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One thing that isn't often used in the USA is nitrous oxide, which is routine in many countries. They say it has the effect of not killing the pain so much as making the woman not care about it, and it's usually given in a patient-controlled way, where the woman holds the mask herself. It takes effect very fast and wears off very fast, so the woman can give herself a hit when the contractions happen and then get full sensation back. Nitrous Oxide During Labor - American Pregnancy Association
Doesn't do that much for the pain (at least in my experience) but because you're concentrating on breathing in the gas&air you're not so focused on the pain. Plus it makes you giggle. I remember saying to the OB when she came in "I'm so ****ing high right now heeeheeheee"
Doesn't do that much for the pain (at least in my experience) but because you're concentrating on breathing in the gas&air you're not so focused on the pain. Plus it makes you giggle. I remember saying to the OB when she came in "I'm so ****ing high right now heeeheeheee"
It's not called "laughing gas" without reason!
Nitrous oxide crosses the placenta and potentially has more of an impact on the baby than an epidural.
Interesting. My baby had low blood oxygen levels when she was born and had to stay the night in SCBU. But I think if ill effects in babies were common they wouldn't allow gas&air any more, they tend to err very much on the side of safety here.
We had 3 kids and my wife demanded a mid-wife and no epidural. Her feeling was she wanted to give the babies the best chance at a healthy life just in case there are any unexpected effects with using the epidural. I wanted to go the traditional way but the advantage I saw was that the natural birth was cheaper from insurance perspective. Also it seemed that there were alot of C-sections from the regular doctors.
I've heard that sometimes mothers experience pain from the site of the epidural that last years.
She also felt that the body was designed to handle the pain so why not just be natural about it. The human brain does compensate for the pain and the mothers get a mental fog during labor and don't remember the pain of childbirth.
I think the pain is greater for the father to hear than for the mother to remember.
My sister in law did not use epidural because she couldn't remember the name of it so kept saying demoral.
11lb babies are painful!!!!!
oh my god, I really give up...mental fog... I wish.. and that poor poor father...
I have ZERO interest in anyone EVER putting a needle in my spine. I know people who have had complications caused by epidurals including a woman having a stroke in the middle of delivering her baby. I broke part of my back years ago and have plenty of trouble on my own. I have a serious problem with hiccups and I know they would flare up right when they go to insert the needle. Being paralyzed was never something I dreamed about. I'm also not into drugs of any kind. I'm not even thrilled taking Tylenol for a headache.
She also felt that the body was designed to handle the pain so why not just be natural about it. The human brain does compensate for the pain and the mothers get a mental fog during labor and don't remember the pain of childbirth.
I think the pain is greater for the father to hear than for the mother to remember.
You live in lalala land! I'm 40 years old and my mother can tell you how joyous all 18 hours and 47 minutes of her labor with me was. She didn't have a mental fog nor did she forget.
I wanted to experience birth naturally because it's a part of the experience of being a woman and of becoming a mother. There are very good reasons to avoid unnecessary interventions that interfere with the birth process. Interventions are not risk free. Despite my intentions in the beginning I did end up getting an epidural. Labor is different for everyone and everyone should be able to make the choice that works best for them.
I don't know about "anymore," but I took Lamaze classes with my eldest. Day 1, the instructor informed us that Lamaze doesn't help much with back labor. Believe me, I was all in favor of breathing and meditation and going all Earth Mother.
See my other post. My daughter with the 30 hour labor was back labor. She was not in distress so they let it continue. She was my second child. My OB did say that that position could take longer. My first was a breach birth delivered vaginally after 24 hours. I suppose after that first you might say I was "prepared" by experience. MY OB way back then did say to me that he never would have attempted a vaginal breach birth if I had not taken Lamaze. "You will have your work cut out for you, but together we CAN do this". The entire hospital Labor and Delivery staff was there to watch this 36 years ago. My husband was pushed out of the way by all the medical staff in the room watching. lol Imagine today? Would never happen. Automatic C-Section.
The OT goes to entire question of pain. Why take narcotics for pain, period? They are addicting and certainly not good for the baby. The basis of Lamaze is to learn to focus away from the pain and concentrate on something other than PAIN.
The theory goes far beyond childbirth, but for all pain. After years of learning to do this, you will find your threshold for pain increasing without medicating yourselves. Tylenol expires in my closet before I ever need to use it.
My personal feeling is learn how to work through pain without drugs and the better off you will be. You only need to look at statistics to see how many Americans, including ever increasing numbers of Seniors, become addicted to pain medications given freely by doctors who somehow think that no person should EVER experience any pain of any kind. I have had a dental receptionist chase me down to my car because I refused Tylenol with CODINE after a Root Canal. Doctor SAYS you will be in pain without this. Sorry, lady, no I won't. One or two Tylenol for the night will do just fine.
As an old woman, maybe the younger generation will not understand what I am talking about. Childbirth? The less medications for the mother AND her baby the better. It will all be over very soon and "all that pain" will just be a distant memory with the joy of seeing your new son or daughter.
See my other post. My daughter with the 30 hour labor was back labor. She was not in distress so they let it continue. She was my second child. My OB did say that that position could take longer. My first was a breach birth delivered vaginally after 24 hours. I suppose after that first you might say I was "prepared" by experience. MY OB way back then did say to me that he never would have attempted a vaginal breach birth if I had not taken Lamaze. "You will have your work cut out for you, but together we CAN do this". The entire hospital Labor and Delivery staff was there to watch this 36 years ago. My husband was pushed out of the way by all the medical staff in the room watching. lol Imagine today? Would never happen. Automatic C-Section.
Yikes. In California, where my eldest was born, a breach birth for first-time moms was an automatic C-section, yes. I'm afraid I don't have much interest in suffering for more than an entire day or pushing a baby out backwards. She did take her sweet time flipping over, which worried me quite a bit because we didn't have insurance and C-sections are way more expensive. I'm glad it all worked out for you.
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