What pain relief did you go for and recommend?

[asongforthelovers]

What pain relief did you opt for, would you recommend it and opt again?

Not long to go until labour and I’m a bit nervous. I have put in labour plan I’m open to anything.

Labour went fast with baby no.2 and only got G&A and it’s scared me for this time.

I've only used G&A but when I was having dc3 it ran out (home birth) and I realised I was much better without it. I can highly recommend Daisy birthing classes as I only used breathing with dc4.

I had liquid morphine twice, G&A and an epidural.

Liquid morphine was useless. G&A was amazing and I think it only stopped working because I had been in labour for over 50 hours by that point. Epidural was what I needed (I had synthetic hormone drip) even though I swore blind I would never have one before I went into labour!

I used a TENS machine for all three which worked well for the first 2 but my contractions amped up too fast for it to be effective for DC3. I also used gas and air each time which I loved. For DC1 I used pethidine which I hated. My birthplan for DC2 was 'No pethidine'. Different people respond in different ways to drugs though, I know a few people who felt sick when they had gas and air and others who swear by pethidine. You just have to wait and see on how your labour goes and how you react.

Aw wow, go you😊

I’m being induced with no.3. and really nervous this time round. Not sure if it’s knowing what’s coming that’s making me feel like this. Hoping like the other 2 I go with the flow when it starts.

Not too sure on the other pain reliefs and if they help etc

What is daisy birthing?

Straightforward vaginal birth (induced with pessary) I had a TENS and gas and air. Worked fine

second was induced (waters broken and syntocinon drip) and (unrelated to that) back to back. Epidural much needed and was excellent.

I had G&A both times, 1st made me feel rotten but helped with 2nd.

Just have a fear this time round, going in with open mind and will be requesting whatever is available if needed.

I really hope it goes smoothly this time round 😰

Have use had any issues after birth with epidural?

I had an epidural for the latter part of an induction. Was truly lovely. Had a nice sleep!! Worst bit about it was the miles of sticky tape securing it in place and trying to scrub the residue off!
I was also pleasantly surprised by how well my tens machine worked, so much more effective for me than gas and air.

Aw great, were you able to push on your own?

I really don’t want to experience pain, aye right!! 😰😰

I really recommend a TENS it kept me sane a little longer after they found me one due to me being in tears with pain. I've used one fir both births and would again. Apart from TENS just good old gas and air for me.

By the time I decided I need something more it's too late!

Nothing as I woke up in my bed and 4 minutes later I was sat on my bathroom floor holding a baby thinking WTF just happened..🙈😂.

thedaisyfoundation.com/daisy-birthing/

With Dd, I was given pethidine on the sly the night before I was induced to help me sleep - and boy did it!! Within about 10 mins I was completely out for the count! That made me realise I definitely wouldn't want that lack of control over my body while in labour. I went ahead with the induction and did well for a while with nothing, then the synto drip was started and I opted to try G&A but it made me vomit spectacularly
Had DS at home, again decided to try some G&A but again, I was sick so went without.
My point is, you don't know what your pain threshold is like until you get there - the first time, I was all for drugs! I figured why be in pain if I don't have to be? But after the pethidine experience, I decided against using drugs, and was surprised at what contractions actually felt like. Yes they were the most intense pain I've ever experienced, but it was mostly manageable using alternative techniques (hypnobirthing, aromatherapy, water etc)

I’ll look into tens machine.

That sounds bliss Salene 😁😁

OMG Salene! Awesome! (?)

I think I will go with flow once again when it starts but boy am I so nervous thinking about the crowning and pushing part again 😥

I had the much maligned pethidine after over a week of frequent contractions, and it gave me 50 minutes of blissful, uninterrupted sleep.

Morphine did nothing for me, G&A didn't seem to do much, but gave me something to concentrate on which helped. Then an epidural the first time and a spinal the second time (EMCS both times) - preferred the spinal as it wore off much more quickly and I didn't have to wait in recovery for 45 mins.

Afterwards, diclofenac and paracetamol did the trick both times, which surprised me a bit, because when it comes to things like toothache I go straight to co-codamol as the others don't seem to help.

I had nothing, not even gas and air. Not because I was brave but because it was a Saturday and no-one was available to give it to me! (I am abroad though! )

Sorry - I just scrolled up and re-read MyBread's comment - I don't mean maligned by you Eggy, and I can see in your case it wasn't right for you.

For me, I hadn't slept for more than 20 minutes in a block for over a week, and I was losing all perspective and reason - that 50 minutes was exactly what I needed at the time.

I'd done all the hypno birthing CDs, and I actually think that those, with the G&A got me to the point where I could say that I would hold off another hour while waiting my turn in the ER, and have a spinal, rather than go for a full on epidural there and then, so I certainly think the positive thinking/meditation stuff helps out an awful lot too.

Epidural all the way! It was blissful and would 100% have the same again!

Do you get epidural as soon as you arrive or do you have to be a centre stage?

The first time I was induced (gel, then drip), and offered an epidural whenever I felt I needed it (by full whack on the drip, I needed it).

The second time, I wasn't induced, and was offered it when the midwife decided I was making too much fuss (I've never dilated more than 2cm - in days of not-officially-labour-but-bloody-painful-contractions-none-the-less) - but I held off for a spinal in the operating theatre instead. Each time I was already in a delivery room, so I don't think you'd be offered if you were on the labour ward (or whatever it's called if you're not in a delivery room yet)

Ah ok, I was sent down to labour ward last time and baby came 20 mins later.

Can you get spinal with vaginal?

Just want it over with but don’t want to experience the pain. I am out of hospital tonight after few days stay. I was in room above labour ward, some of the women have put the fear in me listening to them.

I loved gas and air but both mine were fast so I didn't have time for anything else/ didn't have to cope with being tired etc

My epidural was great. I was up and walked to the shower on my own within 2hrs of giving birth.

With labour #1 I was worried about it and thought I wouldn't be able to move with an epidural and it really put me off. I didn't need it then.

With #2 it was a totally different labour and gas and air didn't cut it at all. Back to back is so different and I needed the block. I could still feel pressure to push, I just couldn't feel the pain. I also got some respite to sleep which was much needed.