uk/us pain relief

[kklove2630]

I'm from the UK and I see a lot of us post saying natural or epidural.

In the UK they normally offer you
Gas and air (entonox(
Pethidine
Epidural

They like to hold off on the epidural and just give the low meds first.

My question is do they do this in us or don't they offer the other meds just natural or epidural??

[martysquirrel27]

I didn't want an epidural.  They didn't push. I had other pain medicine instead but when I got to 8 cm dilated I asked for an epidural.  =)

[kklove2630]

Your welcome its so worth giving it a try :)

[AshleyB1221]

Thank you so much! Yes that is some great insight. I will definitely be trying it before I go to any pain meds!! :-)

[kklove2630]

Yeah it's brilliant. The 1st suck of it will make you feel like your drunk but that goes. With every suck you have on it. It only last a few minutes so your not out of it or unable to move like with other pain meds and can be used in a birthing pool if they have it available in that room where you are.

I find it helps you with your breathing as when your contractions happen as soon as you feel one building up you suck the gas threw it. When that one ends you can take it out your mouth and talk and wait for the next one to start.

Hope this was helpful I'd you have any more questions I will answer best I can

[AshleyB1221]

Have you found good relief with using the gas? That is what I am planning to try before going to any meds, I don't want to keep pumping all sorts of things in my body that can make my baby lethargic before he comes out

[kklove2630]

Lol just re read that hope it kind of makes sense. We have a mouth piece with the gas that we can bite on so it stays in you mouth easier we get that 1st before any other pain meds unless we don't like it. But want use it as much as we want.

[kklove2630]

Oh wow they offer really different things to the UK then. Are gas and air which must be your laughing gas we can the have a mouth piece to you can easily bite down and beathe with (it's my favourite) only every used that when have my 1st 3 baby's and plan on having that again.

Pethidine an injection they give lasts up to two to four hours( never had it myself)

I just find it very interesting how different places us different things it been a really eye opener.

Thank you ladies :)

[watermelon15]

I tried the iv meds first. I was scared something would go wrong with the epidural. But the demerol made me feel sick and I couldn't see straight, I have heard too many bad stories with the nubane to even try it. My contractions were hard and back to back. My baby was under stress so I said screw it and got the epidural. In the end safely bringing your baby into this world is all that matters.

[AshleyB1221]

I haven't heard the best things about the nubane. I'm not sure I want it at all.

[traciv]

When I had my daughter I got a shot of nubane. It was awful.  It didn't take the edge off. All it did was make me feel drunk and in pain. Bed spins and everything.

[AshleyB1221]

My hosp says that will offer you iv meds first, they give you nubane and fix it with either morphine or benedryl. Other options if you don't want the iv meds is sterile water injections in your back, downfall they only last about an hr or so then you need to get more. And lastly they offer nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Thos is something you can administer yourself and use it only during a contraction but have to be able to hold the mask up yourself with no help.
The lastly you can get the epidural.
I plan to try the gas and water before any types of meds and the  to from there depending on pain level

[nicholebarber30]

They will offer demerol or stedol sometimes before you can receive an epidural. It's just a shot of medicine that's supposed to relax you, take the edge off. I had it with my 1st but didn't like the way it made me feel. Now I'm 32wks pregnant with my 3rd and I definitely want to get an epidural

[kklove2630]

Oh that's good then. I've not seen any post where people have used other pain relief apart from epidural. It just seem a big leap from going all natural to an epidural.  thanks you for answering my question :) and hope you get the birth you want

[Kyleandmommy]

From my understanding they do. You just have to tell your doctor or midwife about your birth plan. I'm a ftm and I'm really trying to avoid the epidural or any other meds.