Pain-killer during birth

[Lil]

I can't believe theres no thread on this already, but I must ask the question.. can anyone remember whether or not Pethedine actually worked for them or not?

I have been reading the books again(!) and they all say that Pethedine makes you woozy and affects the baby but not much on how good its pain-killing effects are. In fact they seem quite anti. For an unbiased view, what do you all think?

I used only Pethedine and gas 'n air last time, and I remember thinking that there was no drop in pain when I was given the pethedine injection at 5cm dilated. But then I will never know if it would have been worse with out it would I???

I am trying to work out whether to bother having it this time around - I am totally pragmatic and hate pain as much as the next person, but epidurals scare the hell out of me and I'm hoping to get by without again. I do remember that the pethedine DID make me feel out of it, but hey that's not a bad thing!!

I have to say, I thought the epidural was great. Its horrible actually having it but when it kicked in I lay there and a great chat with the midwife. I stayed on my feet as long as possible and so things progressed very quickly when I had it. I let it wear off a bit when I got to the pushing stage but ended up having a bit more in the last 20 minutes. I'd love to have the nerve to totally refuse it but for a first timer I thinkit was a great choice I made. Never considered the pethidine, probably due to the effect it supposedly has on the baby.

Lil, I had pethidine with no. 1 and was b**y grateful for it! As I remember, it didn't reduce the pain directly, but it made it much easier to relax between contractions, which made the pain go away quicker. I found during both my labours that physically relaxing my body reduced the pain - not the intensity, but the duration. I would have been quite happy to have it again with no. 2 - but I held on so long thinking that the pain was bound to get even worse (I didn't want to use up my pain relief options too soon!)that by the time I asked for it it was too late and dd was born 15 mins later! The one thing I would say is that I have much clearer memories of the couple of hours immediately after the birth the second time round, but that may have been because my labour was only half as long as the first time, so I was less knackered.

Lil, I had pethidine with no. 1 and was b**y grateful for it! As I remember, it didn't reduce the pain directly, but it made it much easier to relax between contractions, which made the pain go away quicker. I found during both my labours that physically relaxing my body reduced the pain - not the intensity, but the duration. I would have been quite happy to have it again with no. 2 - but I held on so long thinking that the pain was bound to get even worse (I didn't want to use up my pain relief options too soon!)that by the time I asked for it it was too late and dd was born 15 mins later! The one thing I would say is that I have much clearer memories of the couple of hours immediately after the birth the second time round, but that may have been because my labour was only half as long as the first time, so I was less knackered.

I had pethedine and don't think I'll bother again(I'm hoping in 10 yrs time when I have no. 2 they'll have invented something wonderful without risking spinal cord damage like epi's) I thought the same as you Lil, bit out of it but no actually pain relief. I also managed to knock myself sick on gas and air so will restrict that too. However as we all know, its easy to have these resolutions now but when it comes to 'that' amount of pain again and smiley midwife offers a slight improvement in a jab - will I REALLY say no?

When my dd was born 9 years ago, I had gas and air to start with. Because "they" thought I wasn't coping with the pain too well, they decided I needed to have pethidine. It turns out I wasn't dealing with the pain too well, because I was further advanced in my labour then they thought! I was given pethidine at 11:15 pm and my dd was born at 11:35 pm - 20 minutes later. Because you are not supposed to give birth within 4 hours of having pethidine because of the effect it has on the baby, my dd was whisked away and given the anti-pethidine drug (whatever it is called) to bring her round and make her as responsive as she should have been.

with my ds and newly-born dd, I just have gas and air.

I found the pethidine did work - just made me feel as though I was floating on the ceiling!

Hmm..if you have to be 4 hours away from the birth, I can imagine not claiming pethidine fast enough second time around - like Azzie. Maybe pethidine is worth it as a psychological boost, even though it sounds like no-one else rated it as a pain killer either - the thought of getting by on just gas 'n air though is frightening...I think I'm worrying more 2nd time around !!

I've had pethidine and found its pain-relieving qualities non-existent. It made me so woozy that I 'came to' in the middle of huge contractions, without the normal build up. I felt completely out of control and had memory blanks, which I hated. I was determined not to have it last time and coped with G&A instead. FWIW, I'm not convinced that works, either, but at least it's something to do!

I've always had intense admiration for a woman who intentionally goes through childbirth with no pain relief. I'm of the school that says 'stick it right there, nurse'!!! I had pethedine about 3 hours before number 2 was born, fully intending to be a 'real woman' and experience all the 'glory of becoming a mother' etc etc - then thought sod this, it's bloody painful! I was very lucky because I was only actually in the labour room for those 3 hours after the injection, which makes me wonder that if I had held out a bit longer would I have had only son sooner?! I'll never know!!

I had 4 large canistors and 2 small of gas and air, dh hand and the pool. In fact in the last stages I didnt have anything. In September Ill do the same. Like you Lizzer epidurals scare me.

Pethedene did nothing for me either - just left me feeling spaced out. G & A just made me feel sick. I think it's just something to do - think about your breathing and not the pain.

My husband had a lot of surgery when he was a teenager. His chest was growing inwards and crushing his heart and lungs so he went through some demolition and rebuilding work, twice as a grew more than expected.

When it came to discussing pain relief, in childbirth as he had had the protracted proscribed drug research, he was able to advise against pethidine. He said it was alright to begin with, but made you go woozy and was hell when you needed a top up.

Water is a good way of getting the edge off the pain... have you tried homeoapthy, I was recommended chamomillum to take non-stop during the labour. I thought it help... but it was still a painful experience !

Pain relief during birth of dd;

For some strange reason the midwife started me off with ASPIRIN,
then ½ dose Pethidine
then full dose Pethidine (felt really woozy)
Gas & Air at the same time
Eventually no choice but to have Epidural, that was wonderful!
Because of all of that, especially Pethidine I threw up afterwards (after having a slice of toast).

When ds was born I only needed Gas & Air, suppose I didn't really NEED it, it just took my mind off the contractions.

My advice about pain relief is to see how it goes, and ask for whatever, whenever.

Pamina - my epidural (not a mobile epi) didn't work either.
I was petrified of taking Pethidine since it had made my sister lose conciousness and badly affected her baby (was 16 years ago), and after 2 days of contractions I was so tired I chose an epidural in the hope that it would help me relax and doze a bit before the big push.

The epidural made both my legs numb, yet at the same time painful (like they had gone to sleep), but it had no effect on the contractions. The midwives kept insisting that it was working, spraying cold spray on my bump and saying 'See you can't feel that can you?' - I could!!
Near the end I was being rolled from side to side as the midwives thought I was in danger of getting bedsores from immobility.
I was so busy concentrating on getting through the pain I didn't even think to ask for gas and air (dh was asleep through most of this - no help at all!).
Looking back at it now I should have asked for the epidural to be switched off (thus regaining my legs) and asked for gas'n'air.
I was horrified when, finally, the midwives decided that there was no way ds could be delivered naturally (too big and side on) and I had to have a c-section. The thought of being cut open with no pain relief was an extra stress on top of the un-planned cesarian. I had to get confirmation that the drugs they use for the section were stronger than those that I had been having, even so I was scared!
I also have 3 friends whose epidurals didn't take over the entire area (most commonly there's a strip down the middle which is still painful).
If I have a second babe I'll go for gas'n'air before considering another epidural, and I want my 'partner' to be awake (and of course I've ordered a smaller baby in a perfect position!)

I went into labour prepared to ask for pain relief. I thought I would try the gas and air and then, if necessary, pethidine (epidurals weren't available at our hospital when DS was born in 1999, but I wasn't keen on the idea of one anyway!). I ended up having no pain relief at all, it just didn't occur to me to ask for any as I was so busy breathing through all my (very irregular) contractions. I don't know if it was the pain relief taht made you all feel groggy or "out of it" as I felt exactly the same way after labour with no pain relief at all...and in shock as the labour was quite quick (under 3 hours). Baby no. 2 is due at the end of April and I would like to try it again with no chemical pain relief, will let you knwo how it goes!

i had two that didn't work! or rather only took effect on one side and then wore off! apparently it happens in 20% of cases. i had the cold spray thing too and yes i could feel it! although i asked for mobile epis, and the midwives agreed that's what i would get, i didn't and legs went to sleep quite uncomfortably, the effect lasting for hours after the birth. at one point it looked like i might have to have a c-section, and the team were explaining the risks to me. i told them the biggest risk was that their *** anaesthetic wouldn't work!! apologised later though!

biggest advantage, initially at least was that i could sleep having been in pain for about 26 hours at that stage.

disadvantage 1 - slowed everything right down, and it was not cracking along to begin with! finally gave birth 16 hours later.

disadvantage 2 - because of the above they gave me that drug (syntocynon??) to speed matters up, but it also increased the pain, because the epi wasn't working! i ended up refusing it none too politely at one stage - further apologies required later!

oh well, in the end it was just a couple of bad days!

My midwife told me that you are not just sick from g&a but it is your body giving a helping hand with the contractions.

I had a tens machine at first then gas and air - both worked really well, but when I needed something stronger they gave me pethidine 'and something to help you relax' - whatever that was! Anyway I dozed and giggled for about an hour. It was fab and I would have enjoyed it even more had I known that dd was a transverse posterior and they had noone to give me a c-section! So I had a ventouse and forceps delivery with NOTHING - pethidine had long worn off and they took the gas and air away! I reckon I've earnt my childbirth stripes and for the next one I'm having an epidural and the WORKS - preferably general anaesthetic!!!

My first ds whos now 6 was a horrible labour i opted for a epidural after trying gas and air and hateing it,it turned out that he was brow presentation and after 2 failed attempts at a forcep delivery i ended up haveing a section, iwas very glad i had an epidural,my 2nd dd was prem at 32 wks,it was a very quick delivery,although still very painfull,i had 2 strong contractions and asked for an epi again after an examination i was shocked to find i was already 10 cm and was told to push, she arrived after 1 push ,so i had no time for any pain releif ,i am now expecting no 3 and am haveing a planned section. I have heard alot said against epidurals but personally have had no probs, i am planning to have another epidural so i can be awake again at this delivery.

I clenched the mouth piece between my teeth and nobody was taking it away.