I would think seriously about it especially if you do not know how you react to various drugs. Remember they WILL pass through the placenta to your baby. How do you want you want your baby to first see you and the world? My baby had near perfect APGARS and made eye contact with me right away. He was alert and not 'drugged up' like you are implying.
Consider asking your labor support/nurse if they have suggestons on how to naturally relieve pain before trying an epidural. Try a hot bath or shower. LOL, that wouldn't have worked for me.I thought I was going to go into shock and die from the intense contractions. That sh!t hurt.
The epidural itself did nothing for the pain and the narcotic wore off eventually. An epidural WILL limit the positions you can give birth in, and your ability to move with labor to help things along. The epidural can slow down your labor which would likely result in you getting pitocin {mine actually made me progress really quickly and my OB says that the incidences of epis slowing down labor is really overstated}, which is intense if the epidural isn't working for the pain, Pitocin can increase your risk of tearing. This all increases the risk of a c-section and/or post partum depression. (Huh? Not following you here) (post partum depression is real and difficult to deal with, I know)
There are studies that show that an epidural can impact your imediate bonding with your baby and first few monthes together. (We had a great bonding experience and he nursed immediately) Unmedicated births can be shorter.
Don't go into childbirth affraid of what if. Be confident in your ability to give birth to your child medicated or unmedicated. No mater what you will safely bring that beautiful baby of yours into the world. Choose what is right for you at the time and don't let anyone scare you into one or the other. {You are presenting scenarios that are not very common, so it kind of sounds like you are scaring her to me. Which is why I felt the need to add my bolded counterpoints. OP, good luck with whatever you decide. Neither route is "better" than the other} Wishing you a gentle birth experience!
1st: Yes, there are old, poorly designed studies which showed that women who got an epidural before 4 cm were more likely to go to c-section. They did not show a causal effect (e.g.- the reason that the women needed a c-section was not shown to be b/c they got an epidural). Babies with an abnormal presentation and who are too big to fit out of mom's pelvis are more likely to cause pain early (leading a mom to request an epidural earlier) and also more likely to require c-section, regardless of whether or not an epidural used.
2nd: There are more recent studies which show that in a 1st time mom dilation from 4-10 cm is prolonged by 45 minutes with an epidural and pushing by 20 minutes but no increased c-section rate.
3rd: It is not uncommon for a labor which seems stalled to progress once an epidural is in place and mom can relax.
4th: Continued numbness in one thigh after labor may be from the epidural or nerve compression in the thigh/hip from the way mom was positioned during pushing (and unrelated to the epidural).
5th: Risk of headache after an epidural is about 1/100. These headaches are worse, and often incredibly uncomfortable, while sitting up but better when you lay down. As you can imagine, this can make it very difficult to take care of a newborn. While these will occasionally respond to conservative measures many patients require an epidural blood patch for definitive treatment.
6th: As far as risk to baby- when the epidural is loaded with the initial dose of medication it can cause a drop in your blood pressure. If this is not treated the blood supply to baby is decreased and there can be a drop in the heart rate. Baby recovers once the blood pressure is treated. As far as the actual infusion of medication- baby doesn't see that.
THANK YOU!! I was starting to think it was bizarre that none of these women's research was matching up with my own.
Re: Epidurals.... thoughts...
THANK YOU!! I was starting to think it was bizarre that none of these women's research was matching up with my own.