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2nd Trimester
epidural anyone???
So are most of you opting for the epidural? I will be taking a child birth class on pain management options, but I have heard good and bad things about it. I guess I am afraid it will prolong my labor/contractions and I am hoping for a natural birth so i don't want anything to interfere (that I can control anyway!). I have also heard some say that they became too numb and could not feel to push? Anyone hear this as well? I'm going to try for IV drugs and then if the pain is too great, I guess I will ask for it, unless there is something else. What is everyone else doing for pain management?
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Re: epidural anyone???
Just for clarification when you say you want a natural birth are you referring to vaginal vs c section or drug free? Mostly this term is used for drug free (see the natural bump board) but since it sounds like you're considering other pain meds I didn't know if this is what you meant.
I'm going for a totally natural birth. I'm hoping to avoid any drugs, and will be using an epidural only as a very last resort if I am simply too exhausted from a long, difficult labor to continue. I'm giving birth in a birth center so an epidural would only be an option for me if I am transferred to the hospital for some reason.
After reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, I feel really confident that I can do it naturally. I am looking into Hypnobirthing classes to help with pain management.
A lot of the girls over on the Natural Birth board have had awful experiences with epidurals if you are looking for people with experience about the downside. There are plenty of women whose epidurals made it nearly impossible for them to feel anything in order to push, but there are also those who found the break from pain helpful. Keep in mind that with natural birth, you do get a complete break from pain in between each contraction and your body releases tons of hormones to help you deal with the pain.
I think most women opt for the epidural these days. Statistics show that it can slow labor, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it will for you. Every woman's experience is different. I've heard that if you wait until you're in truly active labor (e.g. at least 4 cm dilated) that there is less of a chance of it slowing your labor. There can be complications from an epidural - some of the most common ones I've heard here on the bump include it not working at all, it only working on one side, and I've read some bumpies posts saying they've dealt with headaches or backaches postpartum from it. As far as not being able to feel pushing, that will have a lot to do with how much anesthesia is in your system at the time of pushing, some women say they can't feel enough to push effectively, some women say they felt the whole pushing phase as though the epidural wasn't there, and some say they felt just enough pressure to help them figure out how to push well. Again, it is completely an individual experience. And as always with any kind of drug, there is the potential for severe side effects but I don't what they are specifically in the epidural's case. You simply have to get educated and make the choice you feel is best for you.
As for me, I went completely drug-free with DS's birth and am planning for a repeat with this baby. I took Bradley classes to prepare me and DH for the birth and had a great labor/delivery experience with DS. If you're very serious about wanting a drug-free birth, I definitely recommend classes and/or hiring a doula. But again, the kind of birth experience you want is a very personal decision and only you can make it. The best you can do is educate yourself as much as possible and be an informed patient making the best decisions for you
Good luck!
I had an epidural with my DD and it was the best decision I made while in labor. I was 32 hours in and stuck at 4 cms, with back labor and pitocin contractions only 10-15 seconds apart. Got the epidural, slept a few hours, woke up at an 8. Turned off the epidural early enough that it mostly wore off and after almost exactly 38 hours I pushed for 20 minutes and felt it all. My epi experience was fantastic.
This time I will go in with the same mentality as last time - if I need the epi, I'll get it. If I don't feel I need it, I won't. But I won't try IV drugs, I do not want to feel "loopy" during labor.
DD1 Feb 2010
DD2 Sept 2011
Burned by the Bear
It's all about what you find acceptable and your preferences.
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In response to LisaJay09's comments:
Just to clarify about Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, it in NO way suggests that giving birth is a typically pain free, blissful experience. For a very few women, it can be. But for others, not so much. The book simply explains more about labor and your body than in most books today (such as What to Expect While You're Expecting, which I have read) and provides many, many stories of women who gave birth totally naturally. Many of them had very painful and difficult labors, but they got through it without meds. The book simply points out that our bodies are made to do this and to handle the pain, and that most women are completely capable of doing so.
I went into labor my first time with the attitude that I would try my best to go without an epi. However, I will be the first to admit that I didn't properly educate myself on pain management. I took a class that covered among many things pain management options including some massage, positioning, and breathing techniques, but it didn't really go into how to have a natural childbirth. I went into labor, remembered I am a wimp when it comes to pain, hit 4 cm and had an epi. It did not slow my labor, it did NOT affect DD's heart rate, and I had no problems feeling what I needed to to push and no side effects afterwards.
With my second I made the decision that I would do the epi again, and I did. I was induced, so I was on pit already, so my labor didn't slow. Again there were no problems with fetal heart rate, no difficulty when it came to pushing and had no side effects afterwards. I am planning to have #3 with an epi.
If you want a natural childbirth with no drugs, then you really need to educate yourself on that experience and how best to manage the pain. In terms of the different pain medicine that you can have during labor, I chose the epi based on the usual effects on the baby. Here is a decent though brief overview of types of pain meds often used in labor: https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/labor-and-delivery/PR00105 and another one: https://www.babycenter.com/pain-medication-for-labor
I had an epidural with both my boys and could totally feel the need to push! I think DH was more afraid of something going wrong (like the needle going in wrong) then I was. I felt more relaxed and was able to enjoy the labor and delivery better.
I didn't have any bad experiences at all with it. I am planning to have an epidural when I have #3 is September. : )
I think its best to go into it with a completely open mind. Like others have said, educate yourself so you understand your options as they arise, but I wouldn't decide prior to ever having experienced childbirth whether you will choose an epidural You never know how your deliver will go- it may go fast. you may find the pain tolerable. you may need an epi. Its impossible to know what to expect and how your body will handle it. I went pain med free via water birth with my first and am still surprised about it. I'd like to again, but won't rule-out drugs if this delivery doesn't go the same as the first. You will know what you can or can't handle when the day comes!