early labour pain relief?

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

34 weeks pregnant with 2nd. Been avoiding thinking of labour completely. First labour was 15 hours on gas and air. Had pethedine but it had no effect whatsoever.

Tonight I had a really bad brackson hicks. Well I had three or four all a few minutes apart. Along with them was a really horrible pain in my ribs.

So now Im officially panicking.

What did you use for pain relief in early labour? Before you got to hospital?

I took some paracetamol, had a warm bath, cuddled a hot water bottle and used a Tens machine. Went to hospital at 5cms dilated.

Tens machine would be a good thing to try

And a lavender soak :o

Are tens machines really effective?

I am having this rib pain on and off every 5 mins or so. Im pretty sure its not labour.DP is freaking out :o

Is there anything stronger than paracetamol that I could get? I rarely take tablets etc so Im clueless.

I will be having loads of baths. They were so relaxing the first time, though I hate them normally!

They're really good for some women. You just have to give it a chance to work.

It'll just be braxton hicks, your body is preparing for labour!

As others have said paracetamol and warm water either a bath or shower. I couldn't get my bump under the water in the bath but found a lovely long warm shower just as good and found it easier having contractions standing up. Also a TENS machine but still not sure if this helped, it was more of a distraction although it was still on after I'd given birth as I was just too scared to take it off! I would also count in my head as the contraction started and reached its peak which really helped with the subsequent contractions as I knew how long they would be, about 30 seconds to peak then I would stop counting as the pain ebbed away.

Get your DP to calm down as this never helps when you are in pain! What did you do at home for your first labour, can you remember, and did anything help?

In my first labour I went to the hospital really early as my ex didnt drive and it was the only time I could get a lift.

But I had baths and spent most of the tine on the phone to my mum aunt and mil trying to work out if I actually was in labour :o

I have heard about raspberry leaf tea and arnica. I know they wont help with pain. But do I need them?

Yes, I have told DP hes going to have to calm down. I think he will at the time. He just fusses and wants to help, so its not a bad thing, but he knows that I need him to stay calm!!

I loved my tens machine. It was the only pain relief I had. It's a really weird sensation so I could see why some people might not like it but I found it a welcome distraction if nothing else. Definitely get one with a boost button to use during contractions. I think the one I hired was the Elle tens machines.