Did anyone not have an epidural when they delivered?

leviandlandensmom

I am planning (key word, planning) on having a drug-free birth at the hospital with my twins. I have had one hospital birth, had the epidural and all that good stuff. After that I had three home water births. I would do a home birth with these two if I were allowed to but I can't. Too risky and I have to do what's best for the babies. Did anyone else have a drug-free twin birth?

 

E&RMommy

I am getting the epidural placed in case I need a stat cesarean (to prevent needing general anesthesia).  I only plan on having the test dose done to make sure it's in the right place, and I really want to try and not have it dosed for pain management.  I will not labor without it there simply because I do not want my babies exposed to general anesthetic unless absolutely necessary in the event I need a section.

ErinCB

I was med free, though unintnded. I had a precipitous labor, only 2 hours from when my water broke until they were both born. No time for an epi .

Temp6313048411121614

Check with your OB.  Some OB's and hospitals require you to have the epi at least in place in case you need and emergency c/s.  If you don't have the epi and need a c/s, they will put you under and you'll miss the birth of your babies all together (and I don't think your DH will be allowed in there if you're under general).  GL with your natural birth, but before you get your hopes too high, check with your OB to see if it'll even be allowed. 

anyalee

I was planning not to have an epidural (didn't for my first) but my OB recently told me they want you to in case you need a c/s last minute for baby b.  But she said we could talk more about it.  From the research I've done, a lot of the women who deliver A naturally and then need and emergance c/s for B need to be knocked out anyway because supposedly the dose of meds they give you in the epi needs to be jacked up for a section and there isn't time for the higher does to kick in.  Not sure if that's true but I plan on asking at my next appt.  I guess the other reason they want you to have an epi is because once A come out if B is breech the may need to piscally reach up the and pull B out...which you'd probably want an epi for. 

I like the idea of pp to get the test dose administered and that's it unless you need more.  I'm going to have to see if that's an option.  I hate the idea of not being ableto feel what's happening.  But I'm sure I'd hate being asleep while one of my babies is born.  It's a hard choice.  But in the end no one can force you to have an epi.

leviandlandensmom

The hospital I'm going to doesn't require me to have it (I asked when I researched which hospital to deliver at) and I don't want to get one on the off chance that something bad may happen. The percentage of woman who have complications during a vaginal delivery for twins is relatively small. I don't want to have drugs just because there may be an emergent situation. There's always that risk even when you are having one that you may need a crash section for whatever reason. If they need to reach up there and turn baby B, whatever, I'm already in pain anyways!