What is a spinal really like?

nycweddinggal

Going to have my second C/S in about 6 weeks and this time will be with a spinal. (First time was unscheduled, under GA). Just wondering what the experience was like (I never had an epidural or anything else along these lines)

katmacwv

It was mildly uncomfortable getting the spinal, but it definitely did not hurt.  The idiot doing mine had a hard time finding the middle of my spine, so I got nervous quickly, but all was well.  Some people do get nauseous from it, but I didn't.  Instead, I was freezing cold and a little shaky for a while.  When that wore off, I was itchy and kept scratching my face.  Some people don't have any side effects though.

kcisthebombdotcom

Here's what it was like for me.

You lean foward and hug a pillow. The anastesioligist puts a shot that feels like a small pinch in your back of medication that numbs the pain of the spinal. That was all I felt. I did not feel the spinal go in at all.

Jujumom2012

I had a c/s with a epidural then with a spinal. My spinal was awesome!! It hardly hurt going in and I felt great during the surgery.

I will be getting a spinal again with this third delivery. I hope it goes as well as it did the last time!

jkchs2003

I was horribly crying while he was doing my spinal and I don't remember any pain. I was crying because I was so upset about having a c-section, but because I was in pain. But, obviously it couldn't have to terrible if I didn't even notice it.

heather_09_15_07

I felt like a lightning shock down my right leg. i don't know if that's due to them having me roll on my side to receive it (because when I had an epi with #1, I was sitting up and didn't feel that), but it scared me and made me yell. Also, I felt like I was suffocating most of the time we were in the OR. They warned me I might feel like that, but it still freaked me out.

RAF56

I hate needles!  I get anxious when I get blood drawn so I was pretty nervous about this.  I went in for a scheduled c-section so I wasn't in labor already, and to be honest the numbing medication they used first hurt more than the spinal and that was just a little burning.  You can still feel pressure and pulling when they are in there, you just don't feel pain.

Christine&Mario

Mine was not bad AT ALL. They had me sit on the side of the operating table and hug the nurse. The anesthesiologist put in what felt like the equivalent of a regular shot in my back, and then a little bit of pressure as he put in the spinal. Then my body got all warm and cozy, they swung my legs (which were already getting woozy) onto the operating table, laid me down, and within a minute or two I couldn't feel anything below my boobs, except for the smallest bit of pulling and tugging during the surgery itself plus a little bit of pressure when they pulled out the baby. I just focused on my DH's face until we heard the baby cry. Easy breezy.

My recovery sucked a little bit, but the c-section itself was a very peaceful, happy and joy-filled event. Just try to relax and enjoy!

soveryexcited

The spinal was the easiest part of the whole experience for me. :-) The worst part was when the nurse tried to put my IV in before I got the spinal. LOL. Tiny beesting and then you couldn't even feel the spinal.

ByGrace

I had a good experience with mine, as well.  I didn't feel a thing when they put it in, then my legs got warm/tingly for a bit, then I didn't feel them at all.  That part was definitely weird.

I delivered at 2:30AM, and was up and moving around (slowly for sure, but at least up) when lunch was delivered at 11:00. 

Good luck! 

ChiTown Bridget

I had a wonderful anesthesiologist. It was fast, easy and painless. The only thing I felt were my legs starting to get warm as the spinal started taking effect. That was it.

bcnoelle

Mine felt amazing, as I was in so much pain as an emergency c-section whose epidural did nothing for me and pitocin contractions were evil! I was a little cold and shaky, but sweet relief!

treble_clef

I had an epidural with my son, and this time it will be spinal.  I'm glad to hear all the positive experiences!

lite-bright

I had a spinal with DD2 (c/s because she was breech and my water broke). 

DH was in the OR with me, and held my hands while I leaned over and the anesthesiologist gave me the spinal shot -- which was way quicker and less uncomfortable than the epi I had with DD1, BTW.

Quick shot, I lay down, they started covering me up and prepping the surgery area. After a few minutes, my lower body started to feel tingly and warm. It was actually quite soothing/calming, because the OR was really cold. Eventually I couldn't move my feet, everything below my chest felt very warm and heavy, and the anesthesiologist used a tiny alcohol wipe to confirm that I could feel everything above my chest, and nothing below it. I really appreciated that, because I knew that I absolutely wouldn't feel the surgery. 

Then they put up the sheet and started the c/s.

I did feel nauseous on and off once I got into recovery, and for about the first 24 hours -- which was not an issue with my epi. But other than that, things went very smoothly with the spinal and I preferred not having my back all taped up like it was with the epi.

lilydeven

Christine&Mario:

Mine was not bad AT ALL. They had me sit on the side of the operating table and hug the nurse. The anesthesiologist put in what felt like the equivalent of a regular shot in my back, and then a little bit of pressure as he put in the spinal. Then my body got all warm and cozy, they swung my legs (which were already getting woozy) onto the operating table, laid me down, and within a minute or two I couldn't feel anything below my boobs, except for the smallest bit of pulling and tugging during the surgery itself plus a little bit of pressure when they pulled out the baby. I just focused on my DH's face until we heard the baby cry. Easy breezy.

My recovery sucked a little bit, but the c-section itself was a very peaceful, happy and joy-filled event. Just try to relax and enjoy!

This exactly! 

juliane2004

For me, that's the worst part of the c/s, with the nausea that I get during the procedure as a second worst.

I have a sensitive back and the slightest tough hurts me, so yes for me it hurt a lot. But there's a nurse that I essentially hugged while they did it, and she helped me be still, so that helped.

 

lorahbora

heather_09_15_07:

I felt like a lightning shock down my right leg. i don't know if that's due to them having me roll on my side to receive it (because when I had an epi with #1, I was sitting up and didn't feel that), but it scared me and made me yell. Also, I felt like I was suffocating most of the time we were in the OR. They warned me I might feel like that, but it still freaked me out.

 

I had the feeling of suffocating, too, as well as being really itchy. That was from my epidural when i was still going to be birthing vaginally. Then when the plan switched to emergency C section and I had to be given more drugs, it felt like someone had put a big warm blanket over my legs, and then I realized I wasn't able to move them. But the warm sensation helped me not freak out over the fact that I couldn't move. The actual placement of the epidural catheter wasn't that bad, it was a little stingy pinprick.

kjj834

Actually getting the spinal was nothing.  I was so nervous about the cs, that I didn't even realize he was doing it.  I felt a small pinch, and then my legs started going numb.  It was really quick.  The thing that freaked me out was that my arms also started going numb and I couldn't feel myself breathe.  The dr was really good and helped reassure me that I was in fact breathing, and that everything was ok.  It's good to know that can happen and it's fine, just in case it happens to you.

Chrelaine

lilydeven:

Christine&Mario:

Mine was not bad AT ALL. They had me sit on the side of the operating table and hug the nurse. The anesthesiologist put in what felt like the equivalent of a regular shot in my back, and then a little bit of pressure as he put in the spinal. Then my body got all warm and cozy, they swung my legs (which were already getting woozy) onto the operating table, laid me down, and within a minute or two I couldn't feel anything below my boobs, except for the smallest bit of pulling and tugging during the surgery itself plus a little bit of pressure when they pulled out the baby. I just focused on my DH's face until we heard the baby cry. Easy breezy.

My recovery sucked a little bit, but the c-section itself was a very peaceful, happy and joy-filled event. Just try to relax and enjoy!

This exactly! 

I was nodding as I read this. Me too!

kms34

KC_13:

Here's what it was like for me.

You lean foward and hug a pillow. The anastesioligist puts a shot that feels like a small pinch in your back of medication that numbs the pain of the spinal. That was all I felt. I did not feel the spinal go in at all.

This is my experience as well. I had a vaginal birth with epidural wih my first and the spinal was a million times better. It was not painful at all.  

bulbasaur359

I must be an odd one as the placing of my spinal was worse than the surgery. I was extremely nervous going into my scheduled c-section. It had been delayed 6 hours and I was a nervous wreck. They had me walk into the OR which was ominous and get up on the table. I was shaking so bad while he was trying to numb me. They had me hug the nurse and she was a great help. He had to stick me multiple times with both the local and the spinal. One time I felt a sharp pain in my right hip. He actually called for help and they said it was a first for him. I felt bad for the guy but it took longer to numb me than to do the actual surgery. My last memory of my daughter moving inside me was while I was crying bc he couldn't get it in right. I felt a bit nauseous after they laid me down on the table but it passed once I calmed down. I could oddly feel my legs but not move them. I could feel that they existed but could feel no pain. It was an interesting feeling. The surgery really wasn't that bad either. It was all worth it tho to have my daughter born healthy.

cottonlily84

Mine did hurt.  They always say the lidocaine they give you to numb is the worst pain - like a bee sting - but it's not.  That didn't bother me.  But my issue is of the 3 spinals I had 2 were hit and miss, hit and miss, over and over.  If you have a good anesthesiologist or anesthetist that gets it the first time it won't be so bad.  It kinda feels like someone pressing their knuckle into your backbone, it can get sharp though and feel more like a pencil.  You can ask for more numbing if it gets that way, I had it  twice with another surgery and at least that many with the c/s.  I got a spinal headache the first time and I'll be honest it was the worst I've ever had.  I threw up every time I sat up.  Meds didn't help, it just had to wear off.  But nothing like that the other two times so it doesn't always happen.  You can feel some soreness, stiffness and a little pain afterward too, like you've slept on a rock.  The best thing to do is totally understand what's going to happen and if you'd like ask them to keep updating you.  Mine took forever and the c/s nurse would just say "I can't see back there" when I'd ask how much longer, what's going on.  Not knowing how much longer I have to sit and be poked is excruciating to me.  I felt more relief when the anesthetist would tell me what he's doing, almost done, etc.