Diamorphine

[Whoneedsleep]

For those of you who have had it in Labour, did it slow or stop your Labour completely?

With DC2 it did, for almost 8 hours I had barely a contraction. As soon as it wore off the pain came back and I was exactly the same as I was when I had started with it (8cm) DC2 got distressed and I got stuck on a monitor for most of this time.

Just wondering if this is likely to happen again or if it was just bad luck. Due DC3 in less than a month and panicking I won’t have any pain relief options available left! I can’t/have been advised not to have an epidural which leaves what…a hot bath and a paracetemol 😭😭

This can happen but doesn't always happen with diamorphine. Trouble with it is that you have to be monitored once you've had it and lying flat on your back is the worst possible position to labour in. Its not a given though and you could request to lie on your side which is a more natural position and should still be ok for CTG monitoring. Other options could be gas and air, although some NHS trusts have had to withdraw this option due to issues with ventilation. Fingers crossed this will not affect you.

Can I ask why you have been advised not to have an epidural? Water is very effective pain relief in labour but not when things get long and drawn out. Also depends whether it is spontaneous labour or induction.

I knew a lot of people who felt they lost control with Diamorphine and for that reason I avoided it.

This was my experience. The loss of control was horrible.

@Nursemumma92 I had a prolapse/vaginal wall weakness after DC2 and the consultant and physio have both advised controlled pushing is better for preventing it coming back or getting worse. They have suggested an epidural might not be best for that incase I end up pushing badly and cause problems. The worst case scenario would be an instrumental delivery because of the existing damage so I was advised to avoid anything that increases the risk of that!

Im not looking forward to the birth though, I’ve done it twice before but the last time was horrific, like being tortured!

why not have an epidural for the labour analgesia and just have it turned off/not top it up as you get to fully if they really insist?

Have you considered elective c section? I had a serious birth injury with my first and my elective c section was bliss!

I had pethidine and it didn't slow down my labour at all and was fantastic! No monitoring needed so free to move etc. Much less risky than the complications that come with epidural.

I found that it made me very sleepy to the point i didnt know what was going on. I "consented" to forceps which i didnt do with DC1 as i was "with it" i opted for a c section. I feel it made me loose control and not feel like i was present at the birth and that the decisions were made for me and not with me due to me basically being half asleep and not being able to control this!

@Greybeardy that’s an option although to be honest I managed okay with contractions. The horrendous bit for me has been pushing but they seem to withdraw all pain relief for that bit!

I did consider an elective but the consultant advised against it because the muscles being cut are linked to the pelvic floor which could make weakness worse. I also have 2 small DC (one is only 15 months) and 3 dogs so doing school runs etc sounds like a nightmare. I have very little help as DH will be straight back to work. I’m 37 weeks now but have one more consultant appt left before the birth to discuss though!

I had that or perhaps pethadine and it slowed my contractions a lot

I had diamorphine and it also slowed my labour. Didn't have it with second and pushing stage was much, much faster.

BUT I do think I needed it and I would probably make the same choice again..

Yes I had this and it slowed my labour, i also felt completely out of control and barely remember a thing. I'm due DC2 in 5 weeks and am desperate not to have it again, I want to be present for the birth but I'm terrified of the horrific pain I felt last time. also been recommended not to have an epidural as I had a third degree tear last time and they don't want me pushing too quickly and causing another one.
At the current moment I'm hoping to manage with just gas and air (so long as there are no issues at my hospital with it) and a tens machine.

I had diamorphine with my first, it was amazing - I felt really drunk, told DP I felt like I'd just had two bottles of wine in quick succession. It didn't slow down my labour but afterwards there were big gaps where I didn't remember anything and I still don't. I remember pushing the baby's head out and thinking that I would do this again. I was in a midwife led ward, I stood up the whole time, there was no monitoring or lying in bed.

When I had DC2 they didn't have any diamorphine so I had to have pethidine which was useless. I'm glad it was DC2 because I would never have had another one if it had been DC1. I was in the proper labour ward and had to lie in bed the whole time which didn't help.

I had diamorphine with my first, and it didn't slow labour. I had continuous monitoring, and was lying on my right side. Monitoring was bands to start with, but wound up with the scalp clip when baby was not co-operating and kept wriggling away. I had the injection at 11am at 5cm, and when it wore off around 4pm I was fully dilated. Pushing stage was only 20 minutes, so quite quick.

I was sound asleep between contractions and in a drug addled haze otherwise. It was great at the time, but thank goodness I didn't have to consent to anything. In no way shape or form would I have had capacity. DC2 it wasn't an option, but that labour was slow, and baby got stuck. I had an epidural not long before we called time instead.

Fingers crossed things go better for you this time.

I gave birth to DC2 yesterday. My labour was 8 hours in total (spontaneous) and I had diamorphine (5mg) about 4 hours in. It didn’t slow my labour and I didn’t feel spaced out from it either! It definitely took the edge off in between contractions and I wish I had taken it with DC1 as I just had gas & air with him. When it came to pushing, I was able to push and was fully aware of what I needed to do and when. Hope this helps :)

I had diamorphine as soon as I got into hospital as I requested something to take the edge off, I hadn't read up any of the side effects. Got from 3-8cm in 4 hours and then after that took ages (7 hours) to get to 10cm but I don't associate it to the drugs I took.

FWIW I wasn't strapped down or to anything, was primarily in the midwife led unit until the baby pooed