are very helpful thanks

[Jinglebellhell17]

The epidural was God’s own gift both times for me. It didn’t slow things down. It didn’t effect the baby and it means you feel nufink but a bit of pressure. Amen. I️ had it the second time at 2cm and had a total of 5 hours labour and 15 minutes pushing. Honestly by the time it goes in you don’t notice it. But ooooohhh do you notice when it works.

[Jinglebellhell17]

Oh and you can do this. Really. Everything out there is so damn scary but you can do this.

[pinkcarnations]

I too had an emcs under general as I’m unable to have an epidural. I had a long labour (back to back baby) and used gas and air, Tens and pethidine. Try not to worry, it’s so hard to prepare for the unknown, ime things build gradually and you can work your way through the pain relief options as labour progresses. On the day take whatever pain relief you need to get through it, good luck x

[NapQueen]

Are you in the UK OP?

[Babykoala1]

I was induced and didn't have an epidural. If I was able to I'd have had it in a heartbeat if I'm honest. I'm pregnant again and my biggest fear this time is not having an epidural! I think that a lot of people who say they don't want an epidural end up begging for one at some point. I wouldn't like the thought of being put to sleep as I'd want to be able to see my baby straight away and would still like to be aware of what's going on. If I was in your position I'd definitely opt for the epidural.

Also, In my experience the other pain relief they offer doesn't lessen the pain, it just makes you extremely high/dazed. However, everyone's experience is different and plenty of women swear by breathing techniques and gas and air, I am not one of those women and am a bit of a wuss.

[VulgarWheat]

Was this from am obstetrician or an anaesthetist? If an obstetrician then push too be seen in anaesthetic clinic.
There are really really few scenarios where you can have an epidural but not a spinal for a ceaserean.
If it was from a midwife it's likely to be bullshit.

[userabcname]

I had pethidine and hated it. Made me feel awful and didn't really take the pain away. If I ever have a baby again, I'm going straight for the epidural.

[Hannabee123]

It was from an anaesthetist who works in my hospital I had my spine looked at to make sure it was okay for epidurals and stuff to go in. Yes I'm in the UK just terrified / dumb because it's my first and I'm in panic mode 😕

[VivaLeBeaver]

Do they think that you're going to be hard to get a spinal in in a hurry for a specific reason? Because in 15 years of working on a labour ward I've only seen a handful of GA sections. They nearly always have time to get a spinal in.

[goose1964]

I had two on gas and air and pethidine, one on gas and air only and I only had that because I found everything funny. You really don't know how labour will go , just don't fight it

[VulgarWheat]

Hannah can you request a further appointment for clarification?

[Marcine]

I had an epidural with all three of mine. 2 and 3 I had the epidural asap and had lovely, calm, pain free, normal births, quick recovery.

[Hannabee123]

Its such an awful feeling not being even able to really 'plan for this kind of thing. There's no telling what's going to happen and I can't pull my head out my butt and think positive about it 😕

[DeadDoorpost]

My midwife and I have made a birth plan to cover all circumstances, from my ideal labour to if there's an emergency.

There's honestly nothing wrong with going under General, even though I know you're terrified of not waking up. The anaethatist is skilled in knowing how much to use etc and in some cases is absolutely vital. It saved my mum's life when giving birth to my brother.
There's nothing from stopping you from having the epidural and then if needs be going under as the two can go alongside each other (my midwife double checked this before she told me to make sure she was correct)

If I were you I'd make a plan for what you want, whether that's gas and air or the epidural, but also have a contingency plan for if things go south. That way you know for certain what's going to happen and everyone around you knows too. You've still got time to get your head around the idea of general anaesthetic if it's needed, just as I've had time to get my head around a water birth (very long story, but there's a phobia I've had do deal with)