The Babies Website

If you would rather a more personnel approach to your care you may consider employing an independent midwife. Independent Midwives are self employed, fully qualified midwives who work independently from the NHS. An Independent Midwife will provide your antenatal care, deliver your baby either at your home or hospital and provide your postnatal care. Dependent on the package of care provided fees range from £2000 to £5000. You can obtain a list of Independent Midwives who practice in your area from the Independent Midwives Association.

Women’s experience of birth is different as is their experience of pain. Through reading, speaking to your midwife and attending antenatal classes you will gain an idea of what pain relief you would like to use. It is important to remember that you cannot know how you will feel on the day or how your labour will proceed so it is always essential to keep an open mind. It is well document that fear and anxiety can increase pain. So it’s important that you feel in control and supported by your birthing partner and midwife. The physical process of birth actually helps in the production of endorphins, which are your body’s natural painkillers. Keeping mobile and changing your position can help relieve pain and aid the labour. Also simple touches like playing your favourite music or watching your favoured T.V. programme or even dimming the lights can help you relax and take your mind off the contractions. Using massage in labour can be a great form of pain control and it will also involve your birth partner, but not all women like being touched when they are in labour. Some find being immersed in a warm bath or birthing pool relaxing and allows you to move freely whilst being supported by the buoyancy of the water. TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation); works by interrupting pain transmission along sensory pathways by stimulating endorphins your body’s natural painkillers. You will need to hire your own machine and it can be used at home or hospital. Entonox (mix of oxygen and nitrous oxide) or gas and air as it is commonly known. Breathed in through a mask or mouthpiece and can be used at home or hospital. Used in conjunction with the contractions it can help relax you and take the edge off the pain, although not taking the pain away. You are in control, as you just stop breathing in the gas when you want. The side effects can make you feel nauseous and sleepy, but as soon as you stop inhaling the feeling will lift. Pethidine; is a narcotic drug which is administered by an injection. It can be very effective in the first stage of labour for some women, although it dose not take the pain away it can help by relaxing you so you can deal with the pains better and regain relaxed breathing. It can make you feel drowsy and/ or nauseas an anti- nausea drug can be administered to alleviate this. Pethidine dose crosses the placenta so is not given near the time of birth as it can make the baby drowsy and slow to suck .It can be used at home or hospital Epidural; is a local anaesthetic which is administered by inserting a thin tube into the "epidural space" in your back. It numbs the sensation felt from below the waist. It needs to be set up by an anaesthetist so can only be offered in hospital. It will relieve the pain, but may also reduce your mobility if your legs are affected. You will need to have an intravenous drip as the epidural may lower your blood pressure and the midwife will monitor this regularly. Sometime you may also need a urinary catheter (a tube to be passed into your bladder) to enable you to pass urine as the sensation is numbed. Some Hospitals offer mobile epidurals, which give the same pain relief without loss of sensation in your legs. However, how your epidural works depends on finding the optimum position in the "epidural space" it will be discussed in your antenatal classes. Alternatives methods include, Aromatherapy, Acupuncture, Homeopathy and Hypnosis.  

Induction is the initiation of labour by artificial means. There are many circumstances when an induction of labour may be advised. Common reasons include going over your due date, or when your waters have broken but you have not gone into labour yourself. Generally inductions are advised when it is more beneficial to get the baby delivered than to prolong the pregnancy. It is important that the reason for inducing and the procedures to be used are fully understood by a couple. This will prevent any unnecessary anxiety and make you feel more in control. Inductions are carried out in hospitals, where you and your baby can be closely monitored. Usually a pessarie is inserted into the birth canal, this pessarie contains a hormone that will stimulate your body to go into labour. Another method used is to break your waters (if the cervix is favourable) and use an intravenous drip called syntocinon. It is not uncommon for the process to take a day or two to work for some women. Syntocinon is a drug used if labour has slowed down or stopped or if the contractions are not dilating the cervix. It is the artificially version of the hormone that your body naturally produces to contract the womb, and is administered by in a drip. Monitoring During your labour you and your baby will be monitored closely. Midwives will check your blood pressure, temperature and pulse. She will also monitor the contractions and the progress of your labour. The baby is also assessed during the labour by monitoring its heart rate.