Lottie
New Member
Drugs for pain relief
Nitrous oxide (gas and air or entonox) - comes from a cylinder attached to a tube and mouthpiece/mask. You can use it to take the edge off the pain. You can't overdose on it and only insignificant amounts reach your baby. Some women don't like it: it has a distinctive smell and taste, which some find unpleasant.
Pethidine and diamorphine - usually administered by syringe into your bottom. Both take up to 20 minutes to kick in, but then last between two and four hours. If given too close to delivery, they can affect the baby's breathing at birth and leave him sedated for a day or two, making feeding tricky.
Epidural - an anaesthetic drug is injected into the epidural space at the side of the spinal cord. It numbs the body from the lower back downwards. A thin tube is left in place to allow top-ups as needed. Research indicates that you're more likely to have an assisted delivery with an epidural, although newer types give a lower dose that's thought to reduce this.
Meptid - a weaker narcotic than pethidine. Not widely used in the UK, possibly because it's a lot more expensive.
For more info go here: SOURCE
Nitrous oxide (gas and air or entonox) - comes from a cylinder attached to a tube and mouthpiece/mask. You can use it to take the edge off the pain. You can't overdose on it and only insignificant amounts reach your baby. Some women don't like it: it has a distinctive smell and taste, which some find unpleasant.
Pethidine and diamorphine - usually administered by syringe into your bottom. Both take up to 20 minutes to kick in, but then last between two and four hours. If given too close to delivery, they can affect the baby's breathing at birth and leave him sedated for a day or two, making feeding tricky.
Epidural - an anaesthetic drug is injected into the epidural space at the side of the spinal cord. It numbs the body from the lower back downwards. A thin tube is left in place to allow top-ups as needed. Research indicates that you're more likely to have an assisted delivery with an epidural, although newer types give a lower dose that's thought to reduce this.
Meptid - a weaker narcotic than pethidine. Not widely used in the UK, possibly because it's a lot more expensive.
For more info go here: SOURCE