Drugs during labor

Salamanda425

I did 23 1/2 hours of labor with 2 1/2 hours of pushing w/ no drugs (except an antibiotic b/c my water had broken so early in my labor). It was extremely painful and exhausting, but I feel amazing after she was born. I felt stronger than I ever have in my life. I have stopped at one child though! Fixed the hubby, not doing that again! lol

tismyhardbody

ive had one both ways, with drugs, without drugs.
hands down would NEVER have another and use the drugs. having an all-natural child birth was easier, and recover was so much better.

BinaryPulsar

I agree with the woman that said she hummed. I also hummed and also made a sound like aaaaah or uuuuuh. I have a very soft voice, so everyone said that it sounded like singing. Of course, yelling and screaming would not help with pain. But, vocalizing and releasing and letting it out, making a primal sound that translates a coping emotion is very helpful (whatever that sound is for you). I have always dealt with pain by humming, though. It was my coping mechanism and kept me calm (I was abused as a child and that's also the reason I can't take pain meds because it triggers my ptsd).

smiley245

I had to be induced for both births, 2 weeks past my due dates.

First one I was adamant about going all natural when I went in to be induced, then a nurse came in and talked to me, told me that I was going to deliver a large baby and she strongly encouraged me to think about medication....(my son was 10lbs8oz) So I said I would think about laughing gaz. she said "honey your gonna need more than a few laughs to get this baby out"

Being a young (20) soon to be new mom I got really scared and eventually caved in and asked for the epidural.
It didn't work as intended, I was numb on the right side and felt every single contraction on the left. They had to do an episiotomy (without asking me) and I felt it all, they cut the left non frozen side. 20 stitches..... There were 13 interns in our room not including the DR oncall and my nurses. I felt like I was putting on a show
All in all it was a very bad first expeirence.

4yrs later
For my daughter I was induced once again. I insisted no interns to "watch" and that I be informed of everything before it happened.
They made a mistake and used gel on the cervix, instead of a drip that could be controled....My nurse even said why would the use the gel strip? (like I would know the answer your the experts!!)
Contractions came, they were hard and fast. I spent a lot of time tied up to the monitor so they could watch the heart rate and BP.
All I really wanted was to be in the shower, hot hot shower aimed right at my back. They wouldn't let me. I had to stay in bed, in the seated (or half reclined)position. It was so uncomfortable, I wanted to move, sway, bend.....
My husband at the time got tired of seeing me in pain and uncomfortable talked me into getting an epidural. (hell he wanted drugs too )
They never checked my dilation point before the guy hooked me up to the epidural. The nurse sends my mom off to the cafeteria telling her it would still be quite a while.....
Mom leaves, I turn to Gary and tell him something not right I have to push now not later.
He gets the nurse, I am fully dialated and the head in engaged.
He is running up and down the hall looking for my mom....They made it back just in time as the nurses were taking apart the end of the bed (all the while telling me not to push)
9lb9oz baby girl, felt all the pushing, but was completely numb for the after birth.
I was so numb I couldnt sit up in bed without back support, or stand up from the bed and sit in a wheelchair to move me into the hospital room. I also had to keep a catheter in until the meds wore off.

I didnt even consider ever doing this again, we got fixed one year after Kaylas birth.

If I had to go back and do it again, and I would want home births with a mid wife or doula.

In no way do I blame the medication, second time around I was really numb, just too late.
I do blame my choice of hospitals, it being the largest teaching hospital in our area, and my being naive.

Edited to add I didn't answer your question! I had the epi with demorol on top the first time. The demerol literally didn't work for me.
Talk to your DR about whats available to you now, research some alternative methodes, such as breathing, pressure points, massage etc to maybe help with pain relief in combination with meds (or no meds) What ever choice you make, it will be the right one for you

LauraMacNCheese

I had an epidural both times…that was the only method of pain control I had with my son. With my daughter, I was given Stadol (I think that’s what it was) & of the 5 hours of labor I went through after they gave me that, I remember all of about ½ hour because I was stoned off my gourd!

I remember the doctor coming in & commenting that he’d never seen the meds knock someone out like that & thinking…waaaahhh??. I remember the epidural & thinking how ludicrous it was to ask someone who is 9 months pregnant to curl up into the fetal position. I remember the pushing & the birth…I remember seeing my ex-husband all teary eyed & thinking to myself, “WOO!!! I just had a baby!! Maybe I should cry too!” I don’t remember holding her for the first time; but thanks to my ex-husband I do have a lovely picture of me looking like both a total train wreck and obviously stoned holding her. I was seriously high for about 24 hours from that stuff. NEVER again…I’ll take the epidural; but aside from that, I’ll be content to attempt to rip the arms off of the hospital bed.

drmerc

I've given birth to many food babies without any drugs

LauraMacNCheese

I've given birth to many food babies without any drugs

Kudos to you for taking the "all natural" route :flowerforyou:

sleepytexan

I never said that labor was a wonderful, pain-free experience. It certainly did hurt, but education, preparation and a "wait and see what might be necessary" attitude would go a long way to reducing the over-interference in childbirth, often making it much riskier than it needs to be. There are several good documentaries on the subject of how one intervention (drug) leads to the next and the next and pretty soon, there is a real problem.

A high risk delivery or complication certainly requires medical intervention and the best medication available, but for most routine deliveries. . . not really.

Sorry--wasn't geared as an attack at you, but at a message for the OP. There are a lot of people who are VERY adamant that THEIR way is the right/only way. Some people actually DO say labor isn't painful (there was one on this thread); others have said it was downright orgasmic. Well bully for them, but I think if it's not phrased very carefully, it puts a lot of pressure/false expectations on the mom, or sends a message that they're somehow less-than. Much like those who are adamant a REAL woman who cares anout her child will do it drug free. Or those who have a sickness-free, glowing, wonderful pregnancy full of sunshine and daisies and fart butterflies instead of gas, who make the people who have been miserable for nine months and just want the monster OUT of them already feel like crap. There's a lot of one-upmanship in the mommy business, and a lot of propaganda about how blissful it's all supposed to be as long as you're doing it right, which lays all the blame and guilt squarely on your shoulders if it's not what you've read/heard about.
Okay, ending rant now ... OP, I am happy for you, and hope to again be in your shoes in the not-too-distant future!

I had 6 pregnancies, 3 miscarriages, 3 live births via c-section, and an adoption. I didn't have labor meds prior to the surgeries (stories above), but that's not because I am a martyr. One-upmanship is rampant, I agree. However, it's actually really amusing.

I quite enjoy sitting back and munching the proverbial popcorn when I hear some group of women mom-peting over who had the longest labor, who had the most people present next to her plastic pool in the living room, who spends the most hours of every day in the elementary school library guarding the die-cut machine so as to "be involved with her child's education", who went without anesthesia while she had her arm amputated; and so on. My favorites are the mothers-of-one who insist that 24/7 baby-wearing is the only way (hahahaha wait til the 2nd, 3rd and 4th one come).

Anyway, I digress. Cheers!

bushidowoman

No "one-upmanship" here. I had three epidurals and hated them. I birth at home in the water now because it's easier for me. Being able to relax completely goes a long way in managing pain.

Oh, and didn't start baby wearing until *after* my second child. I had run out of arms to keep up with them by then.
With baby #6, the children would fight over whose turn it was to hold her and bring her to me when she was ready to nurse.

BinaryPulsar

I think that one up manship (or whatever it's called) is very strange. Everyone that is a mother, however it came to be, has an amazing story to tell (of struggles, beautiful moments, love, strength, joy, challenges). We should all be able to share and listen to all of those stories because they are beautiful, amazing, sometimes sad (as in cases of loss). These are such meaningful aspects of our lives. And maybe some people think that excitement or other strong emotions associated with these experiences are one upmanship, when that is not the intention. We all have our stories to tell, we are not The Borg (star trek)...lol. I shared some of my pain management techniques (or whatever it's called), but did not share my struggles (I just chose not to do that on this thread), but I'm always happy to share if someone were to ask.

For me birth was painful, but not traumatic. The child abuse I went through as a child was traumatic and painful. For me, birth was a healing and empowering experience in comparison. And I can't take pain meds because it triggers my ptsd, so that would have been traumatic for me if my ptsd had been triggered during the birth (and the pain and hormones already put me into a risky place for that). Instead I was able to be in control the way I needed to be, even though it was painful. Pregnancy was not without challenges. I'm older now than when I gave birth to my babies, so my ptsd is decreased, but I still wouldn't want to risk it.

magj0y

I have posted this topic before, but I wanted to post it again for more suggestions!! I am 8 months pregnant and am trying to decide on what pain control method to use!! I had an epidural last time and do not want to go that route again!! What have other women found to be helpful in pain management during labor??

my 1st baby was almost 9 lbs, epidural, all was good.

baby #2 almost 10.5 pounds, no epidural, just a local.

It was hands down, the worst experience of my life. They gave me a local and it wore off long before labor was over and they couldn't give me a 2nd one. While I did heal from the trauma of the pain, being in excruciating pain during something that is supposed to be a joyous event just isn't cool. I was so angry. The dr knew it would be an extremely large baby, and it was also well over due. (I was in for an induced labor, so plenty of time for the epidural, but they insisted on waiting)

I'm not sure why you don't want an epidural, but with the 1st baby, they inserted it long before it was time as she was also an induced large baby but didn't actually use it until it was necessary, just a thought.

My suggestion is that whatever you do decide to do, make sure the staff responsible for delivering your baby is well aware of what you want and that they respect that.

**I just read that you didn't like the epidural because when it came time to push, you couldn't. A walking epidural will help this.

emeliasmith

I had my baby at home with no drugs at all and it was a very long labor (33 hours, 2 pushing hard) and I found it completely manageable. My daughter was just under 9 pounds. If you have enough support and your doctor lets your body do what it is designed to do it is doable. I firmly believe that if you start intervening it starts a chain reaction of man made complications. Give natural a chance! If you would like to read my birth story you can find it at www.mymainehomestead.blogspot.com.

Switty_Kitty

With my first son, I had Demerol....it sucked!! Did nothing for pain, just made you very stoned and groggy.
With my second son, I labored in a tub...it made a world of difference. The thought of drugs never crossed my mind once.
I was anti-epidural from day 1. The whole idea of a needle in my spine scared the hell out of me.

Both kids blessed me with nasty back labour too.

Good luck to you as you bring your little one into the world!

Yellowlass

I had epidurals with both mine and gas and air:~O

annemckee

Gas and air only, for all four. It can be done without loads of chemicals

alvalaurie

I'm not alot of help here. I am allergic to most medications (as well as everything else God put on this earth) so I chose to go completely natural with both of mine. I guess it was painful, but honestly I can't remember! I remember having the mentality that it's pain with a purpose & squeezed the hell outta my Mom's hand & both arrived safe and sound (first took 19 hrs, second was here in 3hrs! :noway: ). You can do it if you set your mind to it; just like anything in life. Good luck!

lewshetland

I found that the baby and labour dictated what happened and any plans that I had went out the window. Both my labours strongly reflect some of my children's personality.

Kenzietea2

I'm no help, sorry. My epidural was fab-u-lous!!!! They had me soooo numb (I didn't ask for that) that they pretty much could have done a c-section on me and I wouldn't have felt a thing. It was perfect!!!

My foot fell off the bed at some point, I watched it happen and even though I was strongly willing my leg to MOVE back on to the bed, I couldn't move it!!! I had to ask my husband to please move my foot back...LOL It was hilarious!!

LOL this made me laugh!

For those of you thinking of doing IV meds vs. just getting the epi, do the epi! Less meds actually get passed through the placenta (<1%) with the epidural...with pain meds it only takes the edge off and passes freely through the placenta. It can also make you nauseated and give you that drugged feeling, while the epi does that less. Or you can go for a natural birth! Whatever works best for YOU is what you should do. There is no right way!!

sweetd_cali

I was 21 when I had my son. I had contractions when I woke up in the morning, went to the doctor and got sent home saying it would take awhile. My sister was with me but went to the store that afternoon to run errands before it was time. I remember meditation classes from school, so I did the whole mantra thing (Ommmm) and got into a deep state of relaxation for a couple hours. When evening fell, my water broke. It took my sister forever to get home and finally get me to the hospital. My midwife was up the hill and it was snowing so it took awhile for her to get to the hospital. By the time she did, it was too late to administer anything. This is TMI, but if they can do an episotomy while you're contracting without you feeling the difference, then you must be in a lot of pain! I don't think I pushed that long but in any case, I didn't get any drug relief for the pain. It was a matter of timing, not choice.

If I ever have another, I will probably ask for an epi!