The only drug related pain relief options you have at a home birth are gas & air (entonox) and pethidine.

There are lots of other -natural- pain relief options however, that will not hinder your progress of labour. Many women have given birth just using natural pain relief options. When a woman is relaxed, she will be able to endure more pain. When a woman feels uncomfortable or out of touch with her labour, her body will tense up and she will then feel the pain more. Very often this leads to more pain relief, like pethidine and epidurals. Unfortunately it is very hard to stay in control of your labour when a medicalized pain relief is used. It might sound like a great solution, but for some women it has the opposite effect, as you end up working against yourself as your natural hormones are blocked.

Examples of natural pain relief are:

• Massage
• Relaxation
• TENS Machine
• Water / birth pool
• Breathing
• Birth ball
• Movements and positions
• Yoga
• Hypnobirthing
• Complementary therapies
• Distraction

The only drug related form of painrelief available for a home birth is:

• Gas & Air (Entonox)
• Pethidine

pain relief