The truth about labour pain relief: what really works and what you might regret

Alternative/ natural labour pain relief

1. Hypnobirthing

Hypnobirthing – sometimes called 'birth hypnotherapy' – is a form of self-hypnosis that focuses on keeping you calm, relaxed and positive while giving birth.

The idea behind it is that if you and your body are relaxed during labour, then you’ll experience less of the pain and tension.

Most, if not all, women should be OK to give hypnobirthing a go. However, in our experience, hypnotherapy in general is definitely something you have to be ‘open’ to.

After all, it involves a lot of deep breathing, relaxation and visualisation techniques, and even the chanting or repeating of empowering affirmations. If you’re skeptical about it, or are convinced that it won’t work for you, then chances are it probably won’t.

Can hypnobirthing help reduce labour pain?

Hypnobirthing isn't a drug – but it can help reduce your pain and also change the way you experience labour pains.

"Whilst hypnobirthing isn’t pain relief, the techniques involved in hypnobirthing will help a woman to trust her body and embrace the sensations of labour, rather than fear them," explains Miriam Greaves, hypnobirthing teacher and Parent Tribe founder.

"When a woman is fearful and stressed, her body is likely to go into fight-or-flight mode. When we trip into our flight-or-fight response, blood and oxygen is re-diverted to our essential organs and then to our arms and legs ready to fight or run. This is a great system in dangerous situations but useless for a woman in labour.

"The uterus is not an essential organ and so, like all muscles in the body, it requires a steady flow of blood and oxygen in order to work efficiently and remain comfortable.

"If we restrict the supply then the muscles cannot work to their optimum. This can make labour harder and longer.

"Plus, the baby will be getting less oxygen too which can cause distress and may lead to intervention. Stress hormones, the main one being adrenaline, will flood a woman's body and inhibit the hormones she needs for a comfortable (endorphins) and efficient (oxytocin) labour.

"Hypnobirthing is a way of re-programming the mind not to be frightened of birth and to build a woman's confidence."

Which hypnobirthing techniques help to relieve pain?

Breathing techniques

"The most important technique you can learn for labour is how to breathe," says Miriam. "In hypnobirthing there are two breaths to practice, up breathing and down breathing. Up Breathing is for the first stage of labour when your cervix is thinning and opening.

"The Up Breath is a gentle deep breath in through the nose and a gentle breath out through the mouth. When we breathe out through our mouths, we produce oxytocin.

"This is the amazing hormone that will get those uterine muscles working so we want LOTS of it during labour.

"Down Breathing is for the second stage of labour when your baby makes his/her way down the birth canal and out through the vagina. This breath is in through the nose and a focussed breath out through the nose. Breathing out through the nose allows you to focus your breath better.

"However, I also teach women to breath out through their mouth as some prefer it and feel they can get a bit more power behind it.

Relaxation

For most of us, the word hypnosis brings to mind someone in a trance-like state, but in reality, hypnosis is simply a very deep state of relaxation where you are still very much in control of your actions.

“Hypnosis for birth is all about relaxation and learning how to control pain,” explains Monica Black, a clinical hypnotherapist at London-based Hampstead Hypnotherapy.

“You’re completely aware and awake, just incredibly relaxed. You’re still able to talk and work with the midwives.

“By self-hypnosis through breathing and relaxation, you can control the pain of labour, potentially speed up delivery and, overall, have a more enjoyable birth experience.”

Fear elimination

According to Monica, giving birth doesn’t have to hurt. “Society has made women believe giving birth is painful, so mums-to-be have a preconceived fear of it.

"Fear leads to tension, tension leads to pain. Through the relaxed state of hypnosis you can allay your fears and control pain.

"You can never take away the sensation of giving birth, but under hypnosis it becomes virtually pain free.”

Visualisation

Monica teaches mums-to-be to mentally ‘numb’ areas of their bodies. “You can learn how to numb whatever part of the body you want.

"Once you’ve gained control, you feel sensation but you won’t feel pain.”

Monica’s 2nd method is to visualise a control knob measuring your pain from zero to 10.

“When contractions get stronger, you simply turn the level down,” she explains.

As well as helping manage the pain, hypnosis may also speed up labour. “By being so chilled out and pain free, birth can also be quicker,” says Monica.

“When you relax the mind, you also relax the body, so instead of fighting, you’ll go with the contractions.”

Pros and cons of hypnobirthing

Pros:

• You’re totally in control, as hypnotherapy techniques cannot override your own natural instincts.
• You can call on it whenever you want, from pre-labour through to the delivery of the placenta.
• Its effects stop as soon as you no longer need it.
• You can use it later in life – when you need to calm down after your toddler has driven you mad, when you have no time for a nap but need to deeply relax, even to overcome bad habits if they develop.
• You can use it if you want to have a water birth

Cons: 

• You'll likely have to pay for books, CDs, or classes
• There's no guarantee it'll get rid of your pain – it may just keep you feeling calm and in control during the birth.

2. Water births

A water birth is when you give birth to your baby in warm water (around 37 degrees to match your body temp) in a birthing pool. Water births can help make you more comfortable or relaxed during labour and can even help to make your contractions seem less painful.

Water births can be done at home, with a birthing pool, and a trained midwife by your side to assist. Many UK hospitals also have birthing units equipped for water births. To find out if a hospital water birth is an option for you, speak to your midwife.

Can warm water ease labour pains?

For some women, yes. For others, no. The reality is that every labour is so different, no one can ever say something will 100% work for you.

We know that some women experience it more like a relaxation technique, which helps to take the edge off a little bit, and makes them feel calm and in control.

Fortunately, you are also able to have gas and air (Entonox) while in the pool. This is the only other kind of pain relief available, though.

That said: some women do find they have a painless labour thanks to the warmth, the comfort and the calming vibes the water provides.

Can anyone have a water birth?

Most women should be able to have a water birth. It's best to speak to your midwife about your specific situation to know for sure.

However, it may not be a suitable option for some women. The NHS says a birthing pool isn’t considered suitable if there are any complications, such as:

• going into labour early
• signs of the baby being in distress
• any situation where the mum needs a drip, for example if she has insulin-dependent diabetes, or is being induced.

Every woman's situation is different, but if you have mobility issues or a history of pregnancy complications, you may be advised against a water birth by your midwife.

You may also be asked to leave the pool during labour if the following circumstances arise according to The National Childbirth Trust (NCT): changes in the baby’s heart rate; meconium (baby’s poo) staining in your waters; bleeding from your vagina during labour; if you develop a high temperature, pulse or blood pressure; or if the water becomes heavily soiled.

Pros and cons of water births

Pros:

• Labour is usually shorter
• The buoyancy of the water enables you to be more flexible so you can adopt different positions more easily
• There’s less, if any, need for other pain relief
• The environment is often more relaxed and less clinical in a room with a pool, and you may find that you have one-to-one care from the midwife
• There’s less trauma to the perineum (the area between the vagina and the back passage)
• The intervention rate is extremely low
• Your baby’s heart rate can still be monitored intermittently using a hand-held, waterproof doppler
• You can still use gas and air in the pool
• It helps relieve backache, which is good if you’ve suffered from this a lot in pregnancy
• If you’re having a home birth – and especially if you deliver the placenta in water – it’s a lot less messy, as you just drain the contents of the pool down the toilet.
• It supposedly feels familiar for the baby who has been in amniotic fluid and so babies may cry less after delivery.

Cons:

• Some maternity units don’t have birthing pools, or only have one so if someone’s using it you can’t
• If you want to use one at home, you need to pay to hire it or purchase one.

3. Acupressure

Acupressure is a traditional, natural Chinese treatment which you can use to help induce labour and to ease pain while you're giving birth. It involves applying pressure to specific points all over the body, using the hands or elbows.

Applying the pressure in firm, downward movements (as opposed to a massage) helps release 'blockages' of energy in the body.

The theory is that clearing these blockages helps to reduce body pains, headaches and nausea/vomiting, although there's no concrete scientific evidence to suggest this 100% works.

How does acupressure help during labour?

Acupressure techniques during labour can be used to help ease the discomfort of labour pains, usually during early or 1st stage labour.

You can hire a trained professional for your labour, or you may find your birth partner can learn the proper techniques.

We'd strongly suggest doing your homework beforehand, though and make sure to run it past your midwife.

You should talk about your specific situation with a qualified acupressure practitioner beforehand, too. They may be able to recommend a course or class to help you learn these techniques safely.

It is totally doable for non-professionals, though. Acupressure practitioner Karen Pohlner told Pregnancy Australia that one option to make it simple is to mark the woman's acupressure points with a pen before labour, so they're easy to locate.

Interestingly, some acupressure techniques are also used to try to induce labour, as it can help encourage "blood flow to the uterus, influence hormonal responses, and stimulate uterine contractions", according to Healthline.

This involves stimulating the pericardium point (in the centre of your palms) and several points near your ankles and feet.

Is acupressure safe to try during labour?

Yes, it's considered safe to try acupressure during labour.

It's also considered safe to use it to induce labour after your due date has passed, but we'd say only once you've been given the go-ahead from your midwife, GP or another medical professional.

Keep in mind, though, that before week 37 of your pregnancy, there are some acupressure points that you SHOULDN'T attempt to stimulate. Any that help to induce labour are an obvious no-go.

If you're pregnant, but not quite ready to give birth, and want to try acupressure: speak to a qualified practitioner, and your GP, and go from there.

Medical labour pain relief

Pethidine

Pethidine is an opioid drug, a painkiller similar to morphine and diamorphine.

It’s the most commonly used drug derived from morphine for pain relief and relaxation during labour.

Pethidine is both an analgesic (painkiller) and an antispasmodic, so may help you feel relaxed as well as reducing pain.

Most women can have pethidine, and it’s often available in hospitals. Pethidine can be made available for home births, too. Midwives can administer it without the help of an anaesthetist, unlike an epidural.

The drug is usually administered via an injection into muscle (bottom or thigh) and occasionally intravenously. With the latter, it’s likely you’ll have some control over the pethidine pump.

Pethidine’s often given with an anti-emetic drug, to help prevent nausea and vomiting – one of the not-so-good side effects of using pethidine.

It is usually given in the first stage of labour, when things are clearly underway, but the birth is likely to be more than three hours away.

You should be examined before pethidine is given, and if it looks like the birth is less than three hours away then you will probably be discouraged from having the drug.

All opioid painkillers ‘cross’ the placenta, meaning they can affect your baby’s breathing or cause drowsiness. The closer you take them to the delivery, the more chance you have of this happening.

How effective is pethidine as pain relief?

Once you’ve been given pethidine, it takes about 20 minutes to kick in and usually wears off after three to four hours.

In some cases of extended labour, you may be given another shot of pethidine.

The normal dose of pethidine given to relieve pain is 50-100mg.

Many mums-to-be find it more effective as pain relief when the contractions are not at their strongest, closer to the beginning of the first stage of labour.

Lots of mums find it helpful, but there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to giving birth, or pain relief, and some may find it’s better at helping them sleep or relax, rather than eradicating pain altogether.

Pros and cons of pethidine

Pros:

• Pethidine may help you relax and regather strength for the later stages of labour
• Pethidine can be given by a midwife without a prescription and so doesn't require a doctor
• Pethidine may be used for home births, although not all midwives will offer it as an option

Cons:

• Individual reactions to Pethidine vary greatly, so it does not have the same pain-relieving and relaxing effects for all women. While some women will find the drug fantastic, others may find it is of limited use against the pain, or that the side-effects outweigh the benefits
• Some women will find that Pethidine makes them very nauseous, whether or not they've had an anti-emetic
• Some women will feel dizzy and/or drowsy under the influence of Pethidine
• Pethidine may make you feel out of control or disoriented during labour and afterwards you may even discover that you have no memory of labour and birth at all
• Pethidine is a powerful drug that passes through the placenta and can affect the baby to varying degrees. This is more likely if the pethidine is given within three hours of the birth. Your new baby may be drowsy and in the most serious cases may require an injection to counteract the effects of the drug and assistance with breathing at the outset
• Although most of the drug should be out of your baby's system within 24 hours, the effects of the drug may linger for several days, leaving your baby sleepy and less responsive and so making it more difficult to establish breastfeeding.

What does pethidine feel like?

Pethidine will alter your mood, making you feel relaxed and sleepy.

The dose depends on your weight, stage of labour and degree of discomfort.

Some women prefer ‘half a dose’ of this pain relief, which means they won’t feel too sleepy during labour.

Many mums-to-be report that although pethidine helped them to relax by making them sleepy, it didn’t remove the pain – and therefore they felt out of control during labour.

It can also cause your blood pressure to drop, which can make you feel light-headed and faint.

Diamorphine

Diamorphine is classed as a semi-synthetic opioid drug that’s partially derived from opium poppy plants. It’s stronger than regular morphine and is regulated just like any other painkiller you’d get in hospital.

Though it’s a very addictive substance, it’s not addictive if you take it during labour.

Most women will be able to have diamorphine during labour – though it probably won’t be offered in every hospital. It’s not a given you’ll be able to have diamorphine at home, either – so speak to your midwife if you do want it during a home birth.

There are two ways you can be given diamorphine, either via a drip in your arm or an injection in the thigh. A typical dose will be between 5mg – 10mg, depending on the weight and size of your body.

You’re most likely to be offered diamorphine during the first stage of your labour. This’ll be useful if your contractions are coming on really strong and you feel you need a bit of rest.

It’s less likely you’ll be offered diamorphine later in labour due to some of the possible side effects we've detailed below.

How effective is diamorphine as pain relief?

Diamorphine isn’t a cure-all for labour pains. It has a similar level of effectiveness to pethidine, though generally it is considered an effective, strong painkiller.

Pros and cons of diamorphine

Pros:

• Diamorphine may help you relax and regather strength for the later stages of labour
• Diamorphine can be given by a midwife without a prescription and so doesn't require a doctor

Cons:

• Some women will find that Diamorphine makes them very nauseous, whether or not they've had an anti-emetic
• Some women will feel dizzy and/or drowsy under the influence of Diamorphine
• Diamorphine may make you feel out of control or disoriented during labour and afterwards you may even discover that you have no memory of labour and birth at all
• Diamorphine inhibits the amount of oxytocin your body’s receiving– which is a hormone important for labour and so it may slow down your labour
• Diamorphine ‘crosses’ to your baby. As a result, it could potentially affect or slow your baby’s breathing for a few days after they’re born.

Meptid

Meptid (or meptazinol) is an opioid drug used as anaesthetic (to relieve pain). It's synthetic, which means it's not directly taken from the opium plant, like heroin is.

It's similar in a lot of ways to pethidine and diamorphine, and shares many of the highs and lows, and possible side effects.

Most women will be able to have meptid during their labour – though there will be some exceptions – but keep in mind that the drug is not readily available in all UK hospitals.

There's a chance you may be able to have meptid as part of a home birth. You'll need to speak to your midwife if that's something you want to consider, and it may still depend on whether or not your local hospital has any.

Meptid is usually given to via an injection in your thigh. Doses are usually between 100 - 150mg. This may vary depending on your weight.

You'll be offered meptid in the first stage of labour. It's thought to be most helpful for strong to really strong contractions.

How effective is meptid as pain relief?

Meptid can be an effective form of pain relief in labour, however it's not as strong as pethidine or diamorphine.

And like all drugs, there's no telling exactly how you'll experience it. Some of the mums in our community thought meptid was brilliant during their labours, while others weren't keen at all.

Pros and cons of meptid

Pros:

• May help you feel more relaxed and less stressed during contractions
• Pain relief can be felt quicker than other opioid drugs
• Less likely to affect baby’s breathing or first feed than similar drugs

Cons:

• Feeling nauseous or vomiting
• Feeling drowsy
• Feeling emotional and out of control

Is meptid safe for me and my baby?

Meptid crosses to your baby, just like pethidine and diamorphine. As a result, it could potentially affect or slow your baby’s breathing for a few days after they’re born.

It’s thought that this happens when the drug is given too close to delivery, and that's why you're more likely to have it early on. That said, it's generally thought that there's less chance of this happening with meptid than with pethidine.

Gas and air (entonox)

Gas and air, also known as ‘entonox’, is a mixture of 50% oxygen and 50% nitrous oxide (which you’ll probably know as ‘laughing gas’).

As the gas enters your bloodstream, it won’t completely get rid of your pain, but it will reduce it significantly, making your muscles more relaxed and possibly making you feel light-headed, or even making you giggle.

It’s a common form of pain relief and is often combined with other forms of pain relief for maximum impact, such as water or hypnobirthing, pethidine, epidural or a TENS machine.

Gas and air is a DIY form of pain relief. It works by allowing you to inhale the gas through a mouthpiece or mask.

“It takes about 30 seconds for the pain relief to really take effect so it’s important to start using it as soon as you feel a contraction starting,” says retired midwife Anne Richley.

“By the time it’s at its peak, you’ll be receiving the full effect of the gas.”

After you’ve inhaled, you can keep the mouthpiece on or take it off, whatever your preference. You do need to keep taking deep breaths, in and out.

How much gas and air can you have?

Since you administer the Entonox yourself via the mouthpiece, you can control the amount you’re taking in. Each 'hit' only lasts a few seconds, too.

But how long you use the gas and air for will depend on how effective you find it.

Some women love it and find it provides enough relief for the duration of labour, other women find that it's not enough when contractions are at their strongest, or don't like the feeling of light-headedness that it causes.

When can you use gas and air?

“Some women choose to use the gas and air quite early on in their labour, whereas others may only need it towards the end, or not at all,” explains Anne.

Most often, though, you’ll find it’s used at the tail end of the first stage of labour as your contractions intensify in both frequency and strength.

If you’re using it at the pushing stage, your midwife may suggest only using it at the beginning of a contraction, so you’re fully focused on the pushing part.

Gas and air is typically available on the labour ward via a tube, which is piped from a central supply, but it can also be provided in a portable cylinder for use at home or in the bath.

Pros and cons of gas and air

Pros:

• It’s self-administered, via a mask or mouthpiece, so you feel more in control. You can keep it with you for as long as you feel you need to
• It’s safe both for you and your baby
• Some women find it helps them to get into a pattern with their breathing
• You can stop using it and it quickly clears from your system
• You can still be mobile, changing positions while using it
• It can be used during a home birth and also used in bath or birthing pool
• There’s no indication for continual monitoring of your baby's heartbeat, therefore increasing your mobility
• You can still use other pain relief such as pethidine or an epidural.

Cons:

• Some women find that it makes them feel nauseous. Others may feel out of control if it makes them light-headed
• You may feel too lightheaded to walk around.

Epidural

An epidural is an anaesthetic (painkiller) that can take away the pain of your contractions.

It’s a local anaesthetic – which means it’s regional, only blocking pain from the lower party of your body, numbing you from the waist down.

It’s injected into your back, through a hollow needle into the space just outside of your spinal cord’s outer membrane.

To keep the dose of painkiller topped up, a plastic tube (known as an epidural catheter) is fed through the needle and left there until you’re done needing it.

How is an epidural administered?

“First, the anaesthetist will ask you to lie on your left side, with your knees curled up, or sit on the edge of the bed, with your feet on a chair and your chin tucked in,” says retired midwife Anne Richley.

“Although you’ll be having frequent contractions at the time, it’s important for you to stay as still as possible when the epidural’s administered.”

Then you’ll be given a little injection of local anaesthetic to numb the area where the needle’s going to go in.

The needle will then be placed, and the epidural catheter will be positioned.

Getting an epidural won’t necessarily hurt, but you may find it uncomfortable having a needle in your back.

You’ll have a little bit of anaesthetic put around the area where the needle goes in, to try and minimise the discomfort.

The epidural itself feels like liquid ice numbing your tummy, bottom and legs, and deadening the nerves that carry pain signals from your uterus.

Your midwife can top it up – you tell her when the contractions start to hurt again.

Some maternity units will use PCA (patient controlled analgesia) this allows you to top up the epidural yourself by pressing a button when you feel you need pain relief. It comes with a cut-off which stops you from accidentally administering too much.

What’s a mobile epidural?

A mobile epidural is set up in the same way as a regular epidural, but the ‘cocktail’ of drugs is slightly different.

You may able to move around a little bit more. Some mums will have some sensation in their legs, while others will be able to stand, or move a little, with support.

With a regular epidural, you’ll be completely numbed from the waist down.

How effective are epidurals?

The good news is that epidurals are VERY effective in relieving labour pains – a reported 96% of women get ‘excellent’ pain relief from them.

In the other 4% of cases, says Anne, women may find they get a ‘partial block’ on one side.

This can be countered by the anaesthetist trying to re-site the epidural to help distribute the drug more evenly.

How soon can you get an epidural?

Typically, epidurals are started once you’re in what’s called ‘active labour’: having regular contractions, and about 4 – 5 cm dilated.

“Usually, you’ll be in established labour when you’re given an epidural,” notes Anne. “If you’ve kept mobile for some time, you’ll have helped the baby descend lower into the pelvis.

But she adds: “There isn’t really a cut-off point for an epidural.

“For some women, it’s still appropriate even if your cervix is 8cm dilated, as progress may have been slow with your baby in an awkward position.”

However, if you’re in the second stage of labour and it looks like you’re heading for a forceps delivery, you might be looking at a spinal block for quickness’ sake.

Can anyone have an epidural?

Although most mums-to-be giving birth in hospital can have an epidural, some can’t, such as:

• Women with pre-existing back problems

• Women with blood-clotting disorders

• Women who take blood-thinning tablets

• Women experiencing lots of bleeding during labour

• Women on certain other medications (talk to your docs about any meds you’re on in advance).

Some mums may also be recommended against having epidural, especially if their labour is moving super quick, or if they’re hoping for a vaginal birth after a previous caesarean (VBAC).

This is because there may be faster-acting pain relief, and VBAC mums need to be aware of any pain coming from their C-section scar, to avoid any complications.

Finally, you may be told you can’t have an epidural purely because there is no anaesthetist available at the hospital at the time you’re giving birth.

What are the possible side effects from an epidural?

Like all medical procedures, there are a few possible risks and side effects. You may experience:

• low blood pressure
• nausea
• itchy skin
• headaches
• slow breathing
• infection near the tube site
• temporary loss of bladder control
• very small risk of temporary nerve damage
• very small risk of permanent nerve damage

Pros and cons of epidurals

Pros:

• It numbs the area from the waist down and is an excellent form of pain relief – particularly with long labours
• It can lower very high blood pressure
• You’ll feel alert but also well rested, and you’ll be able to sleep if you’re very tired
• They can be topped up easily throughout your labour
• Providing it's left to wear off, you should be able to feel when to push
• The drugs used will have no effect on your baby.

Cons:

• They’re only available in hospitals, so not an option for home births
• The anaesthetist may not be available. Which means you may miss the opportunity to have one
• There's a possibility it may slow down the pushing phase
• Epidurals increase the risk of needing an instrumental birth and of having an episiotomy
• Your unborn baby needs to be continually monitored
• You’ll have a drip set up in case your blood pressure falls -Your contractions can slow down – you might need another drip to speed things up
• If you can move at all, your movement will be restricted
• You may need to have a catheter for your pee
• There are all those potential side effects to consider (the ones we talked about above).

Spinal blocks

Spinal blocks or ‘spinals’ as they’re commonly known are often used in emergency situations like C-sections or forceps/ventouse deliveries.

A spinal block is an injection of local anaesthetic in the lower back, near your spine – which basically numbs you from pain in the lower half of your body i.e. where your contractions are happening. It’s similar to an epidural in that regard, but spinal blocks are faster to administer, last only a couple of hours and cannot be 'topped up'.

How is a spinal block administered?

First, a local anaesthetic cream will be applied to the area where the needle goes. Then, a local anaesthetic-analgesic mix is injected via one single injection directly into the cerebrospinal fluid in the small of your back.

The needle is typically very fine, and you will need to lie on your side and stay very still for the anaesthetist while they’re placing the needle. With a spinal block, you won’t need a catheter put in.

After you’ve had your spinal, it’s very likely you’ll lose feeling in your legs or become pretty limited mobility-wise. This is because the spinal is numbing the lower half of your body, crucially the nerves that transmit pain from the uterus and cervix.

How effective are spinal blocks?

Typically, the pain relief from a spinal block will last between one and three hours. Unfortunately, unlike an epidural, you can’t top up a spinal block.

Can anyone have a spinal block?

Spinals are only available for women giving birth in hospital – though each hospital will have its own policy on who can have them, and when they’re administered.

Spinals are also often used in emergency situations where intervention such as a ventouse or forceps birth is necessary. Some hospitals routinely do spinals along with C-sections.

If you’re having a home birth, you can’t have a spinal block – as they’re only given by qualified anaesthetists.

Pros and cons of spinal blocks

Pros:

• A highly effective form of pain relief, most women experience complete relief from pain
• Faster-acting than epidurals
• Requires only a single injection and doesn't require a catheter in your back
• The anaesthetic does not affect your state of mind
• A spinal for a C-section allows you to be conscious for the delivery of your baby
• Can be used to give you a break during labour and allow you to regain strength for delivery
• In the case of intervention being necessary, a spinal is far safer for both mother and baby than a general anaesthetic

Cons:

• Lasts only 2-4 hours and cannot be topped up as an epidural can
• Numbs the feeling in your legs and so limits mobility
• You might experience side-effects of itching, shivering, nausea and difficulties urinating
• A low-pressure headache is more likely to occur than with an epidural