Joint Pain

Can I make final pain relief decision during labour?

I am researching like crazy, but can't fully decide what pain relief I want for labour. Can I make the final decision during labour, depending on the pain? This is my first child and I'm starting to get really nervous. I'm going to talk about this with the doctor at my next appointment, but am interested to hear what you think. I have really bad menstrual cramps when I'm on my period. Is this at all related to how much pain I'll have during labour?

Public Comments

1. I'm wondering about that too. But I know there's not that big of a window of opportunity for an epidural. You can only receive it up to a certain point. If you ask for it after that point they'll refuse you (medical reason. Ask your doc as I'm not totally sure).
2. Yes, you can make your decision during labor, unless you want the epidural and you are too far dilated to get it! They won't give you the epidural if you are over 7cm dilated. I went in to labor knowing I wanted the epidural. By the time I was 5cm dilated, I was begging for it!! good luck! God bless!
3. Yes, you pretty much can, unless you require an emergency C-section, at which point it would be out of your hands. I hear you about the not being sure about what to decide what to do for pain relief. From my experience...the best way to go is to be flexible and go with what you feel is right at the time. And remember, just because you decide you want pain relief at any point doesn't mean you'll be able to get it. You'll get to a point when it's too late to have Demerol...and just because you ask for the epidural doesn't always mean the anaesthesiologist can get there in time. :) We're all nervous going in, even those of us who are on #3 like me! It hurts...I won't kid ya...but it takes on a life of it's own...it's a train on its own schedule, and the great thing is no matter how bad it gets, at the end, you get a great prize, and you don't care about all of that pain anymore.
4. You will be in so much more pain. Yes you can make a final decision about pain relief while in labor. You will then know how it feels and whether or not you will be able to handle it. I didn't know whether I wanted an epidural or not but I decided to get one and it didn't work so I had to deal with the pain. Now I know what to expect and I am not planning on having one with the next knowing that I can handle labor without one. It is REALLY painful but you need to concentrate on that beautiful baby you will finally get to meet!!! Good Luck!
5. Sometimes cramps during periods can be a factor. Like if you have your period cramps in your back you could end up having back labor, which is TERRIBLE. That's what I had. I made my pain relief choice during labor. My doctor said sometimes that's best, because you never know what to expect. But you should definitely have a list of things you don't want to do, and be open to all other options. Hope this helped.
6. Menstrual pain is not related to the pain you will experience during your labor. Relax, you will be find. You can decide what kind of pain relief you can have during your labor. It is good that you will be discussing this with your doctor at your next appointment so that she/her can alleviate any fear that you may have now. It might be a good idea to take preparation for childbirth classes which are usually offered at the hospital where you will be giving birth. They are really helpful especially for first-time parents. Don't worry. You will be fine.
7. yes a lot of women decide they wanna go natural and then during labor they cant handle the pain and ask for an epidural or whatever else talk to your doc about it and have a general idea of what you might want. then if you still cant decide talk to the nurses about it when you are in labor, they or whoever else there on staff should be able to suggest what the most popular choices are or what they recommend for a good relief which is normally the epidural
8. I'm not sure that there is any correlation between severity of menstrual cramps and severity of pain during labor. For me, who had a history of bad menstrual cramps, the pain of labor was pretty intense. But that might not mean anything. Every woman has different pain tolerances, and I'm sure you can play it by ear during labor. Research your options, discuss them with your doctor and then see what happens. You may be perfectly able to pull labor off without taking anything for pain, but I think most women opt for an epidural, which greatly relieves pain (an absolute godsend in my opinion!). I'm feeling you! I remember being very nervous with my first. But honestly, don't worry too much. You'll come through it and everything will be okay.
9. You can decide during labor if you want. Nothing is written in stone. I don't think your menstrual cramps will mimic what labor will be like. When I was in labor I didn't really think it felt like cramps, just my muscles getting tight. Don't be nervous, labor might be scary but it has a great outcome. I thought I had a low pain tolerence, boy was I wrong. I was surprised how well I tolerated contractions that were off the charts. Just relax, you might surprise yourself!!!
10. I recommend deciding while in labour. My plan was to use every drug available. I am proud to say I have delivered 2 babies naturally.
11. You can make a last minute decision during labor, and get whatever pain relief you think you may need. I was really nervous when i went into labor, especially about getting an epidural. I didn't even feel the epidural, it was great, and i had immediate pain relief! I received my epidural at 8cm, you can get them almost up until the end.