Would you ever consider giving birth without pain relief?
Posted By Admin on December 9, 2011
My partner thinks I’m crazy for even considering it. I’ve never taken pain relief in my life, growing up my parents didn’t agree with modern day medicine, though I did have all my vaccinations. So I don’t even know how my body would react to pain relief and I don’t want to harm my baby if I do react. I’ve tried those TENS machines when I broke my wrist and it didn’t work.
Would you ever consider giving birth without pain relief?
Chosen Answer:
I’ve done it.
When I had my son I was in back labour for 36 hours, he was over 9lbs and his head was 37cms, I pushed for three hours and had stitches afterwards. I did the first 31 with no pain relief at all, then I had gas and air for two hours, then nothing at all for the last three hours (which is when I was pushing).
It’s entirely possible to give birth without pain relief. I did it because I hate anyone fiddling with my back so an epidural was out and I dislike feeling spacey and out of control so morphine and pethidiene were out too. Plus I didn’t like the idea of whatever I took affecting my baby. I wrote in my birth plan “please offer me support and encouragement rather than drugs. If I want them I will ask for them” to make it clear I didn’t want to be medicated. In the UK the majority of pregnancies and deliveries are midwife-led in hospitals or birthing centres, doctors only get involved where there are issues the midwives can’t deal with. They encourage natural, non-medical methods of pain-relief however the option is there to use them if you so wish. If you’re in the UK then discuss pain relief with your midwife to see what options your chosen hospital offers.
Because I hadn’t had any drugs I was able to continue to eat lightly and to drink during labour – sips of ice water and icy cold fruit juice are just heavenly when you’re sweaty and tired. I had tea and toast right after the delivery, followed by a shower, and I was then able to walk from the delivery room to the post-natal ward rather than being wheeled there in a wheelchair or bed.
There are other ways to relieve pain – have your partner rub your back, try a variety of positions to find one that is comfortable, move around, rock back and forth, I found standing and leaning on the bed to be comfortable. You could ask the hospital if you can use the birthing pool as water is great for pain relief. If they don’t have a pool then put a chair (a waterproof one!) in the shower and straddle it so you’re leaning your chest against the backrest, angle the shower spray aginst your lower back – it’s amazing for relieving some of the pain there.
The main thing is to breathe, if you tense up then it will hurt more. It’s easier said than done but relaxing, breathing, and letting your body do what it was designed to do is the main thing. Imagine each contraction like a wave lapping on the beach. As it builds, that’s the wave coming in, so you start to breathe in slowly and count in your head 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. When it reaches it’s peak, that’s it lapping over the shore, start to breathe out slowly like your breathing it away, and then it starts to recede and you count back down in your head as you exhale, 4, 3, 2, 1, etc. I know that sounds lame and stupid but that helped me. I didn’t take any relaxation or breathing classes, I just did what felt natural and right on the day and didn’t give a stuff if I looked stupid lol.
Keep an open mind on the day, there are no medals for being brave and it’s not a contest to see who can withstand the most pain. If you do need pain relief then take it, but you don’t need to jump right to an epidural. Think of pain relief as a padder. On the bottom rung is no pain relief (except for methods like massage, water, etc). On the next rung up is gas and air. On the next is morphine/pethadine. On the last rung is an epidural. If you decide that you want some pain relief then you need only go up to the next rung (gas and air) and see if that works for you. If it does, stick there. If it doesn’t, move up another step. Take it as it comes and see what the day brings but if what you really want is a drug-free delivery then go for it. I’m a wuss about pain and I managed it and it was the best thing I’ve ever done. I plan to go drug-free with this one too.
It hurts at the time but once that baby is in your arms, you forget – seriously, you do. They injected a local when they stitched me and I didn’t even feel it because I was so preoccupied with looking at my baby.
by: Coeebod
on: 19th August 10
I am going to give it my all and try with out pain relief. Our bodies are meant to do this, and lots of woman have done it, so can we! I will however, keep the option open for the epidural, but I am crossing my fingers I won’t give in. Your not crazy, you are brave. Good luck and God bless!
I, personally, would not. I don’t have a high tolerance for pain though and everyone’s different. More power to you if you decide to go in that direction. I think women that delivers without medication are simply amazing.
Absolutely, better recovery for you, and better for the baby, I fully intend to have a natural home birth when my time comes.
Chances are, if you have NEVER taken pain medication then you have a pretty high pain tolerance. I have considered having children without pain medication, of course now I realize it isn’t for me. But I do know many people that have had children without medication. I say if you want to try it and you can do, then do it! Good luck!
Absolutely. I had planned an unmedicated labor. It ended up not working out as expected (for various reasons), but I always knew that if I would have had another baby, I would have again planned to go unmedicated — and I’m sure I would have succeeded.
If you want to do without pain meds, go for it. And I’d strongly encourage also hiring a doula. A partner who isn’t supportive can make it tough.
No, never! Though, I have a really small pelvis and had a really large-headed baby. That together equals 27 hours of active labor and 3+ hours of pushing. (Plus an hours worth of stitching.) The epidural was the best part.
actually ive CONSIDERED it every time….but just didn’t make it as the pain got to be to much for me….BUT every ones pain thresh hold is different…..with my first i went into labor at home and felt what “real” contractions felt like and then because it took so long after the epidural was administered for me to deliver the epidural had wore off and i felt everything when i was pushing and it wasn’t something i wanted to feel again lol….but every time i got pregnant i thought this time ill go epidural free but again i ended up succumbing to the pain…..if you put your mind to it and maybe go to the classes they offer you can learn some ways to cope with the pain and you yourself may be able to do it! best of luck to you!
i did with 2 of my children but on the first it was a longish labour and my waters were broken very early so i had gas and air and petodine aswell. on my second i had none because it happened so fast i just didnt get time but it wasnt too bad because it all happened within a few hours and on my third i decided to go without any pain relief i was induced and coped fine up till the last few minutes before pushing but it wasnt too painful becausse my waters were still intact and i had the gas and air just before i started pushing and in between pushing. i would say dont decide on pain relief until your there and in labour we all react different and i did have a different experience of pain with each labour so wait and see dont rule it out completely as you will feel then like u gave up too quick or let urself down. pain relief is really good as it really is hard work and painful you might be glad of it beliver me
i CONSIDERED it (past tense) lol.
i went on for the last weeks of my pregnancy telling everyone i was going to try to go without the epidural. of course some woman said, “that’s great” while some others looked at me like i was crazy.
but once the day came and those contractions kicked in i just couldn’t do it. i turned into the biggest b*tch and cursed at the doctors and gave attitudes to EVERYONE. i’m a huge baby and i can’t handle pain and it took me til that day to find that out.
I’m considering it because I’ve heard that the recovery time is quicker without the meds. I hated the way the drugs made me feel when I was trying to labor with #2. I opted for the epidural which made things so much easier.
I think you are so brave for considering no meds! I suggest taking a Lamaze class or learn breathing techniques to help you through.
yes i unfortunatly did have to by force not by choice. They told me i couldnt get an epidural cause i tested positive previously at that hospital with mrsa (antibiotic resistent staph infection) I had back labour which is supposed to be the worst and it was for 24 hours. It was bad but it was bearable I didnt cry once and actually did pretty well for no pain meds.
I am due again on 7/25/10 and I am planning on not getting an epidural even though Ive proved through blood tests im not a mrsa carrier. I plan on going again naturally and getting some pain meds through my iv. and remember if you want one you can always gets one. Just cause u make a choice not to get one doesnt mean you have to stick with it.
you can always change your mind.
ps. I can relate to your no tolerance for pain meds.
I dont even like taking tylonal for a tooth ache
We are going to do a natural home birth. I am not going to take any drugs. I am probably going to get in the water, because I know that really helps with pain. But I hate needles and I’ve heard too many epidural horror stories, and I don’t think it’s good for the mom or baby.
i am due in exactly a week and plan to give birth without pain relief =]
I’ve done it.
When I had my son I was in back labour for 36 hours, he was over 9lbs and his head was 37cms, I pushed for three hours and had stitches afterwards. I did the first 31 with no pain relief at all, then I had gas and air for two hours, then nothing at all for the last three hours (which is when I was pushing).
It’s entirely possible to give birth without pain relief. I did it because I hate anyone fiddling with my back so an epidural was out and I dislike feeling spacey and out of control so morphine and pethidiene were out too. Plus I didn’t like the idea of whatever I took affecting my baby. I wrote in my birth plan “please offer me support and encouragement rather than drugs. If I want them I will ask for them” to make it clear I didn’t want to be medicated. In the UK the majority of pregnancies and deliveries are midwife-led in hospitals or birthing centres, doctors only get involved where there are issues the midwives can’t deal with. They encourage natural, non-medical methods of pain-relief however the option is there to use them if you so wish. If you’re in the UK then discuss pain relief with your midwife to see what options your chosen hospital offers.
Because I hadn’t had any drugs I was able to continue to eat lightly and to drink during labour – sips of ice water and icy cold fruit juice are just heavenly when you’re sweaty and tired. I had tea and toast right after the delivery, followed by a shower, and I was then able to walk from the delivery room to the post-natal ward rather than being wheeled there in a wheelchair or bed.
There are other ways to relieve pain – have your partner rub your back, try a variety of positions to find one that is comfortable, move around, rock back and forth, I found standing and leaning on the bed to be comfortable. You could ask the hospital if you can use the birthing pool as water is great for pain relief. If they don’t have a pool then put a chair (a waterproof one!) in the shower and straddle it so you’re leaning your chest against the backrest, angle the shower spray aginst your lower back – it’s amazing for relieving some of the pain there.
The main thing is to breathe, if you tense up then it will hurt more. It’s easier said than done but relaxing, breathing, and letting your body do what it was designed to do is the main thing. Imagine each contraction like a wave lapping on the beach. As it builds, that’s the wave coming in, so you start to breathe in slowly and count in your head 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. When it reaches it’s peak, that’s it lapping over the shore, start to breathe out slowly like your breathing it away, and then it starts to recede and you count back down in your head as you exhale, 4, 3, 2, 1, etc. I know that sounds lame and stupid but that helped me. I didn’t take any relaxation or breathing classes, I just did what felt natural and right on the day and didn’t give a stuff if I looked stupid lol.
Keep an open mind on the day, there are no medals for being brave and it’s not a contest to see who can withstand the most pain. If you do need pain relief then take it, but you don’t need to jump right to an epidural. Think of pain relief as a padder. On the bottom rung is no pain relief (except for methods like massage, water, etc). On the next rung up is gas and air. On the next is morphine/pethadine. On the last rung is an epidural. If you decide that you want some pain relief then you need only go up to the next rung (gas and air) and see if that works for you. If it does, stick there. If it doesn’t, move up another step. Take it as it comes and see what the day brings but if what you really want is a drug-free delivery then go for it. I’m a wuss about pain and I managed it and it was the best thing I’ve ever done. I plan to go drug-free with this one too.
It hurts at the time but once that baby is in your arms, you forget – seriously, you do. They injected a local when they stitched me and I didn’t even feel it because I was so preoccupied with looking at my baby.
im trying very hard to go with out i did the epidural with my first and it wasn’t a horrible experience just not what i wanted having a baby to be like. we all know theres going to be pain but if you think you can do it then do it. good luck!
Sort of the same thing as you – I wanted natural because I have taken some medicines, and I have a tendency to have reactions/every side effect when I take medicines. So like you, I was nervous about how someone like me would react to epidurals.
So because of that reason, I decided I wanted natural child birth, and I succeeded with my first. I am planning the same thing with my second. Yes it hurts, but as soon as it’s over, it’s over. You INSTANTLY feel better, I got up and moved around, I recovered so quickly. If you have a strong reason for wanting to do it, that’s the first, major step.
Yes, and I did. I had a homebirth with my second child. The only pain relief was my bath tub.
It was awesome, and I would do it again tomorrow.
ETA: I had an over 9 lb baby with a huge head, and a 3rd degree tear. The only anesthetic my midwife had to stitch me up was a spray, and I’d still do it all over again. If you are properly prepared for a natural birth, it’s not nearly as bad as people make it out to be. Read everything about natural birth you can get your hands on, and I highly recommend using a midwife (even if birthing at the hospital, which I don’t recommend) and/or hiring a doula.
Yes, I’ve had four births without pain relief. I used the Bradley method with all of them.
You know your body releases a chemical called endorphin, similar to morphine, to help you kill the pain, AND forget what (pain) has happened. That is why many people experience lots of painful episodes, still do it again.
Endorphins are endogenous opioid polypeptide compounds. They are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus in vertebrates during exercise,[1] excitement, pain, consumption of spicy food and orgasm,[2][3] and they resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a feeling of well-being. Endorphins work as “natural pain relievers.”