Before/After Epi...

Neudorfer · October 2008

can anyone shed some light on what it feels like before the epi and then after thru delivery? this may seem like a silly question, but i'm super bad with pain and i'm nervous...

NikkiRae · October 2008

Before my epi I was in pain - like bad stomach cramps. ?They were bearable, but before that got out of control I opted to get the epi. ?Then there was no pain. ?They actually had to tell me I was having a contraction and when to push. ?I ended up having a c-section in the long run and really felt close to nothing. ?

Neudorfer · October 2008

i love you and i don't even know you. thank you for telling me that.

Deegirl322 · October 2008

Never had a baby, but those make me nervous bc of the domino effect of drugs during labor...which many result in a cesarean. If all goes well, I'm going natural. Yes, it will be painful, but pain is temporary and it's for the health of the baby.

jamie4duke · October 2008

Before the epi i literally thought I was dying. After the epi my skin itched like crazy (that was just my reaction to it...other people don't itch at all) but then from the waist down I had absolutely no feeling. I couldn't move my legs or toes or roll over all the way (I could only roll over my upper half of my body). I couldn't feel the contractions, which was difficult for me during the pushing stage because I didn't know when they were coming, and then when they told me to push, I had no idea if I was pushing right or how hard or whatever. This next time I am planning on getting an intrathecal (sp?) because you can feel your legs and the contractions but the pain isn't as intense. It's called a walking epi.

grja · October 2008

The Epi was a miracle (at least for me). I got to the hospital and i was already at a 4. (I had been at the doctors office less than 12 hours before that and they said the baby was not coming any time soon - they were clearly wrong).

By the time i got admitted and everything and got the Epi, only and hour and half had passed. I thought i was going to die, i was in so much pain. Right after the Epi, they checked me and i was a 9.5. So that explains all the horrible pain. But the Epi was wonderful. After i got it, i was able to move my legs and stuff, but just not feel the pain. I had a great experience, and DS was born not too long after i got it.

grja · October 2008

Oh, and i forgot to mention what my nurse said to me (she was hysterical).

"Everyone walks out of here with a baby, whether you get the epi or not. We don't go handing out an extra baby or a special awards to people who do it naturally"

It totally made me laugh, and was so true. In the end, do whats right for you.

mandyjn16 · October 2008

I had an epi even though I was only delivering at 19 weeks. However when your body isn't supposed to be delivering the process is much longer and different. All I wanted to share was that I LOVED my epi even though I too itched all over (it is bad but not as bad as contractions). I continued to itch some even the next day, but nothing awful. My BF was all about going natural and wound up asking for an epi and never regretted it.

EmmaRain · October 2008

I haven't been there yet, but here's how a friend described it...

Contractions feel like period cramps that are low and pulsate a little bit. They get worse over a several hour period. You begin to tolerate them as they get worse. Just breathe through them. I got the epidural at 3 centimers, after feeling the contractions for about 6 hours. The anesthesiologist gave me a local shot of anesthetic so I wouldn't feel the needle. When I got the epi, it was instant relief. I thought that not being able to feel my legs would bother me, but it didn't at all. I was thankful to not be feeling the baby moving lower and lower and my uterus contracting. I went to sleep and was able to relax. I didn't feel a thing.
The nurse came in and checked me and said I was 10 cm. I still couldn't feel anything. They watched the monitor to tell me when to push. I pushed hard with my lower body, like doing a crunch or sit-up. They told me to push a few more times. I felt pressure as they pulled the baby out, but no pain. I had a few stitches and never felt that either. I'm so thankful for modern medicine. I had plenty of strength to push because of the sleep I got after the epi. I was worried about getting the epi because I'd heard so many people say it affects the baby. I don't think it did at all. He looked into my eyes, wasn't sluggish at all, and he breastfed immediately.

ceecee31 · October 2008

Like the pp, I got the epi before my contractions were too painful. Prior to getting it, they just felt like menstral cramps; like if I took Advil or Midol, they would go away. I think I was about 2 cm. at that point. When I got the epi, I was about 4 and my pain was still at that level--a Midol and a big glass of water and I would be good. Of course, the epi took that away and I didn't feel a thing. No contractions, no pain. The epi didn't hurt at all and I was super surprised because I'm a big wimp! I only felt the numbing shot. The actual catheter (it sounds worse than it is) just felt like a lot of pressure going up your back--kinda like when you go to the dentist. No pain, just pressure. I had my daughter and that was it! You'll do fine. Make sure you attend a Childbirth Prep class; they'll show you all of the equipment the staff will use the day of your delivery. I thought seeing all of that stuff would make me more nervous, but surprisingly, it helped alot!

SoMdGirl83 · October 2008

Thanks for posting this and sharing everyone. I am still up in the air on an epi I guess it depends on what happens at the time.

byrne15 · October 2008

i got my epi at about 7 cm. i got to the hospital and was 5 cm and felt mild to moderate pain. they asked if i was going to want an epi and i said that yes eventually i did. they ordered it then 'cause they said it would take a while....about an hour later i got the epi (i don't even remember feeling the epi since i was in back labor anyway). afterward i felt so peaceful..it was amazing!

senecamom · October 2008

I didn't get an epi, just some Nubain to take the edge of the pain. I couldn't breathe (and I was screaming) before the Nubain, afterwards was a little better. DD came quick though (3 hours, 45 minutes from contractions to delivery). I really didn't think I'd make it through delivery w/o an epi either. See what happens...

vlahop · October 2008

I enjoyed reading all of your stories. Thanks for sharing!

LittleMamaB · October 2008

With my first, I got the epi before I had any real pain. I was 5cm when they gave it to me and had my son (vaginally) six hours later. My labor experience was really enjoyable. I wasn't in pain, but I could feel the tightening of contractions enough to be aware of when I should push. I was joking and talking with family throughout my entire labor.

With my second, I went really fast (got to the hospital at 7am and he was born at 11:35am) so I did most of the laboring pain med free. It was hell. It hurt so bad that I literally thought I was going to die. It felt like someone was ripping my insides out. This labor experience was not quite as enjoyable. I got the epi, finally...after begging for what seemed like forever (they had to get fluids in me before they could do anything), at 9cm. It was instant relief. They gave me a straight shot into the IV in my back because they knew a drip wouldn't work fast enough. I was pushing about fifteen minutes later and had my son after three pushes.

Now, I'm not saying how much it hurt to scare you...just being truthful. If we ever have another, I will be headed to the hospital at the first sign of labor and telling them to start my fluids so I don't have to go through that again. LOL.

Katy911 · October 2008

I was induced. They started the pitocin at 6am. I think it was around 11am when they gave me an IV drug to "take the edge off." I guess you could say it took the edge off.....and everything else along with it, since it made me pretty much pass out. Around 2pm, I started waking up with each contraction because the drugs were wearing off and they hurt so bad, then I would pass out again in between. Between 3:30 and 4pm, I got my epi. Again, I was pretty much passed out. I just remember waking a couple of times. Once, they were mentioning c-section and once, they were telling me I was fully dilated and was going to push in a few minutes.

Around 5pm, I woke up with an oxygen mask over my face and they said it was time to start pushing. I didn't know it at the time, but a nurse turned the epi off, because you know, "you need to feel where to push." I ended up pushing for an hour and a half and by the time my little guy came out, I could feel everything. The actual birth wasn't so bad (other than the incredible pressure). The worst part for me was getting stitched up. It was also awful during the post-delivery clean up, because when they removed everything from my back (from having the epi), they discovered that the idiot anistesiologist (sp?) had used "second skin tape" over my entire back. They peeled it off and it was excrutiating!!

Next time (I'm praying there will be a next time), I will skip the IV drug and go straight for the epi. Hopefully that way I will remember everything that happens.

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