Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Anyone had pethidine during labour?

60 replies

YouDoTheMath · 04/08/2011 21:24

and if so what were your experiences of it? Would you recommend it?

OP posts:

Greenshadow · 04/08/2011 21:32

Yep, had it with DS1, rather a lot of years ago.

Personally I found it great - I dozed between contractions but came out of it by the time I was ready to deliver.

The downside was that, even thought I felt like it was out of my system by the time I delivered, it obviously wasn't out of DSs system and he was rather dopey for quite a while after. He took quite a while to start feeding.

outthere · 04/08/2011 21:33

I had it but it was only a small dose... don't really remember much of it - good or bad so it must've been ok!

I think the injection itself hurt a bit though - and this is coming from a self injecting veteran!

AmberLeaf · 04/08/2011 21:34

I thought it was a bit crap tbh.

Much prefered the gas and air!

usualsuspect · 04/08/2011 21:34

I had it years ago

Good stuff

spongebunnyfatpants · 04/08/2011 21:35

I had it with my first one and it was awful and I didn't have it the second time and it was a much much nicer experience.

I didn't really want it, but they said i would be a least 4-6 hours before baby was born, so it would be out of my system by the time I came to push.

So being a first time nervous Mum I went with what they said, instead of sticking to my own instints. Never again.

Baby was born after only 2 hours and I was off my face.

I felt like I was completely out of control, I couldn't even hold my gas and air.

I couldn't communicate properly and I hated every single second.

I couldn't hold my baby for half and hour as I was so out of it and I felt so so sick. I had a headache for hours and it really put a downer on the first few hours with my baby.

It still really upsets me now and it was 6 years ago. .

I know everyone is different, but I'd steer clear of it.

InNeedOfCoffee · 04/08/2011 21:36

I had pethadine with DD, always said i would never have it but it was that or epidural as i was not coping, had two shots but was not allowed anymore as getting to near to babys arrival. managed to sleep for two hours while contracting so definatley helped. I dont think it had any obveous effect on dd.

BBQFrenzy · 04/08/2011 21:36

I had pethidine. It made me itch (I seem to be allergic to all opiates). DS was full scores on that score thingy they do so not drowsy at all - it did nothing for me, no pain relief, just intense itching. They had to give me 2 shots of piriton to stop me flaying myself alive I was so itchy (which calmed it down.)

Er....having said all that, I don't think mine is a normal experience of pethidine so am sure it works for others!

onlyaname · 04/08/2011 21:36

It wasn't nice in my experience. My labour was painful, felt nothing like it before. Really wanted some pain relief but wanted to avoid epidural. Went for pethidine instead. I felt drugged up in the worst possible way. Really out of it and not like myself at all, very hazy memories of that period of my labour. Epidural was much better, tho physically numbed my brain/mind was still involved in what was going on. Have a friend who thought it was fine and it worked for her. I guess it depends on the individual.

Portofino · 04/08/2011 21:36

I had it in the early stages after induction. It helped a lot and I actually managed to nap for a couple of hours.

dribbleface · 04/08/2011 21:37

i had it with DS. to be honest don't remember much but the injection did hurt and DS took a long time to feed afterwards. i think it's very subjective and it might work well for you. this time I'm hoping to avoid it but I'm not ruling anything out!

GwendolineMaryLacey · 04/08/2011 21:37

I was totally spaced out. I've never taken any sort of hallucinogenic drugs but I now have a pretty good idea what they do! I only had a 4 hr labour but all I remember is asking DH for water and not much else. It was all very hazy and I have no idea about anything else that happened. I came to a bit for the actually delivery but even then I don't remember much about it. I don't remember when I first saw her, I don't remember who dressed her, any of that.

And I never did get DD to bf.

Would I have it again? Er, ask me in January...

Nospringflower · 04/08/2011 21:38

Yes had it with my first after saying to partner not to come back without drugs. Transformed me from in pain to talking about star signs (when I have no interest in star signs). Slept through most of labour until they told me I had to start pushing . Only downside for me was I was a bit hazy about what had happened afterwards but baby didn't show any dopiness (did also have epidural tho' so maybe a big time difference.

onlyaname · 04/08/2011 21:39

Yes the not being able to communicate thing was the worst. I lost myself completely.

MammKernow · 04/08/2011 21:45

Yes, and not good. New midwife, just on shift, i had only been there 20 mins. Was in agony, and terrified it would go on for days - so agreed to pethidine. dd was born 20 mins later with a score-thing of 1, and a crash team and a lot of panic, and me off my face. Don't remember anything else til next morning but dd turned out fine after few days in nicu.

I would not recommend it, but if it is given at the right time i guess it is ok. btw, i only found out last year that its 'street' name is...heroin

MammKernow · 04/08/2011 21:49

Sorry, i had diamorphine (which is heroin apparently). Maybe it did have long term effects

MayDayChild · 04/08/2011 21:51

DD was back to back labour and I have to say that gas and air = pointless as was the pethidine. Neither touched the sides so to speak.
Didn't feel any less pain whatsoever.
Would recommend not bothering.
Epidural was heaven !

RufousBartleby · 04/08/2011 21:57

OP - how do you feel about being drunk? Relaxed and okay or panicky and out of control?

Personally I would highly recommend pethadine, despite the bad press it seems to get - but if you are someone who likes to be very aware and in control it might not suit you. If you feel you can relax and go with it then it might be worth thinking about - having said that pre-labour I hadn't wanted it, but in the moment I just said 'yes' when it was offered so maybe thinking about it out of context isn't that helpful.

Had it at about 6cm and no ill effects for me.

ZhenXiang · 04/08/2011 21:59

I had pethidine, did nothing for the pain of the contractions at all and just made me completely out of it.

I kept talking about chasing cats up trees and then the midwives waited until DH left the room and offer me some experimental new drug which I apparently agreed to have but have no recollection of the conversation.

DH came back just in time to stop them as I had clearly written that I didn't want certain things in my birth plan and was in no fit state to make a decision.

It wore off before the pushing stage anyway in my case. Pethidine is an opioid analgesic related to morphine.

thenightsky · 04/08/2011 22:01

i had it, but i know from previous experience it makes me throw up summat awful. And if they offer me Stemital to stop the nausea, it does't work on me. I need Maxilon. They never believe me. Last time with DS i got what i wanted and it was perfect... half dose of Pethadine (perfect) and Maxilon to stem the nausea.

HavePatience · 04/08/2011 22:04

I had it early on and managed to sleep a bit through contractions. Then got the epidural (finally) after that. I wouldn't want to push and deliver through pethadine but through epidural was good for that. Gas and air did pretty much nothing once contractions got stronger / I became more dilated.

TheFeministsWife · 04/08/2011 22:04

Had it when dd1 was born, was awful. Made me vomit all the time, was totally out of it, couldn't push, kept crying, made the labour an awful experience. Refused to have it second time around and just had diamorphine, was a totally different experience. Totally lovely and almost euphoric.

HavePatience · 04/08/2011 22:05

Pethadine is heroin?

Acandlelitshadow · 04/08/2011 22:06

Made me vom and then scrabble through said vom to retrieve the pill they'd just given me in preparation for possible CS .

Al0uiseG · 04/08/2011 22:07

Awful, made me vomit, pass out between still painful contractions and generally feel terrible.

PhylisStein · 04/08/2011 22:10

Bloody awful stuff - don't touch it - it didn't block the pain just made me too woozy to complain!

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread