In the delivery suite (private or public) your caregiver may:
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Offer you various medical forms of pain relief (once, or several times), such as gas, narcotic injections or an epidural, especially if you become noisy or appear not to be coping with the pain. One method may be encouraged over another. |
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Or may not, offer you certain natural therapies and other methods of pain relief (such as hot packs) and the use of various positions as forms of pain relief (but will probably accept these if requested or organised by the woman or her support people). |
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Be uncomfortable or sceptical about some natural therapies you request or have organised yourself for pain relief. |
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Give guidance for breathing through contractions - if a particular way of breathing is not working for you, or if your breathing is too fast and shallow (called 'hyperventilation'). |
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Stay for a while to make sure you are using the gas mask or mouthpiece correctly, if using the gas for pain relief. |
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Perform an internal vaginal examination prior to administering a narcotic injection or an epidural anaesthetic. |
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Discourage you from having a narcotic injection or an epidural if you are nearly ready to push, or the baby will be born soon. |
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Possibly organise a narcotic injection or call an anaesthetist for an epidural without lengthy discussion with you if you are expressing a need 'to have something' during a contraction. |
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Request that you to lie on the bed after administering a narcotic injection (in case you become overly drowsy with the medication). The single injection may also include another drug (such as Maxalon) to prevent vomiting, |
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OR |
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Wait to see if you begin vomiting (as a side effect from the narcotic injection), before giving you a further injection to inhibit the vomiting. |
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Possibly administer a 2nd dose of narcotic injection if required. |
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Organise for an intravenous drip to be inserted and contact the anaesthetist if you request an epidural. |
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'Top up' the epidural medications every 1 to 2 hours if more anaesthetic is required (and it is not 'Continuous' or 'patient controlled' epidural). Either your caregiver or the anaesthetist will do this. |
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Encourage stopping the gas or turning down the epidural (or not giving you a top-up) when you reach the pushing phase of the labour. |
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Possibly encourage you to return to the bed for the birth (out of a shower or bath). |