Forum : Pregnancy

Hi. What's best depends on you and how good you are with pain. I also think it depends how long your labour is. My labour was really long and getting from the start to 3cm when they can give pain relief took 39 hours! I straight away asked for an epidural cause I wanted the pain totally gone and I would definitely have one again. My opinion is why suffer with the pain when you don't have to? I also think I enjoyed the experience more because I had no pain. You also have a clear head unlike gas and air which makes you feel really drunk, but that feeling only lasts during the contraction. I got the feeling back in my legs about 2 hours after the birth. I used a TENS machine in the early stages but found it totally useless. I think the best thing is to keep an open mind and don't rule anything out. Good luck! xx

i used gas and air, and had pethadine about 30 mins before giving birth and i swear by the stuff, i'll be using it for my second baby, which is due in march, gas and air didnt do a lot for me as my daughter was spin to spin, but it did help, but the pethadine really helped, and i actually enjoyed labour (i know who can enjoy pain) but i could feel things, but not too strongly xxx

The best advice I van give you is to ask for pain relife before you actually need it. I did and when I eventually got it I sure as hell needed it! I read all the books too, and they dont help. Johnny was pulled out with forceps and at first the docs thought I had a third degree tear (luckily I didnt) but I was so out of it from the drugs I really didnt care! I had the lot, Gas and Air, Pethidine, Epidural and something a bit like morphine. Go into the labour ward with an open mind. You dont know how your labour will progress, so there is no point setting your heart on anything in particular! I have the view that I wouldnt have a tooth pulled without anesthetic, so i bloody wasnt going to give birth without any!! Hope that helps?! xx

Hi, I originally wanted to just use gas and air but after 12 hours it wasn't enough for me so I had dia morphine (aswell) which was great but it stopped my contractions so I had to go on a drip to restart them. After 24 hours I couldn't cope and ended up having an epidural, when it came to pushing I couldn't get my baby out and finally after 29 hours I ended up having a ventouse delivery, however this was mainly due to the fact that my baby was big (9lb 71/2oz) rather than the epidural. I think it's to read up on all types of pain relief and then have a flexible birth plan because you don't know how you will feel when you are actually in labour. Good luck xxx

Hi there

I had my little one 4 weeks ago. In the first stage of labour all they offered me was paracetamol! Needless to say that doesnt get rid of head aches let alone labour pains!
(no it didnt help if your wondering!)

I was then checked to see how dilated i was and they said i was 4 cm so would i like to use the birthing pool (added in my birth plan) or gas and air. she suggested the pool first and to save the gas and air. The pool was so wrm and lovely but i dont think it help with the pain.

I then shouted for gas and air and after trying that with 1 contraction i actually threw the mouth piece down. nope that didnt help. in the end shouted at the midwife for an epidural but she was very anti epidural so i did it on my paracetamol in the end. LOL

Just to say i didnt want an epidural to start with but there i was in the pool screaming for one! Keep your options open and if you really want something your able to have push the midwife for it or get your birth partner to.

Good luck xxx

I was so worried about pain relief and then I had to have a c-section so had no choice but to have an epidural which I was terrified of! I can honestly say I hardly felt a thing whilst the needle went in it was amazing and I would have it if I had another baby, good luck!

I think the best thing is to go in very open minded. See how you feel with every contraction, you don't get a medal at the end depending on amount of pain you've suffered!! I managed my third with just gas and air (had pethidine with my first two), my sister in law wanted an epidural from the word go. You've also got to remember that any pain relief (apart from gas and air) will have an effect on the baby, that may sway your decision. How about trying a water birth?

It depends on your hospital, but you can have a mobile epidural, where you have full sensation in your legs. Why don't you ask your mw if that's possible, they should know xx

hey edge89, im 28 weeks too. i originally wanted an epidural when i found out i was pregnant! i was like i'm not feeling a thing but my OH thinks its too risky, i explained theres only a slim chance of paralysis but he's not for it his friends gf had one, it made the baby slow to repond and the babys heartbeat went really low he doesnt want the risk to our baby (never mind me eh!). My friend delivered her boy with pethidine, and gas n air so i think i'm going for that! hopefully if everything goes to plan!
xx

i was adamant i didn't want epidural or pethidine. i used a tens machine for my entire labour (3 days). i arrived at hospital and was fully dilated and i then had gas and air for the pushing stage (as by this point the tens machines dont work). however, my baby had to be delivered with forceps and i had to have a combined spinal/epidural (the spinal to do the episiotomy and forceps delivery as it works quicker than an epidural and the epidural was in case i needed to have a c-section). i was really upset as i had gone 3 days feeling every contraction and really wanted to feel the moment of birth. i have some back pain and problems and i believe it is because of my epidural. i can no longer lay on my back unless i have my legs bent because i get terrible pains at the site of the epidural. i do know other people who also have this problem.