How would I know what pain relief to have for labour and whats best for me. I was thinking of just gas and air but now im thinking epidermal.
Anyone got any articles on each one?

Also just curious about how long do you breastfeed until the baby has proper food?

And how do you go about making a birth plan?

Sorry for so many questions.

There are other pain relief available, like pethadine, tens machine etc but you will get to learn about all of these from your midwife and from parent craft classes. The epidural (lol epidermal made me chuckle ) have pros and cons you will need to weigh them all up. I thought I wanted it but for me, being imobile and not knowing when im gonna pee or poo really put me off, however I havent totally ruled it out being my first baby Im open for most things.
All babies are different when it comes to feeding solids, some (my nephew) started taking solids at 3 months, but my niece didnt start til 6 months. You will know when your baby is ready for solid foods as they will become more hungry.
the birth plan the midwife should go through with you at around 36 weeks + but it depends on the area you live, some discuss it earlier.
I have a mini one but being my first baby im open to most things. My next birth im sure I will have a proper plan ready.

Just to echo what Melbo has said, don't worry yet about the birth plan.......I'm going in tomorrow to have my LO, and don't have any plan at all!! I kinda think that if you make firm plans, it won't work out. Me & my OH know what my preferences are, and we will voice things as we need to.

As for pain relief, I plan to just use/have what I need, when I feel I need it. I'll start on gas & air, then if I need more I'll have pethadine.......and if that isn't enough, I'll look at having an epidural. But for the same reasons as Melbo, I'm going to do all I can to avoid an epi, as I want to be able to move around.
There are side effects with each pain relief option, but you won't know how they effect you until you try them.

I agree thats its best to wait at the moment and then start with gas and air and go from there. Until it happens you really won't know how you will handle to all and whats best. They will go through all of the options with pro's and con's at antenatal. Its been taken out of my hands as U have already been told Im having a c section at 38 weeks, Im gutted but its just one of those things.

Welshgirl, Good luck tomorrow, I hope all goes well and how you want it too. I will be thinking of you.

Take care and have a great New Year, XX

Birth Plan Creator <-- link

This is a birth plan creator, click all the buttons and fill in the information on what you do and do not want during labor, birth and done with baby. Then you generate it, a page should be shown for you to print out and have two copies, one for the midwive and another for yourself to have on hand.

Now personally I have never used gas. I did get a stadol shot and felt drunk! scared me to death. The room as spinning, as they injected my IV.

I like epidurals. But, if you think about what is going on too much it may scare you. I have to say it is some darn good pain relief!

My milk always comes in about 3 days PP and it is in plenty!

i didnt have a birth plan, i just went in with a very open mind and descussed all sorts of pain relief ad said i was happy to have any when the time came and ended up having epidural, pethadine and gas and air and both epidural and pethadine didnt do a single thing for me.
everyone is different some people like to have a strict birth plan, maybe discuss it with your midwife.

as for breastfeeding you can do it for however long you are happy to and can continue to do it till after your baby is on solids but think typical time fr weaning is 6 months

Lou
xxx

sorry if you already know this i really don't want to sound patronising but just thought i would add that when a baby is weaned they still need milk too (be it breast or formular) they need to be on proper meals before they drop the milk compleatly. hope i haven't offended anyone with this advice, i honestly don't mean to.

Hmm pain relief... well, the first thing to do is consider the possibility that it might not hurt. *Waits for others to point at the crazy HypnoBirthing lady* I can send reading suggestions your way if you're open to the idea.

If you really don't think you can get your head around the idea and are determined that it will be painful, then I suggest keeping an open mind on how to relieve or cope with that pain. Do loads of research into the effects of each method, they all have their pros and cons, all have advocates and sceptics, so look at all angles.

Having a very rough idea of how you would like your birth to go at this stage is fine. You may decide never to write up a full birth plan and that's fine too. For me it feels important to have a good idea of what I want and have it written down so that it is there to refer to and keep me focused on the day. But be prepared to have to deviate from it too.

The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breast feeding for at least six months, but it will really be up to you and your LO. Some babies self-wean sooner than that and some mums go on breastfeeding for a year or more. And yes, even once you are no longer exclusively breast feeding your LO will still need breast milk or follow on formula.

oh yeah, I just read back through what I said.. You dont give up the milk, you just introduce solids to go with the milk whether it be breast or formula, just to clear that up lol!
But solid food generally starts around 3-7 months, depends on the baby.

I have had 3 children and now 33 weeks with #4 I used an epidural for all of them and plan on one with this one as well....made labor so much more tolerable and i was able to enjoy it and am looking forward to it this time as well.