I was wondering if you Epidural worked for you? Also what to expect when you received one. Most of all my friends complained to me that their epidural did not work for them and they where in extreme pain the whole time since they didn't prepare for it not to work. I am researching other methods to get though the pain without a epidural, however I was still interested in getting one. What should you expect when you receive one? Do they require you to stay in bed? What about going to the bathroom? Could it give you a more higher chance of c-section? Does it slow down labor?
*Sorry if this is in the wrong board... just wasn't sure where to ask the question.
Re: Did your Epidural work?
Mine worked great with my DD, not so much with DS...but there were other factors there.
When you get one, they have you sit up and lean over the nurse while the doc inserts it. You'll get a local first to numb the area, then the cath is inserted that delivers the medications. They'll give you an initial dose to test the placement, then it's hooked up to a drip. My hospital also had the happy button so that you could increase the dose if you needed more relief (obviously it's controlled so you can't OD).
You will be confined to the bed or close to it (I could sit up, etc) and I had enough feeling to use a bedpan but most of the time you'll have a cath at some point to drain your bladder before pushing, etc. It depends on how much feeling you have really.
You'll also have an IV for fluids and a blood pressure cuff, so you are pretty limited once you get one. For me it was worth it with DD since I'd been in labor so long and needed rest. With DS it never worked after the initial dose....I don't think they turned the pump on, but I went so quickly we never sorted it out. I went from 5-10 and delivered in under an hour, so it was an odd situation all around.
From what I have read and heard lately apparently I had an AMAZING epi. It did take the anesthesiologist 6 tries but it was worth it I was in 0 pain. The contractions are usually so painful by the time you get it that you do not notice them doing it. My biggest problem was staying still between the puking and contractions.
** to answer some of your other questions most hospitals require you to get to 4 cm. before they will give it and most wont give it after 8 cm. because it usually doesn't have time to work. You really cant move to go to the bathroom so you get a catheter. I was so numb from the waist down at one point I almost fell out of the bed when I tried to sit up luckily DH was right there. Your on a lot more monitors and machines once you have it on top of the extreme numbness so your pretty much stuck to the bed.
I had 2 with DS. Both wore off within 3 hours of getting them (I had a 16 hour labor), and I did not get complete relief. I will not be getting one again.
FWIW I think 70% of women get complete relief, 20% get partial relief, and 10% get little or no relief from them.
Married since 06/19/2004|Anna born 11/19/2006|Charles born 11/1/11
Double undergrad graduation May 2011| Me: Psychology, DH: Communication| A long journey!
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I would have been in the 10% category.
Married since 06/19/2004|Anna born 11/19/2006|Charles born 11/1/11
Double undergrad graduation May 2011| Me: Psychology, DH: Communication| A long journey!
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Yes, they did!! Loved them. I could not get out of bed. I was numb from the waist down. It might have slowed down labor, but I didn't care. I did need a C with #2, but the cord was around her neck.
I was numb even when I pushed with #1 and didn't feel a thing.
When I was admitted, I was 5cm. They gave me Stadol which helped for about 2 hours then I got the epi. The only thing I felt was when they gave me the shot to numb me.
He had to insert it twice because the first time he hit a blood vessel, but I felt nothing. It was immediate relief and it lasted the duration of my labor. I couldn't get out of bed, obviously, but I had a cath. Once she was delivered, they turned it off and within a few minutes, feeling was returning in my lower half. I felt no pain, but did feel the urge to push when she was beginning to crown.
It was wonderful and made labor much more enjoyable. I would definitely recommend it, and will have it again if we decide to have another baby.
Good luck!
Mine kind of worked. It helped some with the pain in my stomach, but it did absolutely nothing for the vaginal pain. I felt like I was being ripped in two. I think it might not have had enough time to fully kick in because I progressed from 6 to 10 cm dilated and -2 to +3 station in about 30 minutes right after getting the epi, and then pushed him out in 25 minutes. I was definitely not numb from the waist down. I was in complete control of my legs while pushing. I even had a charlie horse in my right calf in the middle of a push!
ETA: After labor, they tried to stitch my 2nd degree tear without any local anesthetic. They assumed I was numb from the epi. I guess they didn't pick up on the fact that I was screaming that I was being ripped in two, that I moved my legs around with no trouble, or that I had to have a nurse help stretch out my charlie horse during pushing After I screamed in pain a few times, they offered me a local, when stung when they injected it, but helped tremendously as they finished stitching. Then I had a nurse try to give me a catheter. I hadn't needed one previously because I hadn't had the epi very long. She didn't even warn me that she was going to do it, and it hurt like a ***! Once again, I guess she still didn't realize that I was NOT NUMB. I kept jumping because it hurt so much, and then the nurse made a nasty comment about me squirming too much. Finally my dr told her not to worry about it. I walked myself to the bathroom and peed with no trouble at all about an hour later. I absolutely will not get an epi again.
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"><a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"><img border="0" src="http://tickers.myfitnesspal.com/ticker/show/825/1820/8251820.png" /></a><p style="text-align:center;width:420px;"><small>Created by MyFitnessPal - Free <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com">Calorie Counter</a></small></p>I got a beautiful epidural -- wonderful. I could move my legs the entire time and didn't have much pain.
As far as the bathroom, I had a catheter to drain my bladder and had no lasting effects from that (no issues once the epi wore off).
And mine sped up labor because my body relaxed. I went from 3 cm to 9.5 cm in an hour and 45 min.
For my first daughter the epidural worked fine, but when they did the epidural I was already in labor. I literally do not remember much pain from when the epidural was placed in/nor do I remember much pain from birthing!
On the other hand for my second daughter, I was induced with her and got my epidural an hour before I was induced (1am). I was in a ton of pain getting it placed. My epidural ran out around 6:30am and nobody knew that it was 'empty' until about 9:50am. My daughter was born at 10:03am. Needless to say I felt more than I ever wanted to but I do believe I could have done everything 'natural'. When they did the stitches I did feel the injection they gave me to, and comparing to my first daughter, I never felt that!
For my third baby I am totally undecided as to what I want to do yet!
Best of luck to everyone!