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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Pain Relief, what did you have?

71 replies

jofeb04 · 28/06/2006 19:23

Im really interested in your views on the following:

What pain relief did you use during labour?

Did you have any complications?

The reason Im interested in this is because many people say that various pain relief can cause complications, but in my case, the complications caused the pain relief

TIA

BTW, the information will be printed off, but will be held in confidence.

OP posts:

Lemmingswife · 04/07/2006 18:13

I went straight for the epidural both times! I am a big coward & had epidural on my birth plans!
I didn't have any complications, other than the fact that my second epidural with DS2 didn't work & I felt that horrible pain!
The one I had during my first labour was great!

Blandmum · 04/07/2006 18:15

with dd

a warm bath
a tens machine
gas and air
diamorphine (twice)
and finaly an epidural

there were all great, at the time I took them. No side effects with any of them.

Ended up with a section and there were no complications with that either

controlfreaky · 04/07/2006 18:18

nowt. not even an aspitin. swearing at dh helped when going got rough! lovely waterbirth

noodlekitkat · 04/07/2006 18:38

It is amazing how different each birth is, even from first child to second etc.

motherofboys · 04/07/2006 18:38

Three babies all with TENS and gas n air (wonderful stuff - they should sell it in Boots!)
My choices were based on the wonderful information I was given in my antenatal NCT classes and were written into my birth plan. If I had had complications of any sort, which thankfully I didn't I wouldhave had an epidural. At the time Pethadine was also offered but i would not have tasken it as I did not like the sound of its side effects. I also think that the breathing exercises we were taught and i practised helped a huge amount with relaxation and therefore pain control.

noodlekitkat · 04/07/2006 18:39

controlfreaky: Do you think you got used to the pain as it progressed? People say that endorphins kick in after a while?

noodlekitkat · 04/07/2006 18:41

motherofboys: forgot about breathing exercises. Did you practice them before hand regularly or did you just go for it on the day?

Xavielli · 04/07/2006 18:43

I don't think you get used to it ( had nothing with either of mine) but you do realise that they don't last long and they do go away... which helps you to relax in between and stay relatively calm during... I agree.. shouting and swearing works wonders!

hana · 04/07/2006 18:44

noodlekitkat - I had an open mind with both labours - the midwife ( same woman both times, lucky me!) did not in any way try to steer me towards one type or another- I was so pleased first time to have epidural after a few sleepless nights etc etc but second time just didn't feel I needed it

noodlekitkat · 04/07/2006 18:53

Thanks for comments everyone.

NomDePlume · 04/07/2006 19:12

Nothing.

3 hour (from 1st contraction at home to delivery in hospital) complication free full term labour. Very, very intense and I HAD to keep moving about (couldn't have coped being forced to stay on a bed). IMO (and that of the midwives on the labour/postnatal wards), me moving around a lot helped the labour to progress quickly (DD had gravity on her side ) and helped me deal with the pain

hermykne · 04/07/2006 19:15

no 1
gas and air - made me sick and hallucinatory!
emergency c/s and epidural

no 2
c/s epidural

massive suppositories after both - well they felt huge and uncomfortable but helped

no against any type of pain relief
i was 13 hrs in labour, prob 2 active and in pain before i got the epi. welcomed it.

pebblemum · 04/07/2006 19:27

DS1 - tens machine during early stages, nothing
after. (labour 21hrs)

DS2 - 2 puffs of gas and air when I got to
hospital 30mins before he arrived, made me
feel sick so didnt have anything after.
(labour 5hrs in total)

bramblina · 04/07/2006 19:43

I had always planned to go as drug free as possible, and I was lucky that I managed it. My idea was that (for me) the fewer drugs I had, the less intervention there would be, and recovery would be quicker- ie if I had no epidural, I would always be aware of the level of pain- no worry as to when it would wear off and the pain would hit me, IYSWIM.

I woke at 1am with strong labour pains, got to hospital at 4- I was 3cm, used a birthing ball around 6am, I was sick twice at 7am, began using the tens machine at 9am, at 10am was 6-7am, began using gas and air around 11 or 12 md and ds was born at 3.10pm. I had a 2nd degree tear. For me, having the stitches was the worst part! I think because throughout the birth I had completely withdrawn and felt I was dealing with the pain myself as much as poss.

I have often wondered how women know it was the gas and air which made them sick, as many say, because I was sick before I used it, and have since learned that being sick is common (hadn't known before).

Sorry if rambling, but HTH.

Steppy1 · 04/07/2006 19:54

just gas and air with DS - 2 and a half hours - and a "marathon" (for me ) 4 and half hours with second just on the good old g & a...though I was induced (waters broken) then syntocinon drip to get things going.....I looooved giving birth !

serenity · 04/07/2006 19:55

DS1 - TENS machine (hated it, made my back twitch) then Gas and Air which I overdid, and was made to take a break, before I insisted on having it back at the end. DS was OP and didn't really want to come out - had to be monitored with a scalp clip because his heart rate dipped so low during my contractions, but had no interventions in the end. Had to be monitored due to blood loss afterwards, but that was due to DSs position.

DS2 - Gas and Air. He was induved and after they put me on the drip I found the contractions very intense. When I asked for Pethadine it was because they said I would have at least another 4 or 5 hours of labour to go. He actually came out 20 minutes later, before the stuff had had a chance to start working. No complications

DD - Gas and Air, no complications

I decided pre DS1 to work my way through the drugs, starting with the weakest. I don't really like taking drugs, so didn't really want to jump in right at the top of the list! Plus I saw the Epidural needle at one of the antenatal classes, and there is no way I could have had that put in my back unless I was desperate, plus I have several contra indications for it (existing back problems, low blood pressure and migraine sufferer) Also wanted to get home afterwards ASAP

FrayedKnot · 04/07/2006 19:56

What pain relief did you use during labour?

Gas & air

Did you have any complications?

DS was getting distressed after 2 hours pushing (not sure if I was distressed or not lol) - he turned out to have cord over his shoulder. Ventouse was suggested, but managed to get him out on my own just in the nick of time, with help of brill MW.

So pain releif & complications totally unrelated.

JoshandJamie · 04/07/2006 20:11

Gas and air for number 1 - no complications

Hynobirthing for number 2 - best birth ever. No complications

WellKnownMemorablePeachyClair · 04/07/2006 20:49

DS1. Induction at 38 weeks- pethidine (hated the G &A)

DS2- half dose of pethidine, gas and air (loved it this time!), aromatherapy- 40+ hour labour

DS3- half dose peth, G&A

sarahlou1uk · 05/07/2006 08:50

DS - TENS machine, waterbirth, Gas & air

DD - Will let you know!

FloatingOnTheMed · 05/07/2006 08:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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