Pain relief in labour

[Bythefire90]

What was the most successful pain relief in labour for you?

I did most of my labour and an instrumental delivery without functioning pain relief, not through choice it was hideous.

TENS, paracetamol and a warm bath helped in early labour.

Diamorphine helped massively once I was 8cm and finally offered pain relief at the hospital. It finally allowed me to have a little nap and feel much calmer. The only downside really was that this wore off long before my excruciating instrumental delivery.

I tried G&A but it did nothing for me and just made me instantly vomit every time I took a breath of it in so just had to abandon that after a few goes.

DS1 spontaneous - G&A, diamorphine, epidural
DS2 spontaneous - G&A
DS3 induced - G&A, failed epidural

DS2 was the ‘worse’ birth in terms of my pain & being so out of control. Like PP said, I was like a wild animal in so much pain.

DS3 I had the dreaded drip & the epidural was so painful (I can’t describe the pain of them trying to get that in, I could feel the needle moving down my back, it was horrific). Then the epidural didn’t work in the end at all so I felt everything & wasn’t worth going through the insertion.

If I ever have another I would not attempt another epidural.

That’s settled then.. elective section cause I’m bleedin sick of painful labours . I’m absolutely dreading this one after my last two, they was both textbook but horrendous for me. I just can’t go through that pain again

@Bythefire90 I actually got to 40 weeks and wondered was it too late to ask for a elective
My baby is 2 weeks old so it’s fresh in my mind. Number 3 wasn’t as bad as number 2 so try to have an open mind, I guess. It’s shit because you know how painful it is!!

Good luck

@Theswitch even more so cause I only did it a year ago too horrendous is the only way to describe it. It’s interesting you saying your 3rd wasn’t as bad as your 2nd though!!

I can honestly say it's put me off having another. I tore up and down and had aroidn 4 hours of surgery due to arterial tears.
Never again.
Sorry op, and good luck.

Pethidine was amazing happy medicine for me! I did also have a (mobile, I moved myself onto the operating table pre c section) epidural which was completely unproblematic for me

First gas and air all fine until he got stuck....
second gas and air 1 hour labour
Just go with it, you'll know 😃

Had gas and air at first but it made me feel pissed up, it was horrible, got to the point I was being sick with every contraction, waters still hadn't broke so they broke them and then I went from 4cm to 7 in an hour 😩 I was begging for an epidural and they finally let me have it at 8cm and my god the relief was unreal

TENS machine - although don't do what I did which was to accidentally shift onto the controls, the settings went to maximum and I couldn't breathe or speak from the pain. All I could do was wave my arms about like an idiot! I was literally being electrocuted! So funny looking back now though! I had DC2 at home, used a TENS again but it was the middle of a heatwave and the sticky pads of the conductors wouldn't stay stuck because I was soaked with sweat! I do have great faith in TENS though and currently pardon the pun use one for chronic back pain.

@fairydustandpixies this happened to me right outside the hospital rotating doors. Mid contraction and DH pressed me to his chest and turned up the TENS to full volume (it was round my neck on a lanyard thing).

I went absolutely crazy yelling and screaming ' 'TURN IT OFFFFFF TURN IT OFFFFFF ARGHFJRDVJHJJJHBFFGJ' DH was apparently mortified and everyone going in and out were staring 🤣

I'm usually quite a reserved person and apparently I made more noise during the TENS electrocution than I did through the rest of my unmedicated labour and birth.

On another note whatsthis that second births can be worse than firsts?!?

I was given dihydrocodeine (sp??) and it was wonderful! Although my go later said it was medical-grade heroin so no wonder I felt good!

Had my baby this morning.

Tens and gas and air plus water birth (took the tens off obviously for that bit!)

@Sexnotgender Well done you! I hated water birth in my last labour, the seats were uncomfortable and in odd angles and they couldn’t regulate the temp. So happy it was a lovely and quicker birth for you though!

I put on my birth plan that I wanted the choice of all options as I didn't know how I'd feel at the time (and also battled midwives thru out pregnancy to give birth on the labour ward so I could have this. They wanted me in MLU )
When the time came the gas and air, hyonobirthing, active birth positions and paracetamol(!) weren't much help, although I did find gas and air helpful for the vaginal examinations. Pethidine didn't make any difference. First epidural only half took, but the second epidural was the Best Thing Ever!

[quote Bythefire90]@Sexnotgender Well done you! I hated water birth in my last labour, the seats were uncomfortable and in odd angles and they couldn’t regulate the temp. So happy it was a lovely and quicker birth for you though![/quote]
In fairness I was in the water for about 20 minutes before I had her😂