Pain relief....Epidural? TENS?

[BellyBelly]

I think crying in labour is also a fear thing, shame you didnt have someone to work through that stuff with you I work with women who think they have a low pain threshold, but I think at the end of the day having someone close to you and working with you is a huge factor with how people go. Someone affirming to you your fears that you are 'weak' or have a low pain threshold will certainly have you believe it.

[MantaRay]

I think fear of pain and "not being able to do it" is a big reason for choosing an epidural early on. I know that's why I gave in to the pressure to have one even though I had been determined not to beforehand. If I knew before my first birth what I knew before my second, things would have been very different!

Another thing I thought of Nell, was that for me, a big part of the reason the gas helped me was that it helped me to breathe properly. I think this might even have been of more use than the actual drugs and this is why I think I do it without even gas if I have another (and because I have fast labours the pain is really intense and there is no break between contractions - of course it does also help to know that I won't be in pain for as long!). After reading New Active Birth and practising positions and breathing during my painful BH, I knew what to do when in labour and it made a huge difference. If there is a third time for me (which unfortunately doesn't look likely) I will also have the added bonus of confidence - knowing I can do it because I have done it (well with gas, but not an epidural).