Managing your pain during labour
In the last few weeks of your pregnancy, we will talk you through your options for pain relief.
We encourage you to keep an open mind about pain relief. You may surprise yourself by how well you cope—or you may find completely the opposite.
However you approach your birth, we aim to provide you with as much flexibility as we can (within medical limits) to maximise your preferred experience of delivery while minimising any pain and distress.
Entonox (“gas and air”), pethidine and a 24 hour epidural service are all available at Ashford Hospital.
Generally, our epidurals are provided within the hospital by the very experienced anaesthetic group Adelaide Anaesthetics. They are happy to provide our patients with a 24-hour service.
Some mothers-to-be elect to use a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS or TNS) machine, which produces an electric current to stimulate your nerves and help manage pain. You will need to hire this in the last couple of weeks of pregnancy.
To discuss any preferences or concerns you might have with your pain relief options, please call Adelaide Obstetrics & Fertility on 08 8272 7755.