- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
January 2013 Moms
Epidural vs. Natural Birth
For as long as I can remember I have always been a big fan of having an epidural. I thought what's the harm? No pain for me, no side effects for the baby! Since becoming pregnant, I have been doing more and more reasearch and have found there are many harsh side effects of an epidural on mom and baby. Natural birth sounds very scarry to me, but could it be worth it?
Does any one have any experience/knowledge regarding this topic?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Epidural vs. Natural Birth
If you are into reading books, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth is helpful when researching natural childbirth. Her book Birth Matters is written more for people looking for research and statistics. (Has info on both medicated and unmedicated births).
I tried to go Natural but couldn't... It was way to painful for me. I got to the hospital Friday at 6:20 pm and our son did not arrive until Saturday after 10:00 pm.
After having the epidural I have been having back pains that I did not have before but I'm okay with it because those labor pains I felt were rough! uff.
ETA: Getting it again this time around.
*My Blog*
10/50 Read
my read shelf:
I wanted a med free birth so bad, but 23+ hours into labor, after having been pumped with maximum levels of pitocin (water broke and I didn't have active contractions so 14 hours later they asked that I come in and start the Pit), getting the balloon or whatever inserted, I begged for that epidural like my life depended on it. When they told me I had stalled at 4cm for 10 fricken hours, even with all of those drugs and contraptions, my concentration broke and I found myself tensing every time my contractions were coming on. There was no way I could have finished without the epi, I just couldn't get in the zone again, couldn't stop crying, it was awful.
I really think the pitocin, and needing to be hooked up to those IV's which meant I could NOT move around, ruined any plans I had of no drugs. I'm crossing my fingers that I can make it med free this time, but I've learned you can't always plan on things are going to go.
I am also a fan of natural child birth, but the bottom line is this . . . every choice you make with regards to how you give birth will have risks. Every single choice. From how you do it, to where you do it, to who you will do it with. Some of those risks are greater than others. In general, more interventions have more risks - but that is not always true depending on the individual situation for mom and baby. The best thing you can do is educate yourself on all the options and interventions, find a provider who you trust to know what you want but who you also trust to advise you if it's time to deviate, and have an open mind about the entire process.
All of this! I also was very pro natural and even more so after experiencing it once! But like she said it's a very personal choice and the best thing ultimately is that you're comfortable in your decision.
I couldnt agree more with teh bolded statement.... you can plan for anything but nature will do as it pleases and sometimes the best thing for mom and baby is an epi. I had a friend who was in a similar situation and she had to get the epi... she beat herself up for months after her child was born. I think mentally preparing for all possibilities is important.
I disagree that it is best for mom and baby. Labor can be a very long and exhausting ordeal. One of my close friends baby was in great danger because she was just to exhausted to push that baby out. Also, having said that, if for some reason you cannot deliver the baby you are going to be knocked out and taken for a c-section anyway. There are definately risks to both having the epi and potential risks to not having it.
In my case I was induced at 8:00pm on Friday night and DD didnt deliver until 11:00am on Sunday. It was a long long labor, not to mention in the middle of all my pushing and trying to deliver we discovered that I had what they call a vaginal septum (imagine the septum in your nose) that was preventing the baby from entering the birth canal. I had to have vaginal surgery in the middle of labor and contractions. Crazy stuff I tell ya and God Bless the women who can do it without the Epi but there is no way I could have gone through all of that without it.
Having said all of that, i'm hoping for a much faster birthing process with this one and would love to see how long I can go without, but even then I don't think I could go through the birth without it. Good luck with your decision. I too read TONS and hoped to have a med free birth...but the reality of labor for a lot of women changes the original birth plan completely. At the end of the day, med free or numb as hell, we all have beautiful babies to take home and no one looks at anyone any different despite their choices.
Last time around I was very pro epidural, when it came to delivery I didn't want one but I felt very pressured to get one given my situation. I had a very negative (and very rare) reaction to the needle stick where I went from having very high bp to having it drop so low I almost passed out, this thoroughy scared me to never want to have one again. I also had an odd sensation/pain in my back for months after words. I also hated being stuck in the bed, unable to move around and I absolutly detested needing a cath.
This time I am really hoping to go without the epidural, but with my previous late loss it is likely that I will be induced this time which worries me that it will be much harder to go without an epi if I am induced. I'm also worried about getting pre-e again and being trapped in my bed which I imagine would also make it harder to go without pain meds.
I didn't end up with pitocin, but I did have elevated blood pressure (not high, but elevated from my normal) and had to have a blood pressure cuff on constantly and was immediately hooked up to an IV. This meant that I could not move around and use all of the coping methods that I had learned. Ultimately this lead to an epidural.
My advice would be to make sure that your OB (or midwife) is open to natural birth. I should have changed OBs, but was naive and a first time mom who didn't even realize that was an option. When I'd mentioned that I preferably wanted a med-free birth, my OB last time immediately said that if I was at all open to an epidural I'd end up with the epidural. She was not at all supportive of what I wanted and I'm convinced that the feeling of going into battle everytime I saw her contributed to the elevated blood pressure. With that practice I was also not given an option about the IV. It was just something that happened automatically. For me this is an issue because of my veins. Once the IV was placed, if I moved, my vein would burst. I had some lovely bruises on my hands from this happening and them having to reset the IV.
This time around, I've found an OB who prefers her patients to try for natural birth (partnered with a midwife). If an IV is needed they will do a Hep-Lock, which is where they set the line in the forearm and only connect lines if needed. This will allow me to still move and use the tub as wanted.
I had the same one and will be getting an epi this time as well
I think it is a whole different ball game when you are induced.... the process normally takes SO much longer than when you go into labor naturally. I get your points, but going all natural is always the best scenario. Situations can always arise where medical intervention, including an epi, is necessary. But I think was PPs point was that the best situation for mom and baby in a normal labor and delivery situation is NCB... there are always exceptions.... KWIM?
It's important to do your research on both sides and sometimes circumstances just happen and you have to do what you have to do for the sake of the baby.
I personally plan on getting an epi.
Henry Cavill...You're welcome!
BFP #3: EDD 1/10/13 **DS born 12/30/12!!!**
BFP #2: MC 7/2/11 @ 12 weeks
**Missing our February '12 LoveBug**
BFP #1: MMC discovered on 12/6/10
This. In addition, the epi did not slow my labor.
Exactly. I was speaking in general terms
Also, I do think there's something positive to be said for using an epidural to give mom a rest in preparation for pushing towards the end of an extremely long labor.
*My Blog*
10/50 Read
my read shelf:
BFP #1 5/12/12; EDD 1/20/13; Eliana Grace born 1/25/13
BFP #2 12/11/13; EDD 8/23/14; M/C 6 weeks
BFP #3 4/3/14; EDD 12/13/14
Despite being induced and on pitocin and mag sulfate (for pre-eclampsia) and unable to move around, I never felt like the labor pain was too much to bare, and I didn't get an epidural. I didn't want the complications of an epidural and the thought of having that needle in the back freaked me out.
Everyone's labor and pain tolerance is different. For me, the first third of a contraction was the hardest. It was menstrual cramps to the max! But then the pain would focus, I would hit the high point of the contraction, and the rest was the release of pain while my body naturally pushed, so the last two thirds of the contraction while painful felt productive. Personally, I liked being able to feel my body labor, to know what it could do on its own. I think this is one if the reasons it only took me three pushes to push DS out. I could feel my body and respond.
I can understand other women not being able to make it through my particular labor though. Pitocin makes your contractions more difficult, and mag sulfate makes you feel hot and dizzy like you have the flu. Not being able to move around is probably the worst! I had to start labor on my side and that was really tough. Thankfully after a little while the nurse let me change positions and I got into as close of a sitting on the toilet/squatting position as one can in a hospital bed, and that made a world of difference.
So, if you want to go epi free, you totally can! But don't beat yourself up if you don't.
wow, a lot of good things said already here. i think my number one thing is that women are educated. after that, it is a very personal decision.
i had a med-free birth with DD and it was beautiful and worth every bit of pain. this time around i'm hoping for the experience to be even more enjoyable.
to the PP who said she had a very low pain tolerance....it really truly can be an experience of mind over matter. i just recently witnessed a friend's home birth who has an incredibly low pain tolerance but had a beautiful med-free delivery. throughout her whole pregnancy, she spoke positively of birth and didn't let fear enter her thoughts. i'm convinced that her mindset was 90% of her "being able to do it."
i will also just echo what someone said about eating right and exercising--two very important things when trying for a natural birth. and because of my friend's experience described above, mindset/mentality are very important.
Yes. Lots of good discussion. Just wanted to add a couple thoughts.
I had an epi with DD. We moved to another state when I was 36wk pg and I just wasn't prepared to do natural birth. The thought of getting the epi was the only thing getting me through my labor. I was so relieved when I got it. I was finally able to rest and sleep. That being said, they had to break my water and start me on pit because my labor stalled out. I was at 6cm for 8 hours. Then they had to start me on oxygen and DD came out pretty blue. She nursed right away and she is a healthy bright baby. It scares me to think how close I probably was to foreceps and or a c-section.
However, this time I do want to prepare for a natural birth. I do think it requires a commitment and work. I watched two documentaries on natural birth (The Business of Being Born - Ricki Lake, and I can't remember the name of the other one) when DD was a few months old and decided this is the route I want to go this time.
I am so glad you posted this! I was very nervous of the possibility of being induced and worrying about having pre-e again. I'm glad to see a sucess story where you were able to go pain med free even under both of these conditions. Did you take any classes or do any specific preperation to help you go med free?
Same for me as well. I also had a great induction. Labored for 8 hours, pushed for 25 mins. DS was 9 lbs 1 oz and I had minimal tearing. I hope my labor with this LO is just as great.
I took a 4 week birth class series at my hospital that talked about the birthing process, techniques you can use during labor, tools and drugs that are offered during labor. I found that what I thought would help me relax in labor, massages and music or tv to help distract, didn't help at all. For me, it was about getting in the right position, and body told me what position it wanted to be in, and being able to concentrate and focus during the contractions. I had to have complete silence during contractions and no touching. I would take a deep breath when I started to have a contraction and I wouldn't release it until the contraction started to subside. My DH kept telling me to breathe, and I had to tell him off a couple of times. I think you can't really know what will help until you're in that situation, so just come in with an open mind and a bag full of tricks.
My advice is to prepare, prepare, prepare....and then prepare to be flexible.
I had read all the NCB books and took Bradley classes. I had an extremely long labor. (45 hours of real active labor). Mild contractions started 24 hrs before that. I labored at home for 24 hrs. Was 6cm when I got to the hospital, took 7 hours to progress to 8cms. Then, I stalled at 8cms for 9 freaking hours. The pain never felt unbearable, baby was fine, but I was just so dang tired! Eventually, we tried breaking my water, we tried pitocin, nothing.
I owe a lot to my last nurse. She was into NCB, and when my doc started pushing for a c-section, she suggested I get the epi. I got it, slept for 2 hours and pushed for another 2. Out came a healthy baby.
Do I love the fact that I got an epi? No. But because I had read up so much, I really felt prepared and educated in my choices. My only regret is not having a doula. My husband was a great coach, but he was extremely tired too! I think an experienced doula might have been able to suggest some things to help me overcome that horrible 8cms. Getting one this time!
My Blog - 86'n It
I just wanted to agree with all of this and say that we had very similar preparations (all the books + 12 weeks of Bradley classes) and a virtually identical outcome . . . extremely long active labor (including 24 hours after my water broke), stalled labor once I got to 10cm (contractions just stopped), etc. At that point I KNEW I was getting a c-section. I just KNEW it. But thankfully our L&D nurse convinced us that pitocin (to bring my contractions back) + epi (because my body was just exhausted) would be something we could try to avoid c-section. And just like you, I got the epi, SLEPT - which was amazing, and then pushed a baby out (although thankfully I only had to push for 25 minutes).
I also regret not having a doula . . .
I feel for you this was almost our exact experience as well except they broke my water immediately and started the PIT first thing int he morning. I made it 7 hrs on it and then just couldnt take it. I was losing my mind.. I didnt progress even on the highest doses of PIT they allow for over 3 hours so they convinced me to C-Section. We were induced int he first place bc of my being 42 weeks 2 days. This time around no one is talking me into inducing, or any invasive measures that I dont want to do!! I really want to take a Bradley class. I dont feel sure I can do it but I want to try. My experience was so frustrating. I had no control and for a control freak like myself that was a horrible feeling!
Married 5/2/09 To my best friend
I had an epidural and it was the best decision for me. It most likely prevented me from having a c-section. How?
When I was admitted, I was in terrible pain and my contractions were right on top of each other. I was getting less than a minute between. They checked me and I was at 1 cm--the same place I had been at my doctors visit. The pain was SO intense and I was so exhausted, they set ahead and gave me the epidural at 1cm. 1 hour later, I was at 6 cm, and an hour after that I was at 10. I had three pushes and she was out. I was walking as soon as I was wheeled to my recovery room, and my baby was alert and very hungry!
When all was said and done, the doctor told me that getting the epidural appeared to relax me enough for my body to take over and do what it was supposed to do. I had a lot of anxiety about labor as a first-time mom, and I truly believe it was hindering my progress. Even without he doctor's opinion that the epidural most likely made my problem-free (with the exception of meconium) birth possible, I know I was mentally and physically so drained that the pain was causing me to shut down.
Every woman's experience is different, so of you want a natural birth, do everything you can to prepare and get mentally and physically ready for the challenge. But also realize that if you end up getting to be point where you need an epidural to get through it, don't beat yourself up or think you are any less of a mom for getting one. I had a great experience, and I will likely have one again because it made my birth a very enjoyable experience that I remember clearly and fondly. Good luck with your birth no matter what you choose!
It's natural to be scared, but birth is natural!! You'll find that once that natural oxytocin gets racing through your body once baby is born, it'll all be worth it!! I suggest you watch the Business of Being Born. Look up the page "Motherwise" on facebook. Check out as many natural birth videos as you can, you'll be surprised how many you can find on youtube.
It's scary, but the biggest hidden truth in the labor and delivery rooms is that women are strong!! You've been in the mindset that you can't go without for so long, that finally seeing you are very, very, VERY likely to succeed at doing this on your own probably seems daunting. I believe in you though,