People who don't agree with med-free birth keep saying that pain releif is sensible in labour?

Question

and that there's no point "suffering" and you wouldn't have a tooth drilled without pain releif etc etc. I can see the sense in that.

But what if your reasons for avoiding pain releif are to try and minimise some of the side effects from these drugs - nausea vomiting and dizziness from Entonox or Pethidine (Demerol)? Slowing down of labour? Fever, shivers, sickness and loss of mobility from epidural and the increased chance of needing assisted delivery/acceleration/caesarian?

Can proponents of medicated childbirth accept that some women have suffered really badly from side effects from these drugs and might want to try and avoid them to escape these side effects?

I'm still trying to make up my mind about the whole thing (my baby's due in December) but it seems that in the great "to drug or not to drug" debate people assume those who want to "go natural" are pain junkies/treehuggers rather than realise that they may just be worried about the side effects from these drugs?

I gotta be honest I don't feel anything "heroic" about not wanting drugs, I'm more scared of the side effects! I'm not thinkiong

I gotta be honest I don't feel anything "heroic" about not wanting drugs, I'm more scared of the side effects! I'm not thinkiong

I gotta be honest I don't feel anything "heroic" about not wanting drugs, I'm more scared of the side effects! I'm not thinkiong

I gotta be honest I don't feel anything "heroic" about not wanting drugs, I'm more scared of the side effects! I'm not thinkiong

to be honest if I decide to try and do it with as little drugs as possible it wouldn't be because I want to "be a hero" it would be because I am **** scared of spending hours and hours puking my guts up due to pethidine! People say you have to enjoy the birth but as someone who has a phobia of sickness that woud RUIN it for me!! If anything its fear that would make me want to avoid drugs!

Answer 1

I wanted to answer the question first! wu hoo

Answer 2

At the end of the day it is you who has to go through the labour and birth, so keep your options open is all I would ever really suggest to anyone in your situation. Yes with all drugs there can be side effects, with my first child I had entonox and pethidine, both of which I thought were fabulous!!!! Really chilled me out and I slept through about 2 hrs of a 4 3/4 hr labour - excellent!

But on the other hand I have friends who were really nauseated and dizzy with just the entonox so went without anything else or had an epidural which caused their labour to slow down or required them to have their babies delivered by the dyson or barbeque tongs (sorry, affectionate terms for vacuum and forceps - I am a health visitor) which is obviously less desirable than a normal unassisted delivery, but sometimes is necessary.

I am due baby no 2 next week, and will probably go for something similar in the way of pain relief, because it worked well for me, but I could never in all conscience say to someone that they have to have x y or z because we are all different and respond to things in a different way.

As I have already said, your birth plan is not set in stone, so if things do get harder in your labour you can always say I'd like to have something. Talk to your midwives about the pain relief that is available, there are a few new things since my last one was born that I have had a think about. And also there are things like the TENS machine available too, which you can put on and use, but take off and have no further effect from if you don't like it or think it isn't working. It also will have no effect on the baby. Just keep your options open. Equally you may be absolutely fine, there are also many women who have no pain relief in their labour and have no problems with that either.

Good luck with it!

Answer 3

Don't worry what other people tell you honey, it's your choice and if you don't want drugs then don't have them.

I do, however, think you should keep an open mind - you may find that once you are in labour, that you feel you would like some pain relief. And as you have obviously read up on the relief available to you, then I think you will be able to make an informed choice either way. There's no need to make your mind up now.

Also, you could opt for a TENS machine or work on relaxation techniques instead of drugs.

I had gas & air during labour, which personally I'm glad I did, but it's not for everyone. I never wanted an epidural and if I had another birth, would be the same. Good luck -x-

Answer 4

I went into pregnancy wanting a drug free birth. I had my birth plan, birht classes, everything and I wanted to do it for the health of my baby to prevent side effects, etc. However when my contractions started at 4:00am on Friday and I didn't deliver until Sunday at 11:00am, I requested an epidural when I was dialated to about a 6 because I just wanted to rest for a few minutes before I really needed to be ready. I was exhausted! And my epidural took a long time to start working and then wore off rather quickly (quick enough I could feel the doctor stitching my small tears up). I was fortunate enough not to have to much on the negative side. I am going into this pregnancy with the thought of a no-med birth also, but I'm so much more open to it in the event that things don't go quickly again. You should approach your birth with an open mind as well because until the time comes, you have no idea how you are going to react to everything that is happening. Good luck!

Answer 5

If you are worried about side effects, just go as long as you can without meds and see how you get on. You can use a TENS device which is perfectly safe and 100% drug free. They can be rented from Boots or ask your midwife for details on getting one.

I would suggest Entonox if you do decide on anything. Yes, it causes dizzyness and nausea in some people, but not everyone is affected. Plus, if you do feel yucky, you can stop using it and it leaves your system nearly immediately. You can't say so much for Pethidine or an epidural. I used Entonox for the birth of my son, and it greatly reduced the pain I felt, and the only side effect I had was a happy, detached feeling. No nausea or anything.

Answer 6

I went drug free with my birth for those simple reasons. I am not a pain junky or tree hugger but I did not want to risk having the side effects from any types of drugs. I realize that there is a very SMALL risk to having epidurals and other drugs but I did not want to risk even the smallest chance. Let me tell you, child birth hurts like I've never felt hurt before. It is intense. But if you know, going into it that its going to be like nothing you've ever felt before, then I think it might help you deal with the pain better. I believe in my heart that the pain is there for a reason. Its there to help you know when the time has come to get that little baby out so you can help your body do what is natural for it. To each his own, but I am due to have my second baby in 4 weeks and I will again have a drug free vaginal delivery.

Answer 7

I have 4 children, and when i had my first child 14 yrs ago, I was under the very stupid impression that if I didn't have epidural i could hold my head up high a be proud of myself!
Well i will tell you now, i regret being so stupid, as my 1st and 2 labours i needed an epidural and felt a failure, well i can tell you after having 3rd and 4th baby with no drugs, all labours are just as painfull!
i will also say now, don't try and be a hero and go in with a closed mind on how you will deal with the pain, just know whats available and the drawbacks and see how your labour goes.
It may not be as awful as you think or it may surprise and frighten you that your body can experience such awful pain.
good luck , be prepared, don't try and be wonder women, do whats best depending on how your labour progresses.and remember every contraction you have is one contraction nearer to having your baby!

Answer 8

The more you fear pain the more tense you will be during childbirth so that instead of having a relaxed birth channel to go through, the womb will be pushing the baby against a hard wall of muscle, thus prolonging the labour and making it more painful. I had four children by natural child birth methods, going to Lamaze Classes, learning relaxing exercises and about the birth process to understand what would happen when the time came. As a result I had relatively pain free labours (including a difficult breech birth) and was fully awake to enjoy that wonderful moment when the baby is born. Labour is a natural process that women have experienced since the beginning of time. Do not listen to old wives tales and so-called horror stories but do your research and enjoy every moment of your pregnancy and child birth - it is not something to fear. Best wishes for December.

Answer 9

When I had my son, I had in my birth plan that I wanted to try without medication, try things like bath/shower, walking etc. I ended up trying demerol and it didn't do anything to help the pain. I agree that all of these drugs tend to slow labour and increase the chances of having c-sections etc. The baby also gets some of the drug in it's system and that isn't good. I am not good with pain at all, but if it means a healthier birth and baby, then this time around (I'm 6 weeks) and make sure that the nurses are aware I want to avoid drugs at all costs.

Answer 10

I had SIX kids without the aid of any painkillers, I don't want to tell you not to take any, that's your decision, but it can be done. I'm not gonna lie, it hurts like ****, but it's all worth it in the end, at least it was to me. If you have had a reaction to a narcotic pain med, then I would say, don't use any, there are relaxation techniques, and hypnosis too, people do those things all the time. My secret was just to breath, very slowly through each contraction, granted, it gets harder the further along you are in labor, but it works for me. Even with all the nurses and the doctor asking me if I wanted the epidural or something else for pain I still did it without!!. It can be done, I did it six times, the last two being twins. You may suffer less, but any narcotic is going to effect your baby, it does make them sleepy and lethargic.

Answer 11

The choice is all up to you. The hospital staff will not judge you if you want or do not want to use pain medications through your labor. I have 2 kids, a 7 year old and a 4 month old baby. My first labor and delivery at 19 years old was completely natural with absolutely NO pain medications. My second delivery I of course was insistant on doing the same thing, no pain meds. I had complications with high blood pressure the second time around. The Dr. wanted me to have a shot of nubaine to get the pain under control to lower the blood pressure. I got the shot, I felt horrible, lite headed, sick to my stomach, it was horrible. What was even worse is that my now 4 month old was born 2 minutes after they administered the shot... it takes 15 minutes for it to start working. Needless to say the shot of pain control was a waste, and still made me feel horrible. I am all for the natural if you want to go that way. But at the same time if you want to try pain control meds, its your choice no matter what. Good luck with what ever you decide to do.