Pethidine

[lolalalabing]

I'm 35+4 and am hoping to give birth at my local midwife led unit where the strongest pain relief they offer is pethidine. At our NCT classes pethidine didn't score very highly when we were assessing the risks and benefits to both mother and baby but the midwives at the unit have said that it can be really good at relaxing you and helping you dilate when administered at the right time and that there's very little to no risk for either mother or baby.

Does anyone have any experience of taking pethidine, especially at a midwife-led unit?

Thanks

[MrsPatMustard]

I had Meptid, which is meant to be easier on the baby, didn't work AT ALL. Wished to God I'd gone for Pethidine...

[minifingers]

"Wished to God I'd gone for Pethidine..."

Pethidine isn't more effective than Meptid. Some people just get crap analgesia that family of drugs (opioids) for labours

[TheWanderingUterus]

I had it about an hour before DD was born. It made me feel trapped and woozey and out of it. It added to my panic and took away none of the pain, but I couldn't communicate this through the fog.

I have very little memory of DDs first hours other than struggling whilst she alternately zonked out and screamed hysterically. I believe it was a contributing factor to my PTSD and PND. The first thing I put down on my birth plan with DS was 'NO pethidine'.

[butternut22]

I had diamorphine, which is similar. It really helped. No bad side effects for me and baby. I could still feel the pain but I felt more detached from it and it was less intense.