Labor pain relief injections - alternative pain relief in labor

Labor pain relief injections: Injections of drugs like pethidine or diamorphine can help you to relax, and this can lessen the pain.

Pethidine injection during labor  

You are given an intramuscular injection. It takes about 20 minutes to work and the effects last between two and four hours.

Pethidine injection Side effects  

• It can make some women feel very ‘woozy’, sick and forgetful.

• If it has not worn off towards the end of labor, it can make it difficult to push. You might prefer to ask for half a dose initially, to see how it works for you.

• If pethidine or diamorphine are given too close to the time of delivery, it may affect the baby’s breathing. If it does, an antidote may be given.

• The drugs can interfere with breastfeeding.

Alternative pain relief during labor   

Some women want to avoid the above methods of pain relief and choose acupuncture, aromatherapy, homeopathy, hypnosis, massage and reflexology. Most of these techniques do not provide very effective pain relief. However, if you would like to use any of these methods it is important to discuss it with your midwife or doctor and to let the hospital know beforehand. Most hospitals do not offer them for the relief of pain during labor. If you want to try one of these alternative techniques, make sure that the practitioner you use is properly trained and experienced and check with your midwife that this will be available in the maternity unit. For advice, contact the Institute for Complementary and Natural Medicine.