Do you plan to get an epidural?

R

rockette

Cathlete
Just curious as what you guys are planning?

I had an epidural with my 1st child and thought the pain relief was WONDERFUL but I hated how numb my legs felt afterwards. It was very uncomfortable. I also think I got a headache at the base of my skull from the epidural. The pain would come back occasionally for several days after I had the baby.

Baby #2-requested an epidural but while they were attempting to medicate me I jumped(I did with my 1st child also) so they had to reprep. My water then broke and it was stained w/meconium so they thought the baby may be under some distress so they said I couldn't have one. I WANTED TO CRY! I wanted that epidural so badly. As it turns out though I was only at the hospital 55 minutes when my son was born so it was bearable.

I've always said that if the next ones comes as quickly as #2 then I'd probably ride out the pain. I like being able to feel my legs after birth(LOL!). So that's my plan, to try to labor at home as long as possible and then go have the baby w/o an epidural.

I learned alot about my pain tolerance with #2. When I was checked in at the hospital I was 8cm and still on myfeet (verysurprising for me). I think for me if I had known I was that far along I would have "acted" like I was that far along. For me that means laying in the bed and dealing with the contractions as they came but instead I'd been walking around the whole time trying to deal with each contraction because I really didn't think I could be more than 5cm dialated. So for me not "knowing" helped out tremendously with my perception of pain.

What are you guys planning on doing?
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Dec-14-02 AT 11:33PM (Est)[/font][p]This is a toughie. I work in labor and delivery and know that it's impossible to predict ahead, but smart to consider your options. Your idea of laboring at home as long as possible is a sound one. So many people, esp. w/ #1, come in right away. I think they think it will somehow go quicker if they're in the hospital. What happens most times is they think they're in good labor long before they really are and get discouraged. Then when things really get going, they're either tired or frustrated and unable to cope. A good rule of thumb is to stay home until you feel you could use pain medication. If you're able to cope w/ labor at home, things will go better for you there.

Of course, there are the exceptions of ruptured membranes w/ mec. stained fluid, any gush of bright red blood, etc. All the stuff your doctor or midwife covers w/ you.

Hopefully, your labor will go along nicely and you won't need the epidural. In my experience, they can slow things down when someone is having their 2nd baby (or more).

I am glad you mentioned headache afterwards. Sometimes they only take on one side, or require more than one attempt. We only hear from people who epidurals have worked well for. They sure have their place, but aren't without risk.

Good luck!
Valerie

For the record, my first labor (16 yrs. ago) was 14 hrs., no pain meds. c/s in '88 w/ epidural (a good thing), VBAC in '91 with a little demerol. See? You just never know how it will go for you! ;-)
 
I had two epidurals. The first was lousy, slowed my labor down, failed to progress after 12 hours, a c-section was needed. I think I asked for it too soon. I was too anxious about the whole thing. 5 years ago, it was an entirely different story. I went in Memorial Day evening, after a barbeque, relaxed, watched the Hockey play-offs on tv, slept when I could, and waited as long as possible for the epidural. The epidural relaxed me so much, I hadn't realized how tense the pain was making me. I felt soooo much better. I managed a VBAC, only 5 pushes, and there was my daughter! The epidural made ME feel in control, instead of the pain. You must listen to your body. Best of luck!! What a wonderful time of your life!!
 
Hello everyone!
I am PLANNING on not having an epidural if I can help it. This is my first baby so I have NO CLUE as to how much pain is involved and I really don't know what my tolerance to pain is since I have never had anything really excruciatingly painful happen to me before. There are other options for pain such as Nubain whicH I will try first if I feel the need for some pain relief. I want to be able to get up a move around as much as possible and once you receive the drugs, that is it, you are bed bound. I am also nervous about having an epidural because I am prone to migraine headaches and I am afraid the after effect of the epidural will precipitate one and I don't want that!

Again, these are my plans but I really don't know what I will choose to do until the moment comes.
 
Epidural

I would highly recommend an epidural - it makes things a lot easier to bear, although pushing is still hard work regardless!!


Your friend in fitness, Fitnik
 
I had an epidural with #1... wonderful experience... I could still feel contractions, but they didn't hurt until I was in transition (and then only up around my ribcage)... and I could still push.

With #2, I had a c-section because of an amniotic fluid infection and the baby in distress -- Robby was coming very, very quickly, though, and the intensity of the contractions was much worse than what I remember having in the beginning with Aaron.

In spite of the epidural with Aaron and the multitude of meds/anesthesias with Robby, both boys had Apgars of 9 & 10 and nursed readily... so I was lucky in that regard, too. I didn't have any headaches either.

I think this is a highly personal decision -- I do recommend (from my work with prenatal/postpartum exercise) that, if you want to go natural, to do some really good, intense preparation... and have a really good labor coach with you... maybe even a doula. It seems like the women I know who were most successful with their plans of a natural labor either had their babies really quickly or had done a lot of preparation so that they were practiced at focusing, and so that their labor coach(es) knew how to get them through it all.

Susan
 
I have given birth to 10 full term babies between 8













































I have had 10 full term babies between 8 and 9 1/2 pounds. I had them all naturally - meaning no epidural or pain medication.

5 out of the 10 were all back labor (baby face up). I tell you the back labor was the worst. With #7 I was in transition for about four hours. I begged for an epidural a that point but they said the baby was coing too soon so I couldn't have one. Of course, it took alot longer than they anticipated.

With #10 I had my mind made up to have an epidural ( I finally talked my husband into it _ he never wanted me to have one before because he was afraid I might become paralyzed) Well, by the time I asked for it and they got to my room to give it to me it was too late! I looked so forward to not feeling the intensity of pushing the baby out - but I made it.

I have heard all good things about epidurals, so if I do have a nother one I hope to get an epidural - why go through all that pain if you don't have to?

Cheryl














3
 
Hi All!

I am currently waiting to see the hospital anaesthetist as I have a lower back condition which MAY mean I cannot have an epidural!!

Like you Beets, this is my first baby, so I just don't know what to expect, and although I wasn't planning to make an epidural my first option for pain relief, it would certainly make me even more nervous about the whole labour process if I knew I COULDN'T have one!

Ah well, if I can't have one I'll just have to squeeze the crap out of my Hubby's hand instead, LOL!!

Kaz.

Today Is The Tomorrow We Worried About Yesterday And All Is Well.
 
I had an epidural when my son was born almost 2 years ago and it was a very positive experience! I was dilated to 6 when I got to the hospital, (had been having very painful and close together contractions for about 18 hours at that point), and got my epidural shortly after arriving. Words can't describe the huge relief I felt! The main thing I remember was feeling kind of tingly and itchy all over for a while, but I was willing to put up with it! The Doctor told me my labor would probably slow down quite a bit and that my son wouldn't be born for another 5 or 6 hours. Well, I started feeling pressure "down there" less than an hour later, but hesitated to call the nurse because I didn't think it was possible that the baby was ready to come out! Well, I waited a few more minutes and finally called in the nurse who checked me and went rushing off to get the Doctor because it was time! They turned down the level of medication I was getting and I started feeling the contractions again. After 1 1/2 hours of pushing my son was born! I'm sure my experience is pretty rare, but I will never forget that feeling of relief after getting the epidural.
 
Just thought I'd add my experience! I had an epidural and I had a good experience. I did have some numbness in my legs afterward, but not too much.
The night I went into labor, I had gone to bed at 10:00 - I woke up at 11:00 with contractions about 7 minutes apart - and the pain was still bearable. I got to the hospital at around 1:15am and they were 2-3 minutes apart, and getting more painful. I requested the epidural after my exam when I got into my room. But it felt like forever from the time I asked, until the Dr. came to give it to me! Part of it was my labor was moving so quickly that I was afraid it would be too late and I couldn't get it. Once I got the epidural it was great - for about 5 minutes and then I had to push! My son was in sort of a rush!

My son is my first baby, so when I went into labor I really had no idea what to expect. I had planned on trying to stay off pain meds as long as possible, but the contractions were starting to wear me out - and I had no idea how long I would push for - so I got the epidural partly for the pain and partly because I needed a break! And I did end up pushing for an hour and a half. My son had a big head!!

The epidural ended up being the right choice for me. I did take hypnobirthing classes prior to childbirth - the breathing exercises DID help, but my labor came on so fast that I never had the chance to get into that "relaxed" state! When we have another baby, I probably will have another epidural.
 
I am going to save all these replies in a file and read them more carefully as I get towards the end of my pregnancy! Gina
 
No epidural for me. I did it without one the first time, and plan to do so with the next also. And I don't want a doctor fumbling around my spinal cord! My spinal cord is very important to me, you know?
 
Just a quick "hi" to Sidse before I respond! (Waving here! :))

I've had epidurals with 5 out of 7 of my deliveries. (Have 6 children, but lost the first to anencephaly and delivered at 5 months). Had Demoral with the first (hated it -- couldn't think straight or make any sense when I talked). Had a Pudendal Block (numbing shots on each side of the cervix) with the fifth and those shots were excruciating -- I vowed to NEVER do that again -- plus the shots don't last long.

I've only had one negative experience w/an epidural -- some pain in the spot in my lower back the first week after delivery. But I still think it was totally worth it. I've also had my blood pressure drop a few times with the uppage of the medication, but the doctor and nurses are able to help me stabilize and I've been just fine and the baby has never suffered.

And in my 14 years of delivering babies I've seen the epidurals progress and become more localized and refined. With my first epidural (after plenty of hours of back labor, trying out Lamaze and thinking I could do it that way) I was numb all the way down to my tippy toes (which seemed fine to me, but it took quite a while to get the feeling back). The last two I was only numb from the tops of my thighs to my upper abdomen and could walk to the bathroom within a few hours just fine (and probably could have done it sooner, but the nurse wouldn't let me attempt it).

I know that many would rather do it without the medication, but for me, I identify wholeheartedly with the statement someone else made -- " The epidural made ME feel in control, instead of the pain." I feel so helpless when I hit that peak of pain and instead of shouting out, I withdraw, feel very helpless, and feel like someone will have to take the baby out of me because I have no power to do anything else. So it's a real blessing to me. And each and every time, the anesthesiologist becomes an angel in my eyes.
 
Hi back at ya, Renee! Your I'm-breastfeeding-while-I-type-this in Fitnik's thread put a smile on my face :)
 
I am not sure what do this time. I have had three children and with my last two I didn't have any medications, (first was a c-section). With my second I had quite a long labor but it wasn't that bad until the transition phase. I only pushed for 20 minutes and I found it was such a relief to finally push that I wasn't in pain. With my third I had a very quick labor. I went from 5cm to having her within 15 minutes. It felt like much longer though because I was in a lot of pain. My contractions were coming one on top of the other and I felt like I couldn't handle it. I was begging for an epidural but there wasn't enough time. So this time I don't know what to do.
 
I had our daughter w/natural childbirth, and it was wonderful.

If we have another, I hope to repeat things the same way. It's true -- you don't know what will happen, so you have to have contingency plans if there is a problem -- but mentally psych yourself that you are going to have this baby and you are going to physically be there for the birth of the baby.

Maybe I'm weird, but for me it was critical that I could feel whatever was going on with me... pain (YES, DEFINITELY)... but at least I was aware of it and present in the moment with it.

Check out the book -- Mind Over Labor. I found some suggestions in it helpful when contractions were very bad.

I'm not putting down anyone who decides to have an epi or anything else... everyone is different... I just know that for me it was extremely important NOT to.

Since it was my first pregnancy, a lot of people seemed to get in my face about how I was going to need pain meds and what was I trying to prove -- pain relief is a good thing... I was just being silly -- and I found it totally offensive.

Women have been having babies for a long, long time. Your body will know what to do and simply believing in your body's ability to do what it needs to do can help tremendously.

Best of luck.
 
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