Most women know that there are a few medical options of pain relief available to them in labour.. gas and air, epidural, pethidine or diamorphine.. but because of the possible side effects of these, often women want to avoid them, either entirely or for as long as possible.

But, it’s absolutely NO good going into labour thinking ‘oh i’ll use a TENS machine and maybe a pool’ as your only alternatives. The bigger your tool kit of comfort measures, the more things you have available to you to help manage the sensations of birth.

Narcotics in labour are often an option people feel most anxious about using. What are they, how do they work and when are they helpful?

A look at the evidence around Gas and Air in labour.

Ok, so let’s talk pain relief and Hypnobirthing. Contrary to popular belief, these two things are NOT mutually exclusive.