Waterbirth and pain relievers

[toxitears181]

Hi all the clews in the title really I'm 23 weeks pregnant with baby 1 and wondered what pain relief could you have with a water birth would love to know others experiences xx

Just gas and air/paracetamol

If you wanted pethidine you'd be asked to get out of the pool for a couple of hours until the effects have worn off.

TENS would need to be removed before you got into the water and epidural is definitely not available in the pool.

The water itself is a pain relief, it's why they give you the option. You can also use gas and air.

Some trusts will give you pethidine as well but if you get drowsy on it they won't let you in the pool.

If you definitely want pethidine or an epidural you'll need to be on a delivery ward.

I was given dihydrocodeine either just before or just after getting in the pool. Then when I got to the pushing stage they broke out the gas and air.

Depends on your area but for water birth in ours it's gas and air and paracetamol only - any stronger and the bath is off limits. Any stronger than dihydrocodine and your in a delivery room.

I had a waterbirth on Friday.
I’d had co codamol early on and once they broke my waters my pains really ramped up. Initially I asked for diamorphine but they said I couldn’t go in the pool for at least 4 hours if I had that the issue being they weren’t going to fill the pool for a couple of hours while I progressed and I knew waiting a couple of hours wasn’t going to work!

In the end I said either fill the pool now or get me diamorphine now as gas an air wasn’t cutting it!
By the time the pool was ready things were moving quickly. I was really using the gas and air at this point. The warm water felt really nice around my back/stomach.

Anyway baby arrived 57 mins from having my water broke. Luckily the midwife and student really listened when I explained how I felt and knew it was happening much quicker than they/I thought it would.

Even though things moved so quick I must say it was a very nice experience having her in the pool! It took the edge off contractions and certainly the transition/pushing her out. There were so many times I thought I’d need something stronger but I managed without.

Good luck I hope you get the birth you want! X