induced labour and pethidine as pain killer

[user1491067594]

I am going to be induced on the 38th week which is next week as baby is getting bigger due to GD. this is my first pregnancy and I'm thinking of having pethidine as pain killer instead of epidural but I'm worried that pethidine won't be enough. Does any mums here experience induction with just pethidine as pain killer.

I wasn't induced, but I had contractions for 4 days (and nights), followed by a sweep. The head wasn't fully engaged, so my waters didn't break naturally. The midwife broke my waters in the birth centre.
I didn't use anything at home during the 4 days of contractions, until after the sweep.
I wanted as natural a birth as possible. I used my tens machine from after the sweep until I left for the hospital. I took it off to travel there. Then once I was in the birth centre I put it back on, at 9pm. I used it until 2, when I used the birth ball. My waters were broken at 3am. Then I used the birth pool for just over an hour. The tens, ball and pool really helped me a lot. I tired a tiny bit of gas and air. But I really didn't like it and it made me feel sick and gave me a headache.
I was exhausted after the 4 days in early labour, so at 4ish I had a pethadine injection so I could sleep/ rest. It was the best thing for me. I rested for 2 hours, until 6.45ish. I still felt the contractions, but it gave me a much needed energy burst. I gave birth at 6.58am.
I was adamant no epidural unless absolutely necessary. But what works for one won't work for another.
Good luck.

The pethadine just made me so relaxed. I "woke up" and felt fine and normal, not spaced out or out of control. The tiny bit of gas and air made me light headed tbh.
When I have baby number 2. I intend to try my tens for as long as possible, then birth ball and pool.
No gas and air, no epidural. If I need anything I would go for pethadine again.

I was induced with my first pregnancy. I had the drip. wasn't offered pethidine or epidural as my contractions came on very fast, Baby was born two hours after the drip was started. I just had gas and air.
No 2 I wasn't induced, has and air again and three hours this time.

Pethidine has no effect on me, I seem to be immune to it. I was given it during shockwave treatment for a kidney stone, the other patients were well out of it but I could have driven home afterwards.
The gas and air would have been better

I had the pessary then gave birth in water with gas and air. It wasn't that bad at all.

I was induced. The cowbag woman in the bed opposite spent two days telling me I'd be begging for an epidural. I had diamorphine instead of pethidine (I don't remember why one was chosen over the other!) and it was great. Didn't take the pain away but I dozed between contractions. It wore off just as I got ready to start pushing which was fab. I'd go through that birth again a million times over, brilliant experience. Gas and air was good stuff too

I also really enjoyed walking past the woman's bed on the PN ward the next morning while she was still all epidural-ed and stuck

Had pethidine with my first and hated it! Felt completely spaced out, in another planet and hardly remember any of my daughter's birth, and definitely still felt pain. Had an epidural with my second, best thing ever, I could still feel to push, but no pain. I knew exact what was going on in the room, could have clear conversations with DH and midwifes to understand what would happen next etc. Really calm and fully remember all my son's birth. A lovely experience.

I had an epidural couldn't use gas and air from nausea and vomiting, my plan was just gas and air.

I saw you mentioned it effecting pushing - for me it didn't at all. You have a button to press to administer the anaesthetic, if you don't press the button it wears off - so a couple of hours before pushing I stopped pressing it and felt the contractions and the urge to push.

For what it's worth, I don't think I would have had the energy to push if I hadn't had the epidural - I hadn't slept for a couple of days. Had the epidural, was 4cm , had a nap for a couple of hours, woke up and I was nearly fully dilated

Was advised to wait another hour after being fully dilated before pushing - had some snacks and a nice chat with birth partner / midwife before pushing out a 10lb baby in 10 minutes

I also had to have stitches - I was able to just press the button again and not feel a thing thank god.

Hope your labour goes well whatever you decide! From an epidural convert

Pethidine is a lie. Fuck pethidine, get an epidural.

I found it weird and disorientating... I had the most awful, violent, agonizing contractions, and then in between I went all floppy and felt myself sinking into the bed, as if I was going to fall asleep, even though I was terrified and in pain. Then another contraction would come. It was just another layer of weird/horrible and did not touch the pain.

In retrospect I suppose it was better than nothing but next time I am getting an epidural. Too late last time - thought I was dealing ok with the pain. Horrible experience

I've had 4 births, first 3 not induced and last induced at 38 weeks via pessary and it was a lot more painful to me!

I was adamant I was getting an epidural (missed having it the previous times) and I'm glad I did, I fell asleep! 5 cms dilated, strong contractions and I had a 30 minute nap. The epidural ran out before I got to the pushing stage so I was in control, felt everything and I would do it again if I could.

I had pethidine with my first two to relax me and it had the opposite effect both times.

With pethedine you don't know how you'll react to it until it's injected. So if you don't get on well with it it could be unpleasant. You may be able to time an epidural so you are still in control pushing. Having said that, some women don't need the extra pain relief even if induced, may make sense to take it as it comes and see how you go?

I loved pethidine! For me it was like being on gas and air permanently. Had it prescribed and in the house ready for a subsequent homebirth but didn't need it that time.

Don't rule it out, see how you go.

I'm not sure if you'll be on 'labour ward' or something lower risk given the induction, but this is a new option at my hospital (since last baby anyway!) if you are on labour ward. You still can't move around once you've had it and the anaesthetist needs to give it to you, but it sounded an interesting compromise - although not one that'd work for me so I've not looked into it in too much detail.

www.cmft.nhs.uk/media/1123145/remifentanil%20pca%20for%20women%20in%20labour.pdf