1st Time Birth Stories - NO EPIDURAL?????

[AwwABaby]

Hi,

I'm hoping to have some not so horrific 1st time birth stories. I am 28 weeks due 19th July with my first DS.

I have chronic ITP (a very low platelet count, my blood does not clot), I have been told that an epidural is out of the question and pethadine may not be available to me either. Peth will depend on my platelet count on the day. Hospital (Pinderfields, Wakefield) don't do diomorphine but that's administered same as peth so can't have that either.

I do not want a C-Sec as they would have to knock me out and it's a bit risky with my condition - but I guess all I can do on that one is hope against hope.

Any stories appreciated or even better anyone out there who's an ITP sufferer who's pregnant I would love to talk to you.

I am totally terrified and have not slept properly in a very long time. I will have to manage on G&A.

Hoping to hear some relevant story's :)

Thanks :)

I don't have the condition that you have, but I had a birth without epidural (didn't want one as I actually found the idea of being numb/limited in movement more frightening than the idea of pain).

Water is a great pain reliever. I laboured in water for several hours, then had to get out as my contractions slowed and I needed a drip.

Gas and air was bloody great for me. Really helped.

I know every labour is different, and for some it's really painful (maybe depends on position of baby etc), but I can honestly say that I found contractions more hard work/intense than actually painful, provided I had used gas and air and had my partner to do whatever helped (rubbing back, letting me hang off his neck etc).

In the end I had to push the baby out with no pain relief at all (contractions slowed again so they said best to lay off gas and air)- and you know what, it bloody well hurt, but was fine and the proper 'ring of fire' lasted for not long at all.

Just Gas and air and a a very posh expensive tens machine for both of my births.

A good tens machine that has a boost and variable levels may or may not work for you but would be well worth giving it a go given that it can make a big difference and you do have limited pain relief options.

I can' help on he ITP,

Ds1 no epidural, no entonox just oxygen as heartbeat was low. Dd was breech no pain relief at all except for local for episiotmy. Ds2 a few puffs of entonox.
I always had a wet flannel with lavender essential oil on that I breathed in and rescue remedy.
Don't be frightened, you can do it

I had no pain relief at all for either of my two and it was totally bearable.
I didn't even have gas and air.

With DC1, I seem to have kind of gone into a very focussed kind of state- didn't want to have to speak or anything. I clearly remember thinking "I don't like this" during some of the contractions but never got to the point of "Oh god, make this pain go away". I used the pool towards the very end of labour - got in and waters broke at that point and DC was born about 20 minutes later.

With DC2, I did find it a bit more distressing and uncomfortable. I imagine this was 'cause my waters had broken (apparently things tend to ramp up and be more "intense" after waters go) and because I went from 4cm to 10cm in just over an hour rather than from 5cm to 10cm in about 4 hours with number 1.

I would say what helped a lot with DC1 was staying calm and focussed.

Can't help with the ITP, I am afraid but I do want to say that childbirth was not, for me, scary or the worst pain ever. And that I would say the birth of my first was less painful/uncomfortable/stressy than my second.

I didn't have an epidural as I didn't like the feeling that I would be unable to move around. It hurt, but wasn't unbearable. I did have gas and air.
I don't plan on having one this time either.

I gave birth in the pool with G & A after a twelve hour labour and would definitely recommend a water birth. I did have some meptid about six hours in on the (very wise) advice of the midwife, who told me it would carry me through until I was ready for the pool. I also laboured in an MLU which was fantastic. DH and I had a big room to ourselves with pillows, birthing balls and a big cloth swing which really helped during contractions. My first hour in the pool was great...I was completely off my tits on G & A and loved being in the water. Then came two hours of pushing, which was bloody painful (DS turned out to be on about the 95th percentile for head circumference ). I kept thinking "fuck fuck I can't do this any more" but got through it one push at a time despite being a pathetic wimp with no pain threshold at all. I did tear a bit (mild 2nd degree) but didn't feel it at all (didn't even realise till the midwife told me). All in all it was a pretty 'good' experience. I went into the whole thing with very low expectations and a completely open mind about interventions and just happened to get lucky and shouted and swore like a trooper right through the pushing stage, which I swear was worth seven epidurals

I didn't have an epidural with DS - things moved faster than the midwives expected, and by the time I felt the contractions were bad enough to want pain relief, it turned out it was almost time to start pushing.
I had some paracetemol & co-codamol, and then some gas and air.

The contractions did hurt a lot, but they weren't unbearable. Walking around and staying upright helped.

I also agree that staying calm and focussed helped. Might be worthwhile looking into hypnobirthing or similar relaxation techniques to help with that??

Dd1 pethadine- awful drug never again, had about 15 min before I delivered her (I have really quick pushing stage). G & A did nothing for me. 6 hours labour (contractions by far worse than pushing stage)

Dd2 90 mins- g&a worked brilliantly really enjoyable labour (out in 3 pushes)

I mentally got through contractions 2nd time by reminding myself it's just 1 less and the baby moving down. Knowing it will end (I always stay 0-3 for the majoruty and dialate just at the end so each examination I get told it will be a while) hence dd2 crowning as I was on thR loo

I used a tens machine (fab), had gas and air and pethidine until I was 10cm but relied in the tens after that as gas and air made me talk gibberish. The tens was great and I had it whacked up full power. Definitely walk around for as long as you can, and when you have to push, push like you are doing the biggest poo in the world!

I would second all the recommendations about labouring in water, and gas and air.

I had a fairly wonderful labour with dd in a consultant led unit, where I didn't see a consultant the whole time I was there. I had a lovely big room with a pool and a bed. I took a beanbag and cushions and CD player and made it as comfortable as possible.

No epidural here either. Ds1 gas and air and pethadine (which I HATED). DS2 just gas and air, five minutes pushing and he flew out!

I was induced with my first and had gas and air and a shot of morphine and that was all. I wouldn't bother with the morphine again as I don't really think it helped much and I think it contributed to my ds being slow to latch for bfing. I was in labour for about 6 hours and it felt like I pushed once and he was out. There was a really mental intense but where I went from 4cm dilated to 10 in an hour and that was pretty over the top but but once it was over he pretty much just wheeched out no bother.

Hello - I am reading the Hypnobirthing book at the mo, and as a totally anti that kind of thing person I have been quite surprised how much sense it makes. I have 2 weeks to go, so not actually gone through it, but hey, it can't do any harm. The method talks about why women are terrified of the pain these days, when apparently it hasn't' always been so - the train of thought may help you.Maybe look into that, I have spoken to some women who swear by it.

You could try the old perinneal massge stuff to, my pal swears by it - and she is a TOTAL wimp, who has given birth to 2 whoppers with nothing.

Sorry can't offer more experience - good luck and try not to worry x

There's a book by Juju Sundin called Birth Skills which is all about non-drug pain relieving techniques, largely they involve distracting yourself and movement. I think it would be well worth a read in your case! She is not anti-drugs but it is an Australian book and the choice there seems to be no drugs at all or epidural, not sure why, so it is advice based on feeling like you are in control have a positive outlook on the birth/outcome no matter what happens. Which is very important.

My first baby I had pethidine and G&A, everything was fine, I would have been okay without the pethidine if I hadn't been very stressed out and needing to relax. I think if I'd known more about labour and read Juju's book before this labour I wouldn't have been so panicky and would have been okay with just G&A.

Which is exactly how my 2nd labour was. First 4cms I walked around, counted through contractions, threw a juggling ball around, bounced on a birthing ball, talked to DH/MW/watched telly/went on MN. Then I had G&A.

The most difficult part I found both times was transition (just before the pushing stage) but it's over quickly, and the pushing bit was better because you have something solid to focus on, as well as knowing the baby will be there very soon.

i'm guessing they aren't going to support you with home birth or MLU usage, and possibly you wouldn't want those either so...

1. lots of people on here recommend hypnobirthing
2. hire a doula/ Independent Midwife to go with you to hospital and support you in your labour as a knowledgeable birth partner.

I also had low platelets and managed without an epidural. It was hard but when there is no option you just get on with it. The thing that made a real difference for me was a breathing technique. I know that sounds nuts but it really helped with the pain. I think I read it on here and that is to breathe in deeply and then blow out forcefully imagining that you are trying to blow a speck of dust off the floor/ wall/whatever. I was fine and you will be too.

No epidural for me either & I honestly think I wouldn't have needed it either. Had g&a during the pushing stage (nothing during contractions as at home) but think I'll skip that if I can next time too. I will echo what another poster said that water helps - I spent much of my labour in the bath.

I think it is totally manageable without stronger medication but wish you luck anyway!! :)

I didnt have an epidural until i got to my third birth.
The first two went fine without one

I didn't come anywhere near needing an epidural. Total labour 7 hours, gas & air did me and one shot of pethidine (which made absolutely no difference at all, might as well have done without).

1st baby - 2 weeks early;
Stayed at home as long as I felt I wanted to.
Used a TENs
Went into hospital at 6cms dilated
Had a bath
Used TENs
Birth Ball - active labour
No pain relief

Was fine.

Good luck x

A hot bath was great for me during the earlier parts of labour, but once the contractions got really frequent we went to the hospital.

They gave me G&A and it was BLISS, I mean just wonderful. I'd been labouring for 22 hours by that point and hadn't eaten anything, so maybe that was a factor in why I didn't feel sick like so many others have reported.

Anyway, the G&A was taken off me for the proper pushing stage as my midwife said it was 'Time to push. USE the pain!' Actually that was the best bit of the whole labour as I felt I could bloody DO something. It still hurt but I had something bigger to focus on (haha) and so didn't bother me anywhere near as much.

I ended up with a 3rd degree tear because DS came out with his arm over his head (thanks DS) but I was so whacked out on hormones post-labour that I didn't feel any pain from it for hours.

I wish you an uneventful birth OP - actually I am due 24th July so we're at pretty much the same stage!

Oh and if any midwife nods sagely at the explanation of your pain medication needs and then suggests 2 paracetamol, punch her

Oh!! and breathing! I found that the most helpful thing of all tbh!

hth I was the same...pushing was the best bit for me! I felt I was using the pain and I was lucky in that both my deliveries they both popped out after about 6 pushes (although them popping out that quickly did mean I had 2 x 2nd degree tears)

I didnt have the condition you have but had natural labour with only gas and air.

I was induced with DD at 1pm as I was 4 days overdue and her movements had decreased, had no contractions until 9pm. Once the contractions started I went on the gas and air, I must tell you at this point I was not on the labour ward as it was too full and was on a full maternity. By about 12 I was asking for an epidural but as I was still not the labour ward they couldn't give me one, MW gave me half a shot of pethedine, but to be honest it didnt touch sides. The gas and air didn't leave my mouth.

At 625 I was wheeled out of the maternity ward and into a private room to deliver DD, I didnt use the gas and air during the delivery as I found it didn't help so I hung onto DH for dear life an pushed out DD- with lots of screaming and swearing. She was born at 702am.

I had no stitches or tearing and honestly felt fine once he was delivered, the pain for me was gone the minute she was born.

I left hospital that night at 9 and went for a walk I the park the next day.-

Just to reassure you, I am the biggest baby when it comes to pain and the whole way through my pregnancy I was adamant I was having an epidural, so if I can go through all that with out one, so can you

Good luck

Have you thought about hypnobirth? I've seen some very calm, pain free labours by first time mums who have used this method. Going to classes would be more effective (and expensive) but I think even getting the CD and listening to it would help a lot.