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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Tell me about drugs during labour...

115 replies

hamncheese · 06/02/2012 08:21

So, after watching OBEM and seeing that girl completely spaced and barely awake post-diamorphine I'm wanting your opinions on the effect different pain relief has.

This is my first and would obviously like to have as little as possible and take it as necessary but not naive enough to expect not to need anything. One thing I really do not want though is to be out of it and not remember the experience. Would rather be with it and lucid as long as I can manage the pain.

So anyone got advice as to which pain relief they liked/disliked and why, as well as which to avoid if wanting to be mentally as normal as possible during labour and birth?

Thanks!

OP posts:

LeonieDeSaintVire · 07/02/2012 10:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Anchorwoman · 07/02/2012 10:44

I was induced and ended up on sytocin. G&A did nothing for the pain at all for me, just made me dizzy, which on top of everything else was not a welcome addition. I was given an epidural eventually but had completely lost control by that time, and then it didn't work properly. Full spinal block was the only way forward after that.

I would advise not waiting until you are in unbearable pain before you get the pain relief you want, whatever you go for, as you need to be able to keep in control and communicate properly if things don't go to plan or you need to ask for something stronger.

Even with spinal though I was able to push, I just couldn't feel I was doing it.

missnevermind · 07/02/2012 10:46

I used Meptid for all 3 of my natural births. It took the edge off the pain but I was aware of everything.
You have to request it, it wont be offered to you, as above, I dont know if all hospitals carry it. Last time my midwife explained to her student who had never heard of it that nowadays it is mostly used for homebirths.

missnevermind · 07/02/2012 10:48

Also one was a vontuse delivery, again only Meptid and Gas and Air.

MyNameIsMeekIAmInFactMrMeek · 07/02/2012 10:54

I'd never have diamorphine again, made me spaced out and dizzy (was trying to keep active/mobile but felt like I was going to fall over several times - and that was just a half dose!) and didn't seem to actually do much for the pain.

Hot water (bath then birthing pool) was great for me first time until I had to get out (DS was stuck), I also used TENS for early stages.

With DD I just had gas & air, it took the edge off though it certainly wasn't pain free - and they took it away for the pushing bit (not sure if that's always done or not?) so I didn't really have any pain relief for that, it flipping hurt but I did get through it and at least was not off my head like with the diamorphine!

ahhhhhpushit · 07/02/2012 10:54

I managed on just gas and air and then nothing for the (2.5 hr pushing stage).

DS was 9lb and back-to-back. I didnt really realise how well I'd done until I had my booking in appt for this baby and the midwife asked me to describe my last birth. She couldnt believe I'd had a B2B baby on no pain relief! I just thought it was meant to hurt that much!!!! Gives me some hope for the next one though (as long as its not back to back!!). Might not hurt so much...!!

I really didnt want an epidural as I knew it led to a higher risk of intervention and instrumental delivery (all the girls in my NCT class who had one ended up with forceps or a c section).

I didnt want any injectibles as I couldnt bear the thought of anything getting into the baby's blood and cant bear that "out of it" feeling.

I did beg for an epidural during transition though (and for a while prior) but both MW and DH knew I didnt really want one bastards

I was on a MLU so they gave me all sorts of smelling salt /aromatherapy hankie things which were cetainly good at bringing on contractions.

Didnt try TENS and may give that a go this time.

Crosshair · 07/02/2012 11:12

I would keep an open mind.

I had plans of a relatively drug free active birth, after 3 days of contractions with no sleep and the baby being back to back I felt shocking.

Ended up with a epidural and a syntocinon drip due to possible distress at around 4 cm. Felt instantly better with the epidural and even managed a nap. Couldn't feel to push, but the pushing stage only lasted 30 mins thanks to the midwifes guiding me.

snapsnap · 07/02/2012 11:22

For me, epidural on number 1 and then gas and air on number 2.

For me, I knew that he pain I was experiencing on 1 was not going to be something I could cope with so I went straight to the epi so no doziness for me

I dont buy into the whole thing about recovering quicker without the epi. Its a godsend on your first!

Marrow · 07/02/2012 11:42

Gas and air and hypnobirthing for both. First labour was induced and on syntocin drip but was very manageable.

I've never understood why women spend all their pregnancy worrying over if it's ok to eat salmi, mayo etc. Or safe to decorate and breathe in paint fumes but then willingly take heroin when in labour!

seashelles · 07/02/2012 11:42

I didn't have time for anything but gas and air as i had dd 30 mins after i got to hospital.. was screaming for and epidural or something but there wasnt any time. but thinking about it will go for g&a next time too.

Marrow · 07/02/2012 11:44

Although girl on OBEM obviously didn't worry about such things as she was moaning she couldn't go out for a cigarette!

Crosshair · 07/02/2012 12:11

''I've never understood why women spend all their pregnancy worrying over if it's ok to eat salmi, mayo etc. Or safe to decorate and breathe in paint fumes but then willingly take heroin when in labour!''

Its because we're weak, I can't say no to mayo.

rockinhippy · 07/02/2012 12:12

I managed with gas & air at the end & for stitches & nothing more, despite 38 hr labour - I was offered more, but needed nothing else & loved it so much I vaguely remember having a tug o war & getting quite nasty with the nurse over her trying to take it off me as I'd had too much & had pins & needles in my limbs -

MotherofPearl · 07/02/2012 12:56

I had an epidural for DD and although it provided almost total pain relief, it did seem to radically impair my ability to push effectively in the 2nd stage, which then led to a failed ventouse and finally a forceps delivery.
With DS, born 10 weeks ago, I had remifentinol which I loved! It is short acting and you control it with a button you push. It times out so you can't overdose. I found it brilliant! I was vaguely aware of being in pain but felt very distanced from the pain, iyswim. I'd heartily recommend it! :)

Astronaut79 · 07/02/2012 13:03

Gas and air. Enjoyed it more with second baby cos I got to use it afterwards, when the student midwife had a poke and they sewed me up. [grin

It's like being stoned, but the nice bit before you get to the staring stage.

SandyChick · 07/02/2012 13:10

I used tens until I got to delivery suite. Managed really well with tens for contractions.

I knew I wanted an epidural so asked for one as soon as I arrived. Had a bit of gas & air while waiting for the aneatheatist. I didn't like the 'drunk' feeling that you get with gas & air. I can't remember much of what happened while I was using it. Wouldnt have it again.

Epidural was great, couldn't feel a thing. Midwife had to tell me when you push etc. Ended up having ventouse and episiotomy so was glad id had an epidural and am definitely having another one this time. I arrived at hosp around 8pm and had an epidural around 11pm. Ds was born at 3am. We were left in peace until 7am when I was able to get up and showered etc.

In theory this time I'd like to use tens until I get to hosp/can have an epidural and that's it.

I've had pethedine too (was in hosp due to pain caused by ovarian cyst during last pregnancy). Not sure what dose I had but first few times I had it just relaxed me and took away the pain so I could rest but the last time I had it it knocked me out completely which I didn't like.

Wigeon · 07/02/2012 13:15

I used TENS and gas and air for both labours, and they didn't have any side effects for me. I certainly didn't feel drunk, or spaced out, or anything like that on the G&A. And the good thing about G&A is that if you do feel weird, you can just stop it immediately and it wears off straight away. So personally I think it's always worth trying if you think it might help.

Actually, just remembered a side effect - got a really dry mouth with the G&A the first time (but not the second, oddly). But the midwife was right on hand to pass me sips of water through a straw between contractions. And it was definitely worth having the G&A.

ZuzuBailey · 07/02/2012 13:16

The thing is, even if you laboured with no pain relief whatsoever, you would still be 'out of it' to a certain extent.

At the really intense stage, just before pushing (transition), you will be focussing entirely on the contractions and really won't notice what's going on around you. In between, you need to rest and will just welcome the relief.

Then when you're holding your lovely new baby, you won't notice anyone or anything else either .

hackmum · 07/02/2012 13:21

I didn't even know that they gave diamorphine in labour!

What works really seems to vary from person to person. TENS worked well for me in the early stages of labour. Gas and air just made me vomit even more than I was vomiting already - but clearly it works well for loads of people. Pethidine was lovely and relaxing and I just had a nice doze, but it does seem to make a lot of women hallucinate. By the time I was on a syntocinon drip and, which was excruciatingly painful, an epidural was just the thing. All the pain gone, but I didn't have any sensation so trying to push baby out was hard. (I had the help of a ventouse in the end.) Recovery took longer with an epidural - had backache for a few days afterwards.

Eyjafjallajokull · 07/02/2012 13:22

Gas and air can be very good.
I wouldn't go near the opiates myself, but then I haven't had a labour where the pain was totally unbearable, so what do I know?

Deliaskis · 07/02/2012 13:25

I only had G&A with my pool labour (got out to actually deliver).

I had been using TENS at home, and then got to hosp and was 7cm, so I suppose that was quite encouraging in a feeling like I was getting somewhere.

So I got in the pool and just had G&A for the next 4 hours. I would say the G&A was for me not so much pain relief as brain relief, it still hurts, but you care less, a bit like when you fall over when you're drunk and you know it hurts but it doesn't seem to matter all that much.

I then started to feel like the pain had got a bit overwhelming, and was getting out of the pool so I could have the diamorphine, but never got that far, because I started pushing and DD was born half an hour later.

I think I had a pretty easy birth, but I would say the moment when I was overwhelmed and honestly a bit panicky, was probably transition, and if I had known (and managed to really understand!) at that point that it meant the end was in sight, I would probably have stayed in the pool for the whole thing.

StarlightDicKenzie · 07/02/2012 13:28

I think it is important to discriminate between sedatives and pain relief.

Pretty much nothing that is offered drug wise is pain relief, except for an epidural, spinal or general anaesthetic.

flamingtoaster · 07/02/2012 13:31

I had one lot of pethadine and swore I would never take it again. It didn't kill the pain - just made me too spaced out to complain about it. Also made me feel sick.

Starshaped · 07/02/2012 13:34

I had an induction with syntocinon.

Started off on G&A but thought it was a complete waste of time. It didn't do anything for me apart from give me a dry mouth.

As the drip was ramped up, I had some Diamorphine and thought it was absolutely blissful! I spent a couple of hours being absolutely chilled out, chatting to the midwife and watching the telly! It really, really helped me and I was nowhere near as spaced out as the girl on OBEM. I'd definitely have it again !

As things progressed, I ended up going from 5cm - 10cm in a really short space of time (think this was as a result of the syntocinon) and asked for an epidural. I thought it was brilliant - I was completely pain free but could still feel my legs and feet and sort of still knew when to push. I did end up with a ventouse delivery in the end though.

Basically, it appears that I'm a wuss and was quite happy to take any of the hard stuff that they were prepared to give me in labour! I'll definitely be taking them up on whatever they offer if there's a next time!

InmaculadaConcepcion · 07/02/2012 13:35

My sister used warm baths and took paracetamol for all four of hers.

That was it.

Some people are just made to have babies!!

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