Warm water  -  May help to relax you and helps to release endorphins, your body’s natural painkillers.

TENS - Transelectronic Nerve Stimulation.  Causes the pain signals being transmitted to the brain to be ‘confused’ by electrical impulses and so may make contractions seem less intense.  You can hire a TENS machine from a number of sources - ask your midwife for details while you are pregnant. 

Massage  -  May provide relief from back ache and reminds you to remain relaxed. Great for partners too. 

Moving  -  Changing positions and being mobile can help to relieve muscle aches.  May help the baby to get into a good position for birth.

Breathing and relaxation  -  Complete breaths may help you to relax and ensures that you and your baby receive enough oxygen.  

Alternative therapies  -  There are alternative and complementary therapies you can use safely in childbirth. Most midwives are not qualified to administer or advise you about these, but we are sympathetic to your wishes if a qualified practitioner has advised you. Speak to the midwife further about this if you wish.

Entonox  -  This is a mixture of Oxygen and Nitrous Oxide that you breathe in during contractions. It can help to relieve pain over the height of contractions.  

• Some women say it makes them feel light-headed. 
• The effects are short lasting, so if you do not like the feeling, you can stop using it and have no lasting effects during your labour.
• May make your mouth feel dry – take frequent sips of water

Diamorphine and Pethidine  -  These are opiate drugs, which are given by injection into the muscle at the top of your leg. Opiates are stronger and longer lasting than Entonox. This drug can make some women feel sick or even be sick. For this reason, we usually give another drug called Stemetil with the opiate to help counteract the nausea.

• You may feel relaxed and contractions may slow down. This can give you a 'breathing space' and take the ‘edge’ off things if you have been distressed by the intensity of labour.
• Some women dislike feeling disorientated.  
• Giving it too near to the time of birth may mean that your baby is less alert than if you hadn't had the injection at that time. This can make a baby reluctant to feed in the early days.
• A drug called Narcan is very occasionally given to a baby to reverse the effect of the Diamorphine or Pethidine if the baby needs it.

Epidural  -  An epidural numbs the nerves in your lower body and abdomen. For 85% of women, it provides complete relief from labour pains. For others, the anaesthetist may need to adjust or re-site the epidural to ensure effective pain relief.  For women who require a Caesarean section (12% of all labouring women) the epidural anaesthetic can be ‘topped up’ to provide adequate pain relief for this operation. Your movements will be limited.

• You will have a drip in the back of your hand.
• The anaesthetic enters your body through a narrow tube in your lower back.
• Your baby’s heartbeat will be continually monitored for the rest of your labour.
• The midwife will take your blood pressure frequently. 
• You may need to have a catheter to help you empty your bladder during labour.  
• The midwife will tell you when you need to push if you are unable to feel contractions. 
• You will be able to walk when the anaesthetic wears off which can take up to six hours. 
• One woman in 100 will have a severe headache following an epidural. 

There are no studies to indicate that there are adverse effects for the baby.

Spinal  -  A spinal anaesthetic is the first choice of pain relief for a caesarean section.  An injection in your back will cause your lower body and abdomen to be very dense for up to two hours. This provides complete pain relief for the operation. 

• You will have a drip in the back of your hand.
• You will have a catheter to empty your bladder.
• You will have your blood pressure taken frequently
• You will be immobile while the anaesthetic is effective – about two hours.

There are no studies to indicate that there are adverse effects for the baby.

General Anaesthetic  -  This anaesthetic will cause you to be unconscious. It is used rarely for caesarean section. This is the anaesthetic used for many other types of operation.

• You will have a tube in your throat to help you breathe. 
• You will have your heart rate and blood pressure monitored continually.  
• You will have a catheter to empty your bladder. 

The baby will be affected by the anaesthetic. For this reason, the baby is delivered within a few minutes of you being asleep to minimise the effect of the anaesthetic on the baby.

 We are here to help you make the right choices for your labour and to ensure a safe and happy birth.