My best mate from school who has lived in Canada for the last 2 years gave birth yesterday WITH NO PAIN RELIEF!!
Called and told me last night!

She gave birth to a bouncing baby boy over 8lbs!!

She went into labour the day after her due date -- the day before she said she felt 'strange'

about 10 hours of labour.. was in the local Maternity unit there and was breathing deeply through every contraction.
She didnt even have gas & air!

I cant believe it! I think shes done great! she even said that it doesnt actually hurt that much but its just tiring all the pushing for hours.
Said she didnt tear but his broad shoulders got stuck and she was cut instantly.. as the cord appeared to be wrapped around his neck. There was no time for a numbing injection- she said the MW just got out her scalpel!! There was a stinging but wasnt too long to think about cos the yanked the baby out and got the cord off.. her Hubby didnt even get to cut it cos they took baby off to one side. She said at that point she was worrying about what was wrong but luckily baby was fine.

ALL THAT AND NO PAIN RELIEF!!!!

She said that almost all of her birth she used the pool in the birthing room to relax and she reckons thats how she got through without drugs! Gives me positive vibes about my planned home waterbirth

Good on her I say!

She says its the stitches that are the stingers now! lol

Congrats to your friend and well done her.

I have had three births with absolutely no pain relief apart from massage techniques thought to my partner by a fantastic pregnancy consultant. My children weighed in at 8lbs 6, 10lbs 2 and the last little man was 11lbs 13.

Your body is designed to do it and if you remain in a calm and collected frame of mind, listen most importantly to your body, you'll do it, drugs unless vital to your delivery take that power from you.

I was 25 having my first and insisted at hospital I didn't want anything, eventhough the nurses were shocked and kept asking me. I had two tennis balls in a sock which my partner rolled on my lower back, he used his hands to make different motions depending on what I was complaining about. I was in labour for 12 hours first time and only on a bed for 40 minutes of that while pushing, wiggled my hips tons helped too. Gas and air if you are already vomiting can make it worse, an epidural can make previous back pain increase and harder to recover from, plus might slow the process down as well as take the sensations from you that are your clues to know what stage you are at.

Read up on the emotions of each stage of labour, it's a great way to remind yourself of what to expect next and know that "yes, I've made it this far I've only xxxx left", it's enpowering.

People can argue all they want about taking drugs/pain relief or not- if they feel the need then yes they're there take them but for me I wanted nothing to impede or slow down or take away the magic of birth from me. Of course it hurts, it might still be painful with the drugs too but it really is mind over matter. The most painful bit for me is the crowning stage but it lasts for a very small time compared to the rest and once the head is delivered the rest just follows.

Very best wishes for a terrific homebirth experience, huge congrats for wanting to do what YOU want. Sweden doesn't have a large number of homebirths at all and if you do manage to find a midwife to help it costs a whole heap of money. Sorry if I've waffled too much, just wanted to let girls know there's nothing wrong with you telling staff what YOU want, it's your body afterall.

Oh my word! What a story I'd love to be able to give birth without any pain relief (my mum did and I'm a twin lol!!) but I think I'm gonna need everything that can give me!!
Congratulations to your friend Tsia and her baby boy x

Well done to yur mate.

Im another one who plans to have no pain relief

xx

That's great, and a massive inspiration to us all

Then again, women having been giving birth since the beginning of time and it's only 'recently' (in the grand scheme of things) that they've been giving out epidurals and stuff.
The pain will be bareable as god intended it, but it's just that in this day and age we don't have to cope with the pain as we have the luxuary of advanced pain relief.

The again, ask me that when I'm 9cms diallated ha ha

TT's
xxx

congrats///thats great

Well done to your friend, that's fabby Glad that both she and baby are doing well too

I'm not planning any pain relief, at least not in any drug form (hopefully not even G&A). I'm having a hypnobirth, not sure if that counts as "pain relief", but I know I don't want drugs

I had no pain relief hun, not even gas and air in the end, my little boy was 8lb 5 oz and ive only got a small frame (size 8-10 pre-pg) I do believe that staying calm and focused got me through it and knowing that with every contraction, i was closer to meeting my baby. xx

That is great With my next baby I think I might try a totally 'natural' birth and opt to not have any pain relief. I managed really well with Amelie (imo anyway!) on gas and air and a shot of diamorphine towards the end to help me snooze between contractions. I think its all a state of mind!

What a lovely positive story,i would really like a natural birth but when ever i mention it to mw's and friends they just smile knowingly or burst out laughing!! Been knocking my confidence a bit tbh so its really really great to hear of the lovely ladies who have managed with no pain relief,gives me a bit more confidence.

xx xx