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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Why couldn't Bridget Jones have drugs during the birth of the baby???

44 replies

IcedSpice · 02/07/2021 21:00

So I am watching Brisget Joneses Baby, and the Dr has said, oh you're 8cm silted, you can't have any drugs.

I was 8cm with my first, and I got pethidine and gas and air!!

OP posts:

ScrambledSmegs · 02/07/2021 21:54

Gas and air isn't given in the US, I'm not particularly clear on the reason why but I do know its not a thing.

Probably they had an eye on the US market with that film and so no G&A for poor Bridget.

ScrambledSmegs · 02/07/2021 21:56

I haven't seen the film though. Tell me, do her waters break in a hilarious and untimely fashion?

MovinOnUp · 02/07/2021 21:59

With DD I was 7cm when I left the house, arrived at the hospital 40 minutes later, They did give me pethidine.
It hadn't kicked in when I pushed her out 20 minutes later.

IncessantNameChanger · 02/07/2021 22:03

6i had that exact situation. Too late to site a epidural and cant have petahadine sp? In any worth while dose just before the baby is born.

That only leaves gas and air. Lots of woman have no pain relief by choice too. I have done none, gas and air and methadone, then with my last two I was satisfied I had had that experience so two epidurals.

Getting a epidural was a total mission from before giving birth both times as well.

Plus personally I think as a first time mum, I dont think your as well listened to as with your second.

Firstbornunicorn · 02/07/2021 22:03

I was over 9cm and got remifentanyl! They took jt off me 5 minutes later because it was time to push. I shouldn’t really have been given it but I’d had such a fast, vomitty, painful labour with no drugs up until that point, and I was about to give birth without DH there (he was speeding to the hospital when this conversation was happening), that the midwife took pity on me and told the anaesthesist to go ahead.

Was handy afterwards for the stitches!

B0YS · 02/07/2021 22:04

I was 7cm, the midwife went to get pethadine & came back into the room with it with me fully dilated & pushing (the animalistic, unable to stop pushing - I was scared id hurt the baby because I wasn’t ‘fully dilated’!).
Bit of a waste!

hazandduck · 02/07/2021 22:04

Me too @MovinOnUp I was given pethidine just before they examined me. They checked and I was ready to push! DD born 20 minutes later and then I had the best night of my life high as a kite telling the midwives there was a cat in a perfect circle at the foot of the bed that had no head or tail..! They told DH not to hand me the baby for a while as I may drop her lol. Shame I didn’t have any for actual pain relief during labour 🙄

IncessantNameChanger · 02/07/2021 22:05

Methadone??!! I certainly didnt have that ( but at the time I would taken anything 😂)

YawningAngel · 02/07/2021 22:07

I can explain any dumb-ass plot development with two simple words.

Narrative convenience.

Supplementary two simple words.

Lazy writers.

Cookies47 · 02/07/2021 22:08

I couldn't have any drugs at the end as I was going too fast.
I didn't want my gas and air, because it was absolutely shit and pointless so maybe Bridget felt the same about that. Waste of bloody time, I launched it onto the floor!

MalbecIsMyOne · 02/07/2021 22:10

When I was having DS1 the midwife took the gas and air off me when I was 10cm because apparently “it stops you pushing properly” , maybe she was the medical advisor to the film!

OverTheWater · 02/07/2021 22:13

Here's a fascinating US article on why they don't use gas and air: www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/labor-and-delivery/why-is-laughing-gas-for-labor-still-not-the-norm/

Basically because it isnt an epidural and epidurals are what they use . . .

DappledThings · 02/07/2021 22:18

I was examined and told I was only 2cm, had pethidine 4 hours later without being further checked and I must have been further along as I was 10cm 2 hours after that. DC came out very sleepy and had to have the emergency button pushed and a room filled with people. Had I been checked I probably wouldn't have been given the pethidine as I was too far along.

Pethadine doesn't do anything anyway. Just locks you in with the pain so you feel like you're on fire from ribs to your knees, but unable to actually do or say anything about it. Vile stuff
Not for me. It really took the edge off and allowed me to get some sleep after being awake for nearly 24 hours.

switswoo81 · 02/07/2021 22:18

I had an epidural at 9 cm. Baby born 20 mins after it went in.
Shite film.

Emmelina · 02/07/2021 22:20

I didn’t question it, but I was 8-9cm with one of mine when I got to the labour ward and the midwife told me it was too late for anything more than gas and air. I didn’t want more anyway as was handling it okay, but I didn’t question it really.

rainyskylight · 02/07/2021 22:26

@OverTheWater the article doesn’t mention cost. US hospitals would push epidurals because they can charge a lot for them. Gas is cheap.

Original poster

IcedSpice · 02/07/2021 22:31

@ScrambledSmegs

I haven't seen the film though. Tell me, do her waters break in a hilarious and untimely fashion?

Of course!

OP posts:

cricketmum84 · 02/07/2021 22:33

With my first almost 17 years ago I was told I was too far gone for any pain relief except for an epidural. I really wanted gas and air but my midwife kept saying I was too far dilated.

I complained through PALS and got a full apology and a promise they would update training and guidelines.

osbertthesyrianhamster · 02/07/2021 22:42

@OverTheWater

Here's a fascinating US article on why they don't use gas and air: www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/labor-and-delivery/why-is-laughing-gas-for-labor-still-not-the-norm/

Basically because it isnt an epidural and epidurals are what they use . . .

I also don't think it's universally effective. It doesn't work for shit on me. Just makes me vomit.

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