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Childbirth

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

Original poster

People’s experiences of pethidine?

34 replies

Piggywiggles · 27/02/2019 10:16

Did it help you in childbirth or did you find it to be quite weak?

I’ve had some this morning as I’m getting contractions but I’m only 2cm and was desperate to sleep but I’m a bit worried now that it’s not going to be strong enough for labour?

OP posts:
IggyPoppers · 27/02/2019 10:17

Did about as much as a paracetamol would have done - bugger all! Second Labour I held out for a waking epidural and it was fab.

meganmc0301 · 27/02/2019 15:20

I used it throughout my induced back to back labour.. great for the pain but the side effects were awful for me. Constant vomiting and feeling out of control no thanks 😂 I'll definitely not be having it this time round!! But that's just my experience

Youngandfree · 27/02/2019 15:22

I loved it 😂😂😂

fedupandlookingforchange · 27/02/2019 15:26

It did allow me to sleep but made me very out of it, with hindsight I should have gone straight for the epidural which I had a bit later on. I was 6 cm and very tired when I had the pethidine so that probably added to the out of it feeling.

Original poster
Piggywiggles · 27/02/2019 15:57

Thanks all!

I did enjoy my time on it earlier but I was only 2cm 😂 I don’t think I’m anymore dilated now so I was worried incase it won’t scratch the surface. Also a bit worried about the effect it has on the baby :/

OP posts:
CottonSock · 27/02/2019 16:00

Did nothing except a huge bruise and made me feel a bit drunk

rosydreams · 27/02/2019 16:03

so glad i had with my daughter it allowed me to sleep before birth it wore off after the birth and i was fine

MyBreadIsEggy · 27/02/2019 16:05

I had it the night before my induction was started because the MW said it would help me sleep while other women were in active labour on the ward.
Within 10 minutes of the injection (which felt like some sort of fire needle in my butt cheek) I felt like I’d had a heavy night on tequila Confused I felt extremely drunk, and passed out within about 15 mins. Best nights sleep I’ve ever had though.
Made me realise I wouldn’t want to feel that way in labour, so I chose to avoid it.

TheLionQueen1 · 27/02/2019 16:11

I have pethidine with my DS and it was a wonderful wonderful thing Grin Made me say some crazy stuff to my DH (I do remember saying it and it made sense to me at the time!) and I found it worked for me/was strong enough with the gas and air. Only DS though so nothing to compare it to in regards to taking anything else!

TheLionQueen1 · 27/02/2019 16:11

Had not have!

MaidenMotherCrone · 27/02/2019 16:24

It was horrible stuff, I was given too much and was hallucinating. Worst of all my baby went flat and had to be resuscitated. He's almost 25 but I still have flashbacks. Baby 2 and 3 came with gas and air.

Disfordarkchocolate · 27/02/2019 16:26

Awful for me, stopped the labour but not the pain. Useful in my last labour while we waited for an emergency c-section for shirt while.

Thatsnotmyotter · 27/02/2019 16:29

I went into hospital when I couldn’t progress beyond 4cm at home (had been labouring for 24 hours, planned homebirth) with my back to back baby. Contractions were still painful but I managed to snooze between them for about an hour. I quite enjoyed it for that hour! It got me to 6cm and I was able to get into the pool after some rest. Unfortunately I still ended up with a section but it served it’s purpose at the time!

As a midwife I’ve seen ladies have it in early labour, have a sleep and wake up 6/7/8cm countless times. I think when used correctly it can be magic stuff! If used later on it tends not to really do much because if you’re already really worked up and tense, it isn’t able to relax you so much.

Soubriquet · 27/02/2019 16:31

I had it when I went into early labour. It completely knocked me out in to stone cold sleep.

Which is what I needed really as I was too early to give birth (28 weeks).

Luckily my labour was halted until 37.

But because of how I reacted to not before, they didn’t want me to have it in labour labour

teyem · 27/02/2019 16:31

Bloody wonderful stuff.

Zebrasinpyjamas · 27/02/2019 16:31

My mw told me after I'd had it that it doesn't change the pain but makes you less, aware of it. (not helpful). The pain was, definitely still there but I felt drunk and out of it. Time passed quickly I suppose. I chose other options for labour the next time around!

chilledteacher · 27/02/2019 16:32

Horrible. Really graphic hallucinations and felt like I wasn't in control of my body. Confused

randomsabreuse · 27/02/2019 16:33

Made me sleep between (frequent) contractions. Pointless during...

coffeeforone · 27/02/2019 16:35

I absolutely hated it. Did nothing for the pain but made me vomit and feel very strange. I gave birth quickly after they administered it and it also affected DS for the first 24 hours he was so sleepy and wouldn't feed. My entire birth plan for DC2 consisted of 2 words - "no pethadine"

My labour was actually longer with DS2 but It was so much better and I felt more aware and in control of the pain and birth. I did use a lot of gas and air though!

anothernamereally · 27/02/2019 16:39

Knocked me out cold between contractions and vomiting- never again!

SingingSands · 27/02/2019 16:40

Loved it. I was much more advanced though and been labouring all night and day by the time I had it. I was so tired and contractions were exhausting me.

Midwife administered pethidine on my request. I immediately felt like I'd been dipped into a warm bath!

I had a nap, woke up and felt amazing. Like, happy drunk. I was so much more relaxed. Went to loo and could feel waters bulging. Waddled back to ward and waters burst like a tidal wave. Then contractions ramped up so we headed to delivery suite. Baby born about 3 hours later and was completely fine.

First labour and it was about 28hrs in total. The pethidine made such a difference to my labour, it had all got a bit much by that point and it really helped to relax me, give me a rest and then come back strongest ready for the birth.

Poppyseed1663 · 27/02/2019 16:41

Did absolutely nothing for the pain and made me feel drunk. In hindsight I wish I hadn't had it.

HiGunny · 27/02/2019 16:45

I had it after being induced. It helped me sleep a bit but I vomited a lot too. I still had another 24 hours of labour after it so ended up with epidural as well (now that was bliss!)

GreyRoses · 27/02/2019 16:48

It calmed me down but due to a medical
emergency, the baby was born less than an hour later and slept for the next few days 😆
It wasn't good timing and obviously the medical staff try and avoid giving birth so soon, but for that reason, I wouldn't ask for it again.

IlonaRN · 27/02/2019 17:06

It didn't take the pain away from me, it took me away from the pain.