2nd Trimester
Kjohnson1426
member
Are you planning on getting an epidural?
Kjohnson1426
member
I am going to be 24 weeks on Saturday and have been thinking a lot about epidurals. I'm still up in the air about getting one or not. What has been your experiences?
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Re: Are you planning on getting an epidural?
Nope. I made it through an induction on pitocin and mag-sulfate without needing an epi, so I feel quite confident that I can go without again.
My advice, plan to go without, but if the pain is too much during labor, you can still get one. I think women are more likely to have problems if they plan to have one, and then it doesn't work or things progress too fast to have one, and they don't know how to manage the pain.
Yes! I get the whole "Your body was made to do this thing" I just prefer to pretend like it wasn't! I have no tolerance for pain and actually with my second child, I had no epidural except for the last 5 minutes, which were spent pushing. I came into the ER a 6 in major pain, spent the next hour waiting for enough fluids to get in me so I could have the epidural, all while yelling at the nurse and trying to bite my husband's hand (see, no pain tolerance) and when I finally got the epidural, they checked me, I was a 10, I pushed him out in 3 pushes. I don't know what we ended up paying for the epidural, but I would have paid full price for that thing just for those 5 minutes of relief. Not trying to scare you or change your mind, that was just my experience.
With my third baby, I was induced and never felt one contraction. They broke my water at 7AM, gave me the epidural and he was here before 1PM. It was my dream birth because I got to enjoy it without any fear. I felt completley in control and bonded with him right away.
I applaud all mamas who can go med free. You all are Rock Stars!
I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him. ~ 1 Samuel 1:27 NIV
So here is why I don't plan on having one. They may not work. No joke, this happens. I went into labor at 5am, labored at home until 11pm then went to the hospital at 3cm dilated. I got my epi around 1am, and it only worked on my right side. The nurse told me to roll from side to side and that could get it working but in all honesty we all knew that the guy had put it in incorrectly and he wasn't willing to admit it. It wore off at 8cm, so I went through transition au natural and DD was born without pain meds. It wasn't really that bad. Another good friend of mine was immune to the epidural. They placed three of them, none took affect and they had loaded her up with pitocin (it was a total "pit to distress" situation). Go in with every intention of doing this without an epi, and then if you get one, and it works, yay! If you get my situation you won't feel like you are lost in a sea of pain, since you planned.
If I'm induced again, then when I hit 6 cm I will likely get one again like I did with my first. I ended up with a c/s with him anyway. I was glad the epi was already in place when I was wheeled to the OR.
I'm going to try for a VBAC this time. If I get to go into labor naturally I'm leaving it completely up in the air. I hear natural contractions are way different than induced contractions and I have no idea how I will react to the pain.
We will see!
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I planned to not have one last time, and was able to go through with not getting one. My labour was only 10 hours though. Had it been more drawn out I think I would have needed something!
Primarily what encouraged me to to med free was reading Ina May's Guide to Natural Childbirth, watching videos like the Business of Being Born, and I found our prenatal yoga instructor was awesome because she provided us with affirmations that we could take away and use to help us get through it. She also taught us a breathing technique which got me through my entire labour...it was great.
I figured it was best to plan to not have it because we live in a small city with one anethesiologist by the sounds of it so if he is tied up in a surgery or if it's the middle of the night, he might not be able to get there within the "window" to give an epidural. I have heard of so many moms around here who asked for an epidural but were not able to get it.
I didn't get one. My labor was short, intense and sweet though. I have a ton of respect for a good friend of mine who made it 72 hours unmedicated. She didn't even drop an F bomb!
I would say play it by ear. Have plan A and Plan B. You have to go with how you feel in the moment. Good luck.
For what it's worth when its time for me with number two I am going to try to do it unmedicated again. It's crazy painful, but there is a light at the end. Eyes on the prize!
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I have the same thoughts exactly!
I don't necessarily "plan" to get an epidural, no. However, I always go into L&D with an open mind and I am certaintly not against getting it if I feel I want it. (Well, with the exception of my 1st. I was dead set against an epi when I went in to have her. Half way through labor I finally caved & got it, slept like a baby until the nurse woke me up and told me it was time to push. About 20 minutes later she was born. It was AMAZING.)
I try for natural, but if I decide I want an epidural, I get an epidural. So far I've had it with 4 out of my 5 kids and had great experiences all 5 times, epidural or not.
My longest labor was with my 1st... just under 8 hours. Shortest was with my 5th, barely 3 hours. The longest I have pushed with was my 1st, about 20 minutes. The epidural has never once taken complete feeling from me.. I am left with just enough sensation to feel the urge to push, and to be able to productively push. My babies were all born alert, got great apgar scores, and were eager to nurse right off the bat. I, personally, have never had a bad experience with an epidural.. thankfully!
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I also think this is very good advice. You would rather be prepared to end up going without (or at least have ideas of what to do if such a situation arose) than plane to get an epidural and find out you can't or it's too fast or the anesthesiologist can't get to you or whatever.
In all honnesty, I haven't planned anything when it comes to deliver. All I want is LO out of me, and both of us doing well.
I have a medical condition and may not even be able to have an epidural, its up to the person giving it if they want to risk it. For that matter, the same medical condition may also result in me having a c-section.
I guess as far as planning goes, I'm not planning to do it naturally; but we'll see how it goes.
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Getting an epidural isn't my go to plan. But I'm definitely open to it. I think the key to having a positive labor experience is really being open and flexible. Go in understanding that not everything is going to go according to plan and make your decisions as things happen. The goal really is having a healthy mom and baby at the end. You don't get a special prize for going med free. (IMO)
My experience with DS was definitely not what I planned. I went into labor Friday morning, lost my mucous plug, started having contractions and I delivered my son Monday night. I was in labor for 4 days and pushing for 4 hours. I didn't get my epidural until Monday morning and it was the best decision I've made. My body was literally fighting off the contractions. The instant I got my epidural my contractions went to 3 minutes. I went from being dilated to a 4 to a 9 in an hour. Everyone's experience is different. A friend of mine was just in labor for a total of 90 minutes, start to finish. She didn't get an epidural, she barely made it to the hospital.
You have to do what feels right to you. Definitely make a birth plan with goals that are important to you. But be open to the idea that it may change. GL!
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My OB has assured me that there will be a maximum of 20 minutes between the time I ask for an epidural and when it's delivered to me.
Because of this, I plan on trying to go without it, but I'll know it's there if I need it.
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