Obviously with planning a home birth, I had resided myself to the fact that there wasn't going to be a lot of pain relief going. Which was fine, but I hadn't even considered what I would use if I did end up in hospital. All I had really decided was that I didn't want an epidural or spinal tap.
With lesions on my spine, I just felt that whole area was vulnerable for me. I might have been naive, and I was reassured that the risks of any side-effects of the epidural were small, but they were increased because of my MS. My gut feeling was that if nerves are damaged in a certain area, then sticking a hefty needle and numbing it, probably wouldn't do a lot of good. I was really scared that something would go wrong and it would have lasting effects.
So we ruled those options out, but as they are the only sure-fired form of pain relief going
I was a bit lost. Pethidine was still an option, but I really hate feeling woozy and out-of-it, and didn't want Bean to be affected by it.
Then the doctor mentioned a morphin PCA. Ahhhh, I'm saved!
It's a morphin drip that you control yourself during contractions, I guess in the same way as you use gas and air. Because of costs though, they don't readily offer it as a form of pain relief, but for someone with a condition like MS, it sounded perfect. So if there is anyone else in a similar situation, be sure to mention it and get some more info if it isn't offered.
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