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?

Me! My waters broke but my contractions never started. It was only two hours between my contractions starting and giving birth but they were pretty intense.

If you end up with the drop try not to worry about it they start it off on a low dose and wait to see how your body reacts, I think the scale is 1-18 so there's a lot of scope in that if they need to increase it, it's not something that's just an on/off switch iyswim. Good luck!

Yes. I had induction by pessary with ds1 and didn't need pain relief. It took ages for labour to get going but when it did it was fairly short- sub 3 hours. It went from nothing to full on contractions every 3 minutes when my waters broke and was intense; if it had been longer I think I would have wanted pain relief.

Yes I did. I gave birth to a 10lb10oz baby and they dislocated her shoulder to get her out and I was given local as they needed to cut! I can only liken it to being repeatedly hit by a freight train it was awful and put me off more children for life!!

Sorry about the negative story

Yes and he was back to back

Me I had 3 gels then drip no pain relief

Just gas and air for my induction which was pessary and then syntocin drip ( I was contracting and dilating but somewhat irregularly )

It is a bit 0-100 as previous posters have said. Luckily for me it was only 6 hours in established labour!

Induction with both children. First had epidural and ventouse. Second no pain relief whatsoever (because there was not time and no gas/air in the delivery room!) On reflection, recovery was so much quicker but felt very painful at the time. Hope it goes well!

I was induced for my third child. I had epidurals for both previous births and wanted to avoid one if possible for my third as I was unable to get out of bed for several hours after first two until it wore off. I thought I would manage but as pp’s have said the contractions went from 0-100 in about 5 mins and I couldn’t cope with it. I would have happily had a general anaesthetic to be free of the pain at that stage. Gas and air made me very sick so I decided after some time that I needed an epidural. My advice would be to get an epidural at the point of induction. I am sorry not to be more positive.

I've had two indictions.. I think it depends whether you end up on the hormone drip and how long it's taking... I ended up with an epidural on the hormone drip as it was very painful and was going on days... however during my second induction I had no pain relief at all apart from paracetamol... but i just had the pessary and that kicked things off without the need for the drip, the whole thing was only a few hours long

The pessary was ok. The drip was soooo painful. It felt like a blow torch at my lower back. My eyes were rolling into the back of my head. I begged for an epidural and when that came it was like heaven.

My second was a natural labour and I used hypnotherapy because I did not want to feel uncontrolled as I did with my first. And I did that with no pain relief at all ..not even gas and air. It was actually fab and I felt on top of the world. As soon as I gave birth I remember thinking ' I want to do that again!'

If I ever had to have an induction again I would ask for an epidural straight away. I'm not sure why they didn't just advise me to have one. Maybe my experience wasn't the norm?

I thought I would manage but as pp’s have said the contractions went from 0-100 in about 5 mins and I couldn’t cope with it.

THIS

I’d went in to hospital to be induced around 12pm. Tried to break waters about 2pm (although found out later they didn’t manage to) went in to a private room at 5pm and got the drip. Started getting contractions at 8pm by 10pm they were full on. Baby still hadn’t arrived by 3pm and by that point I was very tired. I asked for an epidural but 50 minutes later he was born so didn’t end up having it. My waters broke as he arrived.

Had Dt induced at 37 weeks and used only gas and air.

Baby still hadn’t arrived by 3am that should say.

Me. I was induced for reduced movement at 39+6 and it was very quick. One minute I was making my cereal (in the hospital) and the next I was in full blown labour. Gas & Air makes me extremely nauseous just by the smell so I didn’t have anything. Although through it I’m sure there was times I was begging for an epidural 😆

Yes, with my first. It was a very short labour though and I just used gas and air. I did ask for more, but by the time the doctor arrived to give it to me, I was pushing and it was too late.

I’ve only ever had gas and air with all 5 of mine, with numbers 1 and 5 they gave me pethidine to relax my body as I had pre-eclampsia (they had ruptured my waters), it had the opposite effect, ds was born 20 minutes later. Fingers crossed all goes ahead swimmingly for you! Just think in a matter of hours you’re going to have a lovely baby in your arms! You can do it!

I've been induced three times never had pain relief first two was propess my last was the drip and they broke my waters beforehand was on the drip around 8 hours wasn't bad

Induced at 42 weeks with a pessary around 10am, another around 8pm, then another the following morning around 11am. Mild contractions started around 2 pm. No sign of labour though. Had an internal around 7pm and no progress at all. They were very busy with planned and emergency c sections so said they would leave me overnight again and put me on a drip in the morning. However, at 9pm after DH left, went to the loo and that seemed to start off contractions big time. Midwife didn't believe I was actually in labour but when she examined me I was about 5 cms dilated. Taken down to delivery, DH called to return and by the time he arrived half an hour later I had been pushing for ten minutes. She was born 20 mins later. No pain relief at all!

Yes both times. Laboured 6 hours, both big babies and it was fine. Second birth was a bit more painful because she was back to back but otherwise no big deal. Just luck!

Hope you're doing ok OP, xxx

Yep induced at 36 weeks. No pain relief for the Labour not even gas and air. Had spinal block 5 minutes before DD born by forceps right at the end. Very painful but manageable.