Active birth!? But what if I want pain relief? 🤷♀️ It’s really important for everyone to know that it is TOTALLY ok to use pain relief during labour! A drug free birth does NOT always equal a positive birth. Please remember that! A positive birth is about how informed, listened to, respected and calm you felt during the process 💛 It’s not about whether you were able to feel the sensations of contractions or not.
So with all my harping on about being active & upright during birth, you may be wondering if this is going to be possible if you would like to use pain relief? Well, the good news is that YES! It’s absolutely possible! 🥳
Depending on which pain relief you have asked for, how your body has reacted to it, and the dosage you were given, being upright is still possible and it really is the best place for you to be 👍 Gas and Air is easy to use in all sorts of positions- on a birthing ball, in the pool, on the floor and even standing up with some support (it can make you feel a little fluffy headed while it’s kicking in)
Some hospitals offer a type of Epidural that allows you some mobility, so with some support, (your birth partner or midwife) you can still change position. For example, I highly recommend moving (with help) to the floor and being on all fours, (which is one of my most favoured places for a labouring woman to be!) Here, your pelvis can open, and your baby has a greater chance to move deeper downward into a beautiful birthing position! Hoorah!
If you have chosen to have Pethadine, it can last anywhere between 2-4 hours (again depending on how you react to it). Once it has worn off and you feel ok to, you can be supported to move about again, either on the bed (on all fours of course 👍), a birthing ball or on the floor.
Pain relief is there for a reason, and taking it doesn’t change your birthing power!
Do what is right for YOU and your birth 👊