Did you have a birth without pain relief - talk to me!

[babyignoramus]

This is a long way off yet but I'm one of those people who likes to investigate things thoroughly beforehand...! At the moment I'm considering attempting birth without pain relief - I'm not trying to be a hero, it's just that I can't think of anything I'd actually want. I don't like the idea of pethidine, I HATE the idea of an epidural and I have a feeling that gas and air are likely to make me feel sick. However, I'm keeping a very open mind and may well end up having the lot!

I'd appreciate hearing your stories.

Ta!

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I laboured in the bath at home and found hot water on my back, from the tao, helped greatly. Before that it was tens machine, and basically having no choice in matter (unplanned home birth) visualisation techniques also help alot.

good luck, and remember to keep an open mind, you may well need pain relief.

Keep an open mind as you suggest in your post. I did the same and started with pain relief in the form of a shower, a wheat bag, lavender oil to help relax between ctx but as I had to be induced and things became long and painful I managed on gas and air for six hours (key tip, the mouth piece made me retch as I cannot hold anything in my mouth for any length of time, but the mask was great) but then needed an epidural and the epidural starting to work was the best ever feeling.

I may have to ave a section next time, but if I labour again I will do the same thing, start with nothing and take it from there.

I went down the hypnobirthing route, but I couldn't really get focussed as my labour happened so quickly (2.5 hours), so I asked for an epidural, but it didn't work. They offered me a top up of anaesthesia, but I gave birth 20 mins later. Whilst the birth was drug free, they didn't expect me to have the baby so soon, so everyone was rushing around me. I was planning a calm birth, but it didn't really happen.

Go with the flow and try not to plan too much or you could end up disappointed. Good Luck!

Def keep an open mind. I thin I had a list of what I wanted on a sliding scale - TENS, G&A, epidural. In the end I only used TENS, but it was a pretty quick labour. I demanded a local for the epi and stitches though!

I would say don't talk yourself into an 'I WILL do this without drugs' frame of mind and then feel disappointed with yourself if you do end up having drugs or any other intervention. A lot is down to the baby's position and all that stuff, so do what you need to for a safe birth

No pain relief with DS2 though that definately was not planned.
I had a homebirth and between the MWs and DH they could not get the gas and air cannister working and my contractions were too close by that stage for them to leave me and fetch another one from the local hospital.
During my pregnancy I had attended Active Birth Classes and I know 100% the techniques I had learnt there helped me cope and stay in control.
It hindsight the entire birthing experience was wonderful, please don't get me wrong, it hurt like hell but it never felt catastrophic.

I was open minded with all 3 births and had G and A with ds and nothing with both dd's.
I found this the best way as i wouldn't have minded had i had pain relief but just found i could manage without!

Yes, I thought the same as you and did yoga and hypnobirthing, just the CD's www.natalhypnotherapy.com. It was great, I was induced due to pre-eclampsia but the birth was totally pain free. I was in labour for about 12 hours in total but probably only 7 in established labour. No worries and totally calm throughout. You can do it aswell!

No pain relief as ended up delivering my daughter at home, an hour after being sent home from my hospital anti natal appointment and told to come back in two weeks for next appointment. MW made it just in time but she was more worried about my mum who was in panic mode Coped with breathing techniques and found it far less painful than the epidural I had with my son.

Birth number one was with pethadine and gas (which I loathed,, and couldn't master sucking the tube) The pethadine made me hallucinate, but relaxed me.

Next two births were no pain relief as they were too quick. It was fine.

Could have done with an epidural for the stitching up though!

I had all three of mine without any pain relief ( although I had G&A with stitches for DC1 and DC3).
I didn't intend that with first two but wanted minimal invasive third birth and so was quite pleased it all worked out.
Very very fast births so it was a bit scary and tbh 3rd birth was terrifying but knowing I had managed before made me able to cope better I think.
Only thing I would say is that you have to be flexible with your choices. I planned water birth with first but when it came to it I could not BEAR the water . hideous

I just used a tens machine for both of mine - 2 9lbers, both home births. Again - hadn't planned on being a hero, but I hated G&A coz I couldn't cope with anything in my mouth, or near my face. I had 2 very fast labours, 5 and 3 hours respectively.

BUT - my back was shot to pieces after having DC1, and I ended up in hospital becuase my back had seized up. I needed good pain relief for AFTER the birth. so with DC2, I had voltarolo supps ready, plus co codamol, and that made all the difference.

I think if you are at home, you a re ina different mind set anywya.

good luck

Hi baby. I know exactly what you mean. I didn't want any pain releif/sensation deprivation either because it makes me feel out of control and more frightened. I want to know what's going on, feel my body working so I can best respond to it.

I've had four births at home with no pain concealment. It never once entered my mind to have any.

I can highly recommend Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth if you would like to read good, real, detailed home birth stories. She's a pioneering midwife.

Anything specific you want to ask, please do.

I would also say that we've become used to thinking it's going to hurt and there's no way we'll be able to cope because of the way birth is portayed in the media. We've lost touch with it because most of it happens behind closed hospital doors these days. It has become more mysterious and possibly scarey than it needs to be. It's actually immensely empowering and there are all sorts of fabulous sensations you'll never forget which go along with the waves and surges of pure energy which we dismiss as pain.

Oh don't get me started.

First birth was a bit of a nightmare with 7 weeks of pre eclampsia in hospital followed by 3 days of inducing and 24 hour labour. I had an epidural which just slowed everything down and ended up in theatre ,in case of emergency cs if forceps didn't work, but they did.

Next time dd decided to arrive 3 weeks early and she didn't want to wait. I went into labour went to the hospital and took one whiff of g&a and threw up. After that didn't have anything and she was born with a couple of hours (4 hours in all). It was a much better experience all around and no stitches either.

i did lots of research too... i figured id be more comfortable if i knew every possible thing that could happen, all the lingo, all the implications of each choice etc etc.
v good idea imo.
i thought id take it as it come, and totally did not rule out having one of those 'mobile epidurals' where you can still walk about.
but in the event of my first birth, the water pool was soothing/calming/bouyancy and mobility providing enough that i didnt need anything else. i tried the G&A but it made me feel sick and did F all for pain imo (and i said so quite forcefully i believe )

i figured id go as long as i could and then ask when it got too much. by the time i asked, he was one push away, so there it was; birth with no pain relief. could NOT have done it without the water. (and i did use and like the TENS before getting into the water)

second and third births were 45mins and 50-odd mins respectively. i barely had time to get undressed, let alone get any drugs into my system, so that decided that.

so thats my story. any questions, ask away.

I had my second with no pain relief. It was not by choice mind, I had a home birth planned with gas and air and pool but it all happened too quickly. I was asking for gas and air towards the end but to be honest, that was because I was unaware my dd was about to be born - I thought I was in for a long haul.

With my first, I had gas and air, Tens and pethidine (just in case). The gas and air made me feel sick and my throat sore and the Tens became very irritating and made my back itch. The best 'relief' for me was breathing exercises, visualisations and relaxation, hot shower and hot water bottle.

If I go on to have any more children, I will line up the options again - what's the harm? - but would definitely prefer to do without.

I did a HypnoBirth. Although I am a complete wuss and know exactly what pain relief I could have and when I can honestly say that I never felt that I wanted any (and I have to have gas at the dentist before I have a job). No cuts or tears either.

Spidermama is right - if you go into it expecting it to be hideous and painful, then it probably will be.

Well if gas & air for you is anything like it was for me, you won't be able to breath it in and it will do b*gger all. There's no harm in trying it at all, and I'd be very very wary of writing any kind of birth plan that shuts off your options. Been there, done that - very bad idea.

Birth without pain relief - horrific. But still not as horrific as the thought of a needle in my spine.

I gave birth to both of my DS's in Lanzarote and was aware that they do not offer any form of pain relief. I was very lucky to have had reasonably quick labours (5 hours with DS1 & 2 hours with DS2). I had absolutely nothing, so was extremely proud of myself.
I must admit, I was shitting myself about giving birth with no pain relief, but I knew I was in complete control of my body and I just went with it. I remember the South American midwife saying to me "Push like you're having a caca!" when I did that, out popped my baba (Good job they gave me an enema beforehand then!) 2nd time round was much easier as I knew by then how to push properly. I was 9.5cm dilated on arrival at the hospital, I'd only had half an hour of contractions!!
I was most definitely one of those "Lucky" women, although I think it's in the genes, most women in my family have had similar births.

You say about not trying to be a hero, honestly, when you've done it without pain relief you will feel like one believe me.

Keep active, keep an open mind and keep breathing! xx

I had my ds and opted for an epidural. I had already been in active labour for about 48 hours by this point and was exhausted.

by the time i felt the pressure of needing to push it was too late, i couldn't feel teh contractions at all because i had been topped up without being checked first.
baby was in distress and i was pancing and tired.
i ended up having to be cut.

It was traumatic to say the least.

When i had DD i didn't want an epidural....until i got to the delivery room! thankfully i was too far gone and wasn't able to have it.
I gave birth completly naturally, not so much as an aspirin.
Im not saying it was easy or pleasant, it wasn't it was bloody painfull, particularly the crowning. But it wasn't unbearable. I survived and if i ever had another child i would opt for no pain relief again.

God I love g+a why can't they sell it lol must be much less harmful than alcohol. I always feel so sorry for the ladies that have drug free births then have to have a spinal to get the placenta out, seems so unfair.

i certainly would not feel like id failed or anything if id have been drugged to the rafters; the result is the only thing that matters in the grand scheme, no? my first time birth plan said id rather have a section if necc than forceps which i though sounded well rough on the poor old baby's bonce, and i am so not up for getting chopped about for no good reason

point is, learn all you can and keep an open mind; healthy you and baby at the end of it (healthy body and mind of course) is what matters.

good luck

G&A tends to make you feel sick if you aren't using it right, thats why midwifes will often take it away if you don't follow their instructions.

theres a right and wrong way?

I had one with an epidural and one with just gas and air.

because of the nature of gas and air, every time you put the handpiece down you are, in effect, having a drugless labour.

But it helps so, so much if you learn to use it properly - and you can 'come round' for the bits you DON'T want to miss.

I wouldn't have another epidural if I could avoid it, it was horrible, but I needed it and that was that.