What's the strongest pain medication that can be taken at home once in labour?

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Don't take panadiene or sleeping pills if you are 5mins apart or less.
Hospital advised me to go home (nad gave me the pills) not expecting to see me back with both of those and my water broke an hour after i took a sleeping pill. I was high and delirious, extraoridnarily tired for the rest of my labour and i strongly believe that it was the hardest part, coping through the tiredness induced by temazepam.

[Jac]

Thanks. This is second labour for me, first was reasonably quick and drug free but would have loved to relax/sleep a little bit as it started in the middle of the night (before I had a chance to fall asleep) so ended up being awake for 2 days as baby was born mid-morning and I was too pumped to sleep the day he was born (or that night for that matter!). A few hours sleep in early labour, during the night would have been helpful - not thinking sleeping tablet but strongish pain medication. Why can't labour start first thing in the morning after a good nights sleep!

Will ask hospital what I can take when I contact them in early labour anyway but thanks for your replies.

[Janie]

Tell me about it Jac! My labour started at 9pm, and I gave birth at 11am! I'd had a really tiring week too, and it had been my baby shower that day. We were all soooooooo tired!

I hope you go into labour at a more convienent time this time around LOL.

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Yes long labours or sleepless prior to them ones are really draining
I only slept two hours before my contractions started so I ended up being awake from 9am Friday to 11pm Sunday night with two hours sleep and forty minutes sleep in between. It was awesome

[satya]

During labour I was advised to take Panadeine Forte by one of the midwives I spoke to. Luckily I had some in the house or it would've meant a visit to hossy to get some and then go home. If you don't have any in your house make sure you get some. It only took the edge off things but it allowed me to manage at home until I was 6cms dilated.

[Bathsheba]

My first labour started at 9pm too... what is with that??? Couldn't sleep for the rest of the night... ended up having a long chaotic labour (contractions weren't spaced... my labour was basically one long contraction especially after they tried to speed things up by putting my on a syncotin drip )

My other two labours were induced in the morning after a reasonable night's sleep. Slightly more managable. Still... avoiding syncotin/oxytocin would be the best way to go if you can... it's evil stuff. My doula at least helped me insist that i be given the minimum dose during my third labour... it still worked but it meant that my contractions were spaced like they were meant to be.