Paracetamol in labour - does it help?!

[minimoonumbertwo]

For all those who have experienced labour before, i think you can take paracetamol when you go into labour - did you and do you think it helped at all?

Eccentrica has a good point. Paracetamol in labour does bugger all on its own, but potentiates the effect of opiates e.g might mean a lower dose of epidural opiate/pethidine will go further. So I'd say only useful for that reason...but tbh, paracetamol only lasts for 4 hours so if you take it in early labour, it might be hours until you have an epidural etc by which point it will have worn off anyway.

But it's safe to take, so do what you will...

Safe.

But useless.

Don't know if I dare post this but here goes....we get THOUSANDS of phone calls from women who think they are in labour, depending on the history I might recommend 2 paracetamol and a warm bath, those who ring back are in labour but lots aren't and this does the trick. I hasten to add my advice is dependent on history...because if the woman is definately in labour they are as good as a chocolate fireguard and we would invite them in to offer the good stuff!!

Okay - so that makes sense.

Paracetamol is used as a triage aid, and can possibly save the NHS a little pethidine or fentanyl.

But it doesn't provide pain relief

probably not any point as at the point that it might help the contractions probably 10 mins apart and not worth it, although do recommend either a bath or tens machine.

might worth taking it its nighttime and so early and mild you might be able to sleep?

Not a bit.

It was suggested by the mw when I phoned to report the start of contractions. I laughed, but gave it a go anyway. Utterly useless.

Oh, and I threw my TENS across the room in disgust too.

Yes, it helped make that day the most memorable of my life for all the wrong reasons. The mere suggestion of paracetamol when I was in hospital and had already complained of being in agony was quite enough to throw me into panic about exactly how much pain I would need to feel before I was allowed proper pain relief. I've never felt so dismissed or humiliated in my entire life.

Of course I can't say it wouldn't have helped. I didn't take it because I felt so sick I knew I would have thrown it straight back up again. But since it doesn't even touch my period pain, I seriously doubt it would have done any good.

I think any MW that has the audacity to suggest paracetamol to a labouring woman should be struck off, quite frankly.

You might as well suggest taking a paracetamol to get you through a C-section.

"The good news is that usually you get no pain and the chance to rest and gear up again between them."

Not always. I had no relief and no chance to rest throughout my entire labour.