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Talkback: Pethidine for pain relief in labour

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  • I was really against having anything other than gas and air and I wanted to give birth in the pool. However, a few hours in after getting to hospital at 10pmish and spending some time in the pool, the midwife suggested pethidine to let me get some rest. I remember being dubious, having read the side affects, but eventually agreed. I then managed a couple of hours sleep (although I think it was restless with contractions). I don't remember feeling strange, just really lethargic. It was the next night that Annabelle finally arrived so we were both wide awake by then! No adverse affects as far as we know, although my milk was low at first and we had to combine BF with formula for a few days. (Am still solely BF now at 12 weeks.)

    I would use pethidine next time based on my experience, although a little bothered by the 'addiction' theory above!
  • Ps I managed the rest of my labour only with gas and air.
  • I wanted an epi with my first but got pethidine. It just made me feel really out of it and I couldn't even hold my head up. It did do the job but it leaves you feeling so odd until it wears off. I imagine it is what having your drink being spiked feels like is the only way I could describe it. I could hear what was going on and could just open my eyes but I couldn't eally move or speak because I was do drowsy. The second time around I asked for it but got told I was being silly because my baby wasn't going to be here for some time so they'd save it for me (the cheek). Low and behold, my baby arrived within 20 minutes so there was no pain relief which wasn't bad at all as the adrenalin had kicked in and it was just a case of getting on with it by then. I don't like gas and air as that give you a huge head rush and dries my throat out until I have a wicked cough. I think maybe I just can't handle drugs. Lol.

    I think most of all I had pain relief out of panic rather then it was already hurting. I'm happy with the pain relief I got and it also meant I was able to take Mia home 4 hours after she was born. They said if I had an epi I would have had to stay in over night which was my biggest worry.

  • Hi there. We decided again pethidine for both of my two little ones. Mainly because I was keen to BF, and didn't want anything to make it harder. As it was, it was still really hard for both of them; and I struggled for 8 weeks to get it right with my first. I found Gas and Air to be enough, but I know that this may not be the case for everyone.
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