For - The pain relief lowers the stress upon the mother, and thus the stress upon the baby, making the birthing experience easier.

Against - Too high a dose or having it given at the wrong time, can make it hard for the mother to have the necessary strength and control to push when required to do so, which can make the birth very difficult and can stress the baby too much.

Well, I'm really glad pain relief is there, as there are situations which really call for it, and I was very glad to be able to use entonox and a TENS machine myself. However I've noticed that a lot more people use the strong stuff for the first baby and not for the sesond. Either it doesnt hurt so much the second time (I wish!) or the fear factor kicks in with first labours and the perception of pain is heightened. I lasted far longer with my second labour without gas&air than I did with my first one, and I think that's one of the reasons she came so much quicker - I was very focussed BY the pain. I kept reminding myself it was productive pain that refused to let me give up. As I suffer from migraines a lot, plus plenty of aches & pains from a road accident years ago, I know all about unproductive pain, and I reckon it's given me a reasonably high pain threshold. But I would never tell someone else not to use pain relief; just to stay positive and try to manage their fear so they dont feel it any worse than they have to!

Emm Ive had two labours as most of you know one planned home birth turned into an emergency c section after 33 hrs i got through over 24hrs with nothing not even gas and air, after 4 hrs in hospital i had morphine i wasnt too happy but it was the last attempt to give me some relief then i cld go for it ...little did i know he was stuck...then epidural, I was so against it with all these horror stories but it was the best relief, so 2nd time rd normal birth came in 5 hrs with some help from forceps it hurt like hell but he was too fast id had morphine 2hrs b4 he arrived and when the going got tuff i was stuffed.

So from being against relief my situations made it ness which im happy with i dont think we sld use them if they arent needed yes it hurts like hell but it really is short lived best advice to anyone in labour dont watch the clock infact if you can see it get them to tk it down.

for - they stop the pain! my first bub was a blur and it let me do it again LOL!

against - they stop the pain! it made it harder during the labour of my second bub cause i couldn't feel anything.

interesting group idea.... ::)'s coolies

I am not sure on this one, I had epidurals both with mine and other drugs they also gave me as my babies moved position in labour and also were over 24 hours long in the hospital. So i am all for pain releif. My babies are fine and happy and maybe full of beans. But i say what ever you think is right go with it. :) I tried for 8 hours with ella no pain relief and finally gave in as they told me i was only 3cm dilated. Thank god for eppidurals :)

Thanks for the add Angie...I really don't know about this one as it depends on the situation. I have only been in labour once for my 2 boys & I had pethadine & gas as it was  a very very bad labour - before it I swore I didn't want any drugs. So I guess it's up to the individual. xxoo

Great idea for a group and thanks for the add.

I guess its a individual thing really. I- said all the way through my pregnancy with Chloe i was going to do it no drugs . I had gas and air i was offered pethadine which i refused as i wanted my daughter to be born awake . Although i came very close to having it . They told me i was stressing the baby but i said that the pethadine would stress her more i just needed to get her out .

Some women have problems in labour and any need the drugs to be able to cope with the labour all women have differant tollerances. One woman will do it no drugs then another may not be able to do it without.

Im glad that for the women that need it the drugs are there these days .

Firstly, I think this is a really good idea for a group-well done!!

Personally I am a big believer in getting all the pain relief you can!! When I had my twins nearly 10 years ago OMG- I started in labour on the Wednesday.I was admitted to the hospital and pumped full of drugs to help me sleep and drugs for the bubs cos I was only 34 weeks.

They sent me home on the Saturday morning and I said I had a 'show' and I was having contractions but they still sent me home.Anyway by 11pm that night I was in full labour and my contractions were so painful I couldn't even speak-and no I'm not a baby!!

I got to the hospital about 1am and was given pain relief and one epidural and loads of gas-which was quite good really,haha!!

I had another top up of epidural because I was having two bubs.I had everything on offer and would do again.

I really pity women years ago when pain relief wasn't available to them like nowadays.

Well i was having contractions 4mins apart for 3days and on the 3rd day they picked up to 2 mins apart. I was so drained and in complete agony but i kept telling myself dnt sook cos its gona get alot worse. I went into hospitalon the 3rd day at 11pm and had Ashton the next day at 7.30 am..

The whole time i was there i was being asked if i wanted anything and i kept refusing. I tried the birthing ball in a hot shower, and i tried the gas through one contraction and it gave me chest pains so i didnt touch it again.

So id say i went drug free. I also had an episiotomy and ashton was vaccumed out, so it was all very painful. If i had a second id know if i couldnt handle it anymore id ask for something. I had asked for an epidural but it was to late, i was 9cms and i was starting to push.Oh i had gas while i was getting stiches.

So im not against drugs, its a personal choice and everyone knows there can be more complications so if its a risk your willing to take then go ahead.

I do think women should try and go natural, it really is a great experience, painful but a happy painful lol..I never thought i could do it but i did and im so proud of myself hahaha

Interesting choice of topic to start with!!   I don't think I have a strong opinion one way or the other.

For myself personally, with my strong phobia of needles and after doing a lot of reading about the negative effects of pain relief drugs on baby's during birth, I decided not to have any medicinal pain relief - though I was quite happy to dally with less conventional methods such as warm baths, breathing techniques, even considered using a TENS machine.  I did discover that endorphins are an awesome natural pain relief, only problem is you have to go through a lot of pain to get there.  I guess that's my "against" argument.

My "for" argument would be my sister-in-law's recent birth when she was in labour on and off for 3 or 4 days before the birth and was so exhausted and in pain that she couldn't have had the baby without pain relief.  There are definitely times when the benefits of pain relief far outweigh the risks.

In conclusion, I think all women should have access to pain relief, and they should have the deciding vote on whether or not they use it.  And also that birthing suites should think outside the box and give other alternatives to "pain relief" than just epidurals.  I don't think there's nearly enough education or access to alternative (i.e. drug-free) methods of pain relief for women in labour.

Well, firstly thanks for the add and secondly i would have to agree with Winnie, different strokes for different folks, but for myself:

With my first baby i had gas and it was revolting, didn't help and made me sick and 'stoned' but it took my mind off the contractions, although i tended to bite down on the mouth piece and keep breaking it off  s i think i may as well have had a stick to bite on.....after the birth i didn't know whether or not i was Arthur or Martha and i had complications, so overall it was not a positive experience and i was glad it was over.  It was 21 hours and to do that i think i did need something, so i felt i did well just having gas.

With the second i had him in 4 hours total and no relief.  It was the best experience.  I felt like i could conquer the world after that!

The third i had a caesarean because he was breech and in that circumstance i was pleased to have pain relief, lol!  So if you can give it ago without any pain relief it is an amazing, exhilarating experience but if needed i'm glad it is an option we have in this country.

Oooh just cant do an against for either,LOL.

I am of the school of, "If the cap fits wear it".

All Mums have a different pain threshold, and the effects of pain can induce different psychological and physiological reactions. In these cases when a Mum is finding it hard to cope then, pain relief can make child birth a more positive experience.

I had an epidural when I gave birth to Ruth, due to SPD causing my vertibrae to press on spinal nerves. The nerve pain was so excruciating, and causing serious issues with my heart.

On the other side, delivery without pain meds can equally have a positive effect psychologically and physiologically. The euphoria of giving birth is enhanced with the natural productions of ones own endorphines, and fatigue is not as harsh as the body does not have to work at getting rid of unwanted chemicals.

I delivered Caty without pain meds, not that they had time to use any any way,LOL. I did have SPD, but the vertibrae issue had been resolved during the intervening years, so I coped will the pain level, and did not have heart issues.

Ruth was a quieter and more sleepy Bub during that first 24hrs. Caty more alert and demanding, maybe it was the drugs that affected Ruth. However, now they are older and independant, their natures are still the same?

The issue for me is to ensure that Mum and Bub are delivered as safely as possible with the least trauma.

So if the Cap fits, I would wear it,LOL.

Love Winnie.xxxx

Having seen the outcome of a drug free delivery, it really is a beautiful thing - mum is alert and expectant, greeting her little one who likewise is alert and ready to greet the world, feeding is easier (instinct directs baby to the breast) and there is the comforting knowledge that no side effects have passed to baby. 

I am fully convinced that through a variety of positions and calm breathing,  a mum can deliver a baby without pain relief and I think for many of us that would be the ideal.

However not all of us can attain that ideal and for whatever reason (for me being in labour for 36hrs on my back with my 2nd child) drugs can give you that calming relief that can help you get through the rest of the delivery.  There is no shame in using them and they can be a very effective tool, especially for a mum who is anxious and really feeling the pain of delivery.

Knowing your options is great, and being informed as to the side effects of each one is important.  I had to deliver on the bed and was on my back for a 40 hr delivery. I had remained calm and happy despite the pain being intensified by my position until I realised I was not even close and had another 5-6 hrs to go, so I panicked and begged for pethidine.  I think in that position and given my concerns of drugs crossing over an epidural would have been a better option, but as I had been adamant I did not want drugs to that point I had not really thought it through.

There!  That's my thoughts for what it's worth....

great group!

against: all drugs cross over to baby including ep so drugs are no the best choice for women in labour while they have other methods to use such as breathing and meditation relaxation and masssage.

for: if a woman in labour is stressed and upset it can cause complications with the birth and also stress the baby out. also why make a difficult task even more difficult by refusing pain relief? there is no scientific proof  the drugs used in childbirth do damage they make the bub a lil groggy and wear off quick.

Great Idea for a new group Angie! Thanks for the add!

Firstly i cant really comment on being against pain relief, bacause i had everything while i was in labour. But i do agree with what has already been written, if you know there will be problems, then you should seek out differnet methods.

For - I had a really long and hard labour. My contractions started at 5 mins apart and i was in pain for 27 hours. To begin with, i didnt want any drugs and i was turning them down, but after a while i caved and had the gas. When that wasn't helping i then had the needle. By the end of my labour, i was having 2 minute contractions and they were coming in at about 30 seconds apart, and i had still only dialated 3 cms. The doctor suggested i have an epidural and oxytocin (which i was very scared about) But i ended up having one because it was my last chance of having a natural birth. Unfortunately bub went into distress and i had to have an emergency c-section. Having already having the epidural, all they had to do was hook up the spinal tap and off i went.

So therefore, i am all for drugs during labour. If you feel that you need them and it will help you get a past the pain, then go for it. It is always up to you whichever way you decide.

Firstly love the idea of the group. Thanks for the add too.

For: I had pain relief during all my births. I belive that if nothing else knowing that you can have something to help with the pain is going to help your thinking during labour. I am all for pain relief if that is what the MOTHER decides. and I say mother decide because she is the one experiencing the pain no-one else.

Against: obviously I am not against drugs as pain relief but I am of the belief that hypnotherapy ( done correctly) can do just as well if not better than drugs for pain relief. At my first birth my midwife was a hypnotherapist and even though I was not hypnotised just the way he spoke and the way he made me feel was so much more relieving than the gas was.

 Lexi xxx

i think if you can go with out do it, but if you cant handle without it take it. I found my first labour to be too hard on me metally and phyiscally. I was young, scared and my baby was in alot of stress as it was a 46 hr labour and i just didnt have the energy anymore. I had epidural and he was born safely. My second was a very big baby and i was struggling alot to get him out, i had pethadine which was a huge mistake as it made me very sick, throwing up while i was trying to get bub out! So my 3rd was going to be drug free which she was, it was a great birth ( well the best u can make it) She came in 4 hrs of labour and no stress was involved. My last one was like my first except i was older!! 17 hrs of hard labour and i was highly stressed which was stressing bubby out, lots of things went wrong so no choice of mine we had to have epidural to get her out quickly, i needed that epidural even though i was going to go drug free, it all worked out in the end as she was born safely. So i think if you need it take it!!!

thanks for the invite to the group :)

naomi xx

I had pethadine for my first pregnancy as well as being induced and people told me that because i was induced it would hurt more then anything but i found my second which was drug free (not by my choice the midwife didnt' believe and told me too bad its to late you aren't getting anything) and i found that i had so much trouble plus the midwife was a bitch and screamed at me the whole labour so i found my second drug free labour was the hardest and i had pethadine with my last i couldnt' stand the gas made me sick and my last was also a lot bigger then my other two and even though it killed like anything he was my quickest by far and the midwives were lovely.  I feel even with the drugs if you have a great midwife then its a lot easier.  I am not for or against anything really as each to their own.  I wouldnt' have a epidural during any of my labours as my aunty did and she got the numbness upwards instead of down and that scared the hell out of me. 

Against: With my first, second and third births, I only ever had gas. I did have pethidene with my first but that just made me throw up and didn't do anything else. So I didn't want that again.

For: With the last pregnancy, I had no choice but to have a c-section. I was in labour for two days before having the epi and going into theatre.  The relief was enormous and I think now if I ever got pregnant again, I would have an epi for sure.

If it can be avoided I would agree that I am against pain relief during labour but saying that I am for pain relief if it can't be avoided. I was lucky enough to have relatively easy labours. But I still had some pethadine administered too late it turns out but when you are in so much pain and they can't tell you if you are going to endure this for the next 2 hours or 36 hours it is very hard to refuse pain relief. Each labour is so different and a little help to help you get through it I would not blame any woman for. I had pain relief even though I tried to do it naturally. Thanks for the invite. I like the idea.

Well here goes.....  First of all thanks for the add.

I was well against drugs for my pregnancy as I did a lot of research on it and found that there were many side effects that I didn't want.  The gas made you unaware of your sourandings etc..  while at the top end the epidural gives you numbness and you may not feel the contractions to push, less oxgyen to the baby. 

All of the side effects of each drug I considered and was determined not to have any drugs however...

When it came to labour I was induced and was in so much pain that I was crying, my partners massage, the heat pack and the TENS machine did not work.   I wanted pain releif but nothing they were going to offer.  In the end I had an epidural.  

Why be in that much pain when it can be reliefed?

I had happy gas and pethadine in the contractions and that helped me as I was some what unconsious with my son as I was in labour for 3 or so  weeks before I had him. I slept through my hospital labour and half way through his birth. SO I totally for taking pain medication during the birthing. I was totally drug free when I delivered both my kids.

I totally, 100% disagre with epidural as everyone I personally know who has had 1 now have very bad back problems. A family friend had her spin broken and has a hair line fracture in it that is still there. My sister has trouble with one of her legs from it. and another friend felt the whole birth and was on a high does in the epidural.

Drugs are not for everyone. My aunty did it drug free as the gas made her ill. So it isnt for everyone. And it is totally what you want and you pain threshold. I have a high pain threshold and can dealw ith it but others cant and need pain relief. I used the pethadine as a form of anti anxiety so I could cope with what was happening.

this really is a hard topic to have for and against as it is a personal choice.

I believe in whatever is best for Mum and Bub and whatever they are comfortable doing. I had the works with my first born, the gas was horrible, I just felt too out of control and it made me feel sick. They then gave me pethadine as I hadn't slept for 24 hours but I threw it up staright away so they advised em to have an epidural which was VERY welcome. When it was time for me to push and they turned off the epidural all the contraction pain came back in one of my legs and it was terrifying. the midwives did reassure me that it was normal though.

With my second I had already decided to go straight for the epidural but there just wasn't enough time to have anything, he was in a big rush to make his entrance to the world and he hasn't stopped since...LOL

Amanda xxx

Hi there. I'll do my best in both sides of the story.

I'm all for pain relief in pregnancies as if youre in pain, why not take something for it? If you can't handle pain, then pain relievers are the best way to go.

I've always taken pain relievers with my pregnancies as it's made my children not to stress out during the birth.

I had no side effects on the pain relievers, but some people might, so that's what i'm against. If people know they're going to get side effects, then don't use pain relievers, and use a natural way of pain relievers if that makes sense.

I hope this is what you were looking for Ravenheart.

Kerri.

With my first and last pregnancies I used pain relief in the labour, I think if you need it to get you thru then use it!

On the other hand when I had Jess I didnt use any drugs and she was more alert and easier to feed then Jayde was.

So i would go into it with an open mind and the knowlege of whats pain relief is available to me and decide what to do when the pains starts lol.

xoxo

I am sorry but I don't have an against opinion...  When my husband went in search for the doctor to get the epidural, I almost had no energy left... If I did not get the epidrual I don't think I would have been able to push at all...

I am alergic to pain...