3rd Trimester

To have an epidural or not...

Okay everyone, I know this is probably a hot topic with this group, but I'd like to know what you all think of epidurals.  Obviously, if they're done right, the delivery is almost painless.  I'm interested in hearing from those of you who have delivered both with and without epidurals and those who have used other pain meds instead.  I do like that without one, you can still get up and walk around and go to the bathroom, etc, but someone told me the pain is so bad that she didn't even want to get up and move around!
Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml

Re: To have an epidural or not...

  • You might want to try asking on 0-3 or one of the other Babies boards :)
  • Delivery is different for everyone. Some women can handle it just fine without an epidural and some women have horrible back-labor and simply can't make it without the meds. Either way, it's a personal decision.

    For me, I am going to do my best to go without one, but if I need one, I am open to the option. I am not crazy about the risks and side-effects so that's my biggest deterrant, although I'm not sure how much that will factor into the situation when I'm in pain in labor.

    Regardless, you have a LOT of time to decide!! Take your time and think it over!

  • Loading the player...
  • This is my attitude:  I'm going into it wanting to go naturally, but if I can't take it, I'm getting an epi, and not feeling guilty about it. 
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • Yes, probably a VERY hot topic! I delivered DS without any meds (30 hour labor) and wouldn't have done it any differently. I am very pro natural birth, but obviously everyone is different. The one thing I would definitely encourage is to do your research, both for and against epidurals. Decide what's most important to you, and learn the pros and cons. There are lots of materials out there! Whatever decision you make, make sure it's informed.
    Pregnancy Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • I tried to go as natural as I could with being induced! 

    I labored for a good 7 hours before I was begging for an EPI. I labored in the birthing tub while I waited for the anesthesiologist to get out of surgery. 

    TRUST me when you are contracting every couple minutes...getting up to pee is the least of your concern, I'm pretty sure I just peed the bed before the epi, Once I got the epi I was sooooo happy, it was amazing to see my contractions on the monitor and not feel them! Pushing still hurt, even with the epi! I can't even believe how badly it would have hurt.

    Keep in mind that when you get an epi they give you a cath to drain your bladder, which actually helps LO move down the birth canal!

    Keep in mind after my delivery I wouldn't do anything differently, except ask for the epi quicker after having my water broken 

  • was lurking so thought I'd answer...I had one and I wish I had tried w/o it because the epi did not help me very much. the nurses kept turning me from side to side trying to get the baby to turn over, so the meds kept draining from one side to the other of my body so I was still in lots of pain.

    plus it's not just a matter of not being able to walk, you literally cannot move the lower half of your body at all. I wasnt able to move for like 8 hours after my delivery...

    Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickers Daisypath Wedding tickers
  • I went into it planning to go natural. My water broke at a time when I was completely exhausted and hadn't slept in nearly a day, ten days early.

    I lasted six hours and I was begging for drugs. My husband says I was pretty much a zombie while I was drug free and I turned into a tired but normal me after getting the epi.

    I still felt pretty intense pressure during contractions so I can't imagine how it would have been going without meds. I was able to figure out on my own when to push because of the pressure- I didn't need anyone to tell me.

  • I ended up having the epi after 14 hours or so of labor.  I COMPLETELY had my heart set against it.  I had done research, and to be completely honest, the possible risks scared the he!! out of me!  In fact, I didn't want ANY pain meds...but after about 6 hours of labor, I decided to get the demerol.  The demerol made me EXTREMELY loopy!  I don't remember a lot of stuff.  I was having HORRIBLE back labor, and my contractions wouldn't regulate.  They didn't even know I was in active labor until about 30 minutes before DS was born.  DH was rubbing my back to try to help ease the pain (it worked AMAZINGLY for some of the stronger contractions, but then they got to the point where they were so strong that it no longer helped.  I was telling him to rub harder b/c it felt like he was tickling me.  He showed me his knuckles, and he was LITERALLY rubbing the skin off his knuckles because he was rubbing my back so hard.  So, about an hour and a half before DS was born, I asked for the epidural, and finally the anesthesiologist showed up about 30 minutes later.  I was still able to move my legs and stuff though...They just felt kinda heavy...

    Before the epi, it NEVER crossed my mind that I wanted to get up and move around!  I just wanted to curl up in a ball!  I definitely wouldn't rule out getting an epi.  I DEFINITELY still want to try without it for the next LO, BUT next time if I do need it, I won't feel guilty.  I cried every time I thought about it for 3 days after I had DS.  Then I realized that I did what was best for me (I had to get 15 stitches, and they hurt bad enough with the epidural!)  Just be open-minded and well-informed.  Don't rule anything out, and regardless of what happens, don't feel guilty!

  • I plan on getting an Epi. Honestly, while I respect everyone's right to choose what is best for them, I don't understand why anyone would want to go without. Yes, there are risks involved. But does anyone go "natural" when getting a root canal? "No thanks on the novacaine doc."? Yeah right!

  • imageoohgrrl11:

    I plan on getting an Epi. Honestly, while I respect everyone's right to choose what is best for them, I don't understand why anyone would want to go without. Yes, there are risks involved. But does anyone go "natural" when getting a root canal? "No thanks on the novacaine doc."? Yeah right!

    Lol as a matter of fact, I've gotten a few fillings done and refused novacaine...some people have issues with feeling numb.

    No one can tell you how labor will go for you. The type of pain, the intensity, your pain threshold, and how well coping mechanisms work for you are all gonna factor in, of course. I have no experience yet, but so far as I can tell it's going to be different for everyone so it really is going to have to be a personal choice.

    That said, I would love to do it without the epi. I hope I'm stubborn enough to stick with it.

  • Lurking and thought I'd jump in.

    I went all natural and am so happy that I did. But as pp have said, it's a very personal decision. All my friends who have given birth recently thought I was insane. I had done my research and wasn't happy about the neg effects on baby, as well as the inability to continuously move through labor. I spent much of my labor walking either at home or in the halls of L&D. Then again, I also had a very quick labor once at the hospital because I knew I wanted to go natural. In at 3:30pm and he was born at 7:22pm.

  • i haven't had a baby yet but have you asked your doctor what your pain med. options are? mine are epidural, staydol (sp?) which is more of a tranquilizer and then they have 2 Jacuzzis i can use.with staydol you can  still walk around.
  • I had an epidural with baby 1, will be going natural (home birth) with baby 2. There are natural ways of coping with the pain of contractions and pushing, but IMO, if you don't take the time to read up on them and to make sure that you have a knowledgeable and supportive labor assistant or birthing attendant (whether that's a midwife, a doula, etc), then odds are against you being able to have a natural delivery... unless baby comes REALLY fast and there's just no time for an epidural once you get to the hospital. I liken it to running a marathon. Odds are against you being able to just go out and run one without proper training and preparation, and for many women, the same goes for a drug-free delivery.

    With DD1, without an epidural, standing up and bending over the bed and taking long, slow deep breaths helped relieve some of the pain, as did a hot bath. However, I was being induced, and the contractions were right on top of each other, so I didn't have the normal rest time in between contractions that I would have had if I could have gone into labor on my own. 

    I did get great pain relief from the epidural, although the epi going in hurt like hell. I also had phenergren before the epidural, and I do not recommend that unless your doctor is REALLY sure you have a long way to go before delivery. It will knock you out and let you get plenty of sleep, but if you progress quickly, you may be too groggy to effectively push. 

    The downsides to an epidural: you can't get up and walk around, if given too early in labor, it can actually slow your dilation and make labor last longer and/or increase your odds of needing a c-section, if it's in for more than 24 hours, it can cause a fever which may be mistaken as a sign of infection by hospital staff, you don't receive all of the pleasurable hormones that can come with natural childbirth, there is the risk of a spinal headache, some women report that they can't get up and walk around as quickly after an epi, although I did not find that to be the case for me, and because you can't get up and move around, you are limited to pushing while laying or semi-reclining on the bed, which isn't always the most effective way to push.

This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"