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Multiples without an epidural?

Margo415Margo415
in Multiples
I was really wanting to have a natural birth until I found out that we are having twins!  I want the babies to get here safe and am willing to do either... I'm just curious if it's possible to have a multiple birth without pain meds or an epidural.   
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Re: Multiples without an epidural?

  • macchiattomacchiatto member
    Ditto MrsLee. I switched OBs during pregnancy. My first practice said there was no option, I definitely had to have an epidural, continuous EFM, etc. The OB I switched to was OK with me foregoing one (as long as I was OK with the possibility of general anesthesia in case something went wrong and they had to do an emergency C) but he strongly recommended it because Baby B kept flipping back and forth between breech and vertex so we knew I might need a breech extraction for him. And in the end, he was vertex when I went in for my induction but after A came out, the OB did an ultrasound and found that B was breech again, hiding up in my rib cage, so I did have a breech extraction. I was glad I had an epidural!
    fraternal twin boys born january 2009
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  • ahava2005ahava2005
    Agree with the above.  Most want to at least place it in case something goes wrong with baby B and you need a c-section.  Otherwise, you will need general anesthesia, which is risky for both you and the baby.  They can just place the line and not use it, but it does somewhat limit your movement and what you can do.
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  • Temp159135562506975Temp159135562506975 member
    talk to your OB - some won't even do a vaginal birth with twins --- you want to find out your OB's policies early so you can change if it's important to you.
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  • eileenm21eileenm21 member
    ditto on everyone's.  My ob and I just had the chat about delivery too and he will let someone go vaginally only with an epi, and only if they are both vertex.  If one is breech is an automatic c section.  if during the vaginal delivery, one turns breech he will automatically go to csection for the second baby.  They all have their different rules, so yo have to check!  GL and welcome!
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  • macchiattomacchiatto member

    imagemacchiatto:
    Ditto MrsLee. I switched OBs during pregnancy. My first practice said there was no option, I definitely had to have an epidural, continuous EFM, etc. The OB I switched to was OK with me foregoing one (as long as I was OK with the possibility of general anesthesia in case something went wrong and they had to do an emergency C) but he strongly recommended it because Baby B kept flipping back and forth between breech and vertex so we knew I might need a breech extraction for him. And in the end, he was vertex when I went in for my induction but after A came out, the OB did an ultrasound and found that B was breech again, hiding up in my rib cage, so I did have a breech extraction. I was glad I had an epidural!

    I should add, I'm also super glad I switched OBs because if that had happened at my previous practice, the MFM would have done a breech extraction but the OBs weren't experienced/comfortable with those so I would have ended up with the dreaded double-whammy! ;)

    fraternal twin boys born january 2009
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  • meldoo2002meldoo2002 member
    At the hospital I delivered at you had to have the epidural placed, but did not have to have medication added to it if you didn't want to.  It was there in case you needed a c-section.  I ended up having the epidural with medication anyway.  My OB would deliver vaginally as long as baby A was head down and bigger than baby B.  It didn't matter how B was positioned.  In the end baby A for me was head down, but smaller than B.  B was transverse.  After I delivered baby A the doctor went in and physically turned baby B head down (so yeah glad I had the epidural).  They were slightly concerned about baby B's head being bigger and said if I had gone full term they may not have attempted vaginal delivery, but because I was so early and they were so small it ended up being ok.  

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  • MawrtyrBMawrtyrB
    I had a pitocin induction and no epidural or pain meds. It's doable. If you really want to do it, I strongly suggest Bradley classes. What I learned there was indispensable.  Some of the comments about the emergency c/s threat had me nervous but my midwife supported my decision to go natural and we did great. 
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  • jacobandcrystaljacobandcrystal member

    I asked the same question a while back because I had previously had one great natural birth experience and one bad epidural one. 

    Everyone I asked (multiple docs and the anesthesiologist at the hospital) agreed that at least having an epidural placed is a good idea. If you have an epidural with the medication turned down low, it can simply be turned up in the case of a somewhat emergent c-section.  If you have a line placed with no meds, you'd probably end up with general anesthesia (knocked out) for a true emergency c-section because it takes a while to numb you. 

    I ended up getting an epidural placed with the medicine turned down very low.  I actually tried to push the button to turn it up, but my labor progressed so quickly that it ended up feeling the same as my previous natural delivery!

    I would suggest getting a few different opinions from doctors and talking with the anesthesiologist at the hospital about your options.

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  • Melin086Melin086
    My OB strongly encouraged an epidural, but she told me she wouldn't force me to have one.  I was induced with pitocin and wasn't sure if I wanted an epidural or not.  I ended up getting an epidural when I was 9cm.  So I think it depends on what your OB is comfortable doing.
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  • ErinCBErinCB

    imageMrsLee04:
    A lot of times epidurals are strongly recommended and even required with twins in case an emergency arises and a c-s has to be done.  But it is possible.....a MOM on here recently had a story where she didn't have a choice, her twins came so fast she didn't have time for an epi even though she had planned to have one!  Find out your OB/hospital's policies.

     

    This was me :)! LOL!

    I had no choice, I had a precipitous labor (less than 3 hours start to finish, mine was 2 hours from water breaking until both babies were born). I got to the hospital and was already 10cm. Luckily Baby A was head down already, so the worst case plan was they would deliver him vaginally and then do an emergency C for Baby B if needed (which meant I would have been put under general anesthesia and would have not been awake for it). Luckily she flipped head down after her brother was born, so there was no need and she was also born w/o meds vaginally.

     I was intending on getting an epi though :), I just didn't get the option! It worked out fine though.

     Talk w/ your OB and see what he/she may be comfortable with. 

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