Pethidine/ epidural

With my first I was induced and the pethadine did nothing but epidural was amazing 😂 think it depends on the person and the pain etc x

I suppose they are both completely different. An epidural numbs you waist down, pethidine is an opioid and just helps take the edge off pain

This is helpful and informative. It’s good to be aware of side affects on you & baby too xx https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/what-happens/pain-relief-in-labour/

My mum had pethidine when she was in labour with me, she said it didn’t get rid of the pain at all…all it did was made her hallucinate that she was being tortured. I spoke to my midwife about it and she said yes, that’s really common and actually my hospital don’t even offer it as pain relief because of that. But I’d never ever have it anyway!

I had pethidine during my labour - I then went on to have an emergency c section so needed an epidural anyway. I found the pethidine really strong, it completely knocked me out for hours! 😂 no pain whatsoever but I was apparently also talking rubbish the whole time until it wore off 😂 they would only give it to me towards the beginning of my labour as they said it could be passed to baby if I had it further along x

Thank you all so much mummies. Really appreciate all your points and will take them into consideration xx

If pethidine is the morphine type feeling drug, I had this with my 4th baby and nothing with my others. I really regretted having it because baby came out before I could feel any effects so not sure if it would have helped the pain or not...but when she came out I felt super drowsy, couldn't keep eyes open and my partner ended up giving her the first feed and I feel like I missed out on the 1st few hours as I literally couldn't stay awake! So just bare that I mind. Xx

@Ellie yep! I had pethidine for my miscarriage and I felt so high, drowsy and just not with it. Fine if you don’t have a baby to look after 🫣 x

@Gemma awww I'm so sorry you went through that 😔 💔 I suppose that may have been a blessing that you were not fully with it during that awful experience. But yes it's quite strong isn't it, the nurses left me in a single room overnight alone with baby too, which I think was pretty dangerous looking back. It was like I was on heroin or something not gonna lie! X

@Ellie 💛💛💛 It definitely made my mind up to not have it in labour. Oh wow as if they left you alone. It is like heroin & you just couldn’t imagine anyone leaving a newborn with someone on heroine could you🫣 x

@Gemma yes never again, but I mean maybe if i was in labour for hours and hours like some women and I'd had it at the start it would have worn off but they literally gave me it right at the end! No exactly! They shouldn't have done that 😬 I look at photos and I look really wiped out... more so than just exhausted from labour! X

Well an epidural will/should numb you from the waist down. Pethidines just a pain killer, you'll still feel a lot of pain though. It only lasts between 2-4 hours. I had pethidine for both of my labours. First time it helped me sleep between contractions as I was exhausted, I was talking crap and not quite with it, by time I had her it had worn off though. Second time I had it and it didn't kick in properly before he was born. He was too quick. I didn't get as out of it or talk crap though lol!