Nell,

Hi I've recently labored with just gas. Similar to what you described, i sometimes felt like it wasn't really doing anything. I also know that they didn't crank it up very high.

Next time I will be having gas again, and asking for it to be higher!! I think this time I progressed quicker than they realised. But I have already decided that I would like to try the tens machine next time.

I do not ever want an epidural, and after seeing how alert my bubs was without one, and how well he feeds, I can't help but think that the drugs I didn't have impacted on this.

I'm not sure if this is also connected but I had 2nd degree tear which does not hurt anywhere near as much as others have told me it does. I didn't need saline baths or icepacks, and only had a little bit of panadein to take the edge off. I think the pain paled in comparison to the birth, which I wouldn't have felt had I had the epi.