Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Childbirth

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

Original poster

anyone else been offered paracetamol whilst in labour?

27 replies

1dilemma · 21/08/2009 00:29

Hi everyone I'm just posting this out of curiosity really when I had my last child I was offered two paracetamol and just wondered whether anyone else had? This was not that long ago, OK I have had some quite OK labours but I can kind of remember saying something along the lines of 'are you joking'?
(I didn't have a headache at the time! LOL)

OP posts:
DaisymooSteiner · 21/08/2009 00:31

It's still quite normal to be offered this, particularly in early labour. Obviously it's not going to cut the mustard later on and I don't think most midwives would expect it to!

Original poster
1dilemma · 21/08/2009 00:49

lol at the still daisy you make me sound about 70!!

I was reading the home birth thread and it got me thinking I was so surprised to be offered it. I did take it though saying something like 'well if you really think it will help...... I'm not so sure though.

I can remember saying at the frst appt with my first child saying I'd like some pethidine please and was a bit when they said they don't use it!

OP posts:
SparklyGothKat · 21/08/2009 00:53

i was offered it when in labour with Ds1 (my first) I was like but took it anyway.. it didn;t help lol

Original poster
1dilemma · 21/08/2009 00:56

yeh good point sparkly I can remember it doing nothing at all

OP posts:
cyanarasamba · 21/08/2009 01:10

I was given it as my temperature went sky high - DH says this was explained to me at the time but I was also very much ...

hambler · 21/08/2009 01:37

yes and I thought to myself HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Miamla · 21/08/2009 04:21

yes and i was promptly sick a little while after because i had an empty stomach!

blinks · 21/08/2009 09:53

offered it both times. i reckon they hope it will have a placebo effect or some such nonsense.

plonker · 21/08/2009 09:56

lol yes. And I too did the face

chibi · 21/08/2009 10:04

I had to beg for it as they wouldn't give me any pain relief as they didn't think I was in labour - apparently the registrar needed to be able to see just how much pain I was in

chibi · 21/08/2009 10:04

it still did nothing har har

wilkos · 21/08/2009 10:04

I went in to hospital in agony at 1am convinced baby was going to be born immediately.

Was informed I was a measly 1cm dilated and would I like to go back to bed on the ward with a sleeping tablet and two paracetamol. 2 mins after getting into bed my waters broke and the pain became very uncomfortable

The paracetamol did sweet f* all and the effects of the bloody sleeping tablet made me delirious and totally unable to communicate with anyone.

Ended up having an epidural

So my advice is only ever take the big drugs and don't be fobbed off with paracetamol.

AND NEVER EVER LET THEM GIVE YOU A SLEEPING TABLET!!

Trikken · 21/08/2009 10:04

I was offered it too, cant remember it doing much.

wilkos · 21/08/2009 10:06

oop just realised you are a seasoned childbirth veteran. obv. you know what you are doing apologies!

doggiesayswoof · 21/08/2009 10:07

When I went to hospital during my first labour I was not really coping with the pain and the mw asked me if I had taken paracetamol. I was like

But actually I was at home for most of my second labour and did decide to take some. I don't know if it did anything but I coped much better (I reckon this was because I was much more relaxed, had an idea of what to expect and the labour was a lot shorter)

doggiesayswoof · 21/08/2009 10:09

wilkos my experience with 1st labour was similar - I was panicking thinking if I was in this much pain I must be about to give birth

I was barely dilated at all but thankfully I was offered diamorphine for my little stay on the ward - and no sleeping tablets...

WidowWadman · 21/08/2009 10:20

I was offered Cocodamol which basically is paracetamol plus caffeine. Ten minutes later I progressed to Meptid. Which was bliss.

(I had to go on to epidural plus caesarean, though, as I just never managed to really get into proper regular contractions despite 6 hours on the drip)

RawChocolate · 21/08/2009 10:26

Same as chibi. "We're not sure you're in labour.." No I'm screaming in agony for fun. Had the paracetamol,threw up, demanded to be examined,( most unlike me!) had baby 45 mins later.

He came out face up so had been having back to back labour too. To be honest I think it made it worse being told I wasn't in labour as thought had hours ahead of me.I asked repeatedly for gas and air, but they refused. Once she actually examined me it was much easier as knew it wold soon be over.

Afterwards midwife was a bit sheepish, and kept teling me how well I had done.Ummm yeah I know In my notesit says I was in labour for half an hour..!

If you get offered it, make sure they examine you first!

CalypsoFlame · 21/08/2009 12:50

A woman from my yoga class had her baby (DC1) at home with ONLY 4 paracetamol - not even G&A!

TheOnlyDailyMaleForMeisDH · 21/08/2009 12:53

2 paracetamol for a 14 hour induced labour here

charleymouse · 21/08/2009 13:06

2 Paracetomal and a TENS machine here for first labour.

It did help take the edge off things TBH.

JodieO · 21/08/2009 13:15

I was offered them with my first, I was writhing in agony on the bed at the time. Declined and asked for gas and air. Managed to get checked 30 mins later and was moved to the labour ward as I was 5 cms dilated. I had a very fast labour though, all over in about 2 and a half hours; including the time before 5 cms. Since then had 2 more fast births too.

reikizen · 21/08/2009 13:28

Paracetamol is as good a place to start as any as it is a good painkiller for mild to moderate pain, and it is routine to offer it to women who we believe to be in the early stages of labour, or who are experiencing 'prostin pains'. I always ask if a woman has taken any paracetamol to gauge how she is coping with the pain, if she says no it's worth trying that and a warm bath to see if that helps before 'jumping in' with serious pain relief before it is really needed.
Of course, if a woman is writhing around and crying I would not only offer paracetamol, I would discuss what her expectations and feelings were about pain relief and take it from there. Unless a woman is in established labour, entonox is not usually given (or needed) but if a woman is adamant she needs it, an examination may be suggested to find out what stage of labour she is at.
Every woman is different, and some women who appear to be about to give birth are 1cm and some who appear to have only slight discomfort are fully dilated so appearances can be deceptive. I once looked after a woman who was screaming 'I need to push' but on examination was a 'multips os' (when the cervix remains slightly open following the birth of the first child). Three days later she did indeed need to push and baby was born!

girlsyearapart · 21/08/2009 13:38

yes was offered it with both dds felt like telling them where to stick it! doesn't even clear a headache.
with dd2 my waters broke and I was 5cm and was still sat in REception then moved to ante natal ward offered paracetamol and told where tea and coffee were.
Had to tell dh to go and find the midwife NOW and tell her baby was coming and NO I DON'T WANT TEA
DD2 born about an hour after that..

Wonderstuff · 21/08/2009 13:43

I took some in the early stages of labour while I was at home and I was plesently suprised that it did really take the edge of the contractions.