The most popular pain relief options in labour

Familiarise yourself with the most popular pain relief options. They could become your best friend in the labour room!

As your bump grows, you may well swear you’re going for a natural birth. Once labour kicks in however, you wouldn’t be the first to change your mind. Just in case, we’ve compiled your need to know guide to the most frequently chosen pain relief options. Start swotting now, and you’ll find it easier to make decisions on B-day.

TENS

What is it?

A Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) machine sends out electrical impulses through pads you place on your skin, which block pain messages passing through your nerves to your brain and stimulate feel-good hormones instead.

Pros… You can hire one (for a small fee, usually between £20-£30 a month) from your hospital, local chemist or the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) branch, for use at home for the first stages of labour. You can stay in control, mobile and there are no lasting effects for you or your baby.

Cons… For it to be fully effective, you need to use your TENS machine from the moment you feel the first twinge and you can’t use it in the bath or birthing pool.

Gas and air

What is it? Entonox, more commonly known as gas and air, is made up of  50% nitrous oxide and 50% oxygen. It builds up in your blood stream once you breathe it in and gradually eases the pain of a contraction.

Pros…It’s up to you when you take it and it doesn’t stay in your system or affect your baby. Some women swear by it as it takes the edge off the pain and gives you something to concentrate on.

Cons… Others hate it because it can make you feel sick, light-headed, dizzy, and even drunk, and it doesn’t take the pain away immediately. It can also be distracting and make you feel out of control.

Pethidine

What is it? A morphine-like drug, which is injected into your bottom or thigh. It dulls the pain by acting on the nerve cells in your spine and brain.

Pros…If you’re feeling anxious it will help you to relax, so much so that you may even be able to sleep in between contractions.  A midwife can administer it without instruction from a doctor, so it can be used at hospital or at home.

Cons…You can end up feeling dizzy or drowsy, which may slow your labour down and if you have it too close to the end of labour, it can cross the placenta and make your baby drowsy and slow to breathe or feed.

Epidural


What is it? Local anaesthetic that’s injected into your back by an anaesthetist to deaden the nerves between your spine and cervix. A mobile epidural is a low-dose version, allowing you to keep enough feeling in your legs to move around.

Pros… More than 90% of women get complete pain relief, making this the most effective pain relief method.

Cons… An anaesthetist may not always be on hand to administer it. Plus you’ll be attached to a drip in case your blood pressure drops. This means you’ll be bed bound, so there’s no chance of an active labour. It can also lengthen labour because you won’t know when to push as you won’t be able to feel contractions.

Water birth

What is it? You spend all or part of your labour in a birthing pool.

Pros… The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence rate water as the safest form of pain relief, as it works by increasing endorphin production – you body’s natural painkilling hormones. Plus, floating in the water supports your body, making it easier to move into different positions. You’re also less likely to tear or require intervention and water can be used alongside gas and air if you need it.

Cons… A pool may not be available when you need one in hospital. (You can hire one for use at home from The Good Birth Company, from £165 for four weeks. Visit thegoodbirth.co.uk for more info.)

The top three choices

According to statistics from the Department of Health, the three most common pain relief options in labour are:

1. An epidural

2. Gas and air

3. A water birth.

But what do they really feel like?

‘My epidural took all the pain away’

Donna Bridges, 25, lives in Chatham, Kent and is mum to Olivia, 10 months.

‘In my birth plan I originally didn’t want any pain relief other than gas and air, but I ended up being induced, which turned my plan on its head. After three doses of Prostaglandin Gel, I went from feeling no pain, to being in the excruciating pain of established labour in minutes.

 ‘I started off with Pethidine, which didn’t do much for me at all, then tried gas and air, which was disorientating. After two days in hospital in labour, I was desperate for a rest, and asked for an epidural when I was 5cm dilated. It was surprisingly easy.

The anaesthetist waited until I was between contractions, then injected the needle into the bottom of my back. It honestly didn’t hurt, and just felt like a tiny scratch.
 ‘It took about three minutes to administer, and I felt the numbing effect instantly.

Within 10 minutes I had no feeling from the top of my bump down, but I could still feel the pressure of my baby’s head pushing down, which felt strange. I wasn’t in any pain, and finally, I felt in control of my labour.

 ‘I did have to be attached to a catheter because the epidural meant I had no bladder control, but as the epidural wore off after four hours, it wasn’t scary. I’d definitely recommend an epidural if your labour’s dragging – but don’t feel disappointed if you hadn’t planned pain relief. It’s best to keep an open mind.’

‘Gas and air was a life saver’

Kerri –Ann Luke, 21, from Blythe, Northumberland is mum to Aleshia, 17 months.

‘Before I went into labour, I’d been warned by other mums that gas and air had made them feel sick and spaced out, but I was still willing to try it during labour, and it turned out to be a lifesaver for me.

‘When my contractions became so intense that I couldn’t stand up, I took the gas and air that was on offer. The midwife showed me how to take a long, deep breathe when I first felt a niggle of a contraction, and it took the pain away completely.

It took a couple of times to get right and if I didn’t take a suck when I felt the first twinge then it didn’t work so well. But once I’d mastered it, I could still feel the tightening of the contraction, but it didn’t hurt – it was amazing.

 ‘I felt in control and it put me so much more at ease. It did also make me feel slightly drunk and very giggly, which helped lighten the mood. Gas and air was great for me, and while it’s not for everyone, I think it’s definitely worth a try.’

 ‘My water birth’s were heaven’

Ellie Hughes, 36, is Mother & Baby magazine’s Consumer Editor. She lives in South East London, and is mum to Maddie, three and Rafferty, 20 months.

‘Both of my labours were water births - the first in hospital, the second at home. For me, using water as a pain relief seemed to be the best natural option. Before I got in the pool, I was in a lot of pain, and being sick with each contraction.

But as soon as I was in the water, it felt like the most comfortable and natural place to be.

 ‘The warm water made the pain much more manageable, and my sickness subsided. I felt far more relaxed and confident in different positions in the pool, and the water made it easier to move around. I was so relaxed, I didn’t even realise when Rafferty was born, and the midwife had to tell me he was out!

 ‘If you’re the type of person who finds water soothing, I’d definitely recommend trying having a water birth. You have the option of getting in and out whenever you want to, but delivering in the water meant that both my babies were born in a cosy warm environment… and were clean!’