Hi ladies,
I have two questions for you.
The first being -
What pain relief did you use during childbirth and what were the pros and cons? I'm mostly interested in TENs machine and water labour (not birth) at this stage. I'm still unsure about an epidural and will decide that based on how I feel during the actual labor, so I'm mostly looking for other pain relief stories. Pros and cons, please and thank you.
My second question is for woman who have had both a c section and a vaginal birth.
Can, in detail, you describe both and how they were, including the recovery? I've had a complicated pregnancy so far and have a fear of a c section as I'd love to give birth vaginally. Please be honest with your stories and I'd love to know, if you were to do it again would you choose vaginal or c section if you could?
Please and thank you in advanced xx
Pain relief + vaginal vs c section.
Pain relief + vaginal vs c section.
Posted in:
Pregnancy
7 Replies
I didn't use pain relief with my first two, apart from a warm shower, third was pethadine and shower. Pethadine didn't kick in by the time I had her. If I could do it again, I would've just stuck with the shower. All of mine have been vaginal births
Try really hard to not have an epidural. You can do it! Can cause problems with breastfeeding as bubs sucking reflexes kick in immediately and with an epi, bubs gets tge drugs too and it makes them a bit sleepy and out of it. An epidural numbs the senses for baby too. Also I know two women. One my sis in law. Who YEARS after birth are still having back pain cause of the needle. I had three natural births. Tried gas with number one but it made me ill. But of course if you feel u need an epi, don't feel guilty. Just know you CAN do it!
I had an epidural and fed baby immedietly after he was born. No pain and If I had another vaginal birth id have it again
I had complicated labour with baby 1, gas and then epidural which failed completely as the anaesthetist didn't get it into the right place. C-section under general anaesthetic and no bf as baby wouldn't attach and milk didn't come in for over a week.
Baby 2 was spinal (not epidural, yes there's a difference) anaesthetic, as they again couldn't get epidural into the epidural space, baby bf from about 2 minutes old all the way through the recovery room and never looked back.
My advice is, if they suspect you are going to be a high-risk vaginal birth and think you will need a c-section, plan one. An emergency cs is much worse than planned, which is calm and organised. I was mentally prepared and didn't have that "trauma" sense around the birth of baby 2, that I did around my first. I wasn't even awake for the first 2 hours of my first child's life and I was so drugged out for the next few as there was no time for anything other than general anaesthetic.
Yes, recovery from CS is more than vaginal birth, but I didn't find it too bad. I was able to lift and cuddle my babies, move around, just had to take it easy.
I'm horrified at some of the answers on facebook to this question... it's no wonder women are so scared of c-sections or the way society views women who have them! I have had 3 c-sections (1 emergency and two for medical complications). I have never ever felt 'ripped off' of the birthing experience, never had trouble bonding with my babies, was able to nurse the last two while in recovery and had them with me from the moment they were born. I would not have birthed them any other way. Pain afterwards was manageable with pethidine in hospital (barely used) and panadol when home. I spent 5 days in hospital with my first (she was in special care, I was ready for discharge after 2 days), 2 for the others and when I returned home I was not reliant on anyone to do things for me. I could do everything except lift heavy weights and drive a car for the first few weeks. I know every woman is different but this fear mongering really upsets me. If you go into a surgical procedure with a positive view it will make all the world of difference. Don't fear the unknown because that fear will be far worse than the actual pain.
My first bub was posterior so I experienced a back labour. I used active walking & back massage until about 7cms, then I tried the bath (nice inbetween contractions, not so helpful during), pethidine (made me hot & sweaty)... Then my body began pushing too early because of bubs position & it was recommended I should try an epidural in order to avoid c-section. Epidural was light enough I could still feel contractions & push. I then delivered with the help of a vacuum. Don't regret it as I was likely to have the c-section if is said no to the epidural. Second time around my bub was a normal presentation & I used the gas only, normal delivery it was great :) Take things as they come, you can't really know how you will feel at the time or how your labour will progress...
The epidural didn't impact on my breastfeeding at all, my first bub breastfed without a single problem until he self weaned at 2 years of age :)