I will not be able to access epidurals during labour, I am interested what other options people used and how well they worked.
Bath! A warm bath relieves A LOT of the pain or even on a chair in the shower with the force running on your back. I have a water birth and it was the best thing I could have done. I had 1 contraction on the bed and it was like I was out of the exorcist. Amber
gas, sterile water injections, pethidine/morphine injections, massage, positioning, bath/shower breathing and visualisations (i used them despite being a sceptic and they worked really well) try a hypnobirthing course if you can as that really helped me Epidurals can be great but they can also upset bubby and make this go slower and make it harder to push bub out for some people… some people dont have any issues but it is a chance of that happening. Simone
you need to talk to your midwives. Try some hypnotherapy to get you through labour. If they have a bath or can get a portable birth bath I’d recommend that. Even if you don’t give birth in it, the water is very calming during contractions.
Sterile water injections are good but some places don’t offer them. Sally
My hospital doesn’t do epidurals either. I was set against having one anyway, so didn’t care that they don’t do them.
During my whole labour (from waters breaking and contractions starting– to son being born was 52 hours- no sleep for 3 days), getting one didn’t even cross my mind. Gas and a hot shower were great.
I’m not sure if my hospital offers morphine etc either, so it’s best to ask your midwives what pain relief they offer. (Will more than likely have gas). Tiffany
Pethidine or Gas. Neither worked at all for me, so I was relieved to get an Epidural. Hayley
I was set to have all the pain relief I could as I thought I was an extreme sook….. My labour was very short only 5 hrs getting to the hospital 40 minutes before giving birth… I had no time for drugs only a tiny bit of gas….. I was fine hopefully you will be too,… The upside was that I was there and alert….. Minnel
If u have lower back pain I recommend the saline injections other than tht just wing it. Salena
I’ve had the gas and it’s great if its a long labour and you want some sleep between contractions but completely useless for pain relief so i never bothered with it after the first one but having that tube to bite down on with the gas turned off is pretty helpful in the pushing stage.
Tried the water injections with my 3rd because the contractions were all in my back, they are incredibly intensely painful (prolonged stinging pain) but wear off really quickly and actually slowed my labour down hugely so not a fan. Natural was much better. Rebecca
The gas worked a charm for me. Breath it in deeply and just let it do its thing don’t fight it, it works !!! Melissa
The gas is good.
I had the gas an i was so relaxed through labour…
I actually fell asleep but cant say that happens to everyone.. Claire
Look into hypnobirthing! it was life changing for me. I ended up birthing with no pain medication at all. You learn how to use natural hormone release as pain relief along with relaxation techniques and so so so much more! it empowered me to have an amazing birth that I am so proud of! Teagan
I only had the gas and it was great. I felt like time went past a lot quicker. Mousey
There are plenty of other options if you want to stay at your local hospital – hypnobirthing, TENS machines, entonox gas, pethadine/morphine, showering/bathing, saline injections. I used hypnobirthing techniques but I also found moving around, showering & the entonox helped with my discomfort. I eventually asked for pethadine but was so close it wasn’t worth it so didn’t end up getting any. However, you have to be comfortable with your choices and if you feel an epidural is something you would seriously like to consider then perhaps you should look into a hospital which readily provides access to this procedure. Karlie
Pethidine…gas is good to help you calm down too though but doesn’t relieve any pain… Bek
Don’t get sterile water injections. I do not recommend them. If i get a second chance i will just have gas. Jenna
There’s water injections for back pain, pethadine, gas talk to your midwife. I’m due any day and nervous lol but with my first I just had gas and it let me have a break between contractions (made me really drowsy). Jacente
TENS machine. … this creates electrical impulses confusing the pain that the uterus is sending…. Water. .. relaxes muscles. Rosemary
Sorry to say this but pethadene shot only worked for a little bit and only just eased the pain. Nothing else worked besides the epidural which i sill say is magical!!! Taylor
Get on the gas, it’s great! Otherwise I found that holding the shower head against my belly was fantastic! Sarah
I had the gas, but only when I just couldn’t handle it anymore (I was in transition, bubba was born not long after). I say wait as long as possible before having any type of pain relief that way it will work better and you are a lot less likely to need an epidural or other drugs. Use them too early and you will keep needing something stronger. Jenna
I’ve just had my third bubba and never had an epidural. I have had only gas. For my first I found the gas helped. Doesn’t relieve any pain what so ever. I found it to help during the contractions.
.maybe because you’re focusing yourself on something…Second time I didn’t have anything as they didn’t have the time to get the gas ready.
Third time my labour was an hour & 26 minutes. Again I found it to help me through the contractions. I guess only a epidural will help with the pain.
You’re stronger than you think you are!! Just go in with an open mind and follow what the professionals say. Also just think of that first cuddle once it’s all over. That’s what helped me through Best of luck!! Kate
