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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

what.pain relief did you use and at what stage?

56 replies

UptownFunk00 · 17/02/2016 17:02

I had my DD2 last week was just curious when/if people used pain relief and if so how far along?

I started active labour about 9pm Monday night and had DD2 at 12.20 on Wednesday afternoon. I wasn't confirmed established until 3am on Wednesday.

Started Gas and air at 4cm and then epidural at 6ish about an hour and a half later.

Just interested in others experiences.

OP posts:

vvviola · 18/02/2016 20:55

That reminded me, NotCitrus I never got to use my bloody TENS. First time around, DD was a bit early, so I hadn't got it yet (the place hiring won't give them to you until you reach 36 weeks). Second time around I went into hospital for a routine check, only to discover that I was 5cm already. And the bloody TENS was at home.

I was quite put out by that...

MoggieMaeEverso · 18/02/2016 21:45

Second baby. Homebirth. Lots of breathing. A bit of swearing. Managed to jump in the birthing pool just as baby came sliding out!

First baby, used a TENS but didn't like it as it took my mind off what I was doing. Spent ages in the water. Was very scared and didn't know what I was doing.

Both were good experiences but I definitely had more confidence and was more relaxed for the second.

I'm more scared of the idea of an epidural than giving birth! Funny how different things work for us all.

museumum · 18/02/2016 21:49

Tens machine up to 8cm then g&a and pool to last push. Lidocaine locally for stitch (just one).

SquidgeyMidgey · 18/02/2016 21:50

Paracetamol. The one time you get the keys to the drug cabinet and all I had was paracetamol. My birth plan listed every drug going but with DC1 I was already fully dilated when I got to hospital and wasn't offered anything (in fairness I didn't ask) just told to push. DC2 was at home and by the time the mw turned up it was almost over. Almost having a third so I can have a go on some good meds

Dixiechick17 · 18/02/2016 22:44

vvviola I didn't get to use my TENS machine either, first contraction hit and it went right out of my head that I had even hired one.

Natsku · 19/02/2016 06:26

I bought a TENS machine and went forgot it at home!

They took my G&A away when it was time to push and I got very upset as I was rather attached to it by that point (after telling the doctor that I was fucking high ) and didn't think to ask for it back for the stitches, wish I did though, I miss that stuff.

KeyserSophie · 19/02/2016 06:34

I had a mobile epidural at 7cm both times- with DS that was a few hours after I arrived at hospital, with DD is was basically as soon as I arrived. Also had a local for the stitches with DS as the epidural had worn off.

spydie · 21/02/2016 09:54

Was induced, roughly 12 hours in started on paracetamol, then tried a bath, then codeine, which did nothing. Examined at about 16 hours in and only 1cm, so ended up with pethidine. Hadn't wanted it due to all the horror stories but it sent me to a dazed place where I coped better with the contractions. Wore off after 2 hours, at that point only 2cm and waters broke spontaneously, so had more pethidine which didn't touch it but dazed me some more! Next 6 hours or so until midnight were unbearable in a half conscious kind of way. Finally transferred to delivery suite, gas and air absolutely useless, and mobile epidural at 4cm which was the best thing ever. Then told baby was back to back...!

Ended up with forceps delivery as she semi turned and was getting stuck, along with hb dropping with my contractions, which turned out to be due to the cord round her neck.

allegretto · 21/02/2016 09:56

Congratulations! I didn't have any pain relief or gas and air for my son's induced birth - not out of choice, just that my hospital didn't have any!

Lj8893 · 21/02/2016 09:56

Nothing. Had a very quick labour though.

insancerre · 21/02/2016 10:03

First time I had gas and air because there wasn't time for the pethidine to work
Second time I had nothing as there wasn't time for the midwife to go and get the gas and air
First time I arrived at the hospital 8 cm dilated after I'd done the weekly shop and a bit of tidying up
The second time I arrived at the hospital fully dilated after taking dc1 to school and having a bath
Both times I hadnt realised I was in labour, just had a bit of back ache and then the contractions came very close together very quickly and that's when I went in

Runningupthathill82 · 21/02/2016 10:43

First time (horrifically painful and long back to back labour) - hot bath for first 5 hours at home, then hospital water pool with gas and air for next 15 hours or so.
Pethidine after that, finishing with an epidural for the forceps delivery.

Second time, nothing apart from a hot bath at home to 9cm. Gas and air in the birthing pool for the pushing stage, which took around an hour.

My second labour was easy (but still painful!),my first was horrific. Nothing much to do with "pain threshold" IMO, it's sheer luck.

kiki22 · 21/02/2016 15:31

I can't really remember times I was pretty out of it but I had everything going, i was induced and had the dreaded drip, DS was back to back and I have a pretty exciting hip problem which was made worse my contractions and being forced to stay on my back to moniter DS falling heart rate. I went in with my tens machine thinking I can do this but once it started I was begging for pain relief. I had co codamol, pethidine then after 8 hours went to the labour ward I was given a higher dose of pethidine and gas and air, then maybe 4 hours later they suggested an epidural because I was in so much pain and not going anywhere, that didn't fully work so i kept the gas and air too, then I was transfered to theatre for a section gotna spinal, then they decided to use forceps instead took so long I needed a top up and more pethidine.

Was high as a kite and can hardly remember anything just bits and bobs then once back in the ward the comedown was awful I felt like a junky.

kiki22 · 21/02/2016 15:33

Pretty exciting is supposed to say pre existing the auto correct in this thing gets pretty excited!

TheDisillusionedAnarchist · 21/02/2016 16:02

I nearly got paracetamol but was too sick, so I took it afterwards, since active labour took 15 minutes, it wasn't too bad. Sad to have missed out on the gas and air though, was great for the stitches.

stargirl1701 · 21/02/2016 16:10

Bath and TENS from twinges with both.

Birth ball and visualisations with breathing once contractions got regular.

Pool with DD1 on arrival at midwife unit. 3 hours until birth in the pool.

Gas and air with ball and birth mat on arrival at midwife unit. 1 hour until birth on the mat.

That's it.

stargirl1701 · 21/02/2016 16:11

Bath then TENS. I did not wear the TENS in the bath

Pinkheart5915 · 22/02/2016 00:06

I had my son in September and only had gas and air for pushing

NickyEds · 22/02/2016 14:31

Ds -got g&a after about 13 hours. Labour had to be augmented with the drip and I begged for an epidural. I got more paracetamol and a condescending look from the midwife. Screamed blue murder so was given a half dose of diamorphine but still no epidural because I "wasn't in labour". Ds was born three hours later. I had nightmares for a year.

Dd - had paracetamol straight away, went to hospital in agony after a couple of hours. I was told I wasn't in labour again, given diamorphine again, dd was born shortly after on a trolley in a closed induction suite. I got gas and air for the pushing stage once they believed I was actually in labour. Dd's birth was easier because it was so much quicker- 5 hours from start to finish.

Strokethefurrywall · 22/02/2016 17:17

DS1 - Hypnobirth techniques for 4 hours then G&A for 5 minutes at 9cms, then had it removed so I could use oxygen to push effectively. I don't remember pushing being all that painful, nor do I remember crowning. I do remember thinking that this must be what it was like to poo a bowling ball though.
Guessing that I had local anesthetic for the stitches but my OBGYN is bloody amazing and I didn't feel that either.

DS2 - Epidural at 4cms I think. Was 11pm and I wanted to go to sleep. Baby arrived at 6am so a slightly longer labor than DS1.

purplepineapples · 24/02/2016 17:40

Epidural for both, was amazing. Made both births so relaxed and chilled.

Had DS2 yesterday and it was lovely, I was induced, the epidural didn't slow down my contractions, I only needed to push for 10 mins and no tearing or stitches. Bliss. Had codeine earlier when the contractions ramped up which was bloody lovely too!

scaryg · 24/02/2016 21:28

Had DS last Tuesday and only used a TENS machine. Contractions started at 4am, put TENS machine on at 12pm, waters broke at 2.15pm, got to hospital car park at 3.10pm, examined on arrival to MLU was 6cm (8cm when I had a contraction), had DS at 4.32pm. They tried giving me G&A but I couldn't get the hang of it. (I'm so bloomin chuffed with myself, that I got the positive birth I wanted this time - my DD was totally the opposite I had every intervention going)

elliejjtiny · 25/02/2016 02:44

Congratulations. I've had 5 very different births.

DS1 - water. Used birth pool from 38 weeks on and off and then continuously when in established labour

DS2 - water for latent stage, then gas and air for established labour

DS3 - tens and birth ball for early bit (didn't like tens, felt like pins and needles) then gas and air for last hour

DS4 - spinal for ELCS

DS5 - water at the beginning, then birth ball and gas and air. Spinal when I needed an EMCS.

FilthyPout · 25/02/2016 03:45

Tuesday 4pm - failed pessery induction. Contractions ramped up and trailed off and where completely gone by next morning. Was given paracetamol and codene twice.
Waited for space on labour ward, drip induction started 1pm Friday, had nothing until waters broken at 11pm. Had g&a from around that time until Ds was born at 4am.

Actually got insanely irritated by midwife constantly pushing me for an epidural. That was the last thing I wanted and had made it very clear! I mustn't have looked like I was coping very well!

Eastpoint · 25/02/2016 03:56

Tens for second child, nothing for first or third. First was back to back, third was induced.

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