Has anyone had an induction and then laboured without pain relief?

[Thistledew]

I didn't need any pain relief when I gave birth to DC1. I wasn't being a martyr and yes, it bloody hurt, but the pain never became unmanageable for me so I didn't use any pain relief. I believe that this helped me remain in touch with what my body was doing during the birth and meant that I remained very much focussed and in control of the process.

Unfortunately, it seems that with DC2 I am heading for an induction. I am 40+5 with little sign of things progressing naturally and because I am now over the age of 40 the medical advice is not to delay. My preferred alternative of regular monitoring to check on baby whilst waiting for a spontaneous labour is not really feasible due to COVID.

So I'm just wondering if I do have to go down the option of a hormonal induction, what is my prospect of doing without pain relief again? Should I prepare myself that I'm not going to have the same sort of birth as first time around or is it still a possibility?

Just with gas and air: with my second I was induced at 39+3 due to reduced movement. I had my waters broken and after 2 hours I asked for some paracetamol as things were getting more painful. Turns out it was because I was ready to push. She was our 20 minutes later.
My first was 27 hours of back to back labour after waters broken with epidural and every other pain relief known to man so they couldn't have been more different.

Yes. Me. With my first.

I would say it was the same level of pain as my other births but no build up.

So it was more intense at the beginning as it was just BANG, started. Rather than an upwards graduation.

Yes, twice. Did use a bit of gas and air just before pushing. Labours number 5 and 6 and didn't find the pain any worse, including hormonal drip.

Please don't be worried.

Yes, just the gas. I have nothing to compare it to as DD1 was a planned section. I was open to more pain relief bit once I got to 8cm I felt I could stick it out.

Thanks both

Did you both have the syntocinon drip?

So far I've had manual procedures and a prostin pessary, which seems to have done very little.

I've been waiting 36 hrs now to have my waters broken- there simply hasn't been room in the delivery suite. They are struggling to muster enough medical teams as every time someone comes in with suspected covid symptoms they have to dedicate a team to that woman's care only so they are limited in the number of deliveries they can do at any one time.

Sorry - thanks to all the replies. I cross posted with some.

Just gas and air with first baby - pessary, followed by hormone drip, took 12-13 hours. It was obviously painful but I have nothing to compare it to .. I found the gas and air sufficient though and felt I had a good labour. Don’t worry about it if you went without for your first

Nope. Induction led to more interventions.

Yes, I had the drip. It really is the longest few days waiting so can only imagine what you're going through with all this. Please God it'll be over soon for you, xx

I had an epidural for the last 2 hours of my induced birth but no pain relief for the first 7 hours on the drip other than TENS. No pain relief for first birth at all. Tbh if I'd known it was only going to be a few more hours I would have skipped the epidural, but hindsight, eh. It is fairly unusual to go so long on a cranked-up pitocin drip without drugs though judging by the reaction of the midwives. It was intense Nd I would have loved the chance of water, but manageable.

I have had two inductions both with the drip. Laboured with just gas and air.

First, 40+13 I had pessary for 24 hours then had my waters broken, drip started, had baby in under 4 hours.

Second, 35+6 waters broke at home, failed to progress in hospital after 48 hours (no beds on delivery suite), once I had the drip baby was born in hour and half.

I think I was lucky compared to some of the stories on here. Seems one extreme to another.

Good luck OP especially in these circumstances

Yes! My waters broke but nothing really happened- eventually ended up in hospital on a syntocin drip. Managed it with just TENS machine and hypnobirth breathing. I didn’t even use gas or air mainly because midwife said I would on it for ages and I wanted to give myself somewhere to go. It was pretty intense but doable! Good luck.

No, and I made the mistake of trying to avoid an epidural because I was scared, but that meant I had a cascade of gradually increasing types of pain relief and ended up totally wrecked from the impact of them all esp the diamorphoine. Second time I had to be induced again but I made it clear I wanted epidural ASAP and it was much easier as I didn’t feel so drugged up in my head (and baby seemed less affected too - first time baby was sleepy from the diamorphine).

Just an idea if you get a chance to decide on strategy.

I hope things improve soon for you. I know the agony of waiting. If at all possible I would advise trying to get some rest if there is a pause (Amd before any drip as after drip it became really intense, no rest possible after that).

I mean if you are waiting now and nothing is happening, that’s what I mean by pause.

I did for my first and was vomiting in pain. Absolutely deranged by it, wished I was dead.
Never again.

Yes I was induced at 37 weeks I did try gas and Air but I couldn't do it properly so it didn't really work. It was hard but it was quick :)

No. Twice. Hurty. But I survived and no epidural was required. You’ll be grand.

I did. For most of it anyway. VBAC.

Drip started 8am day 1. No pessaries. Waters thought to be already broken 96+ hours earlier and swab showed GBS.

Drip turned off at midnight. Their policy said I couldn't be on the drip for over 24h. I wasn't allowed to eat whilst on the drip. They fed me at midnight and 7.30am.

Drip restarted at 8am day 2. At about 8pm (4cm) i agreed for a c/s. They sited an epidural for the operation. It didn't work very well. DS was born vaginally two hours later.

I did have gas and air.

Yes, for my last 2 babies. I was induced as had GD with both pregnancies. I found recovery very quick after both.

Thanks all.

I have my fingers firmly crossed that breaking my waters will get things moving without the need for a drip. But it's good to know that it doesn't necessarily mean losing control of it.

I did! It just has no build up. You go from 0-100 very quickly which makes in intense

Yes, had the pessary with DC2. Then my waters broken and then he arrived around 1.5hr later.

Same amount of ‘discomfort’ as my non-induced pain med free delivery with DC2, just compressed into